•Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu and Mercy Chinwo
Popular Gospel musician Mercy Chinwo today broke her silence on the battle between her and Ezekiel ThankGod aka Eezeetee, her former manager.
The singer published a statement on Instagram signed by her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi.
“Contrary to the sensational narratives, Minister Mercy did not initiate any court action case against Mr Ezekiel ThankGod (Eezeetee) regarding her music catalogue. At no point has she claimed that a 50/50 revenue split from her DSP earnings is unfair,” the statement read.
Mercy said her relationship with Eezeetee began when she was his backup singer in Port Harcourt. In 2017, they signed a contract and her song ‘Excess Love’ released that same year was a success.
She further said that it became expedient to relocate to Lagos in 2018. And the team did. Mercy said she played a role in singer Judikay joining the organisation in early 2019.
Mercy said things changed by the end of 2019 and got out of hand the following year.
She said her contract expired in 2022 and accused Eezeetee of fraudulently obtaining a new contract in 2019 and making it appear as though it was the same one signed in 2017.
The new contract, a 25-page document, gave “lifetime ownership of all music works to Eezeetee and couched in a manner intended to perpetually have Minister Mercy in servitude.”
Mercy said there have been several attempts at reconciliation, including an intervention by Apostle Anselm Madubuko, but none yielded fruits.
The 34-year-old said during an EFCC investigation in 2024, Eezeetee admitted holding back $274,000 as revenue from digital platforms. She said the money was recovered peacefully.
According to her, Eezeetee also admitted before EFCC officials for the first time that he tried to manipulate her with a different contract.
She said he pleaded in tears that the matter be settled amicably. However, he turned back and filed a court case against Mercy, Judikay and the EFCC separately.
Mercy said the EFCC then reciprocated by charging him with fraud of which a warrant of arrest was issued against him and later withdrawn after his lawyer’s intervention.
