Just when fans thought July 26 celebrations abroad were uniting Liberians in ways never seen before, controversy struck from an unexpected corner, and the backlash is loud.
Liberian singer S.I.O, once proudly named among the top headliners for the Monrovia To All Over (MTAO) Festival in Rwanda, has come under heavy criticism after he ditched the event last minute, allegedly to perform at Christoph’s Homecoming show at SKD Stadium.
What’s shaking everyone the most? The fact that the organizers say they didn’t even get a call.
“We had to find out through Facebook,” one organizer angrily said.
“No message. No explanation. Nothing.”
Now, Randall Meipah, the lead organizer of the Liberia Independence celebration in Rwanda, has broken his silence with a scathing message:
“Disappointed in SIO and his team.
You accepted our team invite months ago, confirmed details, and gave us the green light to move forward. We spent our time, energy, and money and just days to the event, you backed out without any notice. We had to find out through your Facebook post that you chose to perform elsewhere. No call. No message. Nothing.”
According to him, the team made serious investments, from printing merch with S.I.O’s lyrics, booking accommodation, partnering with big brands in Rwanda, and selling tickets that had his name all over them, only to be left in the dark.
“This was serious to us. You made it feel like a joke. Your actions disrespected not just the MTAO team but also our partners and the Liberian community here in Rwanda.”
He didn’t mince words:
“People who don’t know the full story might blame the organizers, but SIO, this was on you.
Someone stayed up night after night working to push your brand and this is how you repay them?
Even if your team had to cancel, a simple call or message would’ve been better than leaving us hanging.”
The statement ends with a clear warning:
“You’ve wasted money, effort, and made other artists involved feel sidelined. You will definitely pay for this.
We did our best as a team, even partnered with one of Rwanda’s biggest brands just to make this event a success. But you betrayed us. Hope other organizers see your action and avoid doing business with you.”
Fans Divided, Christoph Silent
While S.I.O is yet to respond directly, the incident has left fans divided. Some argue he has every right to choose where he performs, others believe loyalty and professionalism matter more in these moments.
Meanwhile, Christoph The Change, who S.I.O claims to have “grown up listening to,” has stayed quiet amid the drama.
Was this a career move or a cultural betrayal? One thing is clear, the entertainment industry never forgets.
According to a strongly worded statement issued by the Monrovia To All Over Festival team, S.I.O withdrew from the Kigali event without prior communication or notice, leaving organizers blindsided. What added fuel to the fire was the way they discovered the news, through a Facebook post by S.I.O himself.
“This development is not only disappointing but deeply unprofessional,” the organizers wrote. “Our team went above and beyond to honor every term agreed upon, including booking accommodation, preparing ground logistics, creating and printing merchandise in two countries, and curating content around him.”
Despite the team’s massive investment in planning and promotion, including a strategic partnership with Rwanda’s major beverage brand Skol, S.I.O opted out, citing his desire to share the stage with Christoph as the reason.
“I canceled my Kigali show because I grew up listening to him, so sharing the same stage means a lot,” S.I.O wrote on his Facebook page, with a flyer promoting his appearance at Christoph’s July 26 show.
But the Kigali team wasn’t having it. In a scathing follow-up statement, Akin, a Liberian artist based in Kigali lashed out at S.I.O:
“S.I.O, people who na know will say lay organizers wor na serious. You can’t be so wicked to your own Liberian brothers like this. Imagine someone having sleepless nights to add value to your brand and you pay them this way.”
He furthered emphasized that even a simple message or phone call would have sufficed to maintain respect and transparency.
“You spoiled their efforts, money, publicity and made other artists here look stupid. But don’t worry, July 26 on SKD, you will perform before our show starts. Your team knows nothing about entertainment, my boi. Stop creating enemies for yourself.”
The hurt ran deeper than just logistics. Many on the Kigali team say they sacrificed time, money, and energy to uplift a fellow Liberian artist, only to be repaid with silence and perceived disrespect. They made it clear that the festival was never about one artist.
“This festival was built for a bigger purpose: to bring Liberians in Rwanda together. To celebrate our independence, culture, identity, and resilience.”
Despite the setback, the team assured the public that the festival, scheduled from July 25–27, would go on as planned, with cultural performances, community panels, and Independence Day sports tournaments.
“We are undeterred,” the statement read. “The Monrovia To All Over Festival is not about one artist, it never was.”
The statement ended with a powerful reminder: “We move forward, for culture, for country, for us.”
As Liberians prepare to mark July 26 both at home and abroad, the dust raised by S.I.O’s last-minute decision continues to spark conversations around loyalty, professionalism, and the responsibility artists have to those who believe in their craft.
