Davido has been ordered by a U.S. court to appear within 21 days over accusations of intellectual theft of a song and failing to settle a $45,000 debt with Nigerian artistes.
Nigerian superstar Davido has been given 21 days by a U.S. court to respond to allegations of intellectual property theft and breach of a $45,000 settlement agreement over his 2024 hit “Strawberry on Ice.”
A lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York accuses Davido of stealing elements of the 2022 song “Work” by Nigerian artists Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru. The plaintiffs claim they shared a demo with Davido for a potential collaboration, but he allegedly passed it to featured artist Emmerson, who used it without permission. Despite a March 2025 agreement where Davido pledged $45,000 and royalty shares (40% composition, 20% recording), he missed payment deadlines, prompting the legal action.
The court has ordered Davido, Emmerson, and other defendants—including distributor Wynn Records—to respond within three weeks. If found liable, Davido could face financial penalties and copyright sanctions.