An outstanding N2m performance fee is the subject of controversy between award-winning producer, Wole Oni, Bayelsa State Government as well as organisers of NIBRA/BON Awards, AKEEM LASISI and SIMON UTEBOR write
When you see a big rat running across the path in the daylight, you can be sure there is something at stake. If someone is not chasing the nocturnal animal, it must be chasing something extremely important.
So it is for Wole Oni, one of Nigeria’s most productive and creative music producers in recent times. Among other hits, the Ondo State-born artiste produced E wa fun mi ni visa for Bembe Aladisa, KORA-winning Kosobabire by Folake Umosen, Midnight Crew’s Igwe and Tosin Martin’s Olo mi.
But now, beyond churning out albums, he has cause to shout in the open. He is calling on the Bayelsa State Government and organisers of the Nigeria Broadcasting/Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria Awards to pay a N2,111520 debt allegedly owed him. According to him, this is the total money for his performance, alongside his band, in the 2014 edition of the awards.
In a letter he made available to our correspondent, which is addressed to the government, Oni noted that he was engaged for the NIBRA/BON show held in February 2014.
He gave the breakdown of the sum as N1m – performance fee; N1, 071,520.00 – flight refund; N25, 000 logistics; and N15, 000 keyboard rental.
He wrote, “Being a socially responsible Nigerian, I did the aforementioned in good faith that my money would be refunded instantly at the venue due to your claim that you had cash at hand, and needed an online payment solution. I went ahead to pay online using my GTB master card on this assurance.
“You however seem to have proved me wrong by your seemingly dubious actions and/or inactions by not paying the debts owed since February 13, 2014. To this end, I find this act a deliberate breach of trust and contractual agreement, especially as a government agent and public officer.”
He said he had tried to reach the parties involved through telephone calls and text messages but these had failed to yield fruits. Among those he mentioned is the then Director-General of the state Tourism Development Board Agency, Mrs. Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown, and Mr. Sola Ajayi.
But the Dickson government has said that is not owing Oni any money as it never struck any agreement with him. The BSTDA Public Relations Officer, Mr. Thomas Peretu, described as a huge joke, the claim that the agency owed him for performing at the awards.
Peretu made his observation through a text message on Tuesday to one of our correspondents in response to the enquiry on the claim of the artiste.
He stated that neither the agency nor its former director-general, who is now Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, entered into any contractual agreement with the artiste.
Instead, he said, the agency only entered into an agreement with one ‘Sola Atteh’, organiser of the NIBRA award, in conjunction with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria.
The spokesman said, “The agency or Mrs. Ebizi Brown did not enter into any contractual agreement with anyone other than Sola Atteh, the organiser of NIBRA awards in conjunction with BON.
“We do not know any Wole Oni. If Wole Oni is aggrieved in any way, he should contact Sola Atteh, the person who contracted him for the event.
“Bayelsa State Government was only the host of the event. Please, we advise Wole to channel his complaints to those who contracted him. We shall no longer entertain any enquiries on this matter.”
Attempts to reach the other parties in the contract did not yield fruits as of 8pm production time on Tuesday.
While calls sent to Atteh’s numbers did not go through, nor a text message sent replied, a source however said he had indicated that there was a shortfall in the money he got for the project.
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