Brownhill Investments Company Limited, the organizers of the annual ‘Warri Again Concert’, have filed a N2.3 billion suit against Nigerian Afrobeat singer, David Adeleke, aka Davido.
The suit is demanding a tangible sum of N2.3 billion for damages and a four-day public apology for an alleged breach of contract.
Amaju Pinnick, who is the owner of Brownhill Investments Company Limited, the entity responsible for organizing the annual ‘Warri Again?’ event, initiated the legal proceedings by filing the suit, marked EHC/183/2023, at the Delta State High Court in Effurun.
The claimant, through its lawyer, Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem, is asking the court to award N2bn as general damages against Davido and his music label, DMW Limited.
According to reports, the claimant, represented by attorney Mr. Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem, is seeking ₦2 billion as compensation from Davido and his music label for alleged damages resulting from the singer’s failure to show up in the event.
Additionally, Amaju Pinnick’s company is requesting the court to award ₦150 million as legal and professional fees, along with an extra ₦30 million to cover the costs associated with filing the lawsuit.
Also requesting that the singer “tender a public apology to the claimant and attendees on all of the first defendant’s social media accounts/handles and in two national daily newspapers for four consecutive days.”
According to the claimant’s statement of claim, Davido approached Pinnick at the Abuja Airport sometime in early 2023 and begged to be engaged for the 19th edition of the “Warri Again Concert,” which is scheduled for October 6, 2023. The claimant stated that although Pinnick was first unwilling to comply, in the end he obliged, and they decided 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 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 attempts to reach Davido and his team on the day of the event, October 6, 2023, were futile, adding that it kept the private jet chartered to convey Davido and his team to Warri at the Airport in Lagos on standby should they eventually show up, which they never did.
Consequently, Pinnick’s company is asking for the payment of $94,500 as full payment for engaging the services of Davido.
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