Following allegation of assault by a journalist at last Saturday’s Mayorkun Concert at the Palms Mall, RingRoad, Ibadan, the organizers have come out to set the record straight.
Explaining that the journalist was not assaulted by Davido’s bouncers, the organizers, in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by OYO INSIGHT, claimed that the journalist was drunk the night and had no tag to enter the artistes’ green room.
They also claimed that the pieces of ‘used’ condoms and other sexual materials seen at the event venue were given freely to attendees with the support of relevant organizations for reproductive and family health awareness.
The full statement below (unedited)
Re: Alleged Violence at Mayorkun’s Concert.
The production team of the historic event ‘The Ibadan Concert with Mayorkun’ will like to categorically emphasize the following:
-That the Mayorkun’s Concert, which was widely acclaimed by attendees as the best music concert to be held in the city of Ibadan was very well managed with experienced security officials in place, despite the over 13 thousand people in attendance.
-That the organizers will like to dissociate themselves from news going round of violence against some persons as no such thing happened at the event. It was a free and fair event.
-That as part of giving back to all attendees, the organizers, with the support of relevant organizations distributed packs of condoms freely for reproductive and family health awareness which is typical of events of this magnitude. These were seen littering the event ground afterwards.
-That adequate securities were made for all media houses and journalists with access tags at the event, and no violence was experienced by any journalist or pressman at the event.
-That ‘all access’ tags were given only to authorized journalists and photographers. This is part of the security procedures that were put in place to prevent unauthorized access by impostors.
That we are aware of a report by instablog by a report who alleges that he was manhandled by security operatives.
The reporter who was allegedly drunk attempted to forcibly gain entrance into the artistes’ green room without authorized access and was prevented by security operatives.
-That the report by the aggrieved reporter is a calculated attempt to bring the event into disrepute. This isolated event is not representative of the concert event which otherwise was very peaceful and violence free.
Thank you.
