A United States District Court in the Southern District of New York has summoned Nigerian music star Davido to respond within 21 days to serious accusations of intellectual property theft and breach of a financial agreement involving fellow Nigerian artistes.
The lawsuit, filed on April 4, 2025, was brought by four Nigerian musicians — Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru — who claim that Davido illegally used their 2022 track “Work” to produce his 2024 song “Strawberry on Ice.”
Also named in the lawsuit are Sierra Leonean singer Emmerson Amidu Bockarie (popularly known as Emmerson), as well as Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records, the label that released and distributed the controversial song.
According to court documents, the issue dates back to January 2022, when the plaintiffs sent Davido a demo of “Work” with hopes of a collaboration. Instead, they allege, Davido repurposed their work without permission, handing it to Emmerson, who released it in the form of “Strawberry on Ice.”
By March 2025, a settlement was reportedly reached in which Davido agreed to pay $45,000 and share royalties — 40% of the composition and 20% of the sound recording. However, the plaintiffs say Davido failed to honor the deal, missing the payment deadline and failing to transfer the rights.
The artists are now seeking a court declaration affirming their intellectual property rights, $150,000 in damages, and the transfer of the agreed 40% composition rights and 20% sound recording rights of “Strawberry on Ice”. They’re also requesting an injunction to stop Davido and his team from using the track or any future material derived from their original work.
As the legal storm brews, fans and industry observers alike are watching closely to see how one of Afrobeats’ biggest names responds to the growing controversy.
Stay tuned for further updates on this story from Newspot Nigeria.
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