Nigerian singer Seun Kuti cancels concert in Morocco due to Melilla drama

Nigerian artist Seun Kuti announced on Thursday the cancellation of his concert which was scheduled for Saturday at the Moroccan Jazzablanca festival, in order to

the 23 migrants who perished while trying to reach the Spanish enclave of Melilla in Morocco.

," said Seun Kuti, son of legendary Afrobeat precursor Fela Kuti, in a video posted on his Instagram account. .

“It is impossible for me in good conscience to go on stage and have a good time when so many Africans have lost their lives.

We must mourn them

,” added the artist, referring to the 23 migrants who lost their lives on Friday trying to cross to the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco.

Read also Melilla tragedy: are we heading towards a new migration crisis?

This is a personal decision of the artist

Jazzablanca organizers

This is the deadliest toll ever recorded in the many attempts by sub-Saharan migrants to enter Melilla and the neighboring Spanish enclave of Ceuta, which constitute the EU's only land borders with the African continent.

The UN has accused Morocco and Spain of having used "excessive use of force" against these migrants.

The organizers of Jazzablanca, scheduled for July 1 to 3 in Casablanca, confirmed the cancellation of Seun Kuti's concert to AFP.

, they commented.

The legendary Gilberto Gil, Mulatu Astatke, the father of ethio-jazz or Asaf Avidan, figure of Israeli folk-rock, are on the program for the 15th edition of this festival.