‘One painful night shouldn’t erase 20 years’ – AY speaks on Cardiff show fallout, apologises to fans
Popular Nigerian comedian AY Makun has spoken publicly about the controversy surrounding his Cardiff comedy show, apologising to fans who were left disappointed by the event and announcing plans for a free return performance.
The entertainer made his position known in a lengthy Instagram statement following criticism and calls for him to be cancelled.
AY said he was hurt that one difficult experience could be used to disregard more than 20 years of work and commitment to entertaining his audience. He also questioned why negative stories about him seemed to attract more attention than his achievements and professional consistency.
According to the comedian, some respected individuals in the entertainment industry advised him not to respond publicly, hoping the controversy would eventually fade. He said he chose to speak because people who paid to attend the show deserved to understand his side.
AY attributed his reaction to repeated difficulties during the tour, including experiences involving payment promises that were allegedly not honoured. He disclosed that he had sometimes paid colleagues with his own money and said the five-hour journey from Sheffield to Cardiff left him exhausted and frustrated.
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However, he accepted that the fans who arrived expecting a performance were not responsible for those challenges.
“I am sincerely sorry,” AY said, apologising for the disappointment, wasted time and distress experienced by attendees.
He encouraged critics to watch his video and consider his explanation, while acknowledging their right to disagree with his decision.
The comedian also insisted that public criticism and cancellation campaigns would not force him to abandon the career he had built. He said he intended to learn from the incident and continue improving.
AY further appealed to the public to respect people who still wished to support his brand, even if others no longer wanted to attend his shows.
To address the disappointment, he announced plans to return to Cardiff for a free show funded personally by him. The proposal, however, remains subject to venue availability and confirmation of the arrangements.
He stressed that the free performance would not serve as a substitute for refunds owed to customers from the original event.
AY ended his statement by thanking those who supported him and offered corrections respectfully, adding that he intended to continue entertaining audiences.
