Popular Nigerian singer Ayo Maff is at the center of a heated contractual dispute with his record label, Tunesbid Limited, over alleged violations of their agreement.

In an official press release, Precious Okolie, CEO of Tunesbid Limited, accused the artist and his management team of engaging in backdoor dealings with Empire Distribution, a global music distribution company, despite ongoing negotiations that involved the label.

According to the label, Empire Distribution had approached Tunesbid to express interest in distributing two of Ayo Maff’s upcoming Extended Play (EP) projects, with an option for a full-length album. As part of the proposed deal, Empire agreed to make an upfront payment directly to the label. Contract documents were reportedly sent to Tunesbid for signing.

However, Precious alleged that while the deal was being formalized, Ayo Maff and his team identified as Oyefeso Oluwamayowa Olumide, Okolie Arnold Chiedu, and Oyefeso Ayotunde secretly entered into private meetings and discussions with Empire, effectively sidelining the label.

“These efforts attracted the attention of international distribution companies, including Empire Distribution, who subsequently offered a deal to distribute two EPs for the artiste, with an option for an LP album. As part of this agreement, Empire Distribution also agreed to make an upfront payment to Tunesbid Limited. The contract details with Empire were finalised with documents sent to Tunesbid Limited for onward execution.

However, unbeknownst to the label, Ayo Maff and his management team Oyefeso Oluwamayowa Olumide, Okolie Arnold Chiedu and Oyefeso Ayotunde had cunningly connived to deceive and defraud Tunesbid by entering into a contractual agreement with the label which they had no intention of honoring.

And, in a swift unravelling of their true fraudulent intents, the artiste and his management refused to sign the music distribution contract, having gone behind the label to hold separate meetings and discussions with representatives of Empire Distribution. The label, in the course of the aforementioned ongoing discussions/negotiations and following pressured requests from the artiste’s management, had proceeded to finance the recording of songs that would be released as the first Extended Play project under the contract with Empire Distribution,” it read.

The CEO further revealed that the artist’s management later submitted two separate letters, dated May 17 and May 30, 2024, declaring their intention to break the contract less than six months after the agreement was signed.

Tunesbid Limited has now engaged its legal team to pursue appropriate action against the artist and his associates for what they describe as a blatant breach of contract.

“The label made several efforts through mediation and formal communications in a bid to resolve this contract breach amicably, but it quickly became evident that neither the artiste nor his management had any interest in peaceful resolution. As a result, Tunesbid Limited instructed its legal team, led by Zaeda Oracle, to begin exploring legal avenues to address this blatant breach of contract.

We wish to make it clear to the public that Ayo Maff is still bound by an existing contract with Tunesbid Limited and that any representation to the contrary should be duly regarded as invalid and false. More so, any and every individual and/or entity that relates with or enters into a contractual, commercial, or collaborative agreement/contract/partnership with Ayo Maff or OceanStreet Creative Limited (parading themselves as the management of the artiste), do so at their own risk and will face the prospect of legal actions. Ergo, we would like to advise every show promoter/entertainment company who have previously or are currently participating with Ayo Maff and his management team in organising any artiste tours, shows or events to immediately desist from any such illegal association or face the risk of legal actions from Tunesbid Limited,” it added.