Tiwa Savage’s Team, Partners Apologise to Journalists Over Treatment at Foundation Launch
Representatives of Nigerian music star, Tiwa Savage, in collaboration with The Delborough Lagos and Fola PR, have apologised to journalists over the alleged poor treatment of members of the press during the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation held on March 9, 2026.
The apology was delivered during a meeting arranged by Nigerian media personality Azuka Ogujiuba, where members of the singer’s team, led by Vannessa Amadi-Ogbonna, told journalists that the artiste did not authorise or direct the treatment reportedly experienced by media professionals at the event. The incident included a requirement that journalists wear polo shirts branded with The Delborough before they could gain access to the venue.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Fola PR team, headed by its founder Shade Teyibo, expressed regret over the situation and urged journalists to put the matter behind them in the interest of maintaining a positive working relationship.
Management of The Delborough Lagos, represented by its Business Development Manager Jimmy Antonios, likewise apologised for the incident and assured journalists that similar occurrences would not happen in the future.
During the discussion, journalists present expressed optimism that media professionals in Nigeria would subsequently receive the same level of respect typically accorded to their counterparts from abroad.
Several journalists described their experience at the foundation’s launch as humiliating, noting that an event expected to celebrate a milestone in the country’s creative industry instead became marked by alleged disrespect toward members of the media.
Earlier on March 9, journalists invited to cover the event at The Delborough Lagos reported being subjected to what they described as degrading treatment by security personnel and venue officials.
Some reporters, including experienced correspondents, alleged that they were segregated from other guests and made to wait outside the premises for several hours before being allowed and access.
One journalist said the programme was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., but even those who arrived as early as two hours before the start time were prevented from entering, while other guests reportedly gained entry without difficulty.
According to the journalists, a female security officer also threatened to damage the phones of reporters who were recording the arrival of guests at the venue.
A number of journalists eventually left the location after waiting for hours without being given the opportunity to interact with artistes, industry stakeholders or other invited guests.
Those who were eventually allowed into the venue said they were issued media tags and polo shirts bearing the branding of The Delborough, which were reportedly collected from them upon departure.
The journalists further alleged that a woman believed to be part of the event management warned that cameramen attempting to record activities at the venue could be blocked.
Many of the reporters questioned whether foreign journalists would have been treated similarly and criticised the condition requiring them to wear branded shirts before being granted entry.
Reacting to the incident on social media, ThisDay journalist Yinka Olatunbosun wrote that journalists invited to the event were turned away because they were not wearing a branded T-shirt, adding that press identification should have been sufficient for entry.
