Legal Drama

Stingomania Ready to STING, it’s Legal War Zones as Ope Banwo Takes on Trybson Dudukoko, Baba Nee and Frank Nero

NIGERIAN RECORD LABELS FIGHT BACK?

As an insider, record labels have informed me about how artists breach their contracts over and over again and they feel helpless to do anything, partly because of fear of negative press/publicity. A few have even sought my PR consultation services.

I touched on Stignomania records and I am yet to even take it on because the story is developing as we speak. I will definitely speak on it in due time. But Ope Banwo, owner of Stingomania Records is not joking and if what he is saying is true, then I agree with him that the industry needs to be cleaned up and artists and any music professional needs to realize they are bound by the legal agreements they sign. Artists, no one owes you a house, car etc.That is a slavery mentality that must be done away with. Record labels, artists are not your servants to kiss your butts. They are music professionals and you should treat them as such, even if they lack the business know hows.

Hmmm . . . Sting (to sting) and Mania (Madness), the name is self-fulfilling or is it just me?

Legal news/African/Nigerian legal drama unfolding.

Read what Ope Banwo placed on his Facebook page today, 9/27/2011.

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“I have since realised that sometimes there is a kind of confrontation that cannot be avoided. Regretably, when all attempts at peace fails, then it may be time to go to war if only to let people know that you dont sign contracts ,enjoy millions in support and then walk away without so much as a ‘Thank you’ to YOUR benefactor. It even becomes imperative when your attempts to be peaceful by sendIng private messages is interpreted as ‘cowardice’ by the people you are trying to show love. Only a bad businessman will spend millions on artistes and then walk away becos they are writing rubbish on facebook. THIS IS MY LAST PUBLIC APPEAL TO THE AFFECTED TO SIT DOWN AT A TABLE AND RESOLVE THEIR ISSUES OR FOREVER FORECLOSE THE CHANCE FOR PEACE. A word is enough for the wise.

TIME TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE POSED BY BABA NEE AND TRYBSON DUDUKOKO!! People often wonder why Nigerian Entertainment industry is not having access to financing as it should. Yet, we have a culture where people sign contracts, get millions in support, publicity, promotion, production expenses and packaging etc and when they start making it, they spit in the face of the investor and thrash their contracts with impunity. Should we keep allowing this to continue simply becos we think its classy to take our loss and walk away? NO!! I chose NOT to be another victim of Nigerian artistes. THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT. I take a PUBLIC STAND against the offensive actions by BABA NEE AND TRYBSON DUDUKOKO for their flagrant breach of contract after enjoying over N12million in investment from Stingomania and then claiming they want to walk away. My friends warned me this would happen and I assured them that when the time comes, I will confront the evil. So, rather than rising above the nonsence and walk away losing millions in the process, as some have suggested, I have chosen to engage them and help curb this industry menace once and for all. MY NEXT ACTIONS WILLL BE VERY PUBLIC AND INSTRUCTIVE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS. WE MUST MOVE THISENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FORWARD..WHATEVER THE PERSONAL COST

I thank my friends who have asked me to walk away before these artistes tarnish my image any further since they apparently have nothing to lose but I have explained that this is exactly what these guys expect and this is what investors like me have been doing for years once these artistes start their problem. HOWEVER, A DAY MUST COME WHEN SOMEONE SAYS ‘NO!’. TODAY IS THAT DAY. So, I REPEAT, regardless of the thrash being said about me, I AM NOT BACKING OFF. I AM NOT WRITTING OFF MY INVESTMENT. This is business. They can slander and libel me all they want but I WILL HOLD THEM AND THEIR COLLABORATORS 100% ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND LEGALLY SIGNED CONTRACTS. I fully expect a lot of negative stuff from these people but that will not remove from my determination. If anything, it makes me even more resolute to stamp out this nonsence that is ruining our industry.

STINGOMNIA PUBLIC NOTICE ON BABA NEE AND TRYBSON: In addition to my PUBLIC CAVEAT EMPTOR THAT ALL MEDIA HO– USES (Radio stations, TV Stations, Promoters, Corporate bodies, etc) will be receiving in the next few days, I AM USING THIS PUBLIC MEDIUM TO PUT EVERYONE ON NOTICE that Stingomania Records has EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS BY CONTRACT to all the MUCIAL WORKS AND VIDEOS of BABA NEE AND TRYBSON and until thiis contractual dispute is resolved, WE ARE WITHDRAWING ALL CONSENTS TO ANYBODY TO UTILIZE THEIR WORKS OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. We will vigourosly challenge any entity that plays their music or video or engages them in any public performance until the end of their contract with Stingomania in 2014 without the express consent from Stingomania. ALL PREVIOUS CONSENTS GIVEN TO RADIO STATIONS, TV STATIONS, MARKETERS ETC to play the works of these TWO artistes is hereby SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE….All members of the public delaing with their works do so at their own risk of appropriae legal actions. Baba nee and Trybson have no assets to REPAY OUR INVESTMENTS ON THEM but we will be happy to collect our money from any organization or entity that violates our copyright interests in these boys. We will be actively monitoring all promotions and concerts. LET THE BUYER BEWARE!!

DEATH THREATS BY FRANK NERO (one of BABA NEE’s friends) – Since my company issued a CAVEAT EMPTOR against Baba Nee and Trybson Dudukko yesterday for violating the terms of their contracts with Stingomania Entertainment, several of Baba Nee’s fans have issued death threats to me with one of them, FRANK NERO, even having the guts to threaten to kill me and my family. While I will file appropriate complaints with the police and the law will take its course on FRANK NERO and others like him, I continue to assure these two budding Artistes, BABA NEE AND TRYBSON and any other Artiste that cares to join them, that NO AMOUNT OF INTIMIDATION, THREAT OR RIDICULE will make me walk away from this. THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW as an example to other upcoming artistes so they will understand that you don’t beg someone to spend time and money on you, ejoy millions of naira in benefits, sign a contract with them and then just turn around to walk away at any time it suits you after getting benefits. PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS BUSINESS. A CONTRACT IS A CONTRACT and this time around we will take a stand against it.”

 

 

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1 Comment

  1. Bobby says:

    In response to the stingomania post, I would like to say I feel his pain when it comes to losing money on artistes that one has invested greatly on, however the nature of the disagreement between all parties is still unclear as Stingnomania has not included that in its facebook statement but i would love to hear it to get a better picture of what led to this fallout. r nr nI am currently in possession of an arbitration document between a well known artiste and his label where the label kicked the artist out of the accommodation he was provided and the car which was given to him and registered in his own name was taken away from him by threats of being beaten up and all these just a few days after his album launch because the artist started to demand for what was due to him.r nNow they realised their error but instead of an apology and finding a way to resolve the situation they started forming legal 1 thing 1 thing and asking him to pay back the money they have invested.r nr nthese artistes are not signed on because they have nothing better to do likewise the business men who have invested heavily on them so both parties have to see eachother as business partners and not master and slave as is mostly the case forgetting that in such an environment the artiste feels worse that he did before he signed on.r nr nThe premature action of immediately cutting the artiste off all shows or axing his songs and promotions from press and media houses in the bid to cause the artiste financial embarrassment is a shot in the label's foot as they are singlehandedly killing off their investment and then still expecting the artiste to pay for damages to the tune of costs incurred so far.r nr nWord to new artistes, read read read and read your contracts again and then again before signing or better still get professional counsel and be ready to deliver and feel free to bring up grievances with a view of resolving the matter.

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