Songstress Wiyaala has rejected a citation of Merit award in the USA after organisers wanted to present it to her backstage, as a result of an unpleasant incident involving dancehall act, Shatta Wale.
Both Wiyaala and Shatta Wale on Saturday performed at the Summerstage concert in Crotona Park, Bronx.
During the concert, they were supposed to be awarded the citation within the interval of the show but things didn’t go as planned.
After Shatta Wale was presented with his citation on stage, Wiyaala was allegedly denied access to the stage to receive hers. The organisers rather wanted to present it to her backstage, a situation which didn’t sit well with her.
In a Facebook post on Sunday to narrate what transpired, she alleged that she was told team Shatta Wale was behind the decision not to honour her on stage.
She went on to say that she does not accept awards backstage and has no intention to receive the citation backstage at the turn of events.
She wrote, “At approximately 6pm 13th August, Wiyaala was advised that she and Shatta Wale would be presented with a Citation of Merit by Vanessa L Gibson, President of The Bronx Borough on stage during an interval in his performance at @SummerStageNYC
At about 8.15pm Shatta wale’s performance was paused and Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson and Wiyaala went to the back of the stage for the presentation of the citations. Vanessa went forward to do the presentation whilst an unknown person advised Wiyaala to wait. The presentation was made to Shatta Wale.”
“Vanessa then immediately vacated the stage without calling Wiyaala forward. Wiyaala was then told she could receive her award backstage out of sight of the audience. Wiyaala refused to accept the award under these circumstances and left Crotona Park for her hotel,” she continued.
“Vanessa was challenged by members of Wiyaala’s team as to why she had not been called forward to receive her Citation on stage. Initially, Vanessa blamed the organisers (SummerStage NYC) but eventually said that she had been blocked from calling Wiyaala forward by Team Shatta Wale.
Wiyaala does not accept awards or citations from any organization backstage.
Wiyaala respectfully requests that Team Shatta Wale confirm if they did block Wiyaala from coming on stage to receive her citation at the same time as Shatta Wale. And if they did no such thing, then Vanessa L Gibson should account for why she disrespected Wiyaala in this manner on a night of supposed unity and mutual support.”
“Unless acceptable and credible explanations are forthcoming, Wiyaala has no intention of accepting the Citation of Merit supposedly awarded her by the Bronx Borough. This is what happened and we now move on. Case closed, good night #Roarrrrrr.”