Afrobeats star D’banj has called on the Nigerian government to step in and help settle the long-running dispute between the music duo P-Square and their older brother Jude Okoye, who once managed the group. The group, made up of twin brothers Peter and Paul Okoye, has been dealing with internal problems for years, and things have recently gotten worse.
Peter Okoye took his brother Jude and his company, Northside Entertainment, to court, accusing them of cheating him. Paul Okoye later joined the issue, defending Jude and claiming that Peter was only trying to damage their brother’s name. The case is still in court, and Nigerians have continued to react strongly to the news.
Speaking in an interview on Adesope Live, D’banj begged the brothers to settle their differences and asked the federal government to help out. He said the fight between Peter and Jude is heartbreaking. He explained that when people start fighting, they might know how it begins, but they never know how badly it might end — even if they believe they are right.
D’banj praised the legacy the P-Square brothers built and said it’s a big reason why the issue needs serious attention. He revealed that he recently flew on a plane with Peter and had a conversation with him. Peter shared some personal thoughts, and D’banj said he encouraged him by reminding him that reconciliation is still possible if they are open to talking.
He added that if the main issue is money, then now is the best time to sort it out, especially since the brothers own the rights to their songs. D’banj said music companies have tried to buy his own catalogue for over 10 years, but he kept it because he knows its future value. He believes the same about P-Square’s catalogue — it’s very valuable and could be a way for them to come to an agreement, even if they don’t perform together again.
D’banj went further to ask respected mentors, or even the federal government, to get involved because the matter has gone beyond just artists helping artists. He believes a respected figure or authority can help resolve it. He shared a memory from when he was younger about how Nigerian footballer Jay Jay Okocha lost his savings after a bank closed. The then-president, Olusegun Obasanjo, stepped in and told the bank to return Okocha’s money because he had made Nigeria proud.
Using that as an example, D’banj said a similar kind of help should be possible in the P-Square situation. If the problem is about money or some kind of contract, then government agencies like the Bank of Industry could help the brothers sort it out properly.
