Artist Health

Very DANGEROUS Behavior: Nollywood’s Onyeka Nwelue Calls for “LYNCH(ING)” of ICE PRINCE Over Paris Concert Late Show

I think and would urge Ice Prince, if he is reading this, or his representatives, to file a criminal report and seek to press criminal charges against Nollywood writer/filmmaker Onyeka Nwelue at the local police station in France, where Nwelue resides, before leaving the country to return to Nigeria. I also think Ice Prince should stop at the Nigerian embassy and file a complaint about the specific violent act solicited and promoted against him i.e. “lynch Ice Prince campaign”  by Nwelue on twitter.

Many European countries, although I am unsure what France’s specific law is, make it a crime, a felony at that, to:

1. Intentionally incite others to intentionally commit a crime against others;

2. Incite public hatred against a person; or

3. Attempt or instigate the commission of a felony which includes the aforementioned.

Here, at a minimum, encouraging, soliciting and inciting others (concert goers in Paris who attended this event, or other third parties) to ‘lynch Ice Prince” should be a criminal act in Paris/France. For persons or fellow lawyers, criminal law colleagues, I’d love to hear from you on the law in France.

In the USA, people died and suffered so black people will no longer be lynched. Fast forward to 2013 and we have an African man, a Nigerian man for that matter, going on the public highways i.e. twitter and calling for the “lynching”, a campaign at that, of his fellow countryman.

I am angry at this man’s actions and consider it extremely violent and can find no excuse for it, under any circumstances. This man is dangerous and that he is a part of the Nollywood industry makes it worse and scary. I don’t believe he gets a pass because he is a filmmaker or a writer. On the contrary. Creative people, your creativity will not excuse and has nothing to do with criminal acts you may encourage, solicit, attempt or commit against others.

What’s the issue?

Ice Prince, an artist out of Nigeria signed with a label that, for the most part, is seen as a respected label out of Nigeria, was billed to perform in Paris. According to Nwelue’s version of the facts, the performance was scheduled for 10pm. Ice Prince did not show up till 6am in the morning. Industry, you and I know that things are not what they seem to be, from the promoter-artist oral/written agreement.

Nevertheless, for the sake of this post, let’s agree with Nwelue’s version of the facts that Ice Prince screwed up big time. Let’s agree that Ice Prince was this lousy artist who maybe took an initial deposit or even a (total) upfront fee from the Paris promoter (although the facts are silent as to this) and failed to show up until eight hours later.

Even if that was true, WHAT GIVES THIS MAN THE RIGHT TO GET ON TWITTER TO ADVOCATE FOR THE “LYNCH(ING)” OF ICE PRINCE, YOUR FELLOW BLACK MAN, YOUR FELLOW CREATIVE INDUSTRY PERSON, A HUMAN BEING?

Ice Prince is not the first, nor the last artist that will fail to perform at a concert or show up late. Is his action okay? NO, if we buy the version of the facts from Nwelue. Nevertheless, A NOLLYWOOD FILMMAKER, WRITER, FELLOW INDUSTRY PERSON SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO GET ON TWITTER AND CALL FOR THE LYNCHING OF THIS (ARTIST), NOT JUST LYNCHING, A “LYNCH ICE PRINCE” campaign. This is not funny, it is an extremely violent act/speech meant to incite others to criminal action (against Ice) and SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.

As it stands, on this blog and others, we have seen two very horrific reporting of  the treatment of Nigerians in Europe. The first was a young man accused of a crime (attempted/murder) he never committed in Russia, denied counsel and detained indefinitely. The second is the recent case of the friend of Nigerian-American artist Duncan Daniels who was murdered in Cyprus, with the police refusing to follow up with any investigations. There are countless other cases. When we have persons that should know better calling for the murder, and a brutal murder at that (lynching) of our artist or any Nigerian for that matter just because they failed to show up at a concert or showed up late, this SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.

We are not privy to the contract Ice Prince signed with the promoters in France or the oral contract agreed to, if any. Nwelue’s friend, it appears, was the concert promoter. There is a court of law to sort out these issues. Even if there was none, to bring the violent mob mentality that is rampant in Nigerian society and is responsible for deaths such as the ALUU 4, online, is very dangerous.

Artist, labels, promoters, managers do your due diligence, really. Also, artists, honor your contracts. Also, stop getting on twitter to “apologize to fans” about a no-show or late show! Issue an official statement, call a press conference and explain what the deal is. Tell your fans WHY you are not performing in simple English. If you don’t speak good English, get a publicist that does.

These situations do turn deadly. We saw an American promoter and his son kidnapped, for 50days, in Angola when Nas the American rapper took $300,000 and was a no show. The US government had to step in. We saw the battery and assault against Nigerian artist Naeto C, sometime last year, over the alleged breach or non-performance of a scheduled concert. These are the nice cases. There are worse ones. Do your due diligence.

Again, in this instance, Ice Prince should be aggressive, file the appropriate criminal report against this man, even if he is not arrested. He should also contact twitter since he appears to be directly violating their terms and also push the DA’s office in the locale this man resides for  criminal investigation.

His actions set precedent for future promoters or their friends to not only do the same for other artists but also possibly see actual realization for the type of violence this man promotes.

-Uduak Oduok

Reference my discussions on tips for Promoters with the Nas case.

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 2

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 5

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 6

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 8

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 9

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 10

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 11

Onyeka Nwelue Calls for Lynching of Ice Prince 16

Photocredit: That1960Chick/getarena

Africa Music Law™

AFRICA MUSIC LAW™ (AML) is a pioneering music business and entertainment law website, livestream and podcast show empowering the African artist and Africa's rapidly evolving entertainment industry through its brilliant music business and entertainment law commentary and analysis, industry news, and exclusive interviews.

For general inquiries, advertising, licensing, or to appear on the show as a guest, please email ([email protected]). Thank you for visiting.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Credited for several firsts in the fashion and entertainment industry, Uduak Oduok (Ms. Uduak) is a fashion and entertainment lawyer, speaker, visionary, gamechanger, trailblazer, and recognized thought leader, for her work on Africa’s emerging global fashion and entertainment markets, and the niche practice of fashion law in the United States. She is also the founder of ‘Africa Music Law,’ an industry go-to music business and law blog and podcast show empowering African artists. Her work in the creative and legal industries has earned her numerous awards and recognitions, including an award from the American University Washington College of Law for her “legal impact in the field of intellectual property in Africa." She has also taught as an Adjunct Professor at several institutions in the United States. For more information, visit her at https://msuduak.com.

You may also like...