Paul Confirms Split Of P-Square While Peter Accused Him of $20 Million Fraud

P-Square has reopened the wounds that everyone thought has healed. Paul Okoye, one half of the renowned music duo, P-Square, has once again spoken about the complexities behind his strained relationship with Peter, his twin brother and other half of the group.

Though many believed that the duo had buried the misunderstanding between them and were now at peace with each other, Paul indicated that there was a fresh storm brewing with the troubled group.

Speaking in an interview with City FM, Paul, said, “Out of four brothers working together, everybody plays their part. It is not just a money thing.

“At some point, it felt like I was the one doing all the music, so I had to move, so Peter could do the music as well. I was accused of claiming that I was the singer, while he was the dancer. Whenever we went to some places, people would ask who was the singer and who was the dancer, and I didn’t know he was taking it to heart. I once told him not to let those things get to him, because that was the part people saw him play.”

Paul also traced the tension between them back to their 2014 collaboration with American rapper, TI, on the song, ‘Ejeajo’, noting that the sound was different from the traditional P-Square style fans were used to.

He added that in order not to widen the rift between them or lose ‘the P-Square touch’, he suggested that both of them should contribute five songs each to the album.

“All of a sudden, Peter said he wanted to quit, and I asked him if we could make the news public but he refused. The implication was that if I went solo, people would see me as a bad person. That was why I decided to speak.

“Otherwise, I have over 200 songs that I don’t know what to do with them. I feel the fans need to start knowing these things.”

Recounting an incident that happened earlier in the year, Paul stated, “Something happened this year. I was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over a petition written against me and my elder brother, Jude Okoye.

“When I got there, I asked them what happened. They had already printed out the statement of my bank account, and they started an investigation. However, one month ago, they called us and our elder brother, and declared us innocent.

“The only difference was our lifestyle. He took us back to a bank statement of 2007 over a $200,000 credit I got, though we traced his part of the funds to a vehicle he bought. After the truth came out that I was innocent, he still did not apologize.

“I am not speaking up, because I want to bring anybody down. He accused me of selling our music catalogue; the same catalogue I wrote 99 per cent of. For now, I just want to continue my thing,” Paul Okoye stated.

However, when some journalists reached out to Peter Okoye’s manager, Emem Ema, for his comments on his twin brother’s claims, she said, “He has no comment at this time. When he has something to say, he will do so.”

However, in an interview with The Net NG in 2017, Peter Okoye had stated that he often felt sidelined by Paul and Jude. He stated that he was living in fear that if he made any wrong move, the group would scatter. He added that he did not get adequate credit for all the work he put into the group. Despite noting that Paul was a better songwriter, he stated that he contributed a lot of creative thinking to the team beyond dancing.

After several break-ups and make-ups, the brothers reconciled again in 2021, and many thought they had let go of their differences. With the latest development, it is apparent that is not the case.

In a similar vein, when our correspondent reached out to Jude, their elder brother and former manager, he said, “Whatever I have to say about P-Square ended eight years ago in 2016. I have not been involved with P-Square (since then).”

More than two years after their highly-publicized reunion, Nigerian singing twin sensation Peter and Paul Okoye, popularly known as P-Square, have split again. Popular singer and half of P-Square, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy, confirmed the latest separation with his twin brother, Peter Okoye, aka Mr P, during a recent interview with a popular FM station.

The twin brothers, who started their musical career in 1999 and dominated the African music industry for over a decade, first separated in 2016. The brothers, in 2021, patched things up after a four-year rift and several public controversies that alienated colleagues and fans.

During their initial split, Paul Okoye AKA Rudeboy released songs like “Fire Fire” and “Nkenji Keke,” among others, while, Peter Okoye AKA Mr P released tracks such as “For My Head” and “Cool It Down.”

The 42-year-old singer revealed that their problems started in 2014 when they released the song ‘Ejeajo’ featuring T.I, a famous American rapper and multiple Grammy winner whose real name is Clifford Harris.

Rudeboy explained that their initial separation was caused by the public’s misconception about who primarily sings their songs.

He explained that before they collaborated with T.I., there was debate among their fans that Paul (Rudeboy) was the songwriter with the sweet voice while Peter was the dancer. Rudeboy acknowledged that this contributed to their 2017 separation and affected their song ‘Ejeajo’ with T.I., as fans missed his signature voice on their tracks.

This time around, our elder brother, Jude Okoye, who people accused of causing issues amongst us has no hands in this. When we came back, Jude was not even in the picture at all. No manager, no director, nothing. He was still on his own.

“There’s a lot people don’t know, and that’s why I always tell people, mind the people you bring close, especially people that were never there when you were somewhere.

He said, “The plan of our coming back together was going to produce a lot of hit albums. But as it is now, I’m just focusing on Rudeboy. Trust me, it is not everything that I would want to say,” he stated.

“I was accused of saying that Peter was the dancer, while I’m the singer. I know that, whenever we go to the airport, people ask are you a singer or a dancer? I didn’t know those words was touching him. But I know there was a time we came together and I said, ‘don’t allow this thing get to you, you should be proud of what you’re doing. That’s the role you’re playing.’

“We have a song we did with T.I, ‘Eja Jo’. That was when the issue started. Till today, that song is still on three million views 15 years after, because people didn’t hear the P-Square’s voice that they are used to.

“When we came back together, because I didn’t want the issues that happened before, I told my brother to show himself, let us be involved in the creative process together. I told him we should share who carries the tracks equally but still it wasn’t working.

“The new P-Square was peaceful. I needed the past mistakes not to repeat themselves. But then, again, Peter said he’s no more doing and that he is no longer interested. In fact, he told me in the face that he wants to quit. I asked if we could make it public and he refused. But what will happen when I go solo? People will call me the bad person. That’s why I’m speaking up now.” The singer said he made all the decisions to protect and maintain the new P-Square, but the efforts were unsuccessful.