Kaffy: I’ve lost family, love because of dance yet I’m the evil queen

Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, leading Nigerian dancer, says her family and love life have suffered because of the sacrifices she’s had to make for the sake of her craft.

Kaffy, as she’s popularly called, ignited a dance industry controversy by criticising Davido and other Nigerian artistes for disrespecting dancers.

Some of the dancers, however, described her rage as hypocritical saying she also treats them as bad as the musicians.

In response, Kaffy has written an emotional note in which she called her critics a “bunch of ingrates”.

Read Kaffy’s lengthy note:

“I really want to use this medium to address the so called maltreatment allegations of dancers that has been in circulation.

It is a pity that it is the same people you fight for with clients for countless hours at meetings. Dancers who mostly get jobs out of the relentless hours of conviction and negotiations not to talk of back and forth that goes on with various deals and clients in order to secure them jobs while they sit at home waiting for a call by we leaders in dance that they are insulting today, in this case am the king pin EVIL QUEEN.

You see it is easy for people to see you on top and wish for your position but they are never ready to take the pain and sacrifice required to get there. A dancer that started today want to earn the same as people that are more experienced and skillful than him just because they stand side by side at rehearsals grounds.

I am a victim of my humanity and humility. It is emotional attachment to want to help as many people as possible that has caused me bigger problems in my life but I can’t change what God is using me for just because of persecution.

They say I pur 50 people in a room without pay. Pls what kind of room is it o and where. When you make allegations pls be ready to defend to the last with proof.
Where did this occur? Which job have you done that I have gotten paid for I repeat that you can prove I have gotten paid for and failed to pay you?

You say I maltreat you when all you do is try to even sabotage jobs that you begged to be part of. I made it happen then you stab me in d back.

I don’t condone misconduct around clients because in business customers still have an edge and we have been faced with the most difficult clients and as dance leader are thrown into d storm of protecting our clients and dancers who are to render services at the same time. Do you know how difficult that can be sometimes.

Sometimes budgets are reviewed and cut without warning… even with the tightest contracts the corruption of our country still subjects us to succumb and try to resolve matter with humility even when d other party is wrong. Don’t u think am tired of looking bad to dancers because of what I face with defaulting clients?

If I have never paid you why do you still come to work for me. Why do you guys betray me and come back to beg over and over and over again and I keep forgiving because I know it’s a phase you’re going through and for each time you do wrong and come back to beg I take you back against the will of my family and friends.

I have lost my family for dance. I have lost love for dance. I will be sick but work… You say am owing u for Calabar am I the carnival commission who didn’t pay. You are all bunch of ingrates.

I have been doing carnival since 2012 till 2015 for every year you got paid except a handful left for 2014. The same people I called again doe 2015 and the carnival band paid you all promising to remit previous payment as soon as the government sorts them.

When payment was delayed for almost 8 months in 2012 but u guys for paid less than 3 months after.. Did you know where the money came from? My personal funds. Same I did for 2013 and 2014. Till today am still owed. An average dancer gets 5 gigs from me and he’s owed 1, then I become a thief.

It’s further painful that a lot of u are not even skillfully ready for any job. We practically train you on the job giving you knowledge that you use to start ur own thing.

Infact if those of you that have passed through my company ever paid for the knowledge, you will still be owing me and other choreographers.

You don’t train urself to be better but you want more money. I will even be begging you rehearse. I open my home you come and don’t expect to clean, wash etc. then you stay rent and utility bill free and I make you money and you still expect me to cook for you?

From DNMT to AWANJO, from DNA to GGB, I have impacted and open doors for you guys to earn a living with or without me. What more do you want?”