Afrobeats artist D’banj has urged Nigerians to intervene in the ongoing feud between P-Square’s Peter and Paul Okoye and their former manager, Jude Okoye.
The dispute, which involves allegations of fraud and financial mismanagement, has sparked widespread attention and concern.
D’banj, in an interview with Adesope Live, appealed to the brothers to put aside their differences and find a resolution, emphasising the importance of preserving their legacy and musical catalogue.
He appealed to Nigerians and relevant institutions to facilitate a mediated agreement, citing the example of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s intervention in a past dispute involving Jay-Jay Okocha.
He said, “The saga between Peter and Jude is a very sad one. When you want to fight, you only know the beginning; you really do not know the end, even if you are right or wrong.
“For the legacy that God has built through them, is why I feel that there can be a proper intervention. I know that they have tried because I flew with Peter recently and we spoke. He shared one or two things with me, and all I could tell him was, I’m so sure that there is still a chance [of reconciliation]. It’s all about dialogue.
“If it’s an even money issue, there’s no better time because you guys own your catalogue. Some global music executives have been trying to buy my catalogue for over a decade, but I kept it because I know how big it can get when it is my time for it.
“Same with P-Square’s catalogue. It’s enormous, so they can always agree. They don’t have to be a group anymore, but they can agree to reserve their issues. If it is a money problem, let us have the agreement…
“I would like to beg anyone who is a mentor to them because this is beyond us, their colleagues. I think it has to be someone that they would respect, if possible, the nation [federal government]. I know that there are cases here and there, but they can still be resolved.
“I remember one time when there was a bank that closed up in Nigeria, and it had Jay Jay Okocha’s money. I was a young boy then, but I still remember the story. They shut down with all the money Jay Jay worked for, and he cried out.
“The then President [Olusegun] Obasanjo intervened and said, ‘I know you guys have a structure to sort people out, but this boy who has made us proud, get him his money.’
“I don’t know how that turned out. But I believe something like that can happen in this case, where if it is a money or an agreement thing, the relevant institutions, whether it is the Bank of Industry, can come and just help structure that for them.”
