Ubi Franklin: I only wanted to help people who accused me of stealing ideas
The owner of MMMG, Ubi Franklin, has rubbished reports that he stole business ideas from certain people.
Earlier in the week, a Twitter user, Kelvin Igwe, alleged that Ubi stole business ideas from people. According to him, Ubi asked them to bring their business proposals and later used the ideas to start up two ventures, Instant Pick Up and Instant Apartment.
He tweeted, āYoung intellectuals, please be careful. These men will approach you with plans to help you start a business and ask you to submit your business proposal, but they wonāt call you. Thatās how Ubi Franklin did and a few months after, he used their ideas to start Instant Pick Up and Instant Apartment.ā
WhenĀ Sunday ScoopĀ reached out to Ubi, he said it was not an issue he would like to give any attention.
The top music executive said, āDonāt mind those people, please. If they have N1.3bn, they should start a business. We all know that starting a business is beyond just talk. How would you say someone who has been working hard for years stole your ideas? I started my Instant Pick Up business in 2016 and in June 2017, I decided to call a few people to give them money to start business. That is why people donāt want to help any longer. It is not about having an idea in your head; it is about putting money into it and ensuring it works. Are they the ones that gave me the money I invested in my business? I am well travelled and when you travel a lot, you get ideas from a lot of things.ā
He stressed that he had never met the person who called him out on Twitter.
He said, āI donāt know the guy; I have never met him in my life. I was not even on the panel that interviewed those people in 2017. I came in, said hello to them and left. Even if he had presented an idea, does that mean another person cannot come up with it too? I tell people that an idea goes to millions of people; it depends on who acts fast on it.ā