Reality TV personality and comedian Aderombi Adedayo, widely known as DeeOne, has alleged that singer Olu Maintain played a role in damaging Nigeria’s reputation.

During an interview on the Echo Room podcast, DeeOne discussed the impact of internet fraud on the country’s image. He claimed that Olu Maintain contributed to the problem, arguing that the artist’s 2007 hit track Yahooze helped make cybercrime appear glamorous and socially acceptable in Nigeria.

According to DeeOne, the popularity of the song marked a turning point when many began to view “Yahoo Yahoo” as a legitimate way to make money.

“Do you know that Olu Maintain, great artiste. I love his work but do you know that Olu Maintain is among the people that put this country in a bad light, gave us a bad name?

“Many years ago in Nigeria, Yahoo Yahoo 419 was something that everybody that was involved in it was ashamed. They could not come out to say I’m a 419. Na you go dey tell person say this guy ee be like say na 419. It was a shameful thing even though they were making a lot of money. And then, Olu Maintain came with that hit (song) ‘Yahoo’.

“The whole country started celebrating to the extent that, that thing had a dance. We did not understand the effects. Young boys then, babies at that time were inspired, listening to the song, enjoying the vibe. So, Yahoo Yahoo now became an accepted profession in Nigeria. And you know that Nigeria has the largest population of black people. Now, it has spread all over the globe.

“If we are complaining about this country now, Olu Maintain will talk and said oh is the government but he contributed to one of the suffering that we are facing today. Today now, if you travel out of Nigeria they will look at you and say oh these people that are into fraud.”

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