Nigerian music star Peter Okoye, also known as Mr P, has opened up once again about the alleged financial betrayal by his elder brother and former manager, Jude Okoye.
According to Peter, his decision to remain silent for over two decades nearly ruined him.
This revelation comes just hours after he testified at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Mr P expressed the emotional toll of enduring silence under the guise of family loyalty.
“Don’t let ‘family’ be the reason you’re drowning in silence. I did — for over 20 years plus. And it almost cost me everything,” Peter wrote.
“But now I know better — love doesn’t manipulate, loyalty doesn’t betray, and family does not steal from you. Family that steals and breaks you isn’t family at all.”
The 43-year-old continued, “A real family doesn’t drain you, shame you, discriminate against you, or ignore your pain. My sanity matters. My mental health is a priority. If it costs my mental health, then it’s too expensive.”
At the Federal High Court, Peter alleged that Jude covertly set up a company, Northside Music Limited, to manage and control the digital royalties of P-Square — the award-winning group Peter formed with his twin brother, Paul — without their knowledge or consent.
Appearing before Justice Alexander Owoeye, Peter claimed he only discovered the company’s existence years after the group first split in 2017.
According to him, the firm was registered under Jude’s name and his wife’s, who owns an 80% share.
“All our earnings from P-Square were funnelled into accounts controlled solely by Jude,” Peter testified.
“From 2017 to 2021, when we were apart, I had no access to anything. Jude was the only signatory.”
He further alleged that royalty records had been tampered with, significantly reducing the value of their music catalogue.
“What used to bring in $8,000 per month was now reduced to about $500. When I asked for financial records, I was told my money was with people in South Africa,” he said.
Peter explained that the lack of access to financial data cost the group not only revenue but potential business partnerships.
“I wasn’t even asking for the money — just access to our data,” he said.
Suspicious of foul play, Peter initially sought legal advice from Senior Advocate of Nigeria and current Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, who proposed a revenue-sharing model.
When that failed, Peter hired another lawyer, Mr. Afolabi, and filed a formal petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC has charged Jude and Northside Music Limited with several offenses, including the alleged purchase of a property in Ikoyi, Lagos, worth ₦850 million using funds suspected to be proceeds of crime.
This act, the agency claims, violates provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Another charge accuses Jude of converting over $1 million through a Bureau De Change and routing the money through various Nigerian bank accounts to obscure its origin.
The EFCC alleges a deliberate effort to conceal the source of the funds. Jude has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.
Peter said he became more alarmed in 2022 when potential investors showed interest in acquiring P-Square’s catalogue.
A deeper audit revealed red flags, including altered backend royalty data, undisclosed transactions, and overlapping aggregators linked to both P-Square and Jude’s company.
Peter is expected to be cross-examined when the trial resumes on June 4.
Jude’s legal troubles began after Peter submitted a petition to the EFCC, accusing his elder brother of mismanaging digital royalties from P-Square’s catalogue.
On February 26, the EFCC alleged that Jude had diverted funds meant for Peter, including payments in dollars and pounds from companies such as Lex Records Limited, Kobalt Music, and Mtech Limited.
He is currently facing trial alongside Northside Music Limited on seven counts of money laundering.
One of the charges states that in 2022, Jude “did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos… which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act.”
Another charge alleges that Jude laundered $1,019,762.87 through a Bureau De Change, distributing the money across multiple Nigerian bank accounts with the intent to disguise its illicit origin.
The EFCC insists that these actions breach the Money Laundering Act of 2022.
Jude has denied all wrongdoing.
The rift between the Okoye brothers resurfaced publicly in August 2024 when Paul Okoye, also known as Rudeboy, confirmed that the group had permanently disbanded.
P-Square, founded in 1999, rose to become one of Africa’s most successful pop duos before first splitting in 2017.
They briefly reunited in 2021, but the reunion collapsed due to unresolved financial and legal issues.
