Davido: The music star in alleged web of debts, deaths

Davido in alleged miasma of debts, deaths

 

 

David Adeleke is undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s finest artiste. His fans call him the 001, meaning, the best in the pack. However, fans of Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, famously known as Burna Boy, and those of Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, better known as Wizkid, have clashed with Davido’s supporters on who truly owns the title.  That is a discussion for another article.

 

But aside Davido’s music prowess, he has been dogged by alleged debt controversy that has put a spot on his public profile.

 

There is also the issue of people close to Davido dying, some in controversial circumstances.

 

The deaths

 

For instance, in the last five years, five people, one of whom was his first son, Ifeanyi, died. Some of those deaths happened in controversial circumstances. But this article is not in any way linking Davido to the deaths.

 

Tagbo

 

Tagbo Umeike, a close friend of Davido died on October 2, 2017.  But hours before his death, Tagbo had been spotted in a nightclub with Davido. He was said to have taken as much as 40 shots of tequila, to celebrate his birthday.

 

Then-Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, said Tagbo was abandoned at a hospital by Davido’s driver and friends. That led Tagbo’s girlfriend and actress, Caroline Hutchings (Danjuma), to accuse Davido of being complicit in Tagbo’s death. He was however cleared by the police.

 

 

DJ Olu

 

Olugbenga Abiodun, aka DJ Olu, a son to the incumbent Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, was the official DJ for Davido.

 

On October 7, 2017, his corpse was found alongside that of a friend (Chime Amaechi) in a car parked in the garage of a Banana Island house. According to a statement by the police at the time, illicit drugs were allegedly recovered from the car and he was said to have died of drug overdose.

 

 

Teejay

 

On December 8, 2020, Davido’s erstwhile bodyguard, Tijani Olamilekan, aka Teejay, died after what was described as a brief illness. Teejay had worked with Davido since the early days of his career, spanning 11 years.

 

Obama DMW

 

A close loyalist of Davido, Habeeb Uthman, aka Obama DMW, was never tired of talking about the singer and amplifying his good deeds. It was a shock to then learned that on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, Obama DMW died after complaining of breathing difficulty. He died at a Lagos hospital.

 

Ifeanyi

 

Ifeanyi, the three-year-old  son of Davido, drowned in the family’s swimming pool in Lagos and was underwater for an unspecified period before he was spotted. The parents, Davido and Chioma, were said to have travelled separately out of Lagos when the sad incident happened.

 

The debts

 

In the last one month, reports about Davido allegedly taking money from people and refusing to keep to his own part of the deal, has been trending. Two cases stood out – Amaju Pinnick and Abu Salami.

 

In the case of Abu Salami, the transaction was conducted informally. But in all, the businessman claimed he handed over more than N200 million to Davido for a job not done.

 

In the case of the former chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick,  there appears to be legal paper works before he handed N70 million to the star, also for a job not done.

 

Davido, according to Pinnick, was paid to perform at the annual ‘Warri Again Concert’, but failed to show up on the day of the event. This is aside the cost of a private jet paid for by the concert organisers to fly Davido and his crew to Delta State where the event was to be held.

 

The organisers of the event have instituted a N2.3 billion suit before the High Court of Delta State in Effurun against Davido over the alleged breach of agreement/contract entered in between them.

 

Listed as defendants in the suit are David Adeleke a.k.a ‘Davido’, and his music label, Davido Music Worldwide Limited.

 

The claimant under the name, Brownhill Investments Company Limited, through its lawyer, Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem, in suit number EHC/183/2023, is asking the court to award N2billion as general damages against Davido.

 

Specifically, the claimant is praying the court for N150 million as legal and professional fees, and an additional sum of N30 million as cost of filing the suit.

 

The claimant is also seeking an order directing the defendants jointly and/or severally to tender a public apology via their social media accounts/handles and in two national daily newspapers for four consecutive days, to it and the attendees.

 

The claimant, in its statement of claim, averred that sometimes in early 2023, the 1st defendant (Davido) approached its Chairman, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, when they met at the Abuja Airport, to engage his services for the 19th edition of the “Warri Again” event held on October 6, 2023.

 

The claimant stated that its Chairman was hesitant to engage his services for the event as he had disappointed him on two previous occasions – the 2014 and 2019 editions of “Warri Again”, where he did not show up to perform after he had been paid for the events and he was compelled to make refunds thereafter.

 

 

 

The claimant, believing that the 1st defendant had turned a new leaf, entered into a performance agreement with the defendants, for the 1st defendant to perform as the headline artiste at the event.

 

The claimant stated that in the Performance Agreement dated March 30, 2023, it was agreed that the 1st defendant’s performance fee was N70 million, which the defendants insisted must be paid in full at the time, in order to secure the 1st defendant’s performance at the event.

 

 

 

It averred that thereafter, the sum of US$94,500 (an equivalent of N70 million) was paid on April 6, 2023, and the same was duly acknowledged by the defendants.

 

After payment was made and confirmed, the 1st defendant did a promotional video for the event wherein he confirmed his attendance and live performance.

 

Thereafter, the claimant set in motion, all promotional and advertorial machinery for the event, projecting the |1st defendant as the headline performer at the event.

 

 

 

The claimant stated that it expended humongous resources on print and social media adverts and promotions for the event.

 

It added that on September 29, 2023, precisely a week to the slated date of the event, a formal letter of reminder was sent to the 1st defendant in respect of the event, which contained flight itinerary of the private jet chartered to personally convey the 1st defendant and his team to and from Warri for the event.

 

It stated that it incurred additional expenses of $18,000 to secure the private jet chartered to convey the Davido (1st defendant) and his team.

 

It noted that on October 6, 2023, the claimant tried to reach the defendants severally, but all attempts proved futile.

 

Regardless, the claimant kept the private jet it chartered to convey the 1st defendant and his team to Warri, at the Airport in Lagos on standby, waiting for the 1st defendant and his team.

 

The claimant added that it released a public notice that it had met all necessary performance agreements in respect of securing the performance of the 1st defendant at Warri Again and had not received any communication from the defendants, relating to his attendance at the event.

 

It stated that in the course of the event, Pinnick was compelled to address and apologise to the event attendees for the nonappearance and performance of the 1st defendant as the attendees expressed disappointment upon learning that the 1st defendant was not in attendance to perform.

 

He explained to the disappointed attendees that the claimant met all its contractual obligations to secure the attendance and performance of the 1st defendant, but he deliberately refused to show up and perform.

 

Pinnick further revealed on stage to the unhappy attendees, that the claimant had taken steps to secure the performance of another raving artist known as Crown Uzama aka Shallipopi, at an extra and unbudgeted cost to make up for the absence and non performance of the 1st defendant.

 

The claimant added that the 1st defendant, not long after, resorted to bullying Pinnick, with his large social media influence and following by posting all manner of insults, defamatory remarks, threats and unprintable things on the accounts/handles of his Instagram, Snapchat and X (formerly known as Twitter], at its chairman.

 

The 1st defendant made a false post on his Instagram story, stating that he had informed the claimant months ago of his inability to attend and perform at the event.

 

It averred that at no point in time did the defendants communicate or relate to the claimant that the 1st defendant would not attend and no longer perform at the “Warri Again” event.

 

It added that other show promoters and persons have been victims of the 1st defendant’s penchant for reneging on contracts and engagements after collecting payments.

 

Consequently, it is asking for the payment of $94,500 as full payment for engaging the services of the 1st defendant.

 

It is also demanding an order directing the defendants jointly to tender a public apology on their social media accounts/handles and in two national daily newspapers for four consecutive days.

 

It further asked the court for an order of injunction restraining the 1st defendant from performing as a musical artiste at any show/event in Nigeria until he refunds the sum of $94,500.