Vodafone Discriminate Against Ghanaian Artistes ?

Mobile Telecommunication Giant, Vodafone, left a sour taste in the mouth of some journalists when it openly discriminated against Ghanaian artistes billed to perform at the 020 Live Concert alongside International acts Trey Songz and “Kokomaster” D’banj from Nigeria.

Vodafone deliberately treated Ghanaian local stars as though they were nobody and worshiped the foreign artistes like thin gods.

At the pre-event launch on Tuesday September 20, 2011, at the Golden Tulip Hotel ahead of tonight’s big show, Vodafone officials clearly exhibited their disregard for Ghanaian musicians. The sitting arrangement at Golden Tulip’s Upper Terrace said it all, with the three foreign stars -Trey Songz, Dbanj, Amber Rose- and a Vodafone official fully decorated and branded with Vodafone colours. The four sat on confortable red seats, with a 020 backdrop limited to just the four of them and a red carpet just for the four of them.

The Ghanaian hip-life stars; VIP and 5Five, sat on ordinary seats, bare background (no Vodafone branding or decoration whatsoever) and no carpet for them.

When Peacefmonline.com’s Entertainment Reporter, Eugene Osafo-Nkansah asked for some explanation (If was any), as to why the organizers decided to make such an “arrangement” during the Q and A section, Vodafone’s Chief Marketing Officer, Uche Ofodile, (who was one of the four enjoying the red carpet treatment), curtly dismissed the question.

“I don’t understand your question… I don’t know, I don’t really understand what you are talking about,” she said.

Eddy Blay, who was the MC at the press conference, asked Ms. Uche if Eugene can be allowed to re-phrase the question, but a clearly riled Uche Ofodile insisted that they should “forget about Eugene and move on”.

The harsh sun burning Ghanaian artistes (VIP and 5Five) with their bare background making it difficult for journalists to get clear pictures The press conference which was the only platform for the media to have access to the artistes billed to perform at the 020 Live concert, lasted for less than 30 minutes and the organisers permitted the asking of only five questions from the over 20 media houses invited to the function.

Furthermore, the MC stated emphatically that nobody was to be allowed the opportunity of a one-on-one interview with the artistes. Vodafone has also banned any media person from videoing the event or taking pictures as stated in a media brief circulated by the organizers.

Meanwhile, other Ghanaian artistes including D-Cryme, Stay Jay, R2Bees and Vodafone Icon winners RnM expected to perform tonight (Tuesday), were absent at the press conference.

After the press conference, the same media practitioners who publicized the event were seen virtually struggling for media accreditation to cover the program.

A similar incident happened during last year’s maiden edition of the event, when fastest rapper Sarkodie complained about how organizers pay Ghanaian artistes peanuts but pull every financial string to bring down foreign-based artistes to perform on the show.

Sarkodie even described the money Vodafone paid to him as “coins”.

Well, having recently taken over the sponsorship of major musical events in Ghana such as the 4Syte Music Video Awards, Ghana Music Awards among other major events and entertainment programs on Television and Radio, it is only prudent on the part of Vodafone to respect the country’s stars and the media who also play a significant role in the same entertainment industry they are trying to support.