Terrorism, US Government Forced Cancellation Of NBL's Star Mega Jam

SAN FRANCISCO, December 10, (THEWILL) – The frequent bombings and violence orchestrated by members of the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram was responsible for the cancellation of the popular annual music concert hosted by Nigerian Breweries Plc (NBL) tagged Star Meja Jam, multiple sources familiar with the event said over the weekend.

Another key factor that forced NBL’s hands was a letter from the United States Embassy in Nigeria issued to American A-list artistes urging them to avoid performances in Nigeria because of the dangerous and unpredictable security situation.

NBL had planned to feature Sean John Combs aka P. Diddy as Mega Jams lead act this year. The gig usually holds just before Christmas.

There was also the Lagos State Government’s refusal to issue a guarantee that Lagos would be bomb and Boko Haram-free during the fiesta.

NBL had in a press conference last week said it cancelled the gig “due logistics challenges” but refused to explain further so that it does not embarrass the Nigerian government, one source said.

“If President Goodluck Jonathan cancelled Nigeria’s yearly Independence parade because of Boko Haram, NBL would have been stupid to have gone ahead with Star Mega Jam,” an NBL source said.

The fundamentalist group has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks mostly in the north with military formations, police stations and banks as major targets.

Star Mega Jam music fiesta debuted in 2000 and has attracted international artistes – Usher, 50-cents, Shaggy, LL Cool J, Nas, Nelly, Busta Rhymes, R. Kelly, Ludacris, Kanye West, T-Pain, Ja-Rule, Akon and Awilo amongst Nigerian top entertainers.

THEWILL gathered that the concert would return when government successfully deals with the menace which if not checked could hurt businesses in no small way.