Entertainment
Alleged N1.3b fraud: Peter Okoye gives evidence against brother
The trial of the former Manager of P-Square group, Jude Okoye, on the alleged money laundering to the tune of N1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59, yesterday, witnessed the testimony of his younger brother, Peter Okoye, before a Federal High Court in Lagos. He is standing trial alongside his company, Northside Music Limited, on a seven-count charge.
Jude is being tried before the court presided by Justice Alexander Owoeye’s Court, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He is being tried on the petition written to the commission by his brother, Peter.
Led in evidence by Aso Larry, the prosecutor, Peter told the court how his brother, Jude, incorporated another company to collect their royalties.
He said: “Sometimes in 2017, the group, P-square, disbanded. We were apart for nearly five years. In November 2021, the group came back.
“P-Square started in 1997-98. Before Jude became our manager, we had several managers, including Chioma Ugochi. She managed us when we were in secondary school and at university. We also had the late Bayo Odusami, who managed us for five years. After that, my twin brother and I managed ourselves for a couple of months before we decided that Jude should manage us and Northside Entertainment Ltd.
“So, we continued running our business, and sometimes we started having issues with how he ran the business. The issues were mainly on how he was the sole signatory to all our bank accounts in Ecobank, Zenith and FCMB.”
According to him, that continued until Mr. Festus Keyamo, now the Minister of Aviation, who was their lawyer, came up with a sharing formula. He pointed out a scenario when we were building our houses in Ikoyi, it was only the defendant that could sign out money. E noted that the financing of the house project was by Northwest Entertainment Ltd, which stopped financing the project for six months.
“When we came back, after six months, I approached the defendant and my twin brother, Paul, and asked why they stopped financing my project. They said, ‘As you leave P-square, you leave the money’. With that comment, I approached our lawyer, Keyamo.
According to him, after the group reunited and Jude was no longer the manager, he discovered a similar company, Northside Music Limited, and in 2022, he asked for access to the backend after people reached out to inquire about their statement of account to know how much the album generated, but was denied access by the defendant.
Peter further told the court that, based on the defendant’s response, he knew that something was going on. According to him, he then asked the accounts officers in both Eco Bank and Zenith Bank, who did not give satisfactory answers and was later told by the Zenith account officer that Jude asked not to give it to Peter.
Peter, in his evidence, further told the court that Jude and his twin brother, Paul, later gave the catalogue to Mad Solution, who paid over $22,000 to him after three months of signing.
He also told the court how he went to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) site, where he discovered that the Director of Northside Music was Jude Okoye and his wife, adding that he also discovered that Jude’s wife owns 80 per cent while Jude owned 20 per cent.
-Guardian
Entertainment
Government Demolishes Influencer Ola Of Lagos’ Car Showroom
The Lagos State Government has reportedly demolished a popular luxury car showroom owned by social media influencer and car dealer, Waris Olayinka Akinwande, widely known as ‘Ola of Lagos’.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, was first brought to public attention through a viral TikTok video posted by another car dealer, Ibilo, who captured the remains of the demolished property.
The caption read, “Lagos State Government Demolishes OOL Autos. Heavy one today.”
As of press time, the state government had not issued an official statement regarding the demolition, leaving the motive behind the action unconfirmed.
However, widespread speculation on social media suggested that the structure was pulled down because it was allegedly built beneath a high-tension power line in violation of safety and urban planning regulations.
One TikTok user, Adekunle Autoparts, commented, “They demolished it because he built it under a power line.”
Another user, Sisi Noni, expressed mixed feelings about the development, highlighting both the safety risks and the harshness of the government’s approach.
“I’m not trying to sound hateful, but the first time I saw this structure, my eyes got hold of the high tension. But as usual, I felt the country doesn’t send anymore once you have money,” she wrote.
“Building under the high tension is very risky. But at the same time, they should have asked him to relocate — maybe they would have dismantled the structure without destroying it so he can make use of some of those materials in his new site.”
The demolition came amid a broader enforcement drive by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources against illegal constructions across the state.
On the same day, the government also demolished no fewer than 17 houses illegally erected on the Right of Way (RoW) of the Ikota River alignment in the Lekki area.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who led a monitoring and enforcement team to the site, warned residents against activities that endanger the environment or obstruct natural water channels.
“We stopped them then, but we were alerted again recently that the encroachment had resumed aggressively, with attempts to sell to unsuspecting buyers,” Wahab said.
He stressed that the exercise formed part of the state’s broader efforts to reclaim and protect flood-prone areas, adding that offenders behind illegal reclamation and construction activities would be identified and prosecuted.
Recovered evidence from the Lekki site showed several ongoing reclamation projects, sand-filling operations, and partially completed structures built directly on natural waterways, a violation the state said poses serious environmental risks.
-Leadership
Entertainment
Davido Becomes Grammy Voting Member Ahead Of 2026 Awards
Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has been officially inducted as a voting member of the Recording Academy, the body behind the prestigious Grammy Awards.
The move gives the ‘Feel’ crooner, who secured three Grammy nominations in 2024, a direct role in the Academy’s nomination and final-ballot processes for the 2026 ceremony.
Confirming his membership, the Recording Academy shared a video on Instagram on Tuesday featuring Davido alongside other newly admitted members.
The post read, “Creating a song or an album takes heart, time, and dedication. ✨ That’s why Recording Academy members including #Davido, #ravynlenae, #offsetyrn, #jessiereyez, #zacbrownband, #anneakikomeyers, #miles.minnick, #mayaelizabethmusic, #damiensneed, #damarismusica, and #stewart_copeland are sharing why your participation matters.”
Speaking on the milestone, Davido expressed pride at joining the global community of music professionals shaping the awards.
“Understanding the importance of how our voices are heard, I am participating in the GRAMMY Award process. It is a game-changer. I have learned that voting empowers you to have a say in what is considered and voted on in each season. I am honoured to be part of the Recording Academy community, and I look forward to voting,” he said.
Davido’s inclusion underscores the Academy’s ongoing efforts to diversify and expand its membership base, with growing representation from African and other international artists.
The Academy also announced that voting for the 2026 GRAMMY Awards will open on October 3. “Recording Academy voting members: review the ballot, listen, and vote early, starting October 3,” it said.
-Leadership
Entertainment
Tyler Perry Faces $260m Sexual Assault Lawsuit From Actor Derek Dixon
Filmmaker Tyler Perry, known for Acrimony and his popular Madea comedy series, is battling a $260 million sexual assault lawsuit after actor Derek Dixon, who played Dale on Perry’s BET drama The Oval, went public with allegations of harassment and abuse.
In his first on-camera interview with ABC News on September 9, 2025, Dixon claimed Perry fostered a coercive dynamic that blurred professional boundaries and left him fearful for his career.
He alleged that Perry pulled down his underwear and grabbed his buttocks at the producer’s Atlanta home. “I was under constant stress, scared I’d lose my job or be killed off the show if I didn’t comply”.
Explaining the damages sought, Dixon said the lawsuit reflects both personal losses and a deterrent against future abuse.
“Part of that number is my lost job, my lost income, the loss of a show. The other part of that is a deterrent, how do you stop a billionaire who won’t stop themselves from doing this?” he said.
Dixon also accused Perry of failing to deliver on a promise to produce a pilot he had written, which he said Perry still controls.
Despite the risks of speaking out, Dixon said he went public “to protect future generations of actors and creatives,” adding, “Never exploit someone’s aspirations to coerce them into a relationship. That’s unprofessional.”
Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, dismissed the claims, saying, “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be an elaborate scam. But Tyler will not be coerced, and we are confident that these unfounded harassment claims will not succeed.”
Dixon, who joined Perry’s productions in 2020, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in January 2024 before leaving The Oval later that year.
His June 2025 lawsuit has since intensified scrutiny of workplace harassment and power dynamics in Hollywood.
-Leadership
-
Article8 months ago5 Life Lessons from Manchester City EPL Current woes
-
Sports8 months agoLiverpool Announce Jürgen Klopp Return To The Club
-
Business8 months agoMTN Teams Up With Meta To Boost WhatsApp Call Quality
-
News8 months agoCommonwealth Observers Prepare For Gabon Presidential Election
-
Article8 months agoPonzi Scheme CEO Francis Uju Udoms of Addfx Case still Unresolved Despite SEC certification
-
News8 months agoChibok Girls: 11 Years Of Anguish, Broken Promises
-
News6 months agoNASRE Promises Support To Daily Times Group Business Editor, Oseni, Over Serious Road Accident
-
News9 months agoWike’s Enviable Road Construction Method along Nyanya- Maraba Highway
