Amaju Pinnick’s N2.3 Billion Lawsuit Against Davido: The Background

Former head of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has initiated a legal battle against Afrobeats sensation Davido, and the reasons behind this lawsuit are as follows.

Prior to this legal action, Amaju Pinnick had lodged a claim against the internationally acclaimed superstar. This claim was rooted in an agreement between the two parties, in which Davido was contracted to perform at the 19th edition of the Warri Again event but reportedly failed to fulfill his commitment. As a result, the event organizers were compelled to substitute Davido with Afropluto singer Shallipopi.

After a protracted exchange of correspondence between the concerned parties, Brownhill Investments Company Limited, owned by former NFF President Mr. Amaju Pinnick, took legal action. This lawsuit, filed under reference EHC/183/2023, was brought before the Delta State High Court in Effurun and targets both the superstar and his record label.

During the 19th edition of the Warri event, Amaju Pinnick, the former NFF leader, emphasized the significance of Warri, asserting that no artist in Nigeria could surpass its importance. He drew comparisons between Davido and renowned figures such as Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD), Burna Boy, and Alibaba. The event organizers had incurred expenses amounting to $94,600 for Davido’s performance and an additional $18,000 for a private plane charter to accommodate Davido and his entourage.

Addressing the audience at the event, Amaju Pinnick stated, “We paid Davido $94,600 on the 6th of April. We paid $18,000 for his plane. If he says he’s a big boy, we will tell him we are bigger than him. I’m not joking. So, while he was playing his games back and forth, we decided to hunt to find another artiste, Shallipopi. You see, when people say they are big, I’m amazed. Is Burna Boy not the biggest artiste in Nigeria today? Burna Boy is half Itsekiri. Burna Boy’s paternal grandmother is Itsekiri. So, he’s bigger than him (Davido). Is there anyone bigger than RMD in the acting industry? Or someone bigger than Ali Baba in the comedy industry? We have stars aplenty in Warri. Nobody is bigger than Warri.”