NIGERIAN IDOL ORGANIZERS OWE HOTELS MILLIONS OF NAIRA; REASON PEPSI PULLS OUT OF THE SHOW (BY KOLA POPSON)

The organisers of the popular TV reality show, NIGERIAN IDOL, allegedly owe Durban Hotel, located around Omole axis of Lagos State, a huge amount of money running to millions of naira. This allegation was made known to the naijahottestgist online by the management of Durban Hotel.
According to the report, the organisers of this TV reality show had lodged many of the stakeholders of the shows in Durban Hotel while the event was going on and later moved to another place, but months after, the organisers are yet to pay their bills running to millions of naira. This becomes even more worrisome and quite annoying when the organisers start ignoring calls from the management of the hotel, which they are financially indebted to.
In an attempt to ensure that their money is duly paid, the management of Durban Hotel has requested its legal adviser/lawyer to serve the Nigerian Idol Organisers ultimatum notice, after which the organisers might be charged to court for their failure to pay for the services rendered to them by the hotel.
In the same vein, these same organisers of the Nigerian Idol TV shows have also been alleged owing another hotel situated around GRA Ikeja a huge amount of money running to millions of naira. The investigation revealed that the hotel housed the invited foreign experts of the popular reality shows during the event, but the organisers have refused to balance up their outstanding debts.
Indeed one may reasonably conclude that this not a good period for Organisers of this TV reality show as PEPSI, the official beverage sponsor of Nigerian idol, has suddenly pulled out of the sponsorship circle of the Nigerian Idols TV reality show on the basis that the company gets no leverage from the shows.
It would be recalled that PEPSI has always been one of the buoyant organisations supporting Nigerian Idols show right from the time it came into existence. Therefore, the sudden withdrawal from it will definitely have an effect on the shows.
Nigerian Idol is the local version of the Idol series franchise. It is the second Idol franchise for the country as it was already part of Idols West Africa which was also shot and produced in Nigeria. The show started with its first season in 2010, the 50th anniversary of the country with the tagline Live Your Dream. Accept No Limitation. Auditions were open for every Nigerian between 18 and 28. The first season went on air in October 2010 and is shown on 15 different channels all across Africa.
Oneyka “Yeka Onka” Gilbert Elizabeth Onwuka from Ohafia On March 27, 2011, was announced the first Nigerian Idol ever over fellow competitor and favorite-to-win Naomi Ebiama. She was awarded the sum of 7.5 Million Naira, a recording contract with Sony, a car and an all-expense paid trip to South Africa. She was 26 year old then.
Since its debut, Nigerian Idol has been one of the shows Nigerians look forward to. The show is a peculiar one in that it is open to every Nigerian between the ages of 18 – 28. It is a show that celebrates its winners and enhances their talents. Its viewers find the elimination show very interesting, and every season, they look forward to finding out who will be the next Nigerian Idol.
However, on the allegation of the unpaid debt due to the Durban Hotel, the organisers of the show has debunked this, noting that it was their subsidiary, OSMI Sports, that is owing the hotel, and not the Nigerian Idol TV reality show.