'It makes no sense to insult Taabea' - Arnold descends on critics of GMA-UK Awards

Entertainment critic, Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo, has taken a swipe at persons who are lambasting the sponsor of Ghana Music Awards-United Kingdom (GMA-UK), Taabea, for investing in the award scheme after it came to light the amount of money some artiste were paid for their performance.

According to him, it makes no sense for anyone to criticize Taabea for investing his finances in the GMA-UK award scheme to promote Ghanaian music on the international stage.

He noted that Taabea should be applauded for his commitment to invest in the award scheme and sustain it for quite some time despite concerns that it won't stand the test of time.

He made the remark after criticisms by some individuals on social media chiding Taabea for sponsoring the GMA-UK awards following the controversy between Shatta Wale and Kwasi Aboagye over the amount paid to artistes that performed at this year’s event.

“One of the conversations that sprung up was the fact that some people were bashing Taabea for sponsoring the award [GMA-UK]. I haven’t seen this conversation lingering in the main media but I saw it mostly on social media.

"I’ve always maintained that we shouldn’t allow such conversations to influence discussions in the traditional media because it does not help. That’s when the filling of the O2 arena conversation began,” he said.

He continued: "It would be a shame for any mainstream media to mock Taabea for sponsoring the Ghana Music Awards – UK. The only personality who trolled Taabea was DJ Slim who even did it on social media. It makes no sense to criticize Taabea for sponsoring the GMA -UK awards.

“Do you know what it takes to actually sponsor an event? So we should rather applaud Taabea for sustaining the awards all these years. Because everybody involved in the awards was paid. Even those who swept the venue had something all because of the funding Taabea has invested in the award scheme,” he said.

It would be recalled that Kwasi Aboagye labeled Shatta Wale’s claims that he (Shatta Wale) was paid a whopping £80,000 for performing at the Ghana Music Awards UK 2023 as false.

Earlier in a Twitter post, the Dancehall musician, while appreciating the organizers and fans for a successful event, bragged about being honored with such an amount.

In what seemed like a jab at event organizers in Ghana, Shatta said:
“Thank you, London, #GMAUK You did what Ghana music in Ghana couldn’t do 80k pounds for performance Artiste of the year 2023 (Icing on the cake) Shatta Wale is a London boy now !!!”

But Kwasi Aboagye insisted that Shatta's statements were mere lies.

The popular broadcaster said on his Peace FM Entertainment Review that it is impossible for the organizers to pay him such an amount after incurring other huge costs for his trip.

He said the organizers would not be able to afford such an amount after incurring visa expenses, first flight tickets, accommodation, and others for him and his team.

“Shatta Wale said he was paid 80,000 pounds as a performance fee and the ultimate ‘Artiste of the Year’ award. He was never paid 80,000 pounds for his performance. It is a huge lie! Do the organizers even have that 80,000 pounds to give Shatta Wale? He is lying.

"It is never true. 80,000 pounds. You were given a heroic welcome at the airport, given a royalty treat. You, your girlfriend, and your entire team were given visas. You guys flew first class. I am not sure you were even given 10,000 pounds.

“The organizers cannot speak on it but listeners, I want you to know that it is not true. They cannot give him that kind of money. Which Ghanaian living in the UK, Which promoter can give that amount?” he retorted.

In response, Shatta Wale launched a scathing attack on Kwasi Aboagye and the owners of Despite Media, the entity that employs the radio presenter.

Regardless of the attack, an unfazed Kwasi Aboagye maintained that the claim Shatta Wale was paid such an amount was false.

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