Barely a week after their widely celebrated wedding, Tiwa Savage‘s husband, Tunji ‘T-Billz’ Balogun is in the news for attacking a photo-journalist.
For allegedly taking pictures against his will, the 323 Entertainment
boss snatched the camera in front of several witnesses and crashed it
in on the floor damaging the lens and other accessories in the
camera. The incident, which happened last Wednesday, November 27, 2013
at Façade Thai Restaurant, Bishop Aboyade Cole, Victoria Island, Lagos
raised a few eyebrows as the photographer and some guests challenged
and condemned T-Bill’s actions, while querying the photographer for
shooting without permission..
Reports from eyewitnesses say T-billz who was at the venue the birthday of musician Sound Sultan ‘angrily attacked the photo-journalist, snatching his camera and breaking it for taking pictures of him‘.
When contacted for his side of the story, the photo-journalist Victor Obot also known as Elejo denied directing the camera at T-billz. ‘I
wasn’t even pointing the camera at him. The camera was directed at
another guest who was sitting next to him, and then all of a sudden, he
snatched my camera from me and smashed it.’
We’re told other guests at the party strongly condemned the talent manager’s actions.
One source told NET that former Kennis Music artiste, Azadus was infuriated by the incident and was forced to confront one of T-billz’s boys who threatened to beat up Elejo.
Speaking to our correspondent in a telephone conversation Azadus said ‘From
what I gathered, T-Billz had warned Elejo (photo-journalist) not to
take snapshots of him. Much later, I saw T-Billz grabbing the camera
from him and then the camera fell on the floor in the process. Although I
do not endorse T-Billz’s action, but I think the Elejo should have
respected his wish and not try to take snap shots of him’
When our correspondent reached out to T-Billz by telephone, he however denied destroying the camera. He said, ‘It is not true. You can go ahead and cook up whatever story you like. It is not going to shake me in anyway’, and then he angrily hung up.
Sound Sultan who was the celebrant however refused to confirm or deny the story. ‘I do not wish to comment on this matter. Thank you‘, he said when NET tried to get his side of the story.
Another witness, Tomi, a
PR consultant who works with Sound Sultan told NET that she’s been
trying to reach out to Elejo in order to resolve the issue amicably. ‘On the day of the incident, myself, Sound Sultan and Don T
were trying to come in between, but they (T-Billz and Elejo) both
wouldn’t listen. I invited him to the party, so, just feel he should
have reached out to us before going to the press. The next day I still
called him and asked him to let it go, but he seems to be insistent on
doing what he must’.
Multiple sources confirm that the photographer and T-Billz actually have a long-standing working relationship. ‘Elejo
has done several jobs for Tiwa and T-Billz. As a matter of fact, he
goes to their house at 1004 Flats in Victoria Island to meet up with
them sometimes, so he is not a stranger to T-Billz’, said a source.
Elejo confirmed the once cordial relationship to our correspondent.
‘For the jobs I did for him months ago, he is still owing me the sum of
N150,000 and so I do not understand why he is being hostile to me.’
T-Billz has made no secret of his
contempt for photographers in recent times. For some reason, at his
recently held wedding to Tiwa Savage, photographers and recording
devices were barred from the main hall. A guest at the wedding even got
his phone smashed by security for trying to take a snap shot of the
groom.
No comments:
Post a Comment