AY Breaks Silence Over UK Tour Scam Allegations, Urges Fans to Seek Refunds

Nigerian comedian and actor Ayodeji Makun, popularly known as AY, has broken his silence after disappointed fans accused him of scamming them following the disruption of his comedy show in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.

The comedian apologised to ticket holders after many reportedly waited for hours without seeing him perform at the event, tagged AY Live: Single and Not Searching, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday. AY attributed the disruption to an unresolved payment dispute between his team and the event organisers.

In a statement and video shared on social media, AY explained that he and other comedians travelled to Cardiff ready to perform but were still owed an outstanding balance for their appearance. According to him, the payment had been due since the end of September, despite assurances from the organisers that it would be settled before the performers left their accommodation for the venue.

He also recalled a similar experience during an earlier show in Leicester, where the team performed after receiving assurances about payment, but the outstanding balance reportedly remained unpaid. AY said the team also struggled to reach the organisers over accommodation arrangements during the UK tour, adding that they had to wait until around 3 a.m. before his bank card was charged to secure rooms for them.

AY said that despite these difficulties, the performers travelled to Cardiff in good faith and continued trying to resolve the dispute. He explained that a sponsor, Enoch Adekoya of Koya Group, intervened before the team eventually proceeded to the venue at about 10 p.m. By then, however, most of the audience had reportedly left.

The comedian acknowledged the frustration of fans who bought tickets, travelled and waited for the show. He apologised for the experience and said the audience deserved better organisation and communication. He also maintained that he would not deliberately travel from Nigeria with his team only to disappoint supporters who had paid to see him perform.

Addressing the refund issue, AY urged affected ticket holders to contact the platforms or vendors through which they purchased their tickets. He also advised them to approach their banks or card providers to request payment disputes or chargebacks where applicable.

The comedian called on the event organisers and his UK tour management to provide a practical solution for affected customers. He said he was considering taking formal steps, including reporting the matter to the police, over the unresolved issues surrounding the event.

AY further appealed to fans not to allow the Cardiff incident to define his more than two decades in the entertainment industry or his wider UK tour. He said he remained willing to return to Cardiff in the future, provided proper arrangements were made with reliable local partners.

As of the latest reports, the event organisers had not publicly provided their account of the dispute. The incident has raised concerns about event management, communication with ticket holders and the responsibilities of promoters when live entertainment shows fail to proceed as advertised.