BY RUMMY CHUKWUMA AND SYLVESTER
THERE is no gain saying it, this year has been a turbulent one for pop singer, Wizkid. From having a fight with Dammy Krane and accusations by Blackface of stealing his songs to recent tales from his baby mamas, Wizkid has been in the news for the wrong reasons.
Trouble began after Dammy Krane, on January 12, accused him of stealing his songs. Three days later, Wizkid and Dammy Krane met face to face at Club Quilox and they got involved in a fight and Wizkid was alleged to have broken a bottle on Dammy Krane’s head.
And before we could say Jackie Robinson, Blackface also accused Wizkid of song theft. According to him: “I never wanted to talk about it but after people started checking out my new song, Killa, many felt Blackface sounded like Wizkid which I didn’t like. If you check properly, you would realise that Wizkid’s hit, Ojuelegba, sounds exactly the same as track 13 on my dancehall album released in 2010.”
The trouble between Linda and Wizkid started after Linda had posted a story that Wizkid had been served quit notice for his home in Lekki amid allegations that contrary to the impression Wizkid gave every one, he was just a tenant. An angry Wizkid had descended on Linda on social media, threatening to send his 16 year-old cousin to beat her up. This had culminated in Linda reporting the case to the police.
Meanwhile, after the issue was settled, Linda had posted a lengthy letter on her blog explaining reasons why she reported Wizkid to the police.
Part of it read thus: “…I’m sure many of you have read that the police is now involved in my issue with Wizkid… I reported his public threat to me two Sundays ago to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and I want to explain why I did it.
“When I reported that he was served quit notice at his Lekki home, I stated fact and I didn’t write it out of malice. It’s not every day you get exclusive stories and I’m sure any other blogger who got the story first would also have published it. So, there was no beef; I was just doing my job. A day or so after I wrote this story, Wizkid went on my instagram page to call me names and lied that I slept with some director which I have said before is 1000% lies! But the insult and lies is not why the police is now involved.
“…I went to the authorities for two reasons…and please young boys of our generation, pay attention to what I am about to write below. You see violence against women and threat of violence against women is not okay. Threatening harm to someone in a public space is a criminal act in every country of the world including Nigeria. I reported this case to the authorities because I want our young men to know this is not okay. You should not raise your hands on a woman. Wizkid wrote that he would send his 16 year old cousin to beat the shit out of me. Letting Wizkid get away with it is basically telling our young men that this is okay…and it’s not!
“I went as far as I did for me and for other women. This is to pass a strong message to our young men that these kinds of behaviour towards women will not be tolerated. If you assault or even threaten to assault a woman, the law will come after you… Women, don’t be silent. Let’s break the cycle for your sake, for my sake, for the sake of our daughters, granddaughters, great-grand daughters and all other women that will follow them.”
Tony Payne blast Linda Ikeji
However, Toni Payne, estranged wife of 9ice, in a swift reaction following the publication of Linda’s ‘epistle’ had carpeted her describing her as a hypocrite who has caused more women pain than Wizkid will ever do!
“You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Someone who bullies you when she suspects you don’t like her. Thank God, God raised Toke, Tonto, Lola and many others above her malice.
“Let’s not even bring late Goldie and how she was bullied mercilessly. Then all of a sudden she was a friend after she died. Only if the dead can speak? My own started after I made a snide remark about not wanting my champagne life on her blog because of negativity. After that sh*t hit the roof.”