Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake has expressed deep sorrow following the death of a young fan after a crowd crush at his concert in Nairobi, Kenya.
The victim, 20-year-old Karen Lojore, died on Saturday amid congestion near an entrance gate at Nyayo National Stadium, where fans had gathered for the show. Reports indicate that long queues, delayed entry, and heavy rainfall contributed to the chaotic scene, leaving several others injured.
In a statement shared on Instagram on Monday, Asake said he was “devastated by the tragic incident,” describing the loss as heartbreaking.
“My heart goes out to the family, friends and loved ones of Karen Lojore,” the singer wrote, adding that he would support efforts to understand what went wrong. “Music has always been my way of sharing love and joy, and it breaks my heart that anyone had to experience such loss.”
Asake also called for accountability, stating that “those responsible should be held accountable.”
Kenyan police spokesman Michael Muchiri described the incident as “very unfortunate,” noting that crowd control at the venue appeared inadequate. He said investigations were underway to determine the cause of the crush and prevent similar tragedies, adding that such probes are typically concluded within weeks.
Family members and friends of the deceased have demanded a full investigation, with Kenyans across social media expressing grief and outrage. In a post tagging the concert organisers and the artist, a woman believed to be Ms Lojore’s mother asked: “What happened to my child? Why her? I want justice for my child.”
The concert was organised by Tukutane Entertainment, which said it was cooperating with authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Journalist Immanuel Ndungu of Citizen TV, who attended the event, also raised concerns online about poor crowd management, bottlenecks at entry points, and inadequate control measures at the stadium.
The tragedy has renewed scrutiny over crowd safety at large music events in Africa and beyond. It also recalls a fatal incident at London’s Brixton Academy in 2022 during a concert headlined by Asake, where two people died following a crowd surge.
Asake, whose real name is Ahmed Ololade, rose to prominence in 2022 with his debut album Mr. Money With the Vibe and has since become one of Africa’s biggest music exports, earning multiple awards and two Grammy nominations.