In a surprising legal move, the former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has filed a lawsuit against the afrobeat sensation, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido. Mr. Pinnick has accused the musician of cyberbullying and defamation of character, setting the stage for a legal battle that has captured public attention.

The legal action stemmed from a series of incendiary posts made by Davido on social media in October. Since these posts, Mr. Pinnick claims that his life and the lives of his immediate family members have been in serious danger, with threats of physical harm, injury, and attacks looming over them.

This legal dispute can be traced back to an event contract between Davido and BrownHill Event Inc, owned by Mr. Pinnick. The contract, signed by Davido’s agent Soso Soberekon, committed the artist to perform in Warri on October 6, 2023, for at least “55 or 60 minutes at the event.” However, the musician failed to attend this event, citing another performance in Australia (Melbourne) on the same day.

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After addressing the Warri event attendees and apologizing for Davido’s absence, Mr. Pinnick soon found himself embroiled in a heated social media exchange with the musician. Davido’s posts included references to allegations related to Mr. Pinnick’s tenure as NFF president, including accusations of misappropriation of funds paid by FIFA to NFF and unpaid player allowances.

These online exchanges have now led Mr. Pinnick to file a lawsuit in a high court, claiming that Davido’s statements imply that he is a thief and that he crushed the dreams of Nigerian footballers. Mr. Pinnick asserts that the defamatory posts and statements have subjected him to cyberbullying, stalking, and harassment, damaging his reputation and character.

Given Davido’s significant influence on social media, Mr. Pinnick is determined to clear his name and protect his reputation. The legal proceedings promise to be a high-profile case that will scrutinize the boundaries of expression and responsibility in the age of social media.