NET EXCLUSIVE: D’Banj and manager Bankuli part ways

2face, Cecil Hammond, D’banj and Bankulli at the BET Awards 2011. Photo: Bella Naija

Pop star D’Banj and his buddy-manager Bankuli are no longer working together.

The pair who stuck like Siamese, during the bitter drama with Mo’hits/Mavin, following the feud that destroyed D’banj’s friendship with Don Jazzy, has fallen out, according to sources in their camp.

We’re told Bankuli threw in the towel last month, following repeated disagreements with D’banj. No details on what’s responsible for this fresh brouhaha in D’banj’s camp, but those we’ve spoken to say there are issues of trust, leading to accusations and counter-accusations.

Bankulli was one of D’Banj’s mainframes, along with business manager Chidi Okeke and few others who stayed loyal to him, when everything came crumbling after his faceoff with Don Jazzy.

The bulky University of Ibadan graduate took over D’banj’s affairs after former manager Sunday Are stepped down, following the Mo’Hits 2012 controversy.

Although his relationship with D’Banj became prominent following the Mo’Hits break up, Bankuli had been involved with the entertainer right from the early days of his career, working with R70 under DJ Abass and Ayo Shonaiya to provide management and agency support.

Bankuli was for many years the Nigerian rep for R70 at a time when the UK-based company was a major link between the Nigerian music industry and the UK.

Insiders say the problems between artiste and manager began after the disastrous Koko Concert of 2012, leading to eventual separation after several allegations were made by the DB records management early this year. One of the many allegations, we’re told, is ‘anti-label activities’, although no one was willing to give details as at press time.

NET also gathered that both parties have not seen this year, and chances of reconciliation are ‘very very slim’, according to one insider…