Ferdinand Ekechukwu
What impact would Paul Okoye’s (Mr P) change of birthdate choice and decision have? Of what effect does his decision portend? At best, it might be a lingering twist to a perpetual end. It has taken the intervention of many prominent personalities and celebrities across sectors to intervene in their fallouts, but all to no avail.
Hours after announcing that he would officially change his date of birth, Nigerian music star and one-half of the defunct P-Square fame, Peter Okoye, made good his promise, signaling their long dispute may have now assumed perpetuity.
Early this week, the 44-year-old singer had declared in a post on X, that he will now celebrate his birthday on November 30 — abandoning November 18, the date he has shared for decades with his twin brother
“Dear Family, Friends, and Fans, I’m making it official. November 18th is no longer my birthday celebration date. Please note that I will not be accepting any messages or gifts on that day,” he wrote.
“My birthday will now be celebrated on November 30th. This is a personal decision, and I truly appreciate your understanding. Thank you all.”
His post sparked widespread reactions, with many fans, observers online questioning his decision. He immediately fired back, insisting the outrage is misplaced.
In a post shared on Tuesday via his X handle, the former member of P-Square expressed surprise at the level of backlash trailing what he described as a personal choice.
The singer who now goes by Mr. P has been having a running battle with his twin brother, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy, and elder brother cum manager, Jude. In June 2025, Peter explicitly stated that he had severed ties with his family, especially his brothers.
“We are no longer family at this point! Family is blood-related, but the real family is loyalty. Like I said, ‘don’t let family be the reason you’re drowning in silence.
“I did for over 20 years. And it almost cost me everything. But now I know better: love doesn’t manipulate, loyalty doesn’t betray, and family doesn’t steal from you. Family that steals and breaks you isn’t family at all,” he wrote in answer to an X user’s inquiry.
In a report that same month, Mr. P also took jabs at his estranged elder brother, whom he accused of allegedly misappropriating $1 million and £34,537.
In May 2025, Mr. P told the courts that Jude’s wife owns 80 percent of Northside Music. While giving evidence, the singer, led in the witness box by the prosecution counsel, Mohammed Bashir, told the court that Jude’s wife, Ifeoma, held substantial shares in Northside Music Ltd (Jude’s company).
‘You stole, betrayed, disrespected me,’ Peter was quoted to have posted, while calling out estranged brother Jude.
“I went to the EFCC with my lawyer to submit the petition on January 22, 2024. I initially wrote Northside Music as the respondent. However, following various investigations by the Commission, it was discovered that Jude’s wife, Ifeoma, owns the company, holding 80 per cent of the shares. In comparison, Jude retains the remaining 20 per cent.
“I submitted the petition, and I never spoke to either Paul or Jude until early April 2024, when the EFCC asked if my twin brother was involved, and I said I did not know. The commission discovered over 47 bank accounts used by Jude to receive royalties,” the ‘Winning’ crooner said.
The Splits, The Reunion…
Several reports have it that P-Square first split in 2017 following disputes tied largely to the role of their elder brother Jude Okoye, who had managed the duo since their early days. That split was resolved in November 2021 when the brothers publicly reconciled at Peter’s Lagos home in a moment that generated significant goodwill from fans, friends and colleagues.
The reunion, however, was short-lived. By 2024, the brothers had separated again, with Paul publicly confirming the breakdown and citing ongoing personal differences.
The latest chapter of their feud escalated significantly over a song. Paul accused Peter of working with a producer who had originally collaborated with him on a track titled ‘Winning,’ alleging that the same producer re-recorded the song with Peter without his knowledge or consent.
Peter responded with a detailed account of the song’s creation, naming Ghanaian producer Vampire and songwriter Calypso as collaborators, and denied any wrongdoing.
Despite the dispute, ‘Winning’ continued to gain traction, surpassing one million views on YouTube while the brothers argued publicly over its origins.
The conflict did not remain confined to music. Paul would allege that Peter had filed a petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that led to him and Jude Okoye being questioned by the agency.
Paul stated that investigators reviewed his bank statements before clearing him of any wrongdoing. Peter denied initiating any action against his brother, instead suggesting that Paul’s legal team had been directing attention toward Jude and his wife over what he described as a secret company and the movement of funds from a joint account.
Jude Okoye, the elder brother who has frequently found himself at the centre of the family’s disputes, has previously said he has done everything possible to resolve the conflict between the two.
“Through all of it, the split, the brief reunion, the second split, and now the accumulation of legal allegations and public accusations, the shared birthday of November 18 had remained one of the few constants.
“Even as recently as November 2024, Peter posted birthday wishes that included Paul, a gesture fans noted as a sign of residual goodwill. That November 18 is now, apparently, no longer something Peter wishes to share.
“It is perhaps the clearest indication yet that Peter Okoye is no longer interested in preserving the symbolism of a bond that, in practice, has not existed for some time,” one wrote.
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