Celebrity chef Dawei, well-known in Cameroon with over 14,000 followers on his Facebook page, has extended an enticing offer to Cameroonian female rap artist Askia. Dawei proposes to organise a concert for Askia if she can draw a crowd of 1000 people.
Announcing the offer directly to Askia on his Facebook handle, Chef Dawei expressed confidence in his team’s ability to make the event a success. The deal involves a 10 million CFA franc arrangement, where each attendee would pay an entry fee of 10,000 CFA francs. In this scenario, if 1000 people attend, Askia stands to make 4 million CFA francs, while Dawei’s team would earn 3 million CFA francs. The remaining 3 million CFA francs would cover feeding and refreshments.
“ASKIA goes home with the 4 million. We will serve the fans a barbecue and an open buffet worth 3 million. 3 million for my team and I,” Chef Dawei outlined.
This initiative is not Chef Dawei’s first attempt at organising such an event. Despite spending about 9 million dollars (16,000 CFA francs) on the previous Yummy Vibes concert, which did not yield substantial profits, Dawei remains committed to trying again. He emphasised a willingness to collaborate with artists who can engage and resonate with their fans.
Askia’s public declaration on Facebook that she will not perform for free due to music being her sole source of income likely prompted Chef Dawei’s offer. She stated, “It is ok to say No. when I say no, I say so with good reason. My career is my only source of income. I’ve made that clear many times.”
While many online have praised Chef Dawei’s initiative as a positive move to value local artists, there are concerns about the 10,000 CFA francs entry fee being too high for a typical Cameroonian audience.
“With a 10k fee, you are indirectly bailing yourself out of the challenge. Considering the landscape and present economic situation in the country, how many renowned artists in Cameroon can presently pull a crowd of 1k with a 10k fee? You are overpricing yourself out of it. Very inconsiderate. Since it’s a challenge, Askia should be taking home 2/3 of all earnings,” commented Ashu Ashu Esame on Facebook.
As discussions unfold online, questions are raised about the overall value proposition for the attendees and whether such challenges can promote local artists without being financially burdensome for their supporters. This development coincides with the ongoing debate within the Cameroonian music industry concerning the prominence of foreign artists at the expense of local talent. The idea of having concerts where local artists take center stage is gaining traction among some Cameroonians.
