By Bayo Adetu
I will try as much as possible to be brief here. The contract we presented to May D was a good one. The duration was four years and the sharing formula was 50-50.
Everything started very well and proceeded well until May D had a little taste of fame. You can fact-check me. He had unrestricted access to all the luxuries in Square Ville. Whatever P-Square ate or drank was what he ate and drank. When they went shopping, he went with them and bought what he wanted. On many occasions, he would club with girls at Quilox and his bill would be sent to Jude. He would lodge at Eko Hotel, and his invoice would be sent to Square Ville. There was never a problem footing the bills, even though this was a lifestyle the Okoye brothers rarely indulge in despite their status.
After spending several millions of naira and putting so much energy on his project, we eventually presented the contract to him when we returned from P-Square’s mother’s burial in Anambra. Actually, the contract could have been prepared earlier, but it was not because their mother was seriously sick and they were kind of disorganized. Even Peter had to delay his wedding.
So, when the contract was eventually presented to May D, he asked me: “Why are they giving me the contract after their mother died? Shey dey want me to use eyaaa sign contract for them ni?”. He was insinuating that P-Square wanted him to sign the contract out of pity. Can you imagine? I said that was not the case and advised him to remain focused, as there were bigger things ahead.
May D felt he was already a star and was reluctant to sign the contract. Eventually, he started making some unrealistic demands. First, he told us he can’t sign a four-year contract because “I have already served you guys for four years.” Note that the ‘four years’ was when he was ‘adopted’ for having accommodation issues. He also requested that we must get him a duplex, precisely in Lekki Phase 1 (because his second baby mama was pregnant) and a brand new car from Coscharis, even though he had been given a Toyota Avalon and also had full access to the Hummer Jeep. So Jude told him to calm down that the things he was requesting for took even P-Square about eight years to acquire, but he was adamant and walked out. Getting him a conducive apartment was necessary, but a duplex in Lekki Phase 1 at that stage? That was a NO!
I guess May D thought P-Square would have no choice than to accept his demands, considering the investments they had already made on his project. But he was wrong.
Some days after he rejected the contract, May D called me on the phone and requested me to help him plead with Jude that he had realized his mistakes and was ready to sign the contract. I said that was fine, but it was not an issue I could discuss with Jude over the phone. I promised to see Jude on his behalf the next morning.
Unfortunately, Jude called me that same night and said I should see him urgently. I said okay, and told him that I actually wanted to see him already, so I went to Square Ville that night.
When I entered Jude’s room, he said: “Bayo, please do a press statement right now that we are separated from May D, with immediate effect”. I said ‘Igwe’ (as I usually call him) this is the exact reason I wanted to see you. May D called me earlier that he was sorry and was ready to sign the contract.’ I pointed it out to Jude that we have spent a lot of money on May D’s project without making a dime back yet, so he should let us have him back.
But Jude said something which I really agreed with. He said a betrayer will always be a betrayer. He said if we accepted him back and spent more money on him, he would still betray us, so it was better we cut him loose.
I released the press statement that night.
May D had serious attitude problems, and that was the major factor that made his career burn out very quickly. Those who are close to him know better. At least, after leaving Square Records, he enjoyed stardom for some years, doing shows and raking in millions, all to himself. So what went wrong? He personally mismanaged the success, and now he’s shifting the blame on the people who gave him their back to ride on.
At a point when his career was already nosediving, he called me one day and said we needed to see urgently. He wanted us to discuss how I would re-handle his PR. I went to see him at Magodo. On my arrival, I met him smoking and playing video games with some guys. I waited, despite not being comfortable with the atmosphere. In the process, a slay queen came in and May D immediately left me and went inside the room with the lady.
We had not discussed anything. After several hours of waiting, I called his lines repeatedly, but no response. I left. He never called me back to explain why he did not see me. I also didn’t call him. I was surprised that the slay queen was of utmost priority to him than his dwindling career.
Some months later, I received a call from the Ondo State Government House (Mimiko was the Governor then) that I should help them contact a particular artist (I won’t mention his name) for their annual Mare Festival. I advised them to hire May D instead, giving them many reasons why May D would add more value to the event than the artist they requested. After much persuasion, they agreed. I called and informed May D. He was excited and told me his fee. The client agreed and transferred the money.
I didn’t travel with him to Akure for the show, but connected him with the organisers and kept calling him to make sure everything was fine. On his arrival, he was lodged at a hotel. When it was time for May D to proceed to the venue, the organizers kept calling his phone, but he wasn’t picking. The escorts that would usher him to the venue were waiting at the hotel premises. Meanwhile, they had shared the protocol of the event with him. He must be at the venue before the arrival of Governor Mimiko, for security reasons. Since he wasn’t picking calls, the organizers started calling me. I pleaded with them. I also called May D, he picked the first time and told me to ignore them. Those people would not let my phone rest, and they were already saying all sorts of things to me. I tried reaching May D again, but he wasn’t picking my calls again! Alas, the Governor arrived at the venue before May D. Subsequent editions of the festival, they declined giving him a slot.
Many times, we blame others or people in the village for our woes, whereas our attitude is the bane. I recall how he also said it was Davido that made Oskido dump him. Oskido, the multi-millionaire South African DJ/Entertainer was fond of May D. He sponsored the recording and video of ‘Let’s Get Down’ and they were good friends. May D said it was when he introduced Davido to Oskido that the latter stopped picking his calls. Who knows what really happened?
My dear May D, I pray that divine mercy finds you. I can’t wait to see you at the top again.
I care.
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