Currently trending, in the Nigerian music scene, is a compelling narrative unfolding, triggered by Eedris Abdulkareem, a former member of the now-defunct music group, The Remedies. His recent critique aimed at Burna Boy, a prominent Nigerian artist globally recognized, sparked a series of events.

Eedris admonished Burna over a comment that hinted at a reluctance to acknowledge the contributions of older musicians to his current success.This critique didn’t just end with Burna Boy; Eedris opened a Pandora’s box in his interview with the Honest Bunch Podcast, drawing responses and reactions from various quarters.

The fallout was particularly intense among his former group members from The Remedies, including Eddy Remedy and Tony Tetuila. Feeling betrayed, they contested Eedris’s version of events, accusing him of distorting the narrative for his own benefit. In their view, Eedris was not the hero he portrayed himself to be.

Jazzman sheds light on a lesser-known chapter involving The Remedies and his musical group, X-Appeal, revealing details about the alleged theft of the ‘Shakomo’ chorus and the impact it had on their personal and musical journey.

Reflecting on the tumultuous experience, Jazzman Olofin candidly shared, ‘Yeah, too many emotions running high & wild. Curses, abuses, tears, threats flying everywhere.’

Despite not being close friends, these individuals were his colleagues, and what perplexes him is the silence surrounding the true origin of the ‘Shakomo’ chorus that catapulted The Remedies to fame. Jazzman asserts, ‘Well, the answer is: Me! I wrote it!’

The stolen chorus belonged to his musical group, X-Appeal, for whom he crafted the song. He emphasizes the importance of the truth being known, noting the incessant buzz on his phone from people who are aware of the reality.

Jazzman’s former group, X-Appeal, was formed in the early ’90s at the University of Lagos and originally comprised four members: Jazzman Olofin, Lexzy Doo, Folu Obasa, and Nicholas Alexander (who left early). Jazzman, welcomed into the group for his songwriting skills, recalls the tumultuous meeting with Ambrose Olutayo Somide and Keke Ogungbe, where the chorus theft was discussed.

Highlighting his versatility, Jazzman mentions writing songs since the age of 13 and his ability to write in any style due to a diverse musical influence.
He shares a nostalgic moment in a friend’s room at Jaja Hall, Unilag, where the inspiration for ‘Shakomo’ struck while listening to MC Lyte.

Despite having to leave Lagos for NYSC in Yobe State, he gave the song to his group, though recording of the full song was cut short due to time constraints.

Jazzman notes and recalls how Yemi Shodimu’s interview with X-Appeal at LTV8, acknowledging his contribution to raising awareness on the matter before now.

“During my time with X-Appeal, I penned the ‘Shakomo’ chorus and seamlessly blended it with the MC Lyte beat, a testament to the creative process. It’s perplexing that Eedris Abdulkareem and others discuss the song without acknowledging the stolen chorus and the original inspiration behind the entire composition.”

Amid the recent saga, Jazzman Olofin and X-Appeal members assert that the world should be aware of the true origin of The Remedies’ first song and chorus, which they claim was stolen from them.

Jazzman, recognized for his exceptional songwriting skills, reminisces about their Unilag days, where X-Appeal frequently performed. How they mixed with hip-hop enthusiasts on collaborative shows. It was in one such scenario that The Remedies noticed the ‘Shakomo’ chorus.

He firmly believed the theft of the chorus occurred during X-Appeal’s performance at Offa Poly in Ilorin, where they encountered The Remedies. Another artist who witnessed this event, present at the Offa Poly show, is Adx Artquake.

The actual chorus theft unfolded while Jazzman was in NYSC camp in Damaturu, Yobe State, in 1998. Having graduated from Unilag in 1997 with a degree in Philosophy, he received the devastating news about The Remedies releasing ‘Shakomo’ while in the camp.

With no phones available at the time, he hastily returned to Lagos, putting his NYSC service on hold, seeking answers from his X-Appeal comrades about their chorus now resonating on the airwaves as The Remedies’ project.

Expressing astonishment, Jazzman Olofin and his team were equally shocked by the chorus theft. Opting for legal recourse, they appointed Eziamaka Odunze, their manager and lawyer, to confront Kennis Music. The confrontation took place at Ray Power, involving Keke Ogungbe and Ambrose Olutayo Somide. Kennis Music treated the matter casually, proposing that X-Appeal should create a song mentioning Raypower FM, promising promotion and back-to-back airplays. Dissatisfied with the offer, they disagreed, leading to Ambrose’s suggestion that The Remedies’ song would credit them as part writers of ‘Shakomo.’
Dishearteningly, Kennis Music failed to fulfill their promises, leaving X-Appeal with a reluctantly written song and no compensation, realizing that Kennis Music merely wanted them and the matter discarded.

It was an emotionally challenging period for both me and the group. The weight of depression settled in, compounded by the disappointment I brought upon my parents. Their anger was palpable as I found myself back in Lagos, embroiled in a seemingly futile battle over the theft of our chorus instead of fulfilling my NYSC service.

The situation took a toll on me, preventing a return to Yobe, fueled by the fear that my written songs might be stolen and released before I completed my service. Opting to move out of my parents’ house, I sought refuge with friends during this tough time.

The sadness lingered, exacerbated by the surreal experience of attending the Rothmans Groove tour, where The Remedies were also featured. It was heart-wrenching to endure our stolen chorus being celebrated from stage to stage whenever The Remedies performed the song. Despite the pain, we persevered, participating in about 3 or 4 shows on that tour.

We reached out to Kennis Music. They preferred not to speak on the matter and asked we speak with the artistes of the song, “we are a recording label, we won’t speak about that. Ask Eedris or Eddy”.

The reporter went on to ask Eedris Abdulkareem about the allegations. He simply responded with this statement, “oh really, let them play their own version if not they don’t have any proof.”

“After the Shakomo saga, X-Appeal underwent changes, and eventually, only Lexzy Doo and I remained, transforming X-Appeal into a duo. It was during this period that we commenced recording songs and released our hit single titled ‘WHAT U WANT’ featuring Plantashun Boiz, a track written by myself and produced by OJB Jezreel.”

Jazzman emphasized that he isn’t seeking conflict but aims to set the record straight.