Pinnick sues Davido, demands N2.3bn over non-appearance at Delta concert

The organisers of the annual ‘Warri Again Concert’, Brownhill Investments Company Limited, have filed a N2.3 billion suit against Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, over his failure to appear at the show.

Brownhill Investments Company Limited is owned by a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick.

The organisers, in the suit marked EHC/183/2023 and filed before the Delta State High Court in Effurun, accused Davido of breaching the agreement/contract entered into between them.

The claimant, through its lawyer, Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem, is asking the court to award N2 billion as general damages against Davido and his his music label, Davido Music Worldwide Limited.

The claimant is also praying the court to award N150 million against Davido as 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 famous 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.”

The claimant stated that Davido, in early 2023, approached Pinnick when they met at the Abuja Airport and asked to be engaged for the 19th edition of the ‘Warri Again Concert’ event slated for October 6, 2023.

The claimant said Pinnick was hesitant to grant the request but eventually did and they agreed on N70 million as Davido’s performance fee.

It said the sum of $94,500 (an equivalent of N70 million) was paid on April 6, 2023, saying the payment was 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, however, stated, that all attempts to reach Davido and his team on the day of the event (October 6, 2023) were futile.

The claimant is, therefore, asking Davido to return $94,500 paid to him for engaging his services.

The Star