Business
Real reasons we arrested Talented Musician, Harrysong + How he breached our contract – Five Star Music release statement
The tussle between Talented Singer, Harrysong and his Ex-Label, Five star records is getting tougher as the day goes by, he was arrested yesterday over chages on Breach of Contract, though he has been released but the record label promise to take legal action and also adviced the public not to have any transaction with the Music star.
Read below.
It has become both imperative and necessary to state our position on the ongoing misguided and fallacious news making the rounds in the media between our esteemed record label and Mr. Harry Tare Okri.
Sometime in 2008 when Mr. Harry first approached our record label for a music contract, we immediately declined the request when we found out that he had a subsisting contract with one Mr. Kevin Luciano of ‘Question Mark Entertainment Label’.
All efforts then by Mr. Harry to influence our management proved abortive as our position was maintained on grounds of equity, fairness and professionalism.
For further avoidance of doubts on the true facts of the present situation, our management has decided to officially set the records straight, because of negative and pervasive influence being foisted on the psyche of our numerous and well meaning fans.
Our first encounter with Mr. Harry was sometime in 2008 when he approached our management for a music contract. As stated above, according to our findings at that time, his contract with ‘Question Mark Entertainment Record Label’ was still subsisting and valid.
Obviously we declined when we found out that Mr. Harry’s plans were ill orchestrated against his employers, by walking out on them without fulfilling the obligations clearly contained in his running contract with them.
When Harry’s employers (Question Mark Entertainment) got wind of his frantic efforts to desert his contract, a stern and official public statement was issued against Mr. Harry and a certain clause establishing his existing contract was clearly published for full consumption by the general public.
3a. The tussle continued between Harry and his employers till sometime in 2014 when Harry once again approached us, this time very desperate.
We opened preliminary discussions with him but demanded an official document from his former employers relieving him of any obligation or liability with regards to his contract with them.
3b. Our move to do things right and professionally with Mr. Harry earned us a Twenty Million Naira Legal Suit (N20,000,000.00) from Mr. Kevin Luciano of Question Mark Entertainment (Records are there for confirmation). We were joined as co-defendants with Mr. Harry.
Juxtaposing the above with what is going on now, it is quite unfortunate because “Good intentions counts as much as good actions, and the person seeking to do good is as good as someone who actually does it.
3c. Knowing the vulnerability of Mr. Harry on the impending legal suit, we solicited the help of certain well respected individuals in the Music industry to wade into the matter, one of which was our dear veteran Daddy Showkey.
Mr. Luciano having found out our intention from inception to act in good faith, agreed to withdraw his suit against Mr. Harry and our company BUT, not without consequential and settlement fees of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00, records available for verification).
We paid this amount solely without Mr. Harry contributing a dime!
It is often said that “When people sense that someone else is vulnerable, they tend to attack, for when the calf falls, the knives come out”.
However, in Mr. Harry’s vulnerable situation, we did nothing of the sort. Rather, we whole heartedly bought all his liability off Question Mark Entertainment Label, and welcomed him as a family into Five Star Music Label, a genuine gesture and decision we are all regretting this present day.
Because we are known for running our affairs professionally and legally, we signed a three year contract with Mr. Harry and certain conditions and obligations were specifically and properly spelled out apart from the terms of the contract.
Most important of these were his obligations to our Music Label, which amongst others include:
That he must deliver at least, three (3) full music albums on or before the expiration of the first term of his three year contract, otherwise the label solely reserves the right either to rescind or extend the contract.
These conditions were never met.
While in the employment of the Five Star Music Label, he must not engage himself in anyway whatsoever, whether directly, by proxy or through a third party in any Music or recording business other than that of Five Star Music. This condition was also repeatedly breached as Mr. Harry has been releasing music, going on tours locally and internationally without our consent or paying the agreed percentage to the label.
Five Star Music wishes to state categorically that this reckless breach of contract by Mr. Harry stands contrary to our company’s work ethics and will therefore be pursued to a logical conclusion using the full instrument of the law.
In setting the records straight, let it be known that before now, the label refrained from instituting any legal actions against him for his blatant breach of contract, just because he was still considered as part of Five Star Music family.
However, his posture as clearly manifested through his lawyers whom have continued to write and make all kinds of assertions and threats to the label necessitated our immediate response for the general public to know the truth and inherent facts of the story. For it is said, that facts speaks for themselves.
We therefore advice the general public to tread with caution and desist from transacting any business with Mr. Harry Tare Okri, as same is both illegal and a total breach of his existing contract with our record Label, ‘Five Star Music Label’.
Notwithstanding what propaganda he feeds the public, we further advice that proper verifications are made from us, as there is no iota of truth emanating therefrom.
Signed
Mr. C.C Chris
Five Star Music Limited
Business
Forging a Continental Future: Nigeria and South Africa Unite to Unlock Africa’s Mineral Wealth
Forging a Continental Future: Nigeria and South Africa Unite to Unlock Africa’s Mineral Wealth
By George O. Sylvester, Reporting from South Africa
CAPE TOWN, April 17, 2025 – In a landmark move aimed at reshaping Africa’s economic future, Nigeria and South Africa signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the solid minerals sector. The agreement, reached during the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), represents a strategic alliance focused on harnessing Africa’s vast mineral wealth for mutual benefit and sustainable development.
The deal marks a bold shift towards intra-African cooperation, at a time when global competition for mineral resources—especially critical minerals for green technologies—is intensifying. With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) now operational, this bilateral partnership lays the groundwork for a new continental approach to resource governance and economic diversification.
A Tale of Two Giants
Nigeria, long regarded as a mono-economy reliant on oil (which accounts for over 85% of its export revenue), has begun to prioritize the mining sector as a vehicle for economic diversification. According to the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the country’s solid minerals sector contributed a mere 0.63% to GDP as of 2022, despite holding an estimated $700 billion in untapped mineral reserves including gold, lithium, columbite, iron ore, and uranium.
In contrast, South Africa’s mining sector, which contributed approximately 7.5% to GDP in 2023 (StatsSA), is globally renowned for its depth, technological sophistication, and regulatory framework. With over 100 years of mining history, it boasts world-class infrastructure and expertise in areas such as deep-level mining, beneficiation, and environmental management.
The union of Nigeria’s raw potential and South Africa’s technical prowess could become a game-changer—not just for both economies but for Africa’s collective push toward industrialization and self-reliance.
Key Components of the MoU
1. Joint Geological Mapping
Using satellite imaging, geospatial technologies, and AI-powered mineral detection tools, both countries will collaborate on large-scale geological surveys. This effort is critical in Nigeria, where over 80% of the land remains geologically underexplored, according to the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA).
2. Data Exchange and Transparency
A core pillar of the agreement is real-time data exchange between the NGSA and South Africa’s Council for Geoscience. This will enhance transparency, reduce investor risk, and improve planning. By adopting South Africa’s data management frameworks, Nigeria aims to move toward international best practices in resource classification and public disclosure.
3. Capacity Building and Technology Transfer
To reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign consultants, South Africa will assist in training geologists, metallurgists, and mining engineers through academic exchanges, short courses, and certification programs. Nigerian professionals will also be trained in advanced techniques such as Elemental Fingerprint Technology, which determines mineral origin—crucial for combatting illegal mining and smuggling.
4. Exploration of Agro and Energy Minerals
The MoU includes joint ventures in exploring agro-minerals like phosphate and potash (needed for local fertilizer production) and energy minerals like lithium and cobalt—essential components of electric vehicle batteries and clean energy storage systems. Nigeria’s nascent lithium reserves in Nasarawa and Ekiti states could prove critical as the world pivots toward decarbonization.
Economic Potential
According to PwC’s Nigeria Mining Sector Report, the solid minerals industry could contribute up to $27 billion annually to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030, if adequately developed. This partnership is expected to catalyze investment and attract global mining companies previously hesitant about Nigeria’s regulatory unpredictability.
Already, projections suggest the MoU could generate over $500 million in direct foreign investment during the first phase. Furthermore, the Nigerian Ministry of Solid Minerals forecasts the creation of 3 million jobs across the mining value chain—ranging from exploration and extraction to logistics and beneficiation.
For South Africa, this is a strategic economic expansion. With its traditional mining output slowing due to resource depletion and labor unrest, South Africa is seeking new avenues for growth. By investing in West Africa, it not only expands its mining footprint but deepens its diplomatic influence and commercial engagement with Africa’s largest economy.
Institutional Support and Structural Reforms
Nigeria’s reforms have not gone unnoticed. The introduction of the Electronic Mining Cadastral System (EMC+) has streamlined licensing and reduced corruption, enabling a transparent “first come, first served” process. In 2024 alone, over 1,500 mineral titles were processed electronically—a significant improvement from previous years marred by bureaucracy.
Moreover, the Nigeria Minerals Decision Support System (NMDSS) has made investor-relevant data—such as infrastructure availability, environmental regulations, and geoscience—accessible through a centralized portal. These tools are modeled after global standards, including Australia’s Geoscience Portal and South Africa’s SAMREC Code.
Diplomatic and Regional Impact
This partnership is more than a commercial endeavor; it is a diplomatic signal. Both countries, which combined account for over 30% of Africa’s GDP and nearly 300 million people, are demonstrating leadership in Pan-Africanism. The agreement comes at a time when Africa must assert control over its mineral wealth, especially with rising concerns over neocolonial extraction by foreign powers.
As Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, noted in 2024:
“Africa cannot be the source of raw materials for global value chains without being part of those chains.”
The Nigeria-South Africa MoU embodies this vision. By focusing on value addition, local content development, and environmental sustainability, the partnership seeks to reverse the continent’s historical pattern of extractive exploitation.
A New African Vision
Underpinning this alliance is a deeper aspiration: a unified African response to global economic challenges. With AfCFTA aiming to boost intra-African trade by over 50% by 2030 (UNECA estimates), resource-rich countries must lead the charge. If this mining collaboration succeeds, it could set a precedent for other sectors—agriculture, energy, technology—where African synergies remain largely untapped.
It is also a message to African youth, millions of whom face unemployment despite living in the most resource-endowed continent on Earth. The partnership can create meaningful employment while fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and skills development.
Conclusion
The Nigeria-South Africa mining partnership is not just a bilateral deal—it is a continental statement. It reflects a long-overdue shift in how African nations view their resources, their allies, and their future. By choosing cooperation over competition and value creation over mere extraction, both countries are redefining what African leadership means in the 21st century.
This agreement could well be remembered as a turning point—when two of Africa’s most influential nations chose not only to collaborate but to lead.
As the late Kofi Annan once said:
“Resources are not curses. Mismanagement is.”
This partnership offers Africa a rare opportunity to get it right.
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