Yemi Alade Accuses Lagos Radio Stations of Blacklisting Her Music
Nigerian singer Yemi Alade has alleged that two prominent Lagos radio stations, Cool FM Nigeria and CloudAfrica FM, have blacklisted her music following her absence from their December 2023 event.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the 35-year-old singer explained that she was invited by Cool FM to perform at their event last year but was unable to attend. Despite reaching out in January 2024 to apologise for her absence, Alade claims the stations’ managers—identified as Mr. Serge Noujaim and Mr. Joseph Adamu—retaliated by banning her entire music catalogue from their platforms.
“Mr Serge and Mr Joseph, this life is not hard like that. WE SEE YOU… I SEE YOU @cloutafrica @CoolFMNigeria. This world is a small village. My God will fight for me… Una dey form gatekeepers in 2024,” she wrote.
According to Alade, the ban prevents anyone at the stations from playing her songs, past or present. She expressed dismay at what she described as an act of intimidation and an abuse of power, calling out the managers for their refusal to resolve the situation despite her efforts.
“Since December 2023, I personally reached out in January. You are still refusing to play my music and giving my team a hard time. You’re not gatekeepers, and you are not God,” she said in a follow-up post.
Alade also accused the stations of trying to “play God” and lacking the decency to address the misunderstanding amicably, adding:
“The common decency to reach out and clear up any misunderstanding caused by sheer carelessness on your part for a whole year, and your next move is to place an embargo on my songs? Remove my whole catalogue?”
As of now, neither Cool FM nor CloudAfrica FM has responded to the allegations. The incident has sparked discussions on social media about the influence of media platforms in the Nigerian entertainment industry and their role in supporting or hindering artists’ careers.
