Nigerian music executive and talent manager, Ubi Franklin, has strongly denied claims that he stole a luxury wristwatch during his recent trip to Miami, USA, for Davido’s high-profile wedding.
The rumour, which started making rounds on social media on Wednesday after being published by a blog, quickly spread across various platforms. In response, Franklin took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account to clear the air and share his version of events.
According to him, while in Miami, he was approached by a man identified as Benny, who offered to sell him a wristwatch. After inspecting the timepiece and confirming its previous ownership, Franklin decided not to go ahead with the purchase to avoid possible complications.
However, during the wedding’s church service, Benny’s brother delivered another wristwatch to Franklin — a different one, which he agreed to buy and paid for in full. Owing to the busy and chaotic nature of the wedding celebrations, Franklin temporarily had both watches in his possession and wore the one he had purchased.
Shortly after the event, Franklin had to leave Miami urgently to finalise arrangements for his sister’s funeral, which is set to take place this weekend. While in the air, he said he received a message from Benny inquiring about the first watch — the one he had declined to purchase.
In his post, Franklin stressed that he has never stolen from anyone and insisted that the watch he has was legally bought and paid for. He also noted that Benny himself had earlier debunked the theft claim, yet the false narrative continued to spread online.
“This is a very difficult and sensitive time for me and my family,” Franklin wrote. “But it is important that I address this matter directly.”
The incident adds a layer of unwanted controversy to what was meant to be a celebratory trip, as Franklin navigates the emotional weight of mourning his sister while tackling an unexpected public scandal.