NAIROBI, Kenya — The celebration of Afrobeats in Kenya turned into a night of mourning after a 20-year-old student lost her life in a crowd crush during a concert headlined by Nigerian superstar Asake.
The victim, identified as Karen Lojore, a student at Daystar University, reportedly collapsed on Saturday night near an entrance to the Nyayo National Stadium.
The tragedy unfolded amidst a chaotic mix of heavy rain, long queues, and what eyewitnesses describe as a catastrophic failure in crowd management at the stadium’s narrow gates.
Asake breaks silence
On Monday evening, the “Bandana” hitmaker took to his Instagram to address the tragedy. The artist, whose real name is Ahmed Ololade, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of his fan.
“I am devastated by the tragic incident that took place at the festival on Dec 20th in Nairobi,” Asake said in a statement. “My heart goes out to the family, friends and loved ones of Karen Lojore,” he added, while pledging to support efforts to “understand what happened.”
Asake further emphasized his grief, stating that music was always his “way of sharing love and joy” and that “it breaks my heart that anyone had to experience such loss.” He concluded his message with a call for accountability: “Those responsible should be held accountable.”
A mother’s cry for justice
While the music world mourns, Karen’s family is demanding answers. In a poignant social media post tagging both the concert organizers and the artist, a woman believed to be Ms. Lojore’s mother voiced the agony of a grieving parent:
“What happened to my child? Why her? I want justice for my child.”
Her plea has resonated across Kenyan social media, with many questioning how a young woman with a valid ticket could die while trying to access a secure venue.
Systemic failures and official inquiries
The event organizers, Tukutane Entertainment, confirmed they are cooperating with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to “understand what happened.”
In a statement, the firm noted that they take the safety of concertgoers “very seriously” but would not speculate on the specifics out of respect for the ongoing investigation.
Kenyan police spokesman Michael Muchiri told Vivid Voice News that the “incident is being looked into comprehensively so as to give answers as to what, how and why it happened… and ultimately avoid such a scenario in the future.”
However, eyewitnesses have painted a far more critical picture. Immanuel Ndungu, a journalist with Citizen TV who attended the show, highlighted severe bottlenecks at the entry points.
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According to Ndungu, security personnel funneled thousands of fans into a single, narrow gate, a move that exacerbated the pressure as the crowd surged forward in the rain.
For many international observers, the Nairobi tragedy is a haunting echo of a 2022 incident. In December of that year, two people were killed and several injured in a similar crowd crush at London’s Brixton Academy while Asake was headlining.
Asake, who rose to global stardom in 2022 with his debut album Mr. Money With the Vibe, has seen his meteoric rise—including two Grammy nominations—clouded by these safety concerns.
As the investigation into the Nyayo Stadium crush begins, the spotlight now turns to the accountability of regional promoters and the safety standards governing large-scale entertainment events in East Africa.
