The team of Nigerian music star Tiwa Savage, alongside The Delborough Lagos and Fola PR, has apologised to Nigerian journalists following the alleged maltreatment of members of the press during the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation on March 9, 2026.
At a meeting brokered by Nigerian media personality Azuka Ogujiuba, representatives of Tiwa Savage led by Vannessa Amadi-Ogbonna told journalists that they neither instructed nor approved the humiliating treatment meted out to members of the media at the event. This included the directive that journalists should wear polo shirts branded with The Delborough’s name before being allowed into the venue.
The Fola PR team led by its founder, Shade Teyibo also apologised for the incident and appealed to journalists to move past the situation in the spirit of continued collaboration.
Management of The Delborough, represented by its Business Development Manager, Jimmy Antonios, expressed regret over the incident and assured those present that such treatment would not occur again.
Journalists at the meeting expressed hope that Nigerian media professionals would in the future receive the same level of respect accorded to foreign journalists.
Many journalists described the launch of the foundation as a deeply embarrassing experience. According to them, what should have been a landmark event for Nigeria’s creative sector instead became an occasion marked by disrespect toward a key group of stakeholders—the press.
Earlier on March 9, journalists invited to cover the launch at The Delborough Lagos complained of humiliation allegedly from bouncers and venue management.
Some journalists, including veteran reporters, claimed they were treated with classism, separated from other guests and asked to wait at the gate for hours.
One journalist said the event was scheduled for 5 p.m., but even those who arrived two hours early were prevented from entering the premises while other guests were allowed access without difficulty.
They also alleged that a female security guard threatened to smash the phones of journalists who were recording the arrival of guests.
Several journalists eventually left the venue after waiting for hours without being allowed to interact with music stars, stakeholders or other guests present at the event.
When journalists were later granted access to the premises, they said they were given media tags and polo shirts bearing The Delborough’s branding, which were retrieved from them when they exited the venue.
Journalists further alleged that they were warned by a woman believed to be part of the event management that cameramen attempting to film could be obstructed.
The reporters questioned whether foreign journalists would have been treated the same way and criticised the requirement that they wear branded polo shirts to gain entry.
Reacting to the incident in a social media post, ThisDay journalist Yinka Olatunbosun wrote:
“Invited and disgraced: Tiwa Savage and her team should do better. We were turned back for not wearing a branded T-shirt as a requirement for entry. Our press tags were not enough to enter the venue. We are journalists, not marketers.
