Gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has spoken out about her ongoing legal dispute with her former manager, Ezekiel ThankGod, also known as Eezeetee.
In a statement shared on Instagram on Saturday, Chinwo clarified her stance on the situation, which had been circulating in the media.
According to the statement, which was signed by her lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, Mercy did not initiate any legal action against Eezeetee regarding her music catalog.
The singer emphasized that she has never claimed that the 50/50 revenue split from her digital streaming platform earnings was unfair.
Mercy explained that her professional relationship with Eezeetee began when she was his backup singer in Port Harcourt.
The two signed a contract in 2017, and her song “Excess Love,” released that same year, became a major hit. She noted that in 2018, it became necessary for her to move to Lagos, where the team relocated. Mercy also revealed that she played a key role in singer Judikay joining the team in 2019.
However, by the end of 2019, Mercy said that things began to deteriorate, and the situation worsened in 2020. She claimed that her original contract expired in 2022, but Eezeetee allegedly fraudulently obtained a new contract in 2019, which appeared to be a continuation of their 2017 agreement.
According to Mercy, the new contract, a 25-page document, granted Eezeetee “lifetime ownership of all music works” and was designed to keep her in a position of servitude.
Mercy also mentioned that several attempts at reconciliation had been made, including an intervention from Apostle Anselm Madubuko, but these efforts were unsuccessful.
In 2024, during an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Eezeetee reportedly admitted to withholding $274,000 in revenue from digital platforms. Mercy stated that the money was recovered peacefully.
During the investigation, Eezeetee also confessed that he had tried to manipulate her with a different contract.
Despite pleading for an amicable resolution, he later filed a court case against Mercy, Judikay, and the EFCC.
In response, the EFCC charged Eezeetee with fraud, and a warrant for his arrest was issued but later withdrawn following intervention from his lawyer.
