By Ogbonna Amadi, Entertainment Editor; Lolade Sowoolu
Westside music CEO, Solomon Arueya, sent the undersigned statement indicting singers Lara George and Djinee- real name, Nosa Osamyamwen- to Showtime early this week.

“We are very surprised to read in a national daily (not Vanguard) of Friday 26th June 2009 that Lara George would be releasing her second album titled “Kole baje o” an action that is contrary to the terms embedded in the binding contract with Westide Music .

Lara George and Djinee

It is pertinent to note that Lara George in the existing contract she signed with Westside Music is obligated to do two albums in which she has done just one titled “Ijoba orun”.

This action we found most common with Nigerian artistes who do not observe the terms of contract with their record labels and this accounts for the reason no foreign record label is willing to sign on any Nigerian musician.

And most record labels do not find it essential to conduct a search to know if the musician they are about signing has any existing and binding contract elsewhere.

The industry sure needs to be properly re-organised.  Let everybody be aware that Lara George and DJinee have binding contracts with Westside Music .
We won’t join issues with Lara George and Djinee on the pages of newspapers but will not hesitate to explore other options legally open to us.

Solomon’s economical with the truth — Lara George reacts

In reaction to the allegations  levied against the singers, Lara George has defended her solo move in a bit of rage calling Solomon Arueya a fraud.

‘Please tell everybody I said so: Solomon Arueya is a fraud and he’s only taking advantage of an unstructured music industry. I was on his label for close to four years and while we were starting off Arueya paid me N500, 000 as sign on fee.

The reason we agreed on such low advance was on the premise that he would take care of marketing, make bill boards, put adverts on Tv and shoot four videos. He did a few posters and managed to shoot one video after he finally released my first album in 2007 after much delay.’

‘The agreement was that he would show an account of sales records every three months which he never did. When I asked him, he said he wanted 50:50 share of the shows I was getting which was never in the agreement. He refused to show me details of my sales record or royalties whereas the album is still selling even in his shop in Alaba market.

Even in other places the album is selling and they are not pirated copies.’
Is this reason sufficient to break a binding contract?

“He’s making money off me without accounting or remitting anything to me. According to the terms of the contract, a fundamental breach of the terms of agreement nullifies the contract, so I have decided to opt out since he’s adamantly refused to give me any proceeds.

My lawyer wrote to him back and forth to terminate the agreement and he responded without saying anything tangible. If my album (Forever in My heart) did not sell, why is he holding unto me to for a second album? I’m not the first person he’s doing this to.

He’s done same thing to a whole lot of other artistes. He’s simply a fraud. He should go back to selling videos like he used to.”

I have no contract with Solomon — Djinee

Djinee, on his own part, nearly refused to comment on the issue. He said ‘All of us (referring to other colleagues who have left the label under similar condition) can not be wrong at the same time.

That’s all I have to say. As much as I know, I don’t have any contract with him (Solomon Arueya). I’ve moved on.

The only reason people have been quiet is because everybody’s trying to show respect. We’ve been trying to be civil about it and not to say anything. He doesn’t want his can of worms open”.

Other artistes that have left the label under similar circumstances include; Rooftop MCs, Tosin Martins, Ebiere and Faze. The last is yet to be heard.