Dubai-based Cameroonians are converting their love for showbiz into a business, which is is only right that we give them props for the sudden and noticeable support for a growing industry.
Nigerian musicians and entertainers across the globe are shutting down arena after arena and this is not something which came overnight. It’s due to the risks taken by most of their compatriots abroad to invest and make Nigerian culture irresistible in foreign lands, which is an undeniable reality today. It is also as a result of Nigerians in the motherland understanding the power of branding and running with it to make Nigerian music appealing for public consumption.
Lately, Cameroonians in the UK, USA and Canada have been putting in effort, investing their money to bring their own artists abroad. It’s true that “little drops of water make an ocean” and as such, this is not any different. Surprisingly, Dubai has joined the bandwagon and many artists have had the opportunity to make their first ever international exit from Cameroon.
It is good for Cameronian showbiz lovers to understand that not every show is going to be fruity and juicy. While some of these shows are going to be impeccably-sweet, some others will be a failure just like this one that didn’t live up to expectations.
Just a few days ago, Stanley Enow, Asaba and Brians Lee were booked to perform in Dubai during what was going to be the first international premiere of the movie “Behind Gates”.
It should be noted that the show failed woefully and the organizers based in Dubai did not shy away from taking full responsibility for the failure of the show. If this was a great and professional step by the organizers to own up to their sh!t, then how the artists involved have handled the whole situation is even more sexy and laudable!
It couldn’t be more disappointing and embarrassing for Stanley Enow to fly all the way from the USA to Dubai just to watch the show fail. Brians Lee and Asaba would have also been the happier ones if they at least performed in Dubai for the first time in their career, an opportunity that might have boosted their careers and confidence. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.
However, these artists, though not satisfied with the outcome, have kept their cool and reasoned together with the organizers.
It’s reported that after their show failed, Stanley, Asaba and others , decided to attend Mr. Leo – Artist ‘s show which was scheduled the same day in the same city. This is the love and support that should prevail among these artists, even if things don’t work out as planned!
We can fume at the organizers from now till thy kingdom come for not getting their program and organization right, but we should also encourage their move and intention to contribute to the spread of the culture. They’ll surely do better next time and that should be the focus at this juncture!
We should not ignore the fact that booking Cameroonian artists for different shows in the same city, same day and possibly the same time in a place like Dubai, is not even advisable at the moment. It’s good to ask how many Cameroonians are in Dubai in the first place?
Also knowing that these artists share almost the same fan base will help you avoid putting fans in a position where they’ll have to choose whose show to attend. We can argue about this all we want, but the turnout of any of these shows can’t be compared to a situation where any of these shows were organized differently.
This does not only show miscalculation, it also shows the low-key disunity between event organizers over there.
