Tamale stadium ban: Fancy Gadam concert gets new date

Initially scheduled for 30 June, the concert was postponed indefinitely following a fatal accident that occurred as a convoy of vehicles sought to welcome Patoraking at the airport.

Fancy Gadam took responsibility for the accident and announced that the concert couldn’t take place. “Words can’t describe how I feel,” he said at the time. “I am sorry to announce to you that my show with Patoranking scheduled to come tomorrow has been postponed indefinitely... I can’t lose my fans and still have the heart to stage a show.”

Nonetheless, the authorities banned music activities from taking place at Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium. “We are not going to allow him to take the whole Tamale to ransom,” Tamale mayor Iddrisu Musah Superior said. “I have spoken to him, I have spoken to his managers…but [they] won’t listen. This young man’s talent is a danger to the people of Tamale.”

Thankfully for Fancy Gadam and his fans, the decision has been reversed.

“Following various representations made to the Regional Security Council to intervene in the matter of the recent banning of entertainment activities at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, the council has consulted the metropolitan chief executive for Tamale on the issue,” reads a statement from the Northern Regional Coordinating Council.

“The Regional Security Council after an exhaustive consideration has decided to lift the ban that was placed while it allows the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly as the body responsible for regulating entertainment activities in the metropolis, to come out with strict procedures to guide such activities and related matters at the stadium and any other public place.”

While “entertainment activities” can resume at the venue, any such event will now need “the approval of the Tamale Metropolis Assembly which is to regulate such activities in line with their by-laws”.

Fancy Gadam will now take advantage of the lifting of the ban on 7 September. Already he shared the date on social media. “The return of Fancy Gadam x Patoranking,” he posted on Facebook.

“Fans will witness stunning performances and something they have not seen before,” Fancy Gadam told Music In Africa. “Patoranking has also promised a lot more on the night so it’s gonna be fun.”