Nigerian Highlife singer, Flavour has been dropped from the performance line-up of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), slated to hold from October 24-26 in the Caribbean island of Dominica, over Ebola fears, Associated Press reports.
The cancellation of Flavour’s contract was announced by
Dominica’s Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit yesterday, October 9.
Mr. Skerrit reportedly said that the Nigerian act had to be struck out of the concert out of "an abundance of caution."
According to Dominica News Online, the prime minister said:
“Until a firm grip is secured on this Ebola virus, the world has to pay special attention to region of its predominance.”
“West
Africa, as I said previously, is once such region. I have reviewed the
file with respect to the contractual arrangements entered into with the
Flavour band out of Nigeria. To date a total of EC$147,000 has been
expended on professional fees and international travel by this group.”
“I
would like to think that reason and common sense can and will prevail,”
he noted. “But I readily acknowledge that the law is law and contracts
negotiated can at best be re-negotiated.”
“Accordingly,
purely out of an abundance of caution, I have today instructed the
organizers of the 18 annual WCMF to meet with officials of the relevant
legal departments of government to determine among themselves how a
matter of renegotiation of a Flavour contract can be.”
“The reversal and unlocking of the same is normally the matter for legal operatives.”
“However,
the prime minister, as chief lawmaker, is charged with the wider
responsibility of acting first and always in the nation’s interest.”
“Indeed,
I would love if, by this time next year, the Ebola virus could have
been brought under control, if not eradicated; regions around the world
cleared of the threat of the virus, and entertainers, such as Flavour,
could visit and perform in Dominica.”
“But,
for the time being, I have advised the organizers of the World Creole
Music Festival that the Government of Dominica would not be prepared at
this time to sponsor or embrace the visit of persons from a universally
recognized Zone One area of the dreaded Ebola virus.”
“Fellow Dominicans and friends, this is the decision of the Government! It is final!” he concluded
The prime minister described the Nigerian act, “Flavour” as a band but it’s the highlife singer’s photo that’s on the website of the WCMF.
Flavour was slated to perform on Saturday, October 25 along with 9 other acts.
Pulse.ng reached out to the star’s reps via telephone but their numbers were not available.
Nigerian musicians, PSquare were also reportedly denied visas to Namibia due to Ebola fears but were eventually cleared for entry into the country.
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