The organisers of Ghana’s Women in Worship concert, Genet Services, have expressed frustration with Nigerian gospel singer Ada Ehi for her absence from this year’s concert, despite receiving part of her performance fee. The event, held on Sunday, September 22, 2024, was set to feature Ehi alongside renowned Ghanaian gospel artistes such as Empress Gifty and Diana Hamilton.
In an interview with Feeling Daddy on Empire FM, Nana Asare, Coordinator for Women in Worship, shared that she was initially paid $5,000 out of an agreed $8,000. However, her team later asked for an increase to $10,000, claiming they had not been informed about the presence of other gospel artistes or that it would be a ticketed event.
“We had a conversation with Ada’s team to book Ada for Women in Worship,” Asare explained. “They agreed and gave us a cost, and at a point when the flyers came out, the manager said they were increasing the agreed amount… because they did not know that we were going to have other gospel artistes on the bill and they didn’t know it was a ticketed event.”
Mr. Asare said Genet Services agreed to the revised fee and committed to paying the balance. When communication with Ehi’s manager became challenging, the organizers engaged a third party in Ghana with connections to her and her husband. Through this intermediary, they obtained Ehi’s travel documents and booked a round-trip flight from London to Ghana, which cost over €4,700.
However, on the day she was expected to arrive, she missed her flight due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Genet Services booked a one-way flight from London to Accra, intending for Ehi to use the original return flight. But her team requested a new round-trip ticket, which the organizers declined to provide.
According to Mr. Asare, her band had already arrived in Ghana and completed rehearsals, but they vacated the Airbnb provided for them on the morning of the concert without notifying the organizers.
The organisers were further dismayed after Ehi’s team initially agreed to refund the $5,000 advance but later decided to keep it, claiming it would cover their expenses.
“What did they spend? And who caused them to spend that money?” he questioned. “We booked you, we made arrangements for your flight, you didn’t board any flight… Your team that came, we booked the flight for them in and out. We gave them Airbnb to sleep in, we provided food and everything for them. So what kind of expenditure was that?”
She was expected to perform alongside fellow Nigerian gospel artist Mercy Chinwo, ultimately missed the concert, leaving the organisers questioning the legitimacy of her team’s expense claims and disappointed by her absence.
