In a Lagos court, Peter Okoye, one half of the Nigerian music duo P-Square, has admitted to receiving over $800,000 in royalties from the France-based music rights organisation SACEM. The royalties were for songs recorded by P-Square. Peter Okoye made this disclosure while giving virtual testimony before Justice Alexander Owoeye. His testimony is part of an ongoing feud between the two halves of the duo.
Peter Okoye maintained that the money belonged to him and his twin brother, Paul. He denied that Jude Okoye was entitled to the royalties, saying Jude was not a member of P-Square. According to Peter, he and Paul wrote, composed, and produced the group’s songs, while Jude directed some music videos. This testimony is part of a seven-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Jude Okoye and his company, Northside Music Limited.
The EFCC charge against Jude Okoye and Northside Music Limited involves alleged fraud totalling N1.3 billion and $1 million. Jude has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Peter Okoye's testimony was given during cross-examination by Clement Onwuewunor, SAN, counsel for Jude Okoye. The case has been adjourned to December 8 and 9, 2026.
SACEM collects and distributes royalties to songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Peter Okoye confirmed that he eventually received the royalty statement from Jude Okoye. The statement covered payments from 2016 to 2022, including royalties associated with Lex Records. This was in response to his request for P-Square’s royalty records.
Peter Okoye had sought the documents because some people were interested in purchasing P-Square’s music catalogue. He was asked about his earlier claim that Jude took more than three months to provide the records after he requested them in 2022. However, when asked to produce evidence showing that he made the request before October 16, 2022, Peter admitted he could not.
Peter Okoye confirmed that Jude sent him the account details in 2022 and that the EFCC was aware the documents had been forwarded to him. The virtual testimony was given as part of the ongoing court proceedings. The case continues to unfold with further adjournments.
The court proceedings continue with Peter Okoye's testimony being a crucial part of the case. Key points in the case include Peter Okoye's admission of receiving over $800,000 in SACEM royalties and his denial of Jude Okoye's entitlement to the royalties. The case has significant implications for the Nigerian music industry.
Key points
- Peter Okoye admits to receiving over $800,000 in SACEM royalties for P-Square songs.
- Peter Okoye denies Jude Okoye's entitlement to the royalties.
- The case involves alleged fraud totalling N1.3 billion and $1 million.
