2025 Afrobeats breakout singer, Folarin Odunlami, with the stage name, Fola, has apologised to fans following the abrupt end of his first headline performance at the Mainland Block Party, which was halted over safety concerns after the venue reportedly exceeded its capacity.
The event, held on Monday, December 15, at the Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, was disrupted after a large influx of fans led to overcrowding, rowdiness and reported safety breaches.
Attendance was said to have surpassed the venue’s approved capacity, prompting organisers to stop the show.
Several fans at the venue complained of poor coordination, with some ticket holders saying they were unable to gain access despite purchasing tickets sold in batches by the organisers.
Fola, who performed briefly before leaving the stage, later addressed the situation in an apology message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.
He explained that the decision to stop the performance was taken in the interest of safety.
“My people, I’m really sorry about how last night went,” the singer said, acknowledging the disappointment experienced by fans.
He added that reports of injuries were particularly troubling and should never have occurred at a live event.
“People were hurt and that should never happen. I had to stop the show because safety comes before anything else,” he said.
The singer further assured fans that their concerns had been noted and that steps were being taken to address the situation.
“I hear you on all fronts, and we’re working to make things right,” he added.
The concert, which was highly anticipated by fans of the 2025 Afrobeats breakout star known for songs such as Lost and Bye Bye, triggered backlash on social media, with criticism directed at both the artiste and the organisers over what many described as inadequate planning and poor crowd control.
In a separate statement on X (Formerly Twitter), Dangbana Republik, the record label Fola is signed to, acknowledged the lapses that led to the disruption and reiterated its commitment to fan safety.
“We acknowledge the serious safety issues that occurred at the event organised by Mainland Block Party,” the label said.
It noted that the venue’s capacity was exceeded, creating conditions it described as unsafe and unacceptable.
“The venue capacity was exceeded, resulting in unsafe conditions that should never have happened,” the statement said.
The label added that the performance was halted as soon as it became clear that fans were at risk, stressing that discussions were ongoing with the organisers.
“Once it became clear that fans were at risk, the performance was stopped immediately. We are working with the organisers to ensure adequate measures are taken to address the concerns of those affected. Your safety remains non-negotiable to us,” it added.
As of the time of filing this report, the organisers of the Mainland Block Party had yet to issue a separate statement addressing the incident.
