David Adeleke, popularly known by his stage name Davido, has been taken to court by Amaju Pinnick, the former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) who is also the owner of Brownhill Investments Company Limited, the organisers of the annual “Warri Again Concert,” for allegedly breaking a contract that was made between them.
The organisers are seeking N2.3 billion in the complaint, EHC/183/2023, which was filed before the Delta State High Court in Effurun.
The claimant is demanding a N2 billion general damages award against Davido and his music label, Davido Music Worldwide Limited, through its lawyer, Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem.
Additionally, the organisers requested that the court awards Davido N150 million in legal and professional fees and an additional sum of N30 million as the cost of filing the suit.
It also wants the court to order the singer “to tender a public apology on all the 1st defendant’s social media accounts/handles and in two national daily newspapers for four consecutive days, to the claimant and attendees.”
In its statement of claim, the claimant stated that sometime in early 2023, Davido approached Pinnick, when they met at the Abuja Airport and asked to be engaged for the 19th edition of the ‘Warri Again Concert’ event to be held on October 6, 2023.
The claimant said Pinnick was hesitant to grant the request, he eventually did and they agreed on N70 million as Davido’s performance fee.
It said that thereafter, the sum of US$94,500.00 (an equivalent of N70m) was paid on April 6, 2023, and the same was duly acknowledged by the defendants.
It said after the payment, Davido did a promotional video ahead of the event but he eventually failed to show up on the day of the event.
The claimant stated that it expended humongous resources on print and social media adverts and promotions for the event, adding that on September 29, 2023, precisely a week before the slated date of the event, a formal letter of reminder was sent to the Davido in respect of the event, which contained flight itinerary of the private jet chartered to personally convey him and his team to and from Warri, Delta State for the event, thereby incurring additional expenses of $18,000.
It stated, however, that all efforts to get in contact with Davido and his team on October 6, 2023, the day of the event, were ineffective, and that the private jet that was scheduled to convey Davido and his team to Warri at the Lagos Airport was left standby in case they show up.
In light of this, Pinnick’s company is demanding $94,500 in full payment for engaging Davido’s services.
Ada Peter
