Another week, another fallout. This time, it’s Fido—known for hits like Joy is Coming and Awolowo—publicly clashing with his former management over claims of who truly built his career. But Fido is hardly the first artist to find himself in this kind of storm. From Wizkid’s early split with Banky W’s EME to Kizz Daniel’s legal battle with G-Worldwide, Nigerian music has long been shaped by high-profile disputes between artists and their management teams.
The Root of the Conflict: Ownership vs. Partnership
At the heart of these disputes is a fundamental question: how much of an artist’s success should be credited to management? While labels and managers often claim they “built” an artist’s brand, many artists argue that their talent and hard work—not contracts—are the true driving forces behind their rise.
Fido’s recent outburst follows a familiar script. His former management, Inner Circle, insists they discovered him, provided resources, and positioned him for success. He, on the other hand, maintains that only he and God played a role in his rise. This echoes Burna Boy’s fallout with his former label Aristokrat Records, where he went from expressing gratitude to claiming full autonomy over his success.
The Power Imbalance in Artist Contracts
A recurring theme in these disputes is the way contracts are structured. Many artists sign deals at the start of their careers when they have little bargaining power. These agreements often favor the management, giving them significant control over royalties, distribution rights, and creative decisions. When an artist eventually gains leverage—through streaming numbers, awards, or international deals—they start to push back, and tensions escalate.
Kizz Daniel’s legal war with G-Worldwide serves as one of the most telling examples. After a series of hits, he attempted to leave the label, only to face a lawsuit that prevented him from performing under his own name. Similar struggles played out between Runtown and Eric Many, Brymo and Chocolate City, and even Mavin’s exit stories, where the lines between business and personal loyalty often blur.
The Social Media Effect: Airing Dirty Laundry in Public
Twenty years ago, disputes like these played out behind closed doors. Today, social media has become the courtroom where artists and management publicly present their cases. In Fido’s case, tweets from both sides fueled the fire, allowing fans to pick sides and amplify the drama. While this creates transparency, it also makes reconciliation difficult—once an artist accuses a label of exploitation or a label dismisses an artist as ungrateful, the damage is hard to undo.
Is There a Way Forward?
For an industry as fast-growing and competitive as Nigeria’s, artist-management relationships need clearer structures to prevent these disputes. Contracts should be more flexible, allowing for renegotiation as artists evolve. Managers, on the other hand, must recognize that their role is to guide rather than control an artist’s career.
Ultimately, success in music is a collaboration—no artist thrives in isolation, and no management team succeeds without the artist’s talent. Until both sides acknowledge this balance, Nigerian music will continue to witness these messy, public breakups.
And when the next one happens? We’ll all be watching, tweets and all.