News

Pinnick Sues Davido, Demands N2.3b Over Alleged Breach Of Contract

Published

2 years ago

November 1, 2023

The organisers of the yearly ‘Warri Again Concert’, have filed N2.3 billion suit before the High Court of Delta State in Effurun against a Nigerian-American superstar singer, David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido over an alleged breach of agreement/contract between them.

Listed as defendants in the suit are Davido and his music label, Davido Music Worldwide Limited.

The claimant under the name, Brownhill Investments Company Limited, through its counsel, 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 N150million as legal and professional fees, and additional sum N30million 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 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.

The claimant, in its statement of claim, averred that sometimes in early 2023, the 1st defendant approached its chairman, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, when they met at the Abuja Airport, to engage his (1st defendant’s) 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 the services of the 1st defendant for the event as the defendant 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 19th edition of Warri Again, slated to hold on October 6, 2023 in Warri, Delta State.

The claimant stated that in the Performance Agreement dated March 30, 2023, it was agreed that the 1st defendant’s performance fee was N70million, which the defendants insisted must be paid in full at the time, to secure the 1st defendant’s performance at the event.

It averred that thereafter, the sum of US$94,500.00 (an equivalent of N70million) was paid on April 6, 2023 and same was duly acknowledged by the defendants.

After payment was made and confirmed, the 1st defendant did a promotional video for the 19th edition of the event slated, wherein he confirmed his attendance and live performance in Warri on October 6, 2023.

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 promotion for the event.

It further averred 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, Delta State 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 stated 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, its chairman, 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/handies 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 demand 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.

News

PHOTOS: Esama Of Benin Commissions BRC Ultramodern Lounge, Promises A Phase Lift

Published

3 hours ago

June 29, 2025

Editor

The Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, has promised to give a phase lift to the Benin Recreation Club (BRC) in the next 12 months.

Chief Igbinedion made the promise in Benin on Saturday when he officially visited the BRC to commission a newly remodeled ultramodern ‘Chief Go.O. Igbinedion Bustop Lounge.’

The Esama, who expressed dissatisfaction on how he met the ancient recreation club, said: “This place needs a drastic improvement. I would, therefore, like the committee to see me, and I promise 12 months from now, this place will wear a new look.”

Chief Igbinedion, however, thanked current and past executives of the club for a job well done, and for sustaining the BRC, saying “many organisations or associations as this have gone into extinction but you have put in your best to keep this going.”

The octogenarian, who thanked the leadership and the board of trustees for the honour done on him through the naming of a lounge, also vowed not to neglect the leadership especially knowing well that he has been a founding member of the BRC.

In his remarks, Special Guest of Honour and Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, while describing the BRC as the best place to relax after a stressful day, urged members of the public who are yet to join the BRC to do so.

Earlier in his welcome speech, president of the BRC, Courage Osamuyi said the lounge was named after Chief Igbinedion in recognition of his great support for the club and his contribution to humanity.

Justice Daniel Okungbowa, Chief Judge of Edo State

The BRC president, who declared that the presence of the Esama in the BRC signifies a new dawn, said “what we are having today is just the beginning. As he has stepped into this place, greater things will start to happen.”

Osamuyi, while noting that the Esama “has been a founding member of the club over the years,” thanked Chief Igbinedion for his good work and for honouring them with his presence.

Osamuyi Courage, President of The BRC

News

Peter Obi Condemns Tinubu’s Saint Lucia Trip

Published

5 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Labour Party leader and former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s planned trip to Saint Lucia, describing it as poorly timed and lacking in sensitivity, especially amid Nigeria’s deepening economic and security challenges.

Tinubu is expected to leave Nigeria on Saturday for Saint Lucia and is also scheduled to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Obi expressed dismay over the president’s travel, questioning the state of governance in the country.

Obi argued that Tinubu’s trip highlights a pattern of misplaced priorities by the administration, particularly at a time when citizens are grappling with widespread hunger and insecurity.

“What I have seen and witnessed in the last two years has left me in shock about poor governance delivery and apparent channelling of energy into politics and satisfaction of the elites, while the masses in our midst are languishing in want,” Obi stated.

He lamented the toll of rising insecurity across Nigeria, pointing out the country’s deteriorating safety situation.

“In the past two years, Nigeria has lost more people to all sorts of criminality than a country that is officially at war.

“Without any twilight, Nigeria ranks among the most insecure places in the world. Nigerians are hungrier, and most people do not know where their next meal will come from,” he wrote.

Obi said he was stunned when he learned of the President’s travel plans, especially following what he described as a recent holiday in Lagos.

“With such a gory picture of one’s country, you can imagine my bewilderment when I saw a news release from the Presidency announcing that President Bola Tinubu is departing Nigeria today for a visit to Saint Lucia in the Caribbean,” he said.

Quoting Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, Obi noted that the visit comprises both official and personal segments.

“According to the Prime Minister’s announcement, ‘two of these days, June 30 and July 1, will be dedicated to an official visit, with the remainder of the trip set aside as a personal vacation,” he said.

Obi noted that he initially found the report hard to believe.

“I told the person who drew my attention to the Caribbean story that it cannot be true and that the President is just coming back from a holiday in Lagos.

“I didn’t want to believe that anybody in the position of authority, more so the President… would contemplate a leisure trip at this time,” Obi said.

He condemned Tinubu’s failure to visit disaster-stricken areas like Minna in Niger State, where over 200 people reportedly died and hundreds remain missing due to flooding.

“This is a President going for leisure when he couldn’t visit Minna, Niger State where over two hundred lives were lost and over 700 persons still missing in a flood natural disaster,” he said.

Obi also took issue with Tinubu’s recent trip to Benue State, claiming it was politically motivated rather than compassionate.

“The other state in crisis where over two hundred lives were murdered, the President yielded to public pressure and visited Makurdi… for what turned out to be a political jamboree than condolence as public holiday was declared and children made to line up to receive the President who couldn’t even reach the village, the scene of the brutal attack,” he said.

Drawing comparisons between Nigeria and Saint Lucia, Obi questioned the logic of prioritising a visit to the Caribbean nation over addressing pressing domestic issues.

“Makurdi is 937.4 Km², which is over 59% bigger than St Lucia, which is 617 km², and Minna is 6789 square kilometres, which is ten times bigger than St Lucia. St Lucia, with a population of 180,000, is less than half of Makurdi’s 489,839 and Minna, with 532,000 is almost three times the population of St Lucia,” the former Anambra governor said.

He concluded his post by stressing the urgent need for leadership that is grounded in empathy and focused on addressing the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

He said, “I don’t think the situation in this country today calls for leisure for anybody in a position of authority, more so the President, on whose desk the buck stops.

“This regime has repeatedly shown its insensitivity and lack of passion for the populace…”

Obi added, “This very obvious indifference of the federal government to the suffering of the Nigerian poor should urgently be reversed.

“One had expected the President to be asking God for extra hours in a day for the challenges, but what we see is a concentration of efforts in the 2027 election and on satisfying the wealthy while the mass poor continues to multiply in number.”

News

World Bank Lists Nigeria Among 39 Nations Facing Rising Poverty, Hunger

Published

6 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

The World Bank has listed Nigeria among 39 countries where poverty and hunger are deepening as a result of conflict and instability.

In a report released on Friday, the bank said the economies, a mix of low- and middle-income countries, span all global regions. Among them are Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe.

The report, which assesses the economic impact of conflict and fragility in the post-COVID-19 era, revealed that 21 of the 39 countries are experiencing active conflict.

According to the findings, extreme poverty is rising more rapidly in these countries, taking a severe toll on economic development, worsening hunger, and derailing progress toward key development goals.

Since 2020, the report noted, the average per capita GDP of these economies has declined by 1.8 per cent annually, in contrast to a 2.9 per cent growth rate recorded in other developing countries.

The report partly reads: “This year, 421 million people are struggling on less than $3 a day in economies afflicted by conflict or instability—more than in the rest of the world combined.

“That number is projected to rise to 435 million, or nearly 60% of the world’s extreme poor, by 2030.”