D’BANJ IN DEBT MESS

+ COURT SUMMONS PASTED ON LEKKI HOUSE

– STAFFERS DOWN TOOLS

Things have fallen apart for popular artiste Dapo Oyebanji widely known as D’banj. The Koko master’s empire is riddled with huge controversies that have stunted his status as the most successful singer in recent times.

Information at our disposal divulged that he has gone bankrupt. One of the pointers to this fact is that he is indebted to some of his once upon a time benefactors who are no longer swayed by his charisma and have decided to wash his dirty linens in the public.

It was reported that he might be sued for a bad debt of over $240,000. A technology company, Mindhub technologies headed by Henry Ojogho alleged that he owes them another N15million.

According to our source, effort to parry the fact by him was brushed aside by the latest development in his empire. Some of his staffers have called it quit. They claimed he could mo longer pay their salaries for months.

The last straw that broke the camel’s back was when theNET exclusively obtained copies of Writ of Summons pasted on his house at Osaro Isokpan Street in Lekki Phase 1 over a debt of N60million loan he got in January 2013.

“. All those thinking it was just a case of slander aimed at the Nigerian music superstar can now see the evidence in the matter. With the case filed in court with suit number: LD/ADR/445/14  with hearing expected to commence on Monday, January 26, 2015  at the Multi-door Courthouse in Obalende, Lagos with Justice Mrs Oyebanji as the presiding judge. Already, the writ of summons and other relevant documents in the suit have been posted on D’Banj’s residence on Osaro Isokpan Street in Lekki Phase 1. The pasting was done by the court bailiff on December 17, 2014 at about 1:35p.m, pursuant to order of court made on November 12, 2014 having been satisfied that the defendant was evading been served the notice. However with the on-going strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) which is over 2 weeks old now, the case may be adjourned if the strike is not called off before January 26, 2015, which is the hearing date”.

Insiders claimed the Eja Nla as D’banj is fondly refer to found himself in this mess due to his recless lifestyle and splashing huge money on women both home and abroad.

D’banj was born in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria to a military officer who commanded an artillery regiment and a church dignitary mother who hailed from Shagamu in Ogun State. Due to his father’s profession he moved several times within Nigeria and later moved to England. D’banj was expected to follow his father’s military career and was enrolled to the Nigerian Military School at age eleven. However, D’banj resisted the system and disenrolled from the school after three years. While at the Military school he was a member of the elite drum corp of the Nigerian Army. From the Nigerian Military School he proceeded to another military owned institution Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ibara, Abeokuta where he completed his secondary school education.

D’banj was introduced to the harmonica by his late older brother, Femi Oyebanjo, who died in a plane crash at age seventeen. With D’banj’s love for music being greater than his parents’ military aspirations, he struggled for his parents’ approval; this can be best heard through an album track, All Da Way from his debut album.

Following the death of his 17-year-old brother, D’banj arranged all his possessions on his bed after they were brought home and just picked up his harmonica. I’d play it to remember him.” Later, at university, he realized what his new skills with the instrument could bring him. “I’d go to the female hostel after lectures, and even if there was no electricity I could play there.” He remembers learning Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” after Titanic came out – “and that got me a lot of girls!”

Plans to continue his studies as a mechanical engineer in London were derailed when he arrived in the UK in 2001, and met Don Jazzy who was trying to make it as a songwriter and producer. D’Banj started hanging around the studio, making ends meet while working as a security guard. “It was OK, because I did nights,” he says, “so I could listen to music on my headphones.”

Don Jazzy told D’Banj he thought he was a star in the making, and sensing that the music scene in Nigeria was “blossoming”, the pair returned to Lagos in 2004. That same year came the single “Tongolo”; the video was paid for by D’Banj’s mother. His first endorsement was with an energy drink called Power Fist.

D’banj, as an artist of Mo’ Hits Records, is also a member of its collective group, Mo’ Hits Allstars (includes artists Dr SID, Wande Coal, KaySwitch, and D’Prince). He has once been spotted with one of Nigeria’s most talented singers, “Smile Lasisi”. The collective’s debut album, Curriculum Vitae, was released in December 2007. It included hit singles, “Be Close To You”, “Booty Call” and “Move Your Body”, which was the lead single. D’banj was featured in Ikechukwu’s 2008 hit, “Wind Am Well”.

July 2008 saw the release of D’banj’s third album, The Entertainer, with the singles “Gbono Feli Feli”, “Kimon”, “Olorun Maje” and “Entertainer”.^[8]

In June 2011, D’banj was signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music record label as artiste. On 9 June 2011, D’banj wrote on his Twitter account, @iamdbanj, “Just like yesterday, myself and my brother did Tongolo. 7 years later, Mo’Hits signs with GOOD Music. Best Birthday gift ever. God thank you.”^[9]

After several months of speculation and wild rumours, ace producer, Don Jazzy confirmed via his Twitter account the break-up of Mo’Hits. After the break-up, Don Jazzy, D’Prince, Dr SID, Wande Coal started Mavin Records while D’banj founded DB Records and as expected, he signed his younger brother Kayswitch to the label alongside two producers, Jaysleek and Deevee.