Ghanaian singer, Wendy Shay, has revealed that she played a crucial role in resolving the dispute between dancehall rivals Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy following their feud in 2019.
It may be recalled that after a violent confrontation between the two parties on the night of the 2019 Vodafone (now Telecel) Ghana Music Awards, the two parties were brought together by media personality Nana Aba Anamoah for a reconciliatory meeting in May of that year.
However, speaking in an interview with Nana Romeo on Okay FM on July 23, Wendy Shay opened up about the night, lamenting that the events of the night led to serious repercussions for the music industry.
“It isn’t fair to keep bringing up that night because what transpired has seriously damaged the industry. A lot of musicians even lost brand deals, and up till now, many creatives still find it difficult to partner with the corporate industry,” she said.
Wendy Shay recounted how popular Ghanaian entrepreneur Dr Kofi Abban had criticised the industry when she had gone to visit him a day after the VGMA night.
“After winning the award, I went to Dr Kofi Abban’s place to personally thank him, and he told me that he was hurt by what had happened…In the history of music in Ghana, something like that had never happened. It doesn’t look good for the industry,” she said.
Seeking to facilitate a resolution, she asked him how they might repair the damage.
According to her, Dr Kofi Abban wished to reach out to both artistes but lacked their contact information.
“I quickly brought out my phone and called Shatta Wale first and introduced them to each other. I did the same with Stonebwoy.
“I remember him promising them an amount of money while urging them to reconcile. So, that was how the reconciliatory process began,” she recalled.
Addressing the previous perceptions that media personality Nana Aba Anamoah was rather behind the peace building, Wendy Shay clarified, “Nana Aba Anamoah came in later during the process, but I was the one who initiated the entire thing.”
Her intervention, she noted, set the groundwork for a broader reconciliation effort that eventually included notable personalities in the music industry.
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