Controversial social media commentator Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has accused gospel singer Mercy Chinwo of manipulation and deceit in her ongoing dispute with her former manager, Ezekiel ThankGod Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee.
VDM, who had previously vowed to investigate the issue, expressed his disappointment in Chinwo and her team in a recent video. He accused them of misleading the public about the real circumstances of the dispute.
“Honestly, based on my findings so far, I am deeply disappointed in Mercy Chinwo and everything she stands for, including her team,” VDM stated in the video shared on his social media accounts on Monday.
He criticized the way the controversy was being framed under the guise of gospel and Christianity, calling it disheartening. He further asserted that he would not use the term “allegedly” in his claims, as he planned to present concrete evidence. “If Mercy Chinwo believes I am lying and has proof to counter my claims, she is welcome to take me to court,” he added.
According to VDM, Eezee Tee withheld Chinwo’s royalties because she allegedly attended concerts and events without the knowledge of his record label and failed to disclose the financial earnings from those engagements.
VDM also shared an official letter addressed to Chinwo dated March 21, 2023, titled “NOTICE OF BREACH OF CONTRACT AND INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT.”
The letter stated that the label had raised concerns about a lack of communication and non-remittance of payments for events Chinwo allegedly diverted to her personal account instead of the designated company account, as previously agreed. It also mentioned that while royalties were paid in full up to the first quarter of 2022, royalties for virtual streaming from the second quarter onward were withheld until proper reconciliation was made.
VDM further alleged that Chinwo had failed to honor commitments to churches that had already paid for her performances, leading Eezee Conceptz to issue refunds to affected individuals and organizations.
Chinwo’s complaint to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) about the alleged unlawful seizure of her royalties resulted in the freezing of all Eezee Tee’s bank accounts and his invitation to the EFCC office. However, Eezee Tee reportedly did not respond to the invitations, arguing that the matter was a civil dispute.
According to VDM, the case was later moved to Ilorin on April 24, where Eezee Tee was detained. “When they presented the petition, it was Mercy Chinwo and Judikay who had filed it,” he alleged.
VDM claimed that EFCC officer Stanley Ojilibo pressured Eezee Tee to write a statement under duress, leading to his detention for nine days. Eventually, Eezee Tee allegedly agreed to release Chinwo’s royalties and was escorted to the bank, where he transferred $274,000 to her in installments.
Additionally, VDM alleged that Chinwo had secretly paid $3,500 as revenue from unauthorized performances but refused to allow an audit of her accounts. He also claimed the EFCC attempted to force Eezee Tee to relinquish Chinwo’s music catalog, but he resisted and insisted that the case be moved back to Lagos.
VDM further stated that Eezee Tee had known Chinwo since 2012 before she participated in ‘Nigerian Idol’ and had financially supported her. According to him, after squandering her earnings from the show, Chinwo returned to Eezee Tee in 2017 when her funds had dried up.
“At that time, Frank Edwards was working with Eezee Tee,” VDM noted.
Regarding Chinwo’s allegations of forgery, VDM explained that while she initially joined Eezee Conceptz in 2017, a formal contract was not signed immediately as the label was still in its early stages. A formal agreement was drafted in 2019, updating the start date to reflect the actual duration of their working relationship. Both parties reportedly signed the contract in the presence of witnesses.
VDM also mentioned that Apostle Anslem Madubuko of Revival Assembly had once urged Eezee Tee to hand over Chinwo’s catalog. “She says she has God, while you [Eezee Tee] have bloggers and influencers. But the truth is, she also has God and powerful mentors behind her,” he remarked.
Concluding his statement, VDM declared that he would stand by Eezee Tee in the dispute.