The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has reportedly exerted pressure on the management of Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa, resulting in the cancellation of the upcoming concert featuring Nigerian afrobeats superstar, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema.
The concert was initially scheduled to take place on September 9, 2023.During an interview with Nigerian media personality, Daddy Freeze, an Ethiopian woman disclosed that the cancellation of the concert was influenced by the country’s influential leaders from the Orthodox Church.
These leaders allegedly accused Rema of being a “devil worshipper” based on his choice of customised necklace.The artwork used to promote the concert showcased Rema wearing a customised necklace featuring a burning church and inverted crosses, which seemingly led to the controversy and disapproval from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
As a result, the hotel management made the decision to cancel the event.
She said, “They made a statement, like a press release in Ethiopia about Rema. Yes, you can imagine, it’s a very big deal.
“They’re basically saying he is worshipping the devil because of what he has on his neck. And to be honest, I never thought of it myself. And there’s more to it; to be honest.”
