Popular Yoruba sports presenter, Babatunde Saheed (Mr. Sports) has said that if not for God, what he faced in the hand of the Ibadan-based Fuji artist, Taye Akande Currency is capable of ending his career.
Mr. Sports, as he is fondly called, made the revelation while speaking on Dele Adeyanju’s Agbaletu tv interview. He said that he doesn’t expect that kind of selfish behavior from someone he held in high esteem.
Babatunde noted that the Fuji artist (Taye Currency) cheated him when he organized a birthday party to celebrate his 45 years. he betrayed his trust when he was with the EFCC and blackmailed and tarnished his name before a client.
According too him, “in 2012, I paid him money for a show with Alhaji Wasiu Pasuma, Pasuma wanted to launch Oganla and he wanted to make him Oganla 2, and despite the fact that he knew that he would not come, he collected the money. This led to a fight between him and Pasuma. He didn’t refund the money till now.
“In 2019 when Taye Currency turned 45, he came to me with two people (Alhaji Godogbo and Damola Crystal) to organize a birthday party for him. This is because I have done a similar thing for Alhaji Wasiu Alabi (Pasuma) when he clocked 50 in 2017. I explained to him how we did it for Pasuma and he said he wanted the same thing. I told him I gave Alhaji Pasuma just N1 million (one million naira) and he agreed that I should be the one to sell cloth. In fact it was the show that gave me money and recognition because it was at the venue that I was presented a new car, Venza by Dr. Yinka Ayefele.
“So, we agreed, I gave Taye Currency N1 million, I rented the hall (Hall of Grace at Jogor Centre), I paid for adverts for a whole month, followed him on a radio tour. In fact, let me burst your brain. I organized a novelty match for him a day before the event, I paid for the stadium, bought jerseys for the two teams because it involved celebrities and Oyo State House of Assembly lawmakers because his son, Yusuf, is a member. I paid for the hotel for the celebrities and their feedings, as well as giving them Ankara free for the event to show how committed I am for the success of the event.
“Our agreement was that I will sell the cloth and money realized on stage will be shared 60 by 40. However, the mistake I made was there is no written agreement to back the agreement, and this was based on my relationship with Alhaji Wasiu Alabi and King Saheed Osupa and some other Fuji artists. There was never a time when a lawyer drew an agreement for me and any Fuji artist and there was no issue whatsoever, and everything went well.
“What I realized on the day of the event is that there are over 1000 people in the hall and the cloth I sold out is not up to 100, how come? I have to call Alhaji Godogbo who brought the idea with Alhaji Taye Currency. It was against my expectations. Another thing is that all the money realized on the stage including the one given by Governor Seyi Makinde, Taye Currency went home with everything without giving me a dime. He also told his sister to go and pick the same cloth we want to use. While I was selling mine N5000, they sold N2,500. If I calculate all the money I spent for the show, it will be up to N5 million then. Up till now, he didn’t give me my money and I don’t mind, life continues but what I know is that it will never happen again.
“The second one was when I had an issue with EFCC in 2023; I spent four days in detention. I didn’t do fraud, it is business it has ups and downs and thank God it is all over now. When the interrogation reached negotiation I called taye currency that he should come and buy my land along expressway, he said I should go and meet Pasuma that I am following and that he told me when I was marrying many wives, which he can not deny.still he didn’t buy the land. Can you imagine that? That was his second sin.
“The third one was when he blackmailed me, there was a singer from Ivory Coast, he wanted to do hajj in 2024 and I told him that I am into hajj and umrah travel, Currency blackmailed me to the extent that the person wanted to collect his money back. Even after receiving the visa, he still did not believe me until we reached Mecca based on what Taye Currency told him. The man was forced to tell me everything when he saw that I was not what he called me. That was the cause of our fight, he goes on his own, I go on my own.
“That was not the reason I am promoting Tiri Leather, I am a promoter, I deal with all musicians. He came to me and he is ready to abide by all the modalities attached. I deal with Ope Arole, I deal with Idris Obalola, Remi Aluko, Tope Nautical, I am a promoter, and promoting Tiri Leather has nothing to do with Taye Currency.
“What currency did for me, if not god, it can kill a career. If you look at the monetary aspect, I am not rich but I am doing it for the love I have for the entertainment industry. That was his first sin and if he thinks I’m lying against him, he should come and debunk. He did not pay my money back and I am not bothered but I have decided that it will never happen again.”
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