Nigerian gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo, has opened up about her ongoing legal battle with her former manager, Ezekiel ThankGod, popularly known as EeZee Tee.
In a detailed statement shared on social media, and signed by her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, Mercy Chinwo alleged contractual irregularities and personal mistreatment during their professional relationship.
This comes barely 24 hours after both parties, alongside their legal teams, appeared in court.
The statement clarified that Mercy Chinwo never took legal action against EeZee Tee over her music catalog and did not consider the 50/50 revenue split from her DSP earnings to be unfair.
The statement revealed that the turning point in their relationship occurred in 2019 when EeZee Tee allegedly proposed extending her initial five-year contract to 12 years, a proposal she declined.
It stated, “He started talking tough and repeatedly about the contract, which was not the norm. It was at this point that she realised she needed to have a copy of the contract. As the situation got worse in 2020, she demanded for her copy of the contract.”
The situation reportedly worsened in the fourth year of their agreement, leading to what the statement described as “extremely toxic” interactions.
Chinwo was subjected to verbal and emotional abuse, with EeZee Tee allegedly threatening her career.
“By the fourth year, the relationship had become extremely toxic, as Mercy started to endure untold verbal and emotional assault that literally affected her person. Eezeetee would threaten her with statements like, ‘I will deal with you, I will mess you up, I made you whom you are, I can shut you up, and nobody will hear you again, I will destroy your career’ including the use of the ‘F’ word, sadly on different occasions. Extremely hostile, antagonistic and abusive.”
The singer also accused EeZee Tee of misleading event organizers about her availability, isolating her, and attempting to dominate her career decisions.
Upon receiving her contract copy in November 2022, after her initial contract had expired in September, Chinwo claimed to have found significant alterations.
The statement continued, “After her contract had expired on the September 5, 2022, Mercy was directed to get her copy of the contract from his pastor, Temple Odoko and she got her copy November 22, 2022. Shockingly, it turned out that the contract that was signed in 2017 had been replaced with another contract made in 2019. A new contract made in 2019 was altered to seem as if it was the document signed in 2017.
“Clearly, on the face of the contract, at the front page, the ‘2019’ was altered to ‘2017’ by turning the ‘9’ to ‘7’ with a pen. However, the commencement page was carelessly reading ‘2019.’ Eezeetee is challenged in one word to release the first three pages and the execution page of the contract in public. The contract till date has no original, just the photocopy.”
The statement further alleged that EeZee Tee had engaged a reputable law firm in Lagos in 2019 to draft a 25-page contract, replacing the original five-page agreement signed in 2017.
This new contract reportedly allocated lifetime ownership of all Mercy Chinwo’s music works to EeZee Tee.
“Due diligence revealed that after signing the original contract in 2017, two years later, when they had relocated to Lagos. Eezeetee secured the services of a prominent and respected law firm in Lagos (Udo Udoma & Bello-Osagie) to prepare a new contract in 2019. The contract was used to substitute the 2017 original contract.
“It is important to reiterate that while the 2017 contract was just about five pages, the 2019 contract, which was introduced by Eezeetee to replace the old contract was 25 pages, allocating lifetime ownership of all music works to Eezeetee and couched in a manner intended to perpetually have Mercy in servitude.”
During a 2024 EFCC investigation aimed at resolving the conflict, both parties reportedly broke down in tears, with EeZee Tee preaching reconciliation.
However, it was noted that EeZee Tee had filed the court case against Chinwo.
This statement has brought to light a deeply contentious dispute between the two, raising concerns about artist-management agreements in the Nigerian music industry.
