Ghanaian media personality, musician and socialite Efia Odo made headlines last month with her controversial comments about renowned Ghanaian dancehall artist Stonebwoy.
In the lead-up to the 25th Telecel Ghana Music Awards, Efia Odo had publicly referred to Stonebwoy as an “old” musician who should step aside to make way for younger artists amidst debates over who to win “Artiste of the Year” category which was between Stonebwoy and King Promise.
In a series of tweets, she praised King Promise as the future of Ghanaian music, stating that the Artist of the Year title should go to him. She remarked that King Promise’s numbers speak for themselves and implied that Stonebwoy’s bid for the title was driven by a desire to match the accomplishments of Shatta Wale and Sarkodie, who have each won the award twice.
Her derogatory remarks sparked outrage among Stonebwoy’s fans and the broader Ghanaian music community, many of whom saw her comments as disrespectful and out-of-touch.
However, in a surprising turn of events, during a conversation on UTV’s United Showbiz program on Saturday, July 27, 2024, Efia Odo has now rendered an unqualified apology to Stonebwoy, acknowledging that her previous statements were inappropriate and unfair.
In the video posted on X by UTV Ghana, she admitted that she had overstepped her bounds in criticizing Stonebwoy’s career and status within the industry, attributing them to her strong emotions as a King Promise fan and recognizing that he remains one of Ghana’s most prominent and influential musical talents, with a decades-long track record of hit songs, awards, and accolades.
My attacks on Stonebwoy were wrong and disrespectful – Efia Odo apologizes#UnitedShowbiz pic.twitter.com/LvR6fDplUm
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) July 28, 2024
She also expressed her opinion that Stonebwoy had to aim for recognition on a global scale, like the Grammy Awards, in addition to the Ghana Music Awards. She apologized for letting her feelings get in the way of her judgment when she was standing up for King Promise and accepted full responsibility for her remarks.
This incident serves as a reminder of the power of public figures’ words and the importance of respecting one’s elders and established artists, even as new talents emerge.
Watch Efia Odo “Put em On” Featuring Lyrical Joe Below:
