Song writers drag Davido to U.S. court

Nigerian superstar singer Davido has been dragged into a legal storm in the United States over claims of intellectual property theft and breach of agreement.

The singer, whose real name is David Adeleke, has been given a 21-day ultimatum by a U.S. District Court in New York to respond to a lawsuit filed by four Nigerian artistes.

The plaintiffs—Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru—allege that Davido and his collaborators unlawfully used their 2022 song titled Work to create the 2024 track Strawberry on Ice.

The artistes claim they initially sent the demo to Davido for a potential collaboration, but were never contacted afterward.

Instead of the anticipated joint project, they allege that Davido passed the song to Sierra Leonean singer Emmerson Amidu Bockarie, known professionally as Emmerson, who featured in Strawberry on Ice.

The lawsuit also implicates other parties involved in the production and distribution of the track, including Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records.

Efforts to resolve the issue privately reportedly led to a settlement in March 2025. Davido had agreed to pay the artistes $45,000 and allocate 40% of the song’s compositional royalties and 20% of the sound recording royalties to them.

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However, the plaintiffs claim he failed to honour the agreement, prompting them to seek legal redress.

The lawsuit, filed on April 4, seeks not only financial compensation but also a formal transfer of 40% compositional and 20% sound recording rights of Strawberry on Ice to the original creators of Work. They are also asking for $150,000 in damages for the alleged infringement of their intellectual property rights.

In addition to monetary claims, the artistes are urging the court to place an injunction preventing Davido and his co-defendants from further using, performing, or profiting from the contested track or any future works derived from it.

They argue that the unauthorized use of their work has not only violated their rights but also caused reputational and financial loss.

As the court awaits Davido’s official response, the legal battle highlights growing concerns over copyright respect and accountability in the global music industry.

This development may also influence how collaborations and demo exchanges are handled moving forward, especially between rising talents and established stars.

With the 21-day deadline ticking, all eyes are now on Davido and his legal team to see how they will address the claims and what the court’s next steps will be in resolving the dispute.

Crediblenewsng.com