Noella Wiyaala, a Ghanaian Afro-pop singer cum songwriter has claim that she was prevented from receiving an award on stage in the USA by shatta wale and his entourage.
Wiyaala announced on Facebook that Shatta Wale and her would both be receiving citations on stage. Shatta Wale’s performance was supposed to be interrupted by the organizers so that both of them may receive their citations, but Wiyaala claims that when Shatta Wale earned his, his team prevented her from receiving hers as intended.
When her team challenged the event’s organizers, they were informed that Team Shatta Wale had blocked the person who was supposed to present the award on stage, so they had to go backstage instead.
The African lioness turned down the honor backstage and left the concert hall to go to her hotel.
She narated that “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 8.15 pm 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 back stage out of sight of the audience.
Wiyaala refused to accept the award under these circumstances and left Crotona Park for her hotel.
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 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.”
Since then, many platform users have commented on the post. Let’s wait and see what Shatta Wale and his crew have to say. We’ll keep you informed of any new developments.
By Dakurah Alaska
