The long-running Okoye family and P-Square royalty dispute has taken another dramatic turn in court, after singer Peter Okoye admitted receiving approximately $800,000 in royalties from French music-rights organisation SACEM but said he did not remit any portion to his elder brother and former P-Square manager, Jude Okoye. The admission came during cross-examination at the Federal High Court in Lagos on September 21, 2026, in the ongoing case in which Jude and his company, Northside Music Limited, face seven counts filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Jude has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
P-SQUARE ROYALTIES STARTED DOING THEIR OWN ‘SOLO CAREER’
According to reports from the proceedings, Peter acknowledged receiving about $800,000 in SACEM royalties relating to P-Square’s musical works between 2016 and 2026. When questioned about whether Jude received any share, Peter’s position was that he did not give him any money because he regarded the payments as belonging to the artistes — Peter and his twin brother, Paul Okoye.
And that is where the courtroom mathematics becomes more complicated than a P-Square reunion announcement. The present dispute is not simply about who received money, but about who was legally entitled to receive, control or share particular royalties and how the group’s financial arrangements were structured. Peter’s latest admission is therefore another piece of evidence being examined by the court rather than a final determination of wrongdoing by either brother.
FROM P-SQUARE HITS TO COURTROOM HEARING
The wider case dates back to allegations that Jude and Northside Music Limited mishandled or converted funds connected to P-Square’s music catalogue. In earlier testimony, Peter alleged that another company, Northside Music Limited, was incorporated and used to collect royalties, while he and Paul lacked adequate access to financial records. The EFCC subsequently brought a seven-count case involving allegations of about ₦1.38 billion, $1 million and £34,537.59. Jude has pleaded not guilty.
The latest testimony now gives the courtroom another financial puzzle: while Peter has previously accused Jude of failing to properly account for royalties, the defence has highlighted Peter’s own receipt of a substantial SACEM payment without giving Jude a share. Peter has disputed Jude’s entitlement to those particular payments, saying the money was for the artistes. The competing positions are now part of the evidence being tested through cross-examination.
For the public watching the saga, the irony is almost impossible to miss: a music partnership that once produced songs capable of filling dance floors is now producing financial questions capable of filling courtroom proceedings. But beneath the drama, the important issue remains the legal determination of ownership, entitlement, accounting and whether the allegations against Jude can ultimately be proved beyond the evidence presented in court.
OGM News NG will continue to watch the case as the court examines the competing claims surrounding P-Square’s royalties and financial records. For now, the latest development has added another unexpected chapter to the Okoye brothers’ long-running dispute — and the next courtroom update could reveal even more about where the money went and who was entitled to what.
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