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Join on Telegram Rabat – Nigerian artist Seun Kuti announced the cancellation of his performance in Casablanca in light of the events that unfolded in Melilla last week.
“It is with great sadness that I have to announce that we are canceling our trip to Morocco this weekend for Jazzablanca,” the artist said in a video posted to his Instagram.
“It pains me to say that my spirit has been completely broken and shattered by the events … that happened in Morocco,” Kuti continued. “It is impossible for me to, in good faith, or in good conscience, get on stage and party and have a good time, where so many Africans have lost their lives.”
Seun Kuti is the youngest son of Fela Kuti, a pioneer of the Afrobeat style of music, which mixes elements of West African music with American genres like jazz.
Having been nominated for various awards, including a Grammy, Seun Kuti is considered one of the continent’s most notable musical figures.
Much like his father, Seun Kuti is also known throughout the continent for his political views, which he expresses in both his songs and through direct political involvement.
“Somebody has to mourn them, we have to mourn our own,” Kuti concluded. “And for that reason, I cannot find it in me to be at Jazzablanca.”
On June 24, at least 23 African migrants lost their lives in an attempt to cross the border into Melilla, with hundreds of others sustaining injuries, including members of Morocco and Spain’s security forces.
The events quickly drew the attention of human rights advocacy groups both domestically and internationally, with organizations like the AMDH calling for a quick and independent investigation.
Morocco’s National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) announced on Monday that it would be sending an investigative committee to Melilla to review the events.
Read also: Morocco’s CNDH Sends Investigative Committee to Melilla
Meanwhile, Spanish and African ambassadors in Rabat expressed their support for Morocco, praising the country’s migration policies and its efforts to combat irregular migration.
A significant number of African immigrants cross Morocco every year as a gateway to Europe, often traveling through the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Morocco has long cooperated with Spanish authorities to curb the operations.
