VGMA CEO speaks on Shatta Wale’s return to awards scheme

The Chief Executive of Charterhouse, organizers of the annual Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA), has revealed that her outfit is ready to have a conversation with musician Shatta Wale and his team about his return to the award scheme.

Theresa Ayoade, in an interview on Joy FM, noted that the ban lifting on Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy led to the call-up of the latter’s team to hold a conversation on how they could work together for the growth of the industry.

“We are open to a conversation…We want to be as inclusive as possible…We are happy to sit around the table and have a decent conversation, which is what we did with Stonebwoy’s team. We are happy to have a conversation but as decent as adults and mature people,”

The reggae and dancehall artiste once again missed the 24th VGMA despite the lifting of the ban placed on him and Stonebwy after their public brawl in 2019

Mrs. Ayoade noted that as collaborators in the industry, they want to make sure their scheme is respected.

“We just want to make sure that the scheme is respected. Whoever agrees to be part of the scheme, agrees to abide by the outcome of the scheme. Most importantly, just give it that respect because we give every musician the necessary respect. The industry must also give us that respect for what we do because we are collaborators in the industry,” she said.

In 2019 Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale were banned indefinitely from participating in the VGMAs after a public brawl between the two artistes which saw Stonebwoy brandishing a gun on stage.

After several meetings of reconciliation called a truce, Stonebwoy has since returned to join the award scheme grabbing his latest win at the 24th VGMA for Afropop Song of the Year and Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year awards but Shatta Wale is yet to return.