Peter Okoye of the defunct music group P-Square has told the Federal High Court in Lagos how his brother and former manager, Jude Okoye, allegedly seized control of the group’s finances, depriving them of their rightful earnings for years.
The singer made this revelation while appearing before the court.
According to him, Jude established another company named Northside Music Ltd, which he allegedly used to divert royalties meant for their original company, Northside Entertainment Ltd.
He further explained that Jude was the sole signatory to their bank accounts, making it difficult for the other members of the group to access funds or enjoy financial independence.
Peter said, “I found out that Jude had incorporated another company, Northside Music Ltd, which was similar to our original Northside Entertainment Ltd, and he was using it to collect our royalties.
“He and his wife are the only directors. She owns 80 percent, and he owns 20 percent.
“He was the sole signatory to our accounts in Zenith Bank, Ecobank, and FCMB. I couldn’t even buy a phone without Jude’s permission.”
He added, “Sometime in 2017, the group P-Square disbanded. We were apart for nearly five years. In November 2021, the group reunited.”
“In late 2022, when someone wanted to acquire our albums, they asked for our statements of account. That was when I realized I had no access to the ‘backend’ — the platform where digital revenue is tracked through aggregators like YouTube or iTunes.”
