There are indications that Dapo Oyebanjo aka D’banj may be returned this month as brand ambassador of Globacom. The singer’s initial contract was terminated two years ago after he fell out with Globacom over demand for an increase in performance fees, among others.
Close sources say talks are ongoing to bring the entertainer back, because the company believes he has got the clout to sell the brand in the international arena.
Our sources say Glo believes D’banj has turned a new leaf and it’s looking forward to a smoother relationship with the singer.
Although there were conflicting reports about the reason the Koko Master, as he (D’banj) is fondly called, could not continue with his first contract, a common reason pointed at the slash in sign-on fee, which the company decided at some point. D’Banj was said to have been dropped after he refused to sign a new contract extension that was less attractive.
Although Glo has never revealed what it pays its ambassadors officially, D’banj, who was said to have signed an initial two-year contract worth N70 million, but was allegedly paid for a year, felt slighted when the new sign-on fee the telecoms giant was offering, took effect.
It is not clear how much the new offering will be, but there are indications it may be close to N35 million, which is in the range of what is being paid twin singers P-Square, and a far cry from what mask-styled musician, Bisade Ologunde aka Lagbaja, gets for doing the same job.
If the returnee ambassador is paid N20 million, as believed in some quarters, it will still put him above P-Square as a single earner and may just be near the range of Lagbaja, who has been less visible at Glo’s events since he spends more time abroad.
Lagbaja, it appears, is in the good books of Glo Chairman Chief Mike Adenuga for retaining his contracts despite being less visible. The company had dropped several of his ambassadors for not creating adequate time to be part of its musical concerts, media and social events, advertisement photo shoot, among others.
Years ago, D’banj incurred the wrath of the Glo helmsman when he demanded an upward review of his N70 million annual sign-on fee, and the N2million per Glo campus show deal that would have taken him to 36 locations.
The aftermath, many say, led to the company’s choice of P-Square, who was thought out as a viable replacement.
The endorsement of P-Square in 2010 was said to have brought about the slash of his endorsement fee from N70 million to N20 million.
Reason was also attributed to his face off with the company during the Rock & Rule concert series, organised by Globacom.
The latest in the sign-on deal is Wande Coal, who just parted ways with Mavin Records. Sources say the pop star is being offered less than a N1million for the Globacom deal, a fee which was earlier rejected for him by his former label.
