Stonebwoy
Popular reggae/afro dancehall artiste, Livingstone Satekla, also known as Stonebwoy, has reacted to the decision taken by the board of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) to lift the ban that was placed on him and Shatta Wale in 2019.
VGMA placed a ban on Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy following a brawl that ensued between the two artistes at the 20th edition of VGMA.
In addition to the ban, they were also stripped of the awards they won on the night and asked to return the plaques they had been given. They were also barred from filing nominations in 2020 edition of the awards.
The ban was however, lifted after a series of meetings held by members VGMA board.
Stonebwoy was of the opinion that the VGMA board should have given them a fair hearing before taking the decision two years ago and should have done same before lifting the ban.
Taking to Twitter, the ‘Putuu’ hit maker said the decision to lift the ban was taken without any prior consultation with either of them, casting doubt on the true purpose of the VGMA as an award scheme.
“Dear VGMA Board & Scheme organisers, I hear the purpose of the VGMA is to celebrate and project Ghanaian musicians and music,” he wrote.
“If that is so, it takes nothing from you to meet with us the artistes/ our representatives before reaching decisions that affect us and communicating them to the public,” he added.
“The right to be heard is a principle that applies in every noble society. Even the all seeing God, who had already seen and knew all that Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden, still made sure he heard them before he took action against them. #IfTheySoDesire really???”
On February 12, the VGMA board in a press statement said it had finally lifted the ban placed on the two dancehall artistes in 2019.
“The Board of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) has lifted the ban imposed on Ghanaian artistes, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy. This decision was taken at the inaugural meeting of the 22nd VGMA Board on January 28, 2021.
“The indefinite ban was imposed in 2019 as a result of a brawl caused by the two artistes during the awards ceremony of the 20th anniversary edition of the VGMA, which disrupted the ceremony and threatened the safety of patrons. The two were thus excluded from participating in the 21st VGMA held in 2020,” the statement said.
By George Clifford Owusu