P-Square Royalty Battle Deepens as Peter Okoye Defends $800,000 Payment

P-Square Royalty Battle Deepens as Peter Okoye Defends $800,000 Payment

 

By Akin Alade

The long-running dispute surrounding P-Square’s music empire has taken another significant turn after Peter Okoye confirmed receiving more than $800,000 in royalties generated by the celebrated Nigerian music duo’s songs, while maintaining that his elder brother and former manager, Jude Okoye, was not entitled to the money.

Rather than merely revealing the size of the royalty payment, Peter’s testimony before the Federal High Court in Lagos has brought the ownership, management and distribution of earnings from P-Square’s valuable music catalogue into sharper focus.

Peter, who testified virtually before Justice Alexander Owoeye, made the disclosure while being cross-examined by Clement Onwuewunor, SAN, counsel to Jude.

The money was paid through SACEM, the French music rights organisation responsible for collecting and distributing royalties to songwriters, composers and publishers.

Peter acknowledged receiving approximately $800,000 from SACEM between 2016 and 2026 for P-Square songs.

However, he maintained that the funds were meant for the artistes and said Jude did not receive any portion of the payments in question.

The testimony becomes particularly significant because Jude and his company, Northside Music Limited, are currently facing a seven-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission involving alleged fraud of N1.3 billion and $1 million.

Jude has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During cross-examination, Peter was questioned about how P-Square’s royalty records were handled and the circumstances surrounding his request for the group’s backend financial information.

Peter had maintained that Jude took more than three months to provide the records after he requested them in 2022.

Jude’s counsel, however, confronted him with information indicating that a request was made on October 16, 2022, and the records were subsequently forwarded on October 22 — six days later.

Peter insisted that he had requested the information earlier in the year but acknowledged that he could not produce a text message, email or other documentary evidence establishing an earlier request.

The singer nevertheless confirmed that he eventually received the royalty report, which covered the period between 2016 and 2022.

According to his testimony, his interest in obtaining the records arose partly because potential buyers had expressed interest in acquiring the P-Square music catalogue.

That disclosure adds another dimension to the dispute.

A successful music catalogue can continue generating income long after songs are originally released through streaming, broadcasting, licensing and other commercial uses. Questions about songwriting, publishing rights, contractual interests and royalty-sharing arrangements can therefore become increasingly important as a catalogue grows in commercial value.

Peter also confirmed that the SACEM payments related to 10 P-Square songs.

But one of the central disagreements emerging from the proceedings concerns Jude’s entitlement, if any, to earnings from those works.

Peter maintained that the royalties belonged to himself and his twin brother, Paul Okoye, as the artistes behind P-Square.

When questioned about the fact that Jude reportedly signed the SACEM contract, Peter maintained that the agreement was signed on behalf of the team and rejected the suggestion that this automatically entitled Jude to the royalty proceeds.

Peter also acknowledged that he had previously paid Jude a quarter of his own SACEM share, although he disputed claims surrounding subsequent quarterly payments following the reconciliation of the royalties in 2022.

Another major point in Peter’s testimony was his description of Jude’s relationship with P-Square.

Peter told the court that there was no personal employment contract between him and Jude, explaining that their business relationship operated through Northside Entertainment Limited.

He maintained that P-Square essentially consisted of himself and Paul and said the twins were responsible for writing, composing and producing their songs.

Peter nevertheless acknowledged that Jude directed some of P-Square’s music videos.

The competing issues surrounding management, contracts and royalty entitlement are now among matters emerging from testimony in the ongoing proceedings, rather than settled findings by the court.

For an African music industry increasingly focused on catalogue ownership, publishing rights and international royalty collection, the P-Square dispute also illustrates the importance of clearly documented agreements between artistes, managers, producers and companies.

P-Square became one of Africa’s most commercially successful music acts, building a catalogue that continues to generate revenue years after some of its biggest songs were released.

That enduring commercial value makes the dispute over how the group’s earnings were managed particularly consequential.

Peter’s admission that more than $800,000 reached him through SACEM establishes the substantial international earning potential of at least part of the catalogue. What remains disputed is how various contractual and business relationships surrounding those earnings should be interpreted.

The Federal High Court has adjourned further hearing in the case to December 8 and 9, 2026.