A Delta State High Court in Effurun has dismissed an application by Nigerian-American singer Davido, seeking a stay of proceedings in the N2 billion lawsuit brought against him by Brownhill Investment Company Limited regarding the annual ‘Warri Again Concert.’
The claimant is seeking N2 billion as general damages from Davido, along with N150 million for legal and professional fees and an additional N30 million as the cost of filing the lawsuit.
Davido, along with his music label Davido Music Worldwide Limited, serves as the defendants in the case. During the recent court hearing, Davido’s counsel, Mr. Norrison Quakers, SAN, informed the court about a pending appeal and a motion for a stay of proceedings filed by the defendants.
Quakers indicated that the defendants had received the claimant’s counter affidavit to the motion for stay. However, he applied to withdraw the motion, stating that the Court of Appeal had taken jurisdiction over the proceedings.
The claimant’s counsel, Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem, did not oppose the withdrawal of the motion, and the court granted it. In a bench ruling, the court upheld the claimant’s argument, asserting that proceedings in the case would continue until an order staying further actions is obtained from the Court of Appeal.
Additionally, the court granted the motion on notice seeking to regularize the claimant’s reply to the statement of defense and directed the filing of Pre-Trial Conference (PTC) forms within 14 days, following the court’s rules. The case has been adjourned to March 21, 2024, for a pre-trial conference.
It is noteworthy that Davido had initially challenged the court’s jurisdiction in a preliminary objection, contending that the case should not be heard in Effurun. However, the court dismissed the preliminary objection in its ruling.