On April 4, 2025, the United States District Court in Manhattan dropped a legal bombshell on Nigerian Afrobeat superstar David ‘Davido’ Adeleke, giving him just 21 days to face the music over a copyright lawsuit.
The case, steeped in accusations of intellectual property theft, saw four Nigerian artistes—Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru—haul Davido before the court, alleging he nicked their 2022 song “Work” to produce his 2024 banger Strawberry on Ice.
The plaintiffs didn’t stop at Davido; they roped in Sierra Leonean singer Emmerson Amidu Bockarie, who featured on the track, as well as Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records, the outfit behind the song’s release.
The drama kicked off back in January 2022 when the four artists, eager for a big break, shared their demo “Work” with Davido, hoping he’d jump on board for a collaboration.
Instead, court documents revealed a twist: they claimed Davido handed the track over to Emmerson, who then sampled its vocals and instrumentals to whip up “Strawberry on Ice”—all without their nod.
For months, the plaintiffs chased Davido to settle the matter quietly, and on March 14, 2025, he reportedly agreed to cough up $45,000 and dish out 40% of the song’s composition royalties and 20% of its recording royalties.
when the March 24 deadline rolled around, Davido allegedly left them high and dry, prompting the legal showdown.
What does Davido stand to lose?
The artists weren’t playing small; they demanded $150,000 in damages and asked the court to cement their claim to 40% of Strawberry on Ice’s compositional rights and 20% of its recording rights.
Beyond the cash and credits, they pushed for a judicial slap-down—an order barring Davido and his crew from further meddling with their work or pulling similar stunts down the line.