Story & photos by Niyi Tabiti
Chief Reporter
American born popular soul singer, Anita Baker disappointed scores of Nigerian high profile personalities and members of the international community,who converged in Lagos on Saturday 30 August 2008 to watch her live performance.
www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com watched most of the guests lamenting about the show of shame and excuses put up by the American singer.She made good her threat not to perform that night after telling the organisers point blank that she only performs for theatre setting as against the banquet arrangement at the Expo Centre of Oceanview Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos. Efforts to get the 50 year old singer to change her mind were futile.
High society personalities who witnessed the disappointment at Oceanview on Saturday included Tunde Okoya, Lanre Nzeribe, Stella Okoli of Emzor Phamaceuticals,DejareAdegbenro and wife, Jumoke (nee TOS Benson), Ruth Osime, the editor of This day Style, Mina Okoloko. Others included wife of multimillionaire pool merchant, Rosemary Kessington Adebutu and daughter, Tope,Toyin Subair of HITV, Mrs. Nike Ogunlesi and several others.
We gathered that the guests between N50, 000 and N100, 000 for the show. A table comprising ten people in the hall cost as much as N500, 000 to occupy. Though the hall was not filled, it contains movers and shakers who wanted to have a feel of what the grammy and multi-plantinum award winning 'mummy Baker' still has to offer.
www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com watched most of the guests lamenting about the show of shame and excuses put up by the American singer.She made good her threat not to perform that night after telling the organisers point blank that she only performs for theatre setting as against the banquet arrangement at the Expo Centre of Oceanview Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos. Efforts to get the 50 year old singer to change her mind were futile.
High society personalities who witnessed the disappointment at Oceanview on Saturday included Tunde Okoya, Lanre Nzeribe, Stella Okoli of Emzor Phamaceuticals,DejareAdegbenro and wife, Jumoke (nee TOS Benson), Ruth Osime, the editor of This day Style, Mina Okoloko. Others included wife of multimillionaire pool merchant, Rosemary Kessington Adebutu and daughter, Tope,Toyin Subair of HITV, Mrs. Nike Ogunlesi and several others.
We gathered that the guests between N50, 000 and N100, 000 for the show. A table comprising ten people in the hall cost as much as N500, 000 to occupy. Though the hall was not filled, it contains movers and shakers who wanted to have a feel of what the grammy and multi-plantinum award winning 'mummy Baker' still has to offer.
Popularly comedian known as Bright Ikpocha, as usual, was on hand to make the event lively with her rib cracking jokes. In the element of a comedian drunk with ‘serious’ humour, Basket mouth took a swipe at Anita Baker for not coming that night. “You wey your career don finish, we just say make we help you and you still dey do shakara.God punish you!” He said. Nigerian born up and coming singer known as Nikki performed to the delight of the well seated audience.
That all was not well with the Anita show became obvious on Thursday afternoon when the soul diva shunned the press conference that was organized in her honour.The media parley was part of effort to leverage the show and an opportunity to chat with the press. Obviously thinking of the unpalatable action of the artiste and the dire consequence on future events, the organisers offered an excuse that Anita was actually traveled long distance and need sometime to rest. Inside sources, however, told http://www.niyitabiti.com/ that the woman had been acting funny since she stepped into the country. “She was given the best form of hospitality that befits her status. Her bill was also settled before she came into the country. That she refuses to attend the press briefing on the excuse that she was tired was a frivolous excuse.Afterall, she arrived the country on Wednesday night, while the briefing was the following day in the afternoon”
Information available to us show that the event was put together by Chapelhill Denham and Kilimanjaro, a company led by Lagos businessman and socialite, Femi Akande.We further gathered was packaged to coincide with the 40th birthday of Kemi Bolaji Balogun, the Managing Director of Chapelhill Denham in Nigeria.
Efforts to get official reaction from the organisers met with a brickwall.However, an insider who does not his name mentioned disclosed that most guests did not complain because of the track record of the company in past events. “
"Kilimanjaro has brought international artistes such as Kanye West and Jay-Z to Nigeria in the past and it didn’t encounter any unpalatable situation like this” the source defended.
That all was not well with the Anita show became obvious on Thursday afternoon when the soul diva shunned the press conference that was organized in her honour.The media parley was part of effort to leverage the show and an opportunity to chat with the press. Obviously thinking of the unpalatable action of the artiste and the dire consequence on future events, the organisers offered an excuse that Anita was actually traveled long distance and need sometime to rest. Inside sources, however, told http://www.niyitabiti.com/ that the woman had been acting funny since she stepped into the country. “She was given the best form of hospitality that befits her status. Her bill was also settled before she came into the country. That she refuses to attend the press briefing on the excuse that she was tired was a frivolous excuse.Afterall, she arrived the country on Wednesday night, while the briefing was the following day in the afternoon”
Information available to us show that the event was put together by Chapelhill Denham and Kilimanjaro, a company led by Lagos businessman and socialite, Femi Akande.We further gathered was packaged to coincide with the 40th birthday of Kemi Bolaji Balogun, the Managing Director of Chapelhill Denham in Nigeria.
Efforts to get official reaction from the organisers met with a brickwall.However, an insider who does not his name mentioned disclosed that most guests did not complain because of the track record of the company in past events. “
"Kilimanjaro has brought international artistes such as Kanye West and Jay-Z to Nigeria in the past and it didn’t encounter any unpalatable situation like this” the source defended.
Note: Anita Baker or Anita Baker, we have got lovely photos from the event for you, stay tunned.
Photo 1- Big boy, Dejare Adegbenro and wife, Jumoke Adegbenro (nee T.O.S Benson) stepping into the venue on Saturday night.
Photo 2-Stella Okoli, MD EMZOR phamaceuticals (on red) and friend.
Photo 3-The expo centre.
Photo 4- Tosyn Bucknor and siter, Mrs. Funke Bucknor-Obruthe.
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