Entertainment
Peter Okoye never graduated, dropped out at 100 level -Lawyer tells court
There was mild drama in court today in the ongoing fraud trial involving Nigerian music star Peter Okoye of P-Square and the group’s former manager Jude Okoye as defence counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, revealed that Peter dropped out of the University of Abuja at 100 level, but deliberately misled the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, with false and contradictory claims that he was a graduate.
In a heated cross-examination at the Ikoyi Federal High Court, Onwuenwunor told the presiding judge, Justice Alexander Owoeye that Peter’s statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is riddled with lies and fabrications aimed at deceiving investigators.
Onwuenwunor told the court that “Mr. P, page A5 of your statements to the EFCC are false. In paragraph one, you claimed to be a graduate of the University of Abuja, but you dropped out at 100 level.
In his response, Peter said “I went to UNIABUJA, but that’s not why I’m here. I dropped out at 300 level and took a transcript to UST (University of Science and Technology), Port Harcourt.”
When Onwuenwunor asked him if he has evidence to prove that he graduated from the UST, Peter said ‘no’.
Peter, who was visibly angry, had to be cautioned by Justice Owoeye and his lawyer, Barrister M.K Bashir twice when he went out of line being rude to the defence counsel.
Peter earlier testified that Jude’s wife, Ifeoma Okoye owns 80% of Northside Music Limited and Jude 20%, but under cross-examination, the defence counsel presented the CAC certificate of the company, which was shown to Peter to confirm that he lied in his earlier testament. He was made to acknowledge that the CAC shares is 80% for Jude Okoye and 20% for his wife.
The defence counsel, while proving to the court that indeed Peter is a signatory to Northside Entertainment Ltd’s accounts, contrary to his earlier testament that Jude was the sole signatory to the accounts and that he doesn’t have access to the accounts. Onwuenwunor presented signed mandate, showing that Jude is a category A signatory, while Peter and Paul are category B signatories, which simply shows that Peter actually has access to Northside Entertainment accounts as category B signatory with Paul.
He also presented bank statements revealing details of payments made to P-Square by Mad Solutions Limited, the company handling the group’s music catalogue. In his statement to the EFCC, Peter claimed he was never aware nor received any proceeds of Lex Records royalty payments made to Northside Entertainment. But according to the Ecobank statement presented by Onwuenwunor, which Justice Owoeye admitted as Exhibit P3, he pointed out that Lex Records has been paying royalties to Northside Entertainment account since 2012 to 2017, which proceeds Peter also shared from the onset.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the case till 23 October and 10 November 2025 for continuation of the cross-examination and trial.
Education
NFVCB Boss Urges Stronger Distribution Channels As Coal City Film Festival 2026 Opens In Enugu
The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr Shaibu Husseini, has called for stronger distribution frameworks within Nigeria’s film industry to ensure that locally produced content achieves global visibility.
Dr Husseini made this call while delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 edition of the Coal City Film Festival, held in Enugu.
Welcoming participants to the festival, Dr Husseini expressed his personal delight at hosting the event in Enugu, his birth state, noting the city’s rich cultural heritage and longstanding contributions to Nigeria’s creative landscape.
He commended the festival organisers, particularly the Festival Director, Uche Agbo, for their resilience and commitment in sustaining the initiative.
According to him, the Coal City Film Festival has grown into a significant cultural platform and a must-attend cinematic event in South East Nigeria.
Speaking on the festival’s theme, “Local Stories, Global Screens,” Dr Husseini emphasised the importance of authenticity in storytelling. He noted that films rooted in local realities, languages, and cultural truths often resonate more strongly with global audiences.
He cited notable Nigerian productions such as “King of Boys” by Kemi Adetiba, “The Wedding Party” by Mo Abudu, “Anikulapo” by Kunle Afolayan, “Black Book” by Editi Effiong, and “Lionheart” by Genevieve Nnaji as examples of culturally grounded stories that have gained international recognition on platforms such as Netflix and at global film festivals.
While acknowledging the growth in film production across Nigeria, the NFVCB boss identified distribution as a major bottleneck in the industry. He observed that many high-quality films struggle to reach audiences both locally and internationally due to limited distribution channels.
Dr. Husseini therefore urged film festivals across the country to evolve beyond networking platforms into active marketplaces where filmmakers can secure distribution deals. He stressed that festivals must attract distributors, exhibitors, streaming platforms, and marketers to create tangible opportunities for filmmakers.
“Film festivals must become gateways to distribution where filmmakers leave not just with applause, but with real opportunities,” he said.
Reaffirming the Board’s commitment to industry development, Dr. Husseini stated that the NFVCB has continued to reposition itself as a partner in progress by engaging stakeholders, improving classification processes, and promoting a balance between creative freedom and social responsibility.
However, he raised concerns over increasing non-compliance with regulatory requirements, noting that some filmmakers bypass the Board by releasing unclassified films or operating without proper licensing.
He reiterated that all films and video works must be submitted to the NFVCB for classification and registration before being released on any platform, including digital platforms such as YouTube.
“This is a legal obligation, and the Board will not hesitate to take decisive action against defaulters,” he warned, adding that regulation is essential for protecting the industry, audiences, and national values.
Looking ahead, Dr. Husseini assured stakeholders of the Board’s continued collaboration with filmmakers and festival organisers to build a structured, sustainable, and globally competitive Nigerian film industry.
He concluded by commending the organisers of the Coal City Film Festival for their vision and contribution to Nigeria’s cultural economy, urging filmmakers to continue telling authentic stories that can resonate across global screens.
-Leadership
Veteran rapper Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, popularly known as Ruggedman, has criticised the use of “Afrobeats” as a catchall term for all African music, calling it misleading.
In a recent interview with Day Genius, the rapper argued that the term is often used to group artistes who lack real talent and rely only on catchy beats.
The rapper also claimed that many artists in this category struggle with live performances and freestyling because they depend too much on autotune and studio effects.
Nollywood actress and comedian, Kudirat Abeniade Soremi, popularly known as Mama No Network, has bought a new car.
She posted on her Instagram page and shared pictures of her new car, congratulating herself.
“Congratulations to me. Your car is next in line for Jesus.
May the celebration never cease in our home. May God surround me and you with people who genuinely love and celebrate God’s gift in your life,” she posted.
Her colleagues and fans congratulated her on this feat. Rejoicing with her, Bimpe Akintunde wrote, “Congratulations, Iye mi
The actress is known for playing a deaf woman and mother in the Yoruba movie industry.
Last year, she was conferred with a chieftaincy title in Texas Ijebuland, which is (Yeye Owu Ojuwo of Ijebuland)
-Leadership
NFVCB Boss Urges Stronger Distribution Channels As Coal City Film Festival 2026 Opens In Enugu
Wike Reaffirms Nigeria–EU Ties, Moves To Reclaim Encroached Diplomatic Lands
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