2face Idibia’s manager of many years, Efe Omorogbe recently penned over 2,500 words narrating the untold story about the cancelled February 6, 2017 nationwide march.
While discussing how they managed to avoid problems arising from the planned protest, Efe stated that they didn’t send a request to use Fela’s New Afrika Shrine as one of their meeting points as claimed by Femi Kuti.
‘When it was reported that we were denied use of The New Afrika Shrine by Femi Kuti while the revered venue had not featured in our conversation let alone the sending of a request for use, it was easy to shrug off,’ he disclosed.
READ: Femi Kuti condemns 2face’s planned nationwide protest
Femi, during his performance at the Shrine on February 2, disclosed he heard 2face and his team have requested to use the venue for the protest, which he ‘supposedly’ declined.
In his words: ‘I hear say they want to do protest here, they even choose the day Sunday (February 5 which was earlier announced for the protest), Sunday is my day. So I was thinking, 2face say some people come meet am say make he broadcast am, so no be him sit down for him house com plan am, I for no vex.’
He further stated that there’s something ‘fishy’ about the protest because they planned a ‘coup’ in Nigeria without him and they decided to use the Afrika Shrine.
The following day however, Femi started a twitter trend where he denied the claims, adding that 2face is a friend of the house and he would never blast him in public.
B4 protest date was changed it was meant 2kick off d Shrine I said I was weary as y wud a protest b announced @ d Shrine wtout my knowledge pic.twitter.com/TMkAI2rCqa
— Femi Anikulapo -Kuti (@Femiakuti) February 3, 2017
I mean I wasn’t informed
It sounds fishy to me
Next I will hear the Shrine has been closed for disturbances https://t.co/0TMNeQxbd2— Femi Anikulapo -Kuti (@Femiakuti) February 3, 2017
His comments got mixed reactions from Nigerians, with many supporting the march against bad government in the country.
As a result, Femi issued a statement where he said the Afrika Shrine management weren’t informed the venue was selected for the protest.
‘I am against hearing on social media there was going to be a protest and the Shrine was going to be the meeting point. Pls do u all think it’s right that a protest of that magnitude and importance should be announced using the Shrine without informing us there. I was shocked.’
But the New Afrika Shrine team need not worry about crisis management for their red herring, following Efe’s explanation that the venue wasn’t featured in their conversation let alone the sending of a request for use.
ALSO READ: Femi Kuti denies blasting 2face
Efe Omorogbe also cleared the air on the Fela and 2face comparison amongst Nigerians how felt disappointed after 2face’s withdrawal from the protest.
‘2Baba, for all the much-publicized admiration and respect he has for the Abami Eda has never tried to be like Fela,’ he said.
‘The Fela brand was built on activism, 2Baba’s life’s work has focused more on peace-building,’ Efe added.
As started in his conclusion, it was only logical that the option 2face chose once it was clear that his participation in the physical protest could cause a breach of public peace and expose citizens to the threat of violence, was the peaceful option.