By TheWatch.NG Entertainment Desk
The long-running rift among P-Square brothers Peter, Paul, and Jude Okoye has taken a legal turn as Peter Okoye testified against their elder brother and former manager, Jude Okoye, at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Jude, alongside his company, Northside Music Limited, is currently standing trial on a seven-count charge of money laundering and fraud to the tune of ₦1.38 billion, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Jude Pleads Not Guilty
The EFCC, through its spokesperson Dele Oyewale, confirmed that Jude is accused of acquiring a property in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, worth ₦850 million allegedly with proceeds of unlawful activity. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on February 26, 2025.
“He Was the Sole Signatory to All Our Accounts” — Peter
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Aso Larry Peters, Peter Okoye traced the origin of the dispute to how the group’s finances were handled by Jude. According to him, while P-Square began as far back as 1997 and rejoined in 2021 after a five-year hiatus, issues surrounding financial management had lingered for years.
Peter alleged that Jude was the sole signatory to all P-Square’s corporate bank accounts spanning Zenith, FCMB, and Ecobank without transparency or shared access.
“I didn’t have access to any of the accounts until our then-lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, said we needed to agree on a sharing formula,” he said.
He also claimed the company, Northwest Entertainment Limited, abruptly stopped financing his building project in Ikoyi, and when he asked for an explanation, he was told: “As you leave P-Square, you leave the money.”
Discovery of “Northside Music Ltd”
Peter said suspicions grew after he noticed that an entity Northside Music Ltd was collecting royalties on P-Square’s music without his knowledge. Efforts to access the group’s “backend” (a record of music revenue generated from streaming, sales, and licensing) were blocked by Jude, he alleged.
When he approached aggregators (companies responsible for collecting music royalties), Peter discovered that the rights and backend were being managed through a separate company owned by Jude and his wife. He further revealed that the company, Northside Music, was 80% owned by Jude’s wife and 20% by Jude himself.
“By the time the catalogue was finally sent to me, it only contained numbers and no figures. The aggregators said the backend had been tampered with,” he stated.
“I Was Paid $22,000 After Reclaiming Rights”
Eventually, after transferring rights to a new music distribution service, Peter said he began receiving payments—confirming that royalties were indeed being generated. He received over $22,000, indicating that revenue was previously withheld or redirected.
A Family Torn by Business
Peter’s testimony paints a picture of growing distrust, opaque dealings, and unapproved use of the P-Square brand. His attempts to confront Paul about Jude’s alleged financial misconduct were met with resistance, he claimed, and ultimately led to legal action.
“I went to the CAC website and saw that Northside Music was not registered to our group but to Jude and his wife,” he said.
What’s Next?
The trial continues at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, as the EFCC seeks to establish a case of financial fraud and money laundering against Jude Okoye. Peter Okoye’s testimony may mark a turning point not only in the case but also in the future of one of Nigeria’s most iconic musical duos.
