Professor Rosina Kyeremanten, the Dean of Students Affairs at the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, has offered an explanation for why Shatta Wale was denied a performance opportunity on campus the same night his demonstrated archrival Stonebwoy successfully closed a hall week celebration.

Prof Kyerematen spoke to Campus Express on Radio Universe, clarifying the team that handled Shatta Wale's booking for an advertised Reunion Rave breached school protocol. She noted the organisers of the programme sought approval for karaoke event, while on the school authorities' blindside, they were going to host a music star.

She said: "It is not true there was approval for the Artiste Night (Reunion Rave) for TF. Normally, what happens is that if any event is going to be organised in any hall, a request for approval is sent to my office with an outline of the programme they intend to organise. What they said they were going to do on Saturday was Karaoke Night and so we gave approval. As far as I am concerned there is a big difference between a Karaoke Night and Artiste Night."

Prof Kyeremanten emphasised the UG authorities have no axe to grind with Shatta Wale, noting if his show had been communicated, an approval would have been possible after adequate security was secured per protocol. This, she explained, was how Stonebwoy's performance was allowed for the Limann Hall Week.

| Reggae/Dancehall artiste Stonebwoy 

"The university has no issues with Shatta Wale. The university doesn't have anything to do with Shatta Wale. Limann Hall sent a letter requesting approval for their programmes including Artist Night and I forwarded it to Pro VC because of the ban on public gatherings and the final approval comes from him. I didn't even know who was on the bill to perform until I later saw their flyers and it was Stonebwoy so I called the [hall's] president to assure me of the security. Their letter had to go to the Legon Police District Command and I also asked them to get extra security," the Dean of Students Affairs revealed. 

She stressed: "When you are having an artiste night, it comes with a lot of implications: security and others. So we need to ensure there is enough security and that is why you need approval from the university authority. Mind you, there is still a ban on students gathering so you cannot just get up and bring an artiste like Shatta Wale without the adequate and necessary arrangements being made."

Shatta Wale was booked by Wave Africa, in collaboration with TF Hostels, to perform for an event called the Reunion Rave Artiste Night on Saturday, June 8, 2024. 

| Reggae/Dancehall artiste Shatta Wale

In a June 10 statement, Wave Africa underlined complications that led to the "the last-minute ban on Shatta Wale’s performance at TF Hostel," and apologised "for not being able to deliver Shatta Wale’s performance as promised". 

See the statement below: