The Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Management has refuted reports that dancer Poco Lee and musician Bella Shmurda were abused at the musical production “Party with Poco Lee (Homecoming Concert)”.
Earlier, news outlets reported that several LASU students blamed cults known as ‘Ojo guys’ for the disturbance of the Poco Lee Homecoming event in Lagos on Thursday evening.
The students reportedly said that the cultists arrived on campus armed with pistols and other weapons.
Poco Lee, a dancer and alumnus of LASU, staged a ‘Homecoming’ show on Thursday at the LASU Main Auditorium, Ojo Campus.
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Another alumna, popular musician Bella Shmurda, was also scheduled to play at the show.
However, in a statement issued on Friday by the Coordinator, Centre for Information and Public Relations, Thomas-Onashile Oluwayemisi, the management denied reports of a cultist attack, claiming that the concert was called off due to overcrowding.
The statement read, “The Management of Lagos State University has observed with deep regret the embellished social media portrayal of the pockets of altercations that greeted a musical show headlined by popular dancer, Poco Lee, and Musician, Bella Shmurda, tagged “Party with Poco Lee (Homecoming Concert)”.
“While we condemn in totality the unfortunate incidence, we have observed the twisted narrative that is beginning to be manufactured by malicious, and in, some cases, ignorant individuals, which warrants that we provide the correct perspective.
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“For the records, we wish to debunk claims of physical attacks on either the artists who came to perform or students by cultists being spread about. We state unequivocally that at no point was Bella Shmurda or Polo Lee or any other artiste attacked. Bella himself has validated this on his social media channels.
“While there were indeed pockets of squabbles among revelers as to be expected in such a show, reports of a fight break out or cult clashes are nothing but fallacies.
“We also wish to state for the records that the uproar that greeted the event towards its tail end was caused largely by reactions of excited students at having one of their own perform live for them on their campus. This is coupled with the issue of crowd control resulting from poor logistics and planning by the organisers, an independent entertainment outfit.
“From credible reports, the organisers of the show had sold tickets online with instructions for the attendees to obtain their tickets physically at the venue of the show. However, the crowd of students at the venue was beyond the provision of tickets made by the organisers leaving the men of the LASU security team to swiftly act to manage the situation with the support of men from other security agencies who had been invited before the show.
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“Furthermore, even though the crowd was well controlled, the sighting of some of their own who have become celebrities did cause excitement from the students resulting in rowdiness.
“Seeing that some criminal elements were going to take advantage of the situation to perpetuate their evil intentions, the Security Team swiftly brought the show to an abrupt end and disperse the crowd around 5:30 pm. Indeed, the event ended with no single record of cult attacks as being purported.
“The general public is therefore urged to be wary of the falsehood being orchestrated against the name of the University at this time when the institution is being celebrated nationally and internationally over her recent exploits.
“LASU has zero tolerance for cultism, which is evident in the fact that there have been zero reports of incidents of cult activities in the University for several years now. We thank all those who have expressed concerns over the incident and assure that the security of lives and properties of our students and staff will continue to be paramount to the management of the university.”
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