In a statement released ahead of the concert, KGL FWD recalled numerous circumstances under which the artiste was accused of violence against women and highlighted that the concert should be cancelled to discourage inappropriate behaviours.
Read full statement by KGL FWD
We would like to express our support and stand in full solidarity with those who have demanded that Koffi Olomide’s 4th December concert in Rwanda be cancelled. As members of the entertainment industry we know the importance and impact that artists have on their fans and larger society.
Additionally, as communications practitioners, we know the power of messaging. Refusing to cancel the concert sends a strong message to those who have been directly impacted by Koffi’s violence and abuses as well as to survivors everywhere who may be questioning if it will make a difference if they speak up about their own stories and experiences with GBV. It also sends a blaring message about how society chooses to prioritize entertainment over violence against women and girls.
As entertainment and communications professionals, we play a direct role in the arts, entertainment and messaging that is delivered and promoted to the general public. With that role comes a responsibility for the things we amplify and promote. We cannot choose to be oblivious to that role.
In recent years we have seen the #MeToo movement demand accountability for numerous entertainers, executives and others in power who, similarly to Koffi, have been accused numerous times over the years of violence, assault, abuse and inappropriate behavior. It has shown us that if we speak up we can make a difference and that if we choose not to do so then we are empowering and enabling abusers to continue to abuse more women and girls for years to come.
As the Rwanda Men Engage Network (RWAMNET) and their cosigners have pointed out, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia and France have already communicated their stance by banning Koffi. To continue to move forward with this concert is to disregard the women who have been violated and all who have demanded that the concert be cancelled.
What message will we choose to send in this critical moment? That is the question.
Autumn Marie Faraj
Founder & Managing Director
KGL FWD
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