Gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has broken her silence on the fraud allegation against Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, her former manager.
Onyedikachukwu, who is the founder of the record label EeZee
Conceptz, is accused of exploiting the singer.
He allegedly diverted approximately $345,000 from her
digital platforms and events without disclosing the transactions and remitting
her share.
The record label boss had earlier denied allegations of financial misconduct.
In a lengthy statement signed by her lawyer Pelumi
Olajengbesi on Saturday, Chinwo accused her former record label boss of
contract fraud.
The 34-year-old singer alleged that he replaced the original
contract signed when she joined the record label in 2017 with a new one in 2019
without her knowledge.
Chinwo claimed Eezeetee refused to give her a copy of the
contract in 2017 till the contract duration expired in 2022.
The singer alleged that the new contract allocated lifetime
ownership of all music works to Eezeetee and was designed to “keep me in
servitude”.
Chinwo also accused Eezeetee of doctoring financial reports
and failing to remit her share of digital streaming earnings.
She alleged that Eezeetee retained USD 274,000 in digital platform
revenues without her knowledge or consent.
The singer also accused Eezeetee of doctoring reports
received from Symphonic, Africori, and YouTube by not declaring the correct
revenue split to be paid to her.
Chinwo revealed that she and Eezeetee had reached a
reconciliation agreement at the EFCC office after which he apologised and
promised to make amends.
She said Eezeetee allegedly reneged on the agreement and
took her to court instead.
She called on Eezeetee to explain the disappearance of the
original 2017 contract and the introduction of the new 2019 contract.
The singer also urged Eezeetee to inform the public about
the true state of the two contracts.
MERCY CHINWO AND MR.
EZEKIEL THANKGOD (EEZETEE): SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
We are Solicitors to Minister Mercy Chinwo, hereinafter
referred to as Minister Mercy.
It is with deep concern that we address the recent
controversies surrounding Minister Mercy’s relationship with Mr. Ezekiel
ThankGod (Eezeetee), her former manager. While we would have preferred to
maintain silence on this matter, the severity of the falsehoods being
circulated compels us to clarify the facts and set the record straight.
GENERAL NOTE
Contrary to the
sensational narratives, Minister Mercy did not initiate any court action case
against Mr. Ezekiel ThankGod (Eezeetee) regarding her music catalogue. At no
point has she claimed that a 50/50 revenue split from her DSP earnings is
unfair. The issues with Mr. Eezeetee are, in fact, grave matters that have
posed significant threats to her life and cannot be easily exhausted, but she
has preferred to remain silent.
WHAT WERE THE REAL
ISSUES?
BACKGROUND
Minister Mercy’s
journey with Eezeetee began humbly during her days as Eezeetee’s backup singer
in Port Harcourt. Over time, their work relationship flourished, with Eezeetee
assuming a loco parentis role, advising and mentoring her. Their relationship was
not born out of contract, but beyond, She honours him like a father.
He commenced managing
her early in 2017, introduced her to his Pastor, Pastor Temple Odoko and later
specifically advised that they sign a management contract on her birthday to
remarkably announce their work. He brought the contract, and it was happily
executed on September 5, 2017, in Port Harcourt. (Note date and place).
WORK RELATION
The work relation was
super cordial. Minister Mercy “Excess Love” project was recorded in 2017, and
it was a major success. Other projects followed. Eezeetee put in the work and
passion, he talked big on his vision for gospel music in Nigeria, and she
strongly bought into it.
RELOCATION TO LAGOS
The grace of God was
evident, and need to relocate to Lagos became crucial in 2018. He established
the structure, and they worked with unity and a common vision. Everyone was
committed to the organization vision, and she was instrumental in ensuring that
more gospel ministers, starting with Judikay, joined the organization in early
2019.
THE TURNING POINT
Towards the middle and
end of 2019, commencing the 3rd year of working with Eezeetee, things began to
change gradually. They had discussions, as usual, about the organization and
her plans. He expressed his intention for her to extend her five-year contract
to twelve years. However, she declined, stating that she is got other plans.
Afterwards, she
noticed that at any given opportunity to address any issue, Eezeetee would be
hostile and make reference to the contract. He started talking tough and
repeatedly about the contract, which was not the norm. It was at this point
that she realized she needed to have a copy of the contract. As the situation
got worse in 2020 she demanded for her copy of the contract. (By the way, her
copy of the contract was only given at the end of the contract time on the 23rd
of November, 2022)
By the fourth year,
the relationship had become extremely toxic, as Minister Mercy started to
endure untold verbal and emotional assault that literally affected her person.
Eezeetee would threaten her with statements like: “I will deal with you, I will
mess you up, I made you whom you are, I can shut you up, and nobody will hear
you again, I will destroy your career” including the use of the “F” word, sadly
on different occasions. Extremely hostile, antagonistic and abusive.
Eezeetee continue to
intimidate her, isolating and bulling her, misleading people inviting her for
events about her availability.
When she gets
invitations to minister at programs, the management would respond to the
invitees that she was not available or that she was sick. In some cases, the
management would demand an outrageous fee for her to attend programs in order
to frustrate the invitation.
One of such
heartbreaking incidents involved a church program that had been concluded for
her to attend in October 2021, hosted by a father of faith in Edo State, Rev.
Felix Omobode. Eezeetee suddenly told the host that Minister Mercy could not
attend because she had a terminal health problem. She got wind of it and fought
back. It became chaos while she threatened it was over and done with the
organization.
She was threatened
with the contract but she insisted she will go and minister against the
management’s wish. There were interventions, after much pressure, he claimed
the organizers did not make flight arrangements. She said she will attend by
any means. He eventually booked the flight. To her surprise, her host came
along with a medical team to the airport to receive her believing she was
unwell and may need support. Meanwhile, Minister Mercy also discovered that her
ticket and that of Eezeetee had been long booked by the host.
RECONCILIATION
Though broken, she
made efforts at reconciliation. She prayed and had discussions with her
spiritual mentor. She decided to make a deliberate effort to restore the good
working relationship. She was led to sow a seed to him. She bought a brand-new
SUV for him as a seed. She made efforts, and they tried to achieve a genuine
reconciliation. They reconciled, but he was more particular about posting the
car on social media to appreciate her. She declined, and things got worse.
The situation worsened
as there was no longer trust. She lived in tears. She had to narrate her
experience to Minister Chioma Jesus, whose intervention led to the management
returning her call lines to her in December 2021 to manage her program
scheduling herself. Without removing her cost of logistics for travels and
remuneration for her team members which she must pay, she remitted an absolute
total of 50% of any gift or honorarium with date and evidence to Eezeetee. If
she delayed, he would certainly send a mail.
CASE OF FORGERY
After her contract had
expired on the 5th of September, 2022, Minister Mercy was directed to get her
copy of the contract from his Pastor, Temple Odoko who has now become their
mutual father, and she got her copy November 22, 2022. Shockingly, It turned
out that the contract that was signed in 2017 had been replaced with another
contract made in 2019. A new contract made in 2019 was altered to seem as if it
was the document signed in 2017.
Clearly, on the face
of the contract, at the front page, the “2019” was altered to “2017” by turning
the “9” to “7” with a pen. However, the commencement page was carelessly
reading “2019.” Eezeetee is challenged in one word to release the first three
pages and the execution page of the contract in public. The contract till date
has no original, just the photocopy.
Due diligence revealed
that after signing the original contract in 2017, two years later, when they
had relocated to lagos. Eezeetee secured the services of a prominent and
respected law firm in Lagos (Udo Udoma & Bello-Osagie) to prepare a new
contract in 2019. The contract was used to substitute the 2017 original
contract.
The contract was
prepared and sent to him via email in 2019 by Udo Udoma & Bello-Osagie. He
altered the front page of the contract to read 2017 and claimed it was the
contract signed. Meanwhile, the commencement date was carelessly left as 2019
on the document. He refused to release the original contract signed in 2017 but
the new one 2019.
At an investigation
meeting, Our Managing Partner, Pelumi Olajengbesi respectfully asked Mr. Mena
Ajakpovi, Esq., Partner at Udo Udoma & Bello-Osagie, to speak to the
integrity of the contract. The partner confirmed that while they drafted the
contract in 2019, it was never signed in their presence as Eezeetee claimed. He
added that their firm only sent it to him via email and was not aware of the
2017 alterations on the contract. This exposed the fact that it was not the
same contract signed 2017 in Porhartcourt.
It is important to
reiterate that while the 2017 contract was just about 5 pages, the 2019
contract, which was introduced by Eezeetee to replace the old contract was 25
pages, allocating lifetime ownership of all music works to Eezeetee and couched
in a manner intended to perpetually have Minister Mercy in servitude.
OTHER ISSUES
Eezeetee, in the
continued onerous act, doctored reports received from Symphonic, Africori, and
YouTube by not declaring the correct revenue split to be paid out to Minister
Mercy. He brought documents in the mid years of the contract that she needs to
sign to help recover her revenue from publishing as song writer. Yet, he
falsely listed himself as the writer of all her songs, to receive revenues as
both writer and producer. He refused to remit her a penny from the publishing
revenue for the past seven years, from inception till date and Minister Mercy
didn’t make it an issue. He did not remit his ‘choiced’ 50% of the Digital
Streams earnings from 2022 to 2024 — a complete two years.
Eezeetee claimed he
has paid her over $600,000; that couldn’t have been the reason for the issues.
Minister Mercy recorded and released almost 40 songs with him. Whatever he has
remitted to her is from the 50% ratio, and she has never complained about the
percentage.
AFTER THE CONTRACT
Minister Mercy made
significant efforts to record an additional album before the expiration of her
contract. She had clear instructions on the songs, wrote them down and sent a
list to Eezeetee, requesting a recording schedule. However, his responses were
dismissive, with one reply stating, “Na you dey teach me work now,” and another
time, indicating he was too busy at the time.
After the original
contract, which spanned from 2017 to 2022, had expired, Eezeetee insisted that
the contract be extended. He justified this by citing the fact that a third
album had not been recorded, referencing a questionable contract clause from
2019.
APOSTLE ANSELEM’S
MADUBUKO INTERVENTION
Apostle Anselem
attempted to help resolve the matter on several occasions. We were advised to
forgive and forget, and we happily did. Eezeetee was told to remit Minister
Mercy’s due, and everyone agreed on an independent audit. A neutral auditor was
appointed. The audit was about to start when Eezeetee pulled out and refused to
comply further on the excuse that his lawyer was not at the meeting where the
audit was agreed upon. The auditor had to resign for lack of cooperation.
Having seen the volume of revenue coming, he had to manipulate a new contract.
FORGERY AND DIVERSION
INVESTIGATION
At the EFCC
investigation panel in 2024, with all parties present and their lawyers, it was
established that the sum of USD 274,000 had been unlawfully retained and
diverted by Eezeetee from digital platform revenues reviewed as at then.
Eezeetee claimed Minister Mercy had asked him to help keep part of the revenue
to avoid mismanagement and that he was holding the remaining to ensure
reconciliation before releasing the payment. He stated there was no intention
to steal. He was understood. The money was recovered peacefully.
Eezeetee now admitted
at the EFCC office for very first time that there were two contracts, the
original signed in 2017 and another he introduced two years after the actual
contract had been signed. He, however, appealed that the matter be settled
amicably in peace. He started crying and preached peace. Minister Mercy broke
down emotionally also in tears. There was forgiveness and reconciliation.
The Legal Practitioner
representing Mr. Eezeetee, Dapo Akinosun SAN, Senior Partner at Simmons Cooper
Partners admonished that parties should settle as Christian family. Eezeetee
apologized in tears to Minister Mercy, and reconciliation was encouraged.
Parties settled, and the learned silk encouraged that a settlement agreement be
prepared and signed afterward.
A draft agreement was
prepared and sent to us by the Learned Silk representing Eezeetee, outlining
terms aimed at amicably resolving the matter. After reviewing the draft, we
provided our input to address certain terms and awaited the signing of the
final settlement agreement. However, upon following up with the Learned Silk,
the last response remained that we should wait.
COURT CASE
Just as we were waiting for Eezeetee to finalize the
settlement peacefully by signing, we were told that Eezeetee had engaged a new
lawyer and had now taken the matter to court. Eezeetee was the one who filed a
court case against Mercy Chinwo and Judikay separately, in suit referenced –
LMDC/09-24/289/WI-M. The same Eezeetee pushed the false report of Minister
Mercy taking him to court for a catalogue to mislead the public and draw
sentiments or pity to him.
He filed another suit in court against the EFCC for
investigating the allegations. We latter heard that he has been charged for
fraud by EFCC, a warrant of arrest issued for him to be compelled to appear
before the court.
FINAL SETTLEMENT
Minister Mercy firmly
believes that the Lord has settled her and wiped away her tears, reaffirming
her position that these issues are not beyond resolution. However, Eezeetee
should tell the world as he has been doing, what happened to the 2017 contract
she signed in Port Harcourt? What is the reason behind the introduction of a
new Lagos-based contract in 2019? Why was the document forged? and why has he
refused to inform the public about the true state of the two contracts.
Minister Mercy deeply
appreciates your prayers, love, and continued support during this time.
SIGNED:
Pelumi Olajengbesi Esq.
Solicitors and Attorneys-at-Law to Minister Mercy Chinwo
Chinwo is not the only former artiste to have a contractual
dispute with Onyedikachukwu.
Recently, Judikay accused the label boss of theft. She
claimed he defrauded her of £800,000 by falsifying financial records and
altering streaming data.
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