Why No One Should Pay 2.5million Naira To See Asa

For only the second time in her career, singer Asa is hosting a concert in Lagos. To rub it in that it’s not her idea to have a concert, she kuku titled it ‘Asa Encore‘ so that everybody will know that it’s you people that begged her to bless us with her gift.

Tickets to the Asa show start at 10k and table goes for 2.5million. In this Buharinomics recession? How dare she?! Who is she to charge that much for just a couple of hours, is she Beyonce?

Ten years ago when she started wailing about broken hearts (Bibanke) and sharing the story of her nephew’s bastard child (Awe), all we’ve done is support her. Not like we had a choice though, she’s nothing like we’re used to. Her cooling tones and soothing chords seeped deep into our subconscious, healing our wounds and providing a succour for all of us that have been bruised by all the akpako Nigerian artistes have been ‘nacking us since.

After that eponymous album in 2007 we kept begging ‘Asa sing another one for us na.’ She refused. She was touring all over Europe, cavorting with people with more sophisticated palates than we. She waited three full years before she released Beautiful Imperfection. Sigh. And then waited a full world cup cycle till she released Bed Of Stone in 2014. Still no Lagos headline concert. She just stayed touring and getting a serious glow up.

Finally in 2016, she deemed it fit to stop by these parts to throw a show like we had never seen before. Angelic, divine and breathtaking- before our very eyes at Eko Hotel last year, Asa ascended to god status; joining Sade people who could do no wrong. E yo, she told us. And we rejoiced.

Little wonder that our appetite for her has refused to satiate in ten years that she has been a part of our lives.

Tomorrow she will bless us again with her cherubic presence and ballads. Tomorrow she will stand on a stage and invoke the spirits of the Yoruba gods that touched her tongue with the gift of words; couple them with the luxurious waters of the Seine from which she drank in Paris and once again, kill us with enjoyment.

But the 2.5million naira per table she’s charging for her show, isn’t it excessive? Not nearly.

See ehn, Asa doesn’t belong to us anymore. We gave her up long ago to the world to enjoy. We sent her out to the world to show them that Nigeria is capable of producing a truly world class musician.

To witness the greatness that is Asa, one billion naira won’t be enough. The richness of her melody is unquantifiable. Like the Mastercard advert, seeing Asa and hearing her voice in person is priceless. Add to the fact that she will be performing with a 30 piece orchestra, then you know that it’s no run-of-the-mill show.

But seriously, Asa Encore is not for everybody and neither are the different ticket prices. If there’s anyone who does not enjoy her music (I cannot for the life of me imagine who doesn’t), stay at home and do you.

However for true Asa fans, none of us should pay 2.5 million naira to attend Asa Encore. There’s no shame in saying it’s probably beyond what we can afford to fork over. Instead pay the basic 10k, make your way to the regular seats near the rafters that are not encumbered by tables of ten chairs each and have a ball.

That’s where I’m going to be, basking in the presence of the most ethereal entity to ever write and sing a song in this part of the Atlantic. Her name is Asa, but you knew that already.

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