Alleged breach of contract: Court declines Davido’s application for stay of proceedings

A Delta State High Court in Effurun has denied the request by Nigerian-American singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, for a stay of proceedings in the N2 billion lawsuit brought against him by Brownhill Investment Company Limited over the annual ‘Warri Again Concert.’

In the suit, the claimant is seeking N2 billion in general damages from Davido, along with N150 million for legal and professional fees, and an additional N30 million for the cost of filing the suit.

The defendants named in the suit are David Adeleke a.k.a “Davido” and his music label, Davido Music Worldwide Limited.

During the hearing, Davido’s counsel, Mr. Norrison Quakers, SAN, informed the court of a pending appeal and the defendants' motion for a stay of proceedings. Quakers later applied to withdraw the motion, stating that the Court of Appeal now held authority over the proceedings.

The claimant's counsel, Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem, did not oppose the withdrawal, and the court granted it accordingly.

In a bench ruling, the court upheld the claimant’s argument, stating that proceedings would continue in the High Court until an order staying further proceedings is obtained from the Court of Appeal.

Additionally, the court granted a motion on notice to regularize the claimant’s reply to the statement of defense and directed the filing of Pre-Trial Conference (PTC) forms within 14 days in accordance with court rules. The case was adjourned to March 21, 2024, for a pre-trial conference.

It is worth noting that Davido previously challenged the court's jurisdiction in Effurun in a preliminary objection, which the court dismissed in its ruling.