Kizz Daniel apologises to Tanzanian fans, offers free show, Friday

Contemporary Afrobeat star, Kizz Daniel ((real name, Oluwatobiloba Daniel) has apologised to Tanzanian music fans over his failure to perform at a scheduled show, last Sunday, in the East African country, just as he also promised to offer a free performance, this Friday.

Speaking at a press conference, Tuesday, Kizz Daniel explained his reasons for failing to perform at the concert. This is also as his brother Tolu Daniel explained that there ‘were pressing technical issues’ that stopped his sibling from performing at the show.

Also speaking, the show’s promoter, Steve Uwa, a Nigerian, clarified on the real reason behind the no-show, as he claimed that his earlier statement were on why the artiste refused to show up were made when ‘emotions were high that night.’

Uwa had, on Monday, claimed that Daniel refused to perform at the show for which he had already been paid his $60, 000 fee, on account of his misplaced luggage with the Ugandan Airlines, while also adding that he (Steven) had pleaded with artistes and even offered to buy him new clothing, just so as to appear on stage.

However, during the media parley Uwa disclosed that he paid the popular singer $60,000 for the show, while fans paid between $5,000 and $10,000 for VIP tables.

Uwa said he was disappointed that despite everything he did, the Buga crooner refused to perform.

“He (Kizz Daniel) only said the airline didn’t bring his bag.

“That is why he could not perform because his gold chain is not there and he had a gold chain on his neck.

“He wanted everything.

“I bought him different clothes, but he said just because the airline didn’t bring one of his bags, he cannot perform without his gold on his neck.”

On his part, Kizz Daniel, however, explained the stress he went through to get to Tanzania, adding that one of the flights was delayed, hence he missed the one to Dar es Salaam, with one of his bags also left behind.

He, however apologised, saying he and the organisers had decided to make it up to the fans.

He said: “The people were already going wild.

“The fans were going wild, which I know was out of love.

“So, no disrespect to the fans.

“I was asked to stay back: ‘You can’t go, it’s not safe.’

“So I said okay.

“I sat down with the team, the organisers, the promoters.

“Let’s come up with a way to make it up to the Tanzanian fans and we decided to do a makeup show for free.

“I even agreed to partner with them this time around.

“This Friday, a free show.

“I will be partnering with Straight Up Vibes to make that happen.

“I must apologise to the fans.

“None of this was intentional.”

Steven clarified that the $60,000 fee was not paid to Kizz Daniel directly but to an agency managed by music executive, Paul Okoye in the United States.

Steven also admitted that the singer tried to salvage the situation and also meet with fans to apologize and postpone the show after arriving for the event 1 hour before his performance, following an 8-hour flight delay in Kenya.

According to him, the show promoters said there was no need for that as they would take care of it, but never did.

Tolu, who revealed that the contract for the show allowed for it to be postponed, added that Kizz Daniel also offered to pay for a hall and for other things to ensure that the show was successful if postponed, which the show promoters agreed to.

Steve Uwa then admitted that they were trying not to have any issues with the authorities or sabotage the image of their business since they were just starting out as concert promoters.

According to him, he did not know how to explain to the fans that the concert had been postponed.

It would be recalled that Federal Government, through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Monday night, secured the release of contemporary music star, Kizz Daniel (real name, Oluwatobiloba Daniel) from police custody in Tanzania.

Kizz Daniel was arrested by the police in Tanzania over a no-show allegation after failing to turn up for a concert which he had been reportedly paid to perform at in the East African country.

Chairman/CEO, (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who confirmed the release, Monday night, in a tweet, also disclosed how the Nigerian Embassy in Tanzania was assisting Kizz Daniel to ensure his release from the custody of the police.

“KD has been released.

“His legal team will however report back to the police tomorrow while he will subsequently return back to Nigeria,” she said.

Kizz Daniel was detained by police in Dar es Salaam, the country’s capital, following his failure to show up for a performance on Sunday, July 7 at the Summer Amplified concert at the Warehouse Arena (formerly Next Door Arena) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

In a short video, Tanzanian police officers are seen picking up the ‘Buga’ singer in the police pickup, alongside two other people in his management team, at the Johari Rotana Hotel in the City Center.

In another separate video, the singer and his team was later seen arriving at the Oysterbay Police Station under tight security.

His arrest followed the chaos that was unleashed at the Warehouse Club early Monday as fans who had waited for the singer to perform from 10pm until sunrise caused extensive damages to the venue that are yet to be specified.

The organisers were said to have arrested Kizz Daniel and some of his crew members from their hotel as a result of the no-show.

Daniel reportedly arrived the country via Uganda but refused to perform on Sunday night claiming that his luggage was misplaced by the Ugandan Airlines.

Show attendees had reportedly paid entry fees that ranged from Sh50,000 to Sh20 million for an event that also featured local stars such as Mario, Saraphina and Mabantu.

The singer reportedly refused to apologise despite pleas from concerned persons while he was whisked into a waiting police van.