Legal representatives of Amaka Obasi, the creative director of Arden Lifestyle Company, have strongly denied the fraud allegations made by Afrobeats star Rema, describing them as unfounded and misleading.
In a statement issued by Valerian Vianney & Partners LP, Obasi’s legal team clarified that she was legitimately contracted under a Design Services Agreement to handle the renovation of Rema’s Lagos residence. The contract, according to the firm, covered extensive structural work, including demolition, expansion from four to five bedrooms, pool reconstruction, roofing, flooring, tiling, POP installation, and construction of a carport.
What led to the dispute between Rema and Amaka Obasi?
The law firm explained that Obasi had completed two prior projects for the Ikubor family without incident and had maintained open communication with Rema throughout the renovation. They noted that she consistently provided progress updates, photographs, and videos, and that Rema never raised any complaints about her work quality during the project.
Addressing the reported delays, the statement attributed them to factors beyond Obasi’s control, including design changes requested by Rema, access restrictions from estate managers, and rising material costs due to inflation. Despite these challenges, Obasi did not increase her professional fees and continued to deliver within the revised scope.
The firm said the disagreement only began when discussions turned to additional work not covered in the original contract, insisting that the matter was purely civil and should never have been treated as a criminal case.
Why are the designer’s lawyers calling Rema’s petition unlawful?
The legal team condemned Obasi’s alleged arrest by the Nigerian Police following Rema’s petition, describing it as a violation of her constitutional rights and an abuse of police powers.
“The allegation of fraud and obtaining money by false pretence is unfounded. The law should not be weaponised to criminalise civil disagreements or used as a tool for debt recovery,” the statement read.
The firm emphasized that this situation reflects a broader problem in how business disputes are handled within creative industries, urging that contractual conflicts be resolved through legal and professional channels rather than public accusations or police intervention.
With both parties yet to release a joint resolution, the case continues to spark debate online about trust, professionalism, and accountability in celebrity, designer collaborations.
By Risper Akinyi