Fola apologizes after mainland block party cut short

2025 Afrobeats breakout star Folarin Odunlami, popularly known as Fola, has issued an apology to fans after his debut headline performance at the Mainland Block Party was cut short due to safety concerns

The show, held on Monday, December 15, at the Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, was halted after the venue reportedly became overcrowded. Organisers said the number of attendees exceeded the approved capacity, prompting the decision to stop the performance to ensure fan safety.

Some ticket holders expressed frustration on the day of the event, claiming they were unable to gain entry despite having purchased tickets, and criticized the overall coordination of the concert.

Fola, who had performed briefly before leaving the stage, addressed the incident on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday. He apologized to fans and explained that the show was stopped to prevent further risk of injury.

“My people, I’m really sorry about how last night went,” Fola wrote. “People were hurt and that should never happen. I had to stop the show because safety comes before anything else. I hear you on all fronts, and we’re working to make things right.”

The concert, highly anticipated by fans of the 2025 Afrobeats breakout artist behind hits like Lost and Bye Bye, sparked widespread backlash online, with criticism aimed at both the singer and event organisers over poor planning and crowd management.

Fola’s record label, Dangbana Republik, also released a statement acknowledging the safety lapses that led to the disruption. The label confirmed that the venue’s capacity was exceeded, creating unsafe conditions, and stressed that the performance was stopped as soon as it became clear fans were at risk.

“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,” the statement read.

At the time of reporting, the Mainland Block Party organisers had not issued a public statement regarding the incident.