Mr Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, founder of Eeze Conceptz Limited, has said that the popular Nigerian gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo, allegations against him were untrue and baseless.
Onyedikachukwu’s lawyer, Mr Maxwell Opara, stated this in a statement he signed and made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.
According to him, Chinwo allegedly reneged on the record label and management contract with her label, Eeze Conceptz Limited, and presented falsehood to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against his client.
The lawyer further clarified that his client, Onyedikachukwu was never Chinwo’s manager, but rather, her producer who, sometimes in 2017, scouted and discovered her singing talent, developed the talent as well as promoted and brought her to the limelight in the gospel music industry.
He also stated that the allegation that his client (Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu) diverted the singer’s $345,000 U.S. dollars in royalties was false.
“The members of public must take note; that the allegations made against our client by Mercy Chinwo and the EFCC before obtaining the arrest warrant order for the arrest of our client were false and unfounded.
“This is evident as contained in the processes presented by the EFCC before the Honorable Court prior to obtaining the said order, wherein the EFCC alleged our client was Mercy Chinwo’s manager which he is not and never was.
“Again, the allegation that our client diverted Mercy Chinwo’s funds is also totally false and that our client could not be reached, which both Mercy Chinwo, and the EFCC very well know how our client could be reached and apprehended in such events.”
“Consequently, we have commenced the procedure in line with the rules of the Honorable acourt to have the said order set aside or vacated.
“And we strongly believe that, once the facts and evidences are truthfully placed before the Honorable Court, the Honorable Court will do that which is right and just in the circumstance.
“Hence, we urge the members of the public to disregard every smear publication and campaign coordinated by Mercy Chinwo against our client.”
He alleged that Chinwo signed a Label and Artist Management Contract for a five-year term beginning from 2017 to 2022 with their client but reneged.
According to Okpara, the contract covers among other things, ownership of the catalogue and splits of all royalties derived from the exploitation of music catalogue developed, financed and promoted by the record label.
The lawyer said, Onyedikachukwu was allegedly detained at the EFCC Ilorin office between April 16, 2024 and April 25, 2024, in the midst of the dispute.
During the period, the commission carried out extensive audit of Onyedikachukwu’s bank accounts and found no evidence of wrongdoings, he added
He said a fundamental rights enforcement suit was filed at the Federal High Court (FHC) in Lagos Division on July 17, 2024, against the anti-graft agency, Chinwo and others, to restrain them from further harassment, arrest and detention of their client.
“It therefore came as a rude shock for the same commission to claim that Mr Onyedikachukwu’s had not been located and procured an ex-parte warrant of arrest on him.
“These schemes are targeted to malign the Label and its Founder and they will be very firmly resisted within the ambit of the law,” he said.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had, on Thursday, issued an arrest warrant against Onyedikachukwu, NAN reports
The warrant was issue as a result of an ex-parte motion moved by EFCC’s lawyer, Bilikisu Buhari, over alleged diversion of the singer’s $345,000 in royalties from her digital platforms and events.
the case was adjourned to January 24 for Onyedikachukwu’s arraignment.
