Nigerian music executive and Mavin Records founder, Michael Collins Ajereh, widely known as Don Jazzy, has spoken out against social media users who criticised and harassed a young woman, Itohan Supremos Baby, on X (formerly Twitter) following his quiet financial support for her humanitarian plans.
The backlash followed Don Jazzy’s response to a lighthearted post by Itohan, whose handle is #itohan_olat, in which she expressed a wish that the music mogul would ask her what she wanted for Christmas. Her post, intended as a casual remark, quickly gained attention and drew a response from Don Jazzy, who playfully asked her to name her wish, noting that he appreciated her engagement with his posts and liked her profile.
When Itohan replied, she mentioned personal financial obligations and shared a broader vision of establishing the “Mercy Foundation,” an initiative she said would help kidney patients cover dialysis costs. She explained that the idea was inspired by her brother’s death from kidney-related complications. While some users viewed her response as sincere and purpose-driven, others accused her of being entitled, greedy, or attempting to exploit Don Jazzy’s generosity.
The criticism intensified after it emerged that Don Jazzy had privately sent her a substantial donation to support her plans. Several users questioned his decision, with one commenter, #maxvayshia, suggesting that men often enable bad behaviour in women and arguing that Itohan did not deserve any financial support.
Don Jazzy responded firmly, challenging the accusations and questioning what exactly Itohan had done wrong. He explained that helping people is something he chooses to do when he can, and that her wish involved assisting others, not personal luxury. According to him, once the online attacks began, he reached out privately to spare her further public scrutiny and to avoid raising her hopes only to abandon her midway.
He also emphasised that Itohan was under no obligation to explain herself to the public, stressing that she is not a government official accountable to citizens. Don Jazzy added that the only reason she eventually addressed the situation publicly was because the persistent criticism left her little choice.
Drawing parallels, the music executive referenced a previous ₦20 million donation he made in November to the Tech Access Project, an initiative led by Ayilola Ayotomiwa aimed at providing laptops to 10,000 young Nigerians. He questioned why similar outrage had not been sustained in that case, asking sarcastically whether the project’s organiser was also a woman.
The controversy originally began on December 11, when Itohan’s tweet sparked a chain of reactions. After listing her requests, Don Jazzy jokingly remarked that her wish sounded like a lifetime financial commitment, to which she apologised and promised transparency, stating she would provide receipts and regular updates if supported.
Despite this assurance, critics flooded social media, urging Don Jazzy to ignore her and accusing her of selfish motives. Others, however, defended her. One user, #adetunbiowolabi, argued that Itohan’s request was not self-serving, pointing out that her primary goal was to help others through a foundation, not to indulge herself.
Amid the debate, Itohan later shared a payment receipt showing a transaction with six zeros, though the leading figures were blurred. While she did not disclose the exact amount, the image suggested a donation potentially running into hundreds of thousands or millions of naira.
Don Jazzy continued to address the criticism, calling out what he described as hypocrisy and a sense of entitlement among some social media users. He responded bluntly to individuals who complained that they had previously asked him for help without success, noting that he cannot possibly support everyone.
Clarifying misconceptions around his philanthropy, Don Jazzy explained that his frustration was not directed at any particular beneficiary but at the unrealistic expectations placed on donors. He revealed that this pressure is one of the reasons he has chosen not to run a formal NGO, as public donations often come with overwhelming demands and scrutiny.
The organiser of the Tech Access Project also weighed in, revealing that the backlash following the ₦20 million donation had taken a severe emotional toll on him. He admitted that he briefly considered returning the money but decided against it, refusing to let critics undermine the project. He added that his team contributed an additional ₦3.9 million to purchase 15 more laptops, bringing the total to 100, in a bid to ensure transparency and accountability.
Despite these efforts, he said the attacks persisted, leaving him emotionally drained. He credited encouragement from Don Jazzy and messages from grateful beneficiaries for helping him continue.
Meanwhile, Itohan has expressed deep gratitude for the support she received and has begun putting the funds to use. She explained that, due to logistical limitations, the assistance would initially focus on dialysis patients in Abuja, with payments made directly to hospital accounts.
So far, two patients have benefited: Amadi Faith Kelechi, who received ₦200,000, and Fakutiju Solomon, who received ₦150,000 to cover dialysis sessions costing ₦75,000 each, twice weekly. Both patients publicly acknowledged Don Jazzy’s support, and a total of ₦350,000 has already been spent on treatment.
