By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
I never imagined that a night meant for music and celebration would end with me whispering what felt like my final prayers.
Concerts had never appealed to me. Stories of overcrowding, theft, cigarette smoke and disorder always made me hesitant. Still, with the festive season underway, I decided to experience one for the first time. On December 19, 2025, I attended the GTCO Music Concert organised by GT Bank at the Accra Sports Stadium, unaware of how overwhelming the night would become.
I arrived early to secure seats in the middle section, hoping to stay comfortable and avoid the intensity near the stage. The heavy police presence at the entrance was reassuring, and the atmosphere initially felt calm as music played ahead of the performances. Nigerian artiste Patoranking opened the show with a composed set, reinforcing my belief that the evening would be smooth.
As the night progressed, the environment changed. Thick cigarette smoke filled the air from multiple directions, making breathing difficult. Attempts to ask nearby attendees to stop smoking were dismissed. Despite growing discomfort, I stayed on, determined not to miss Shatta Wale’s performance, the main reason I had attended.
Things escalated during Sarkodie’s set when sudden coughing spread through the crowd. It soon emerged that pepper spray had been released nearby. Some attendees began leaving, while others struggled through the irritation. Shortly afterwards, during Joeboy’s performance, water bottles started flying between sections of the stadium. What appeared harmless quickly became dangerous when fireworks and knockouts were thrown. One flew directly towards me, narrowly missing my head.
At that moment, fear took over. I crouched down and prayed silently, convinced the situation had spiralled beyond control. Eventually, the fireworks stopped, but the tension remained. Later, fans breached police barricades separating the main stands from the VIP area, forcing officers to intervene. Even as fire officers attempted to extinguish a small fire, some spectators hurled bottles in their direction.
By the time Shatta Wale finally took the stage, the excitement I had anticipated was overshadowed by exhaustion and concern for safety. As fans began jumping on seats and the stands shook visibly, I decided to leave early to avoid a possible stampede.
Getting out of the stadium felt like a relief. Holding tightly to my bag, I stepped away from the chaos and quietly gave thanks for making it home safely.
This experience is not meant to discourage people from attending concerts or enjoying live music. Rather, it highlights the importance of preparedness, crowd control and personal safety at large public events. For a first-time concertgoer, the night was a powerful reminder that enjoyment and risk can sometimes exist side by side.
