₦airaland Forum

I used to be angry with Peter but the day I stumbled on this interview of Peter, I had a rethink. Some of you might feel Peter is lying after going through the interview. But let me ask you questions that will point out that he isn't lying.

Do you know Psquare's office? Do they have a studio? If yes, where is the studio located? How many people have access to it. You might say they have... And that you have seen it online but going by their calibre, don't you think their studio shouldn't be a like a small shop crammed together, if we should judge by the ones they have posted online claiming to be theirs and located inside their house?

Peter said something here: P square is big outside but small inside. They are just up there by God's grace... That line made me realise he was speaking of the truth... Nothing but the truth.

They don't have a brand structure.

HOME > BUZZ > PSQUARE : 'HERE'S THE TRUE STORY BEHIND THE PSQUARE BREAKUP PROBLEMS', PETER OKOYE SPEAKS
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'Here's the true story behind the Psquare breakup problems', Peter Okoye speaks

Joey Akan | 2016-03-20 07:57:28.0 | 2016-03-20 07:57:28.0



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New details have emerged about the problems within Psquare.

Peter Okoye, Paul Okoye, and Jude Okoye have been players in a long drama, with Peter firing Jude as his manager, setting up a new structure for his business, and going solo with a single. Paul too had also released a single, and has stuck with Jude.

In an interview with NET, Peter Okoye unburdened his heart with all the details of the fight, explaining that Jude and Paul disrespected him and marginalized him, Paul had floated his personal band named MVP, and the inefficient business structure was hurting the brand and their decision-making process.

See excerpts of the interview below.

On Problems with Paul

P-square
P-Square (Facebook)
Four years ago, I told Jude that he needs to step down as our manager, because I didn’t want to disrespect him as a brother, but this is business, we have to structure it. And Jude said to me that there’s a way I’ll talk to him, and he’ll slap me. So I kept quiet’.

‘So, a few hours after, Paul came to me and said if I want Jude to step down it’s not a problem, but it’ll mean that he (Paul) will go solo. The the first time word got out about Psquare breaking up, a lot of people called us, senators, governors, and people like that. In fact three of us were once in a private jet to go and see someone who wanted to resolve our issues and we didn’t speak to each other all through the flight. At the end of the day, I swallowed my pride for peace to reign and allowed Jude to remain as our manager’.

‘Truth is, I’ve not been in talking terms with Paul since December 2015 and that was why I travelled in January because I had a lot on my mind.

Something happened at Mavin Studios last year that broke my heart.

‘Truth is, I’ve not been in talking terms with Paul since December 2015 and that was why I travelled in January because I had a lot on my mind.

Something happened at Mavin Studios last year that broke my heart.\

Now listen to this, Psquare featured on songs with J-Martins, Bracket, LKT, 9ice and these 4 songs were done by Paul alone, but guess what, did I appear in the videos, YES’.

‘Now hear this, we have other collabos with Kaha, Darey, Ruggedman. I did these songs alone. How come they don’t have videos? Paul refused to appear in the videos’.

‘So I told Paul that when next he does collabo alone, he should be in the video alone, because it got a point where artistes began to feel if they do a collabo with Paul it gets a video but if it’s me it doesn’t get a video.

The last collabo we did was with Flavour and I refused to do another one. Even Flavour had to speak all the Igbo he knows to convince me before I agreed to do it. Only for my brother to come and tell me that ‘shey I thought you said you won’t appear in any video that I did the collabo alone? Why did you appear on this one?’. I was sad but I knew another one will come’.

‘So Tiwa Savage called me, apparently Paul had gone to do a song with her, not the campaign song they are promoting now, another Psquare collabo entirely. So she called me that she’s been trying to reach Paul to get the CD of the song from him that he’s already done his part, so I went to Paul’s house to help ask for it and tell him that I want to go to their studio to do my verse and he said he doesn’t know where the CD is’.

‘I went to the Mavin studio to meet Tiwa, when I got there, she asked for the CD and I told her Paul didn’t give me any CD, so I called him again and gave the phone to Tiwa and told her on phone that the CD is at Omole, so I got into the studio recorded my verse and when I finished, everybody was clapping. I was surprised only to realize that Paul had gone to tell them that I don’t sing or write songs’.

‘I felt really bad and betrayed, but I covered up for him. I jokingly asked Teebillz if they gave him Red Label and he said yes, so I was like you guys caused it, and we laughed over it. So when my assistant went to pick up the CD, Paul and Jude started shouting at him to tell Peter that what is he doing at the Mavin studio? He knows how we work. The next day, I went to Paul and told him how I felt when I heard what he said. Only for Jude to say that he made Paul the lead singer of Psquare 8 years ago! A leader leads, he doesn’t destroy.’

On Management deals


When it comes to decision-making, it has always been a Triangle formation, and the highest vote wins. I never used to complain because we were all okay, but what has changed now is the fact that we’ve grown. You can make a certain decision based on how we used to do it and it may affect everyone as an individual, but it gets to a point when the decisions taken never gets to be my own and I began to wonder if anything is wrong’.

‘I always get Ideas, most of Psquare ideas come from me, and when I say Idea, I mean materials we need to put out for people to see, video, stage performances and all. But when I come up with them, nobody wants to accept it. I didn’t complain because people still love what we do, but then again, there wasn’t much competition in the industry back then’.

‘As time goes, we should get better, it shouldn’t be same triangle deciding, because if we continue that same way, we’ll lose it. All I want is a proper structure in the sense that, we need to have proper management, business managers and all’.

‘As I speak to you right now, we don’t have any office, no structure. When this issue started about five years ago, our lawyer told us the way we run our business is wrong without a structure’.

‘I’ll give you an instance’.

‘We had to go perform somewhere once, and because I had a slight argument with Paul, he said he’s not going. The show was the wedding of the President’s daughter, because some times when we perform for some certain people, they always talk to me, they don’t call Jude’.

‘I didn’t even know until we got to the airport and at the end of the day we missed the reception, but we finally performed at the gala night, because when I got to the airport my brother wasn’t there, and I became confused on how I was going to explain to the President that we can’t perform?

Psquare at President Buhari’s inauguration ceremony in Abuja.

‘So I made up my mind to go with the band, perform like that and lie that my brother was sick. So we left for Abuja and when we got to the hotel dressing up my assistant manager called that he was on the way to the airport with Paul, so we had to wait for them to land in Abuja and that was why we couldn’t make it on time to the reception’.

‘The president was mad. In fact Mama Peace (Patience Jonathan) was really mad. But we eventually made up for it with a performance at the Gala night.

Only for Jude to say Paul said he wasn’t going for a show and I still went on it with’.

‘Imagine if Jude had a proper structure and we had contracts? That wouldn’t happen. And it was more because the show came through me. If the show came through Jude it wouldn’t have happened. I don’t have a problem with doing things as a family, but then the structure and proper organization is important too. The name Psquare is very big outside but inside we have no structure, I see people like Audu of Chocolate City, Mavin Records, even Ubi Franklin and I wanted us to have a structure like that. Psquare is just up there because of the grace of God.’

On Being Disrespected Publicly by Paul

Psquare will be performing at the MAMA 2015
» more Psquare will be performing at the MAMA 2015 (Press)
‘It’s really sad that people have labeled me ‘Dancer’, and people don’t really know what I do for Psquare. Kudos to Paul, I’m not a good songwriter, in-fact I’ll rate myself 30%, so when it comes to song writing, I give it to Paul 100%.

‘However, not writing songs does not disqualify you from being a musician. I can tell you for free that a Nigerian wrote two of the songs on Rihanna’s new album. I’ve travelled a lot and most times people ask, ‘which one are you, the singer or the dancer’? And it’s really sad’.

‘In Psquare, I am the creative person, I can sit-down and tell you what people want to hear, what they want to see and what they want to learn from Psquare. But it’s not something to brag about’.

‘Jude directs all our videos’.

‘This whole thing began when Paul went online and started post lyrics of most of our songs on Instagram that he wrote them all, just because Peter brought in something to the table’.

‘I’ve been trying to bring more business for Psquare I didn’t know it was going to cause problems. I sent my manager to a meeting in Senegal to meet with Universal music about getting us deals, and when he came back, the way they responded to him wasn’t encouraging’.

‘So I had to send Diouf, the footballer to help get the documents and convince my brothers before we could pull through with the deal. And after some months, we started making money. Meanwhile, while filling the forms, Jude filled everything as Psquare. So the first money came, we shared it. The second money was bigger, it came and we shared it too. That was when Paul said we had to re-fill the form and give proper credit to the songwriter (Himself) and if the form is not brought back, he’s going to expose me and tell the world that he writes all the songs’.

‘And the next day he went online to post those lyrics. So my question is, when he was doing that what did Jude do about it? Absolutely nothing!’

Now my personal encounter with Jude who is alleged as the problem.

Some months ago, nairaland member and a friend alerted me via whatsapp that the domain name Psquare.com had expired and now in auction. knowing that I have experience in such things as I sometimes sell domains to companies around the world, I alerted Jude via email that they could own the domain name by bidding on it and if they won it, it will become theirs. Peter and Paul didn't have a personal email I could use to reach them After my search.

So I reached out to Jude cos he has an email. After mailing him and explained things on why they should buy Psquare.com while they still can, he read that email several times. I know this because I track it. But did nothing about it. Until someone else got it.

Now, what do you say about a brother who couldn't protect their brand such as making effort to buy Psquare.com?

He didn't even reply that email which was the easiest thing he could have done.

Doesn't this point to the fact that Peter is speaking the truth?

Wow it was a really dumb thing missing out on that psquare.com deal. That one no be manager at all Na saboteur.

SonOfmercy007 here it is.

futurism:
SonOfmercy007 here it is.

Thanks bro

He sat down with his refrigerator nose to claim manager. What was he managing that others could do not? Agbaya following kids to play in the sand.

good to know

Jude is not acting like a big brother at all...

I have always known peter is the innocent one In this issue...

no one be like them

I feel for Peter after reading all

future bleak for these guys

OldBeer:
He sat down with his refrigerator nose to claim manager.
What was he managing that others could do not?
Agbaya following kids to play in the sand.

as in eh..no b small thing. Since he has been managing them, they do not have an office, they do not have brand structure, no system of operation, no studio for managing other artists... So what the heck is he doing?

lenghtinny:
Someone felt too important and indispensable. Someone should better tell Paul that the songs aren't enough....
Jude should be ashamed that he has been managing this brand for so long and he didn't consider upgrading them. What was he managing?

if it were by just songs, I am sure my elder brother would be at the top. Truth is you need some sort hustling zeal, push yourself a notch higher and claim your base..

orbgoblin:
Wow it was a really dumb thing missing out on that psquare.com deal. That one no be manager at all Na saboteur.

jude just want to eat without working.

That is why Peter wanted him out. Peter may be seen as overzealous but dude understand that you have to keep working no matter your Level. He understands it's a business and should be handled as one.

That Psquare.com pain me say he didn't do anything about it. And it could have cost at most $500 -$1000 which they can afford cos there were other guys bidding on it too.

I have said this before, Nigerians just love you guys because you are twins and perceived to be humble, I no see anything wey una dey sing

egopersonified:
I have said this before, Nigerians just love you guys because you are twins and perceived to be humble, I no see anything wey una dey sing

for me it goes beyond that. They are an epitome of grass to grace, from abject poverty to affluence... Dogged hard work.

BTW, did you check Utagban for that land you contacted me for in 2015? Hope you know the person behind this handle? Don't mention the name sha...

futurism:
for me it goes beyond that. They are an epitome of grass to grace, from abject poverty to affluence... Dogged hard work.

BTW, did you check Utagban for that land you contacted me for in 2015? Hope you know the person behind this handle? Don't mention the name sha...

yeah, I remember, got in two other places I know people who stay close so I can have peace

There is always 3 sides to a story,my side,ur side and the truth and from what I gathered,I fear for Peter cuz i cant take what he took from no one be it from my twin(for the records,i'm a twin) or anyone else.How could someone who calls himself someone's twin disrespect him that much? As one get older,one should not outrightly reject another person's ideas or opinion no matter how stupid they may sound,rather he/she should find a way of doing that subtly so that it doesn't hurt the other person's ego and make his/her input worthless. Jude the elder brother did a very bad job in handling the issue. Anyway,my advice for Peter is to do his thing and forget about brotherhood cuz there are friends who actually stick more than a brother,these are people u call real brothers. Not the ones that undermines your inputs. That Doesn't in any way make u enemies,it means that everyone knows their boundaries.

egopersonified:
yeah, I remember, got in two other places I know people who stay close so I can have peace

great. Was it cheaper there? I don't know though. People say land around that Utagban is around 1m and I say it's a rip off considering the state of that area.

Word!!!

egopersonified:
I have said this before, Nigerians just love you guys because you are twins and perceived to be humble, I no see anything wey una dey sing

futurism:
great. Was it cheaper there? I don't know though. People say land around that Utagban is around 1m and I say it's a rip off considering the state of that area.

one cheaper, other more expensive. to you it's expensive, to those that have seen the futurism prospects of having ekehuan road dualized like airport road, it is cheap. coupled with this gelegele port they are hyping

egopersonified:
one cheaper, other more expensive. to you it's expensive, to those that have seen the futurism prospects of having ekehuan road dualized like airport road, it is cheap. coupled with this gelegele port they are hyping

lol. I live in Ogun state which is much more developed than Benin. When we even bought our land there it's was more developed than what you have at Utagban... And the price was far less than what they currently charge for utagban. I am talking of the covenant university axis of ogun state. So it's not about expensive per se but how I see things. Network in that area is another thing. You can't browse well. Anyways na una go live there, not me.

Peter...may God bless our hustle o.