The same thrills one gets from seeing the movie Olympus Has Fallen, is what one gets from the tales about the sad breakup of Africa’s most successful music group, Psquare. Ediale Kingsley writes.
FINALLY, it’s the end. While I hate to say, ‘we said it’. Even though we did predict back in 2015 that Psquare would get separated soon and go the way of Planshun Boiz and The Remedies. Our prediction wasn’t about doom-saying, we simply read the handwriting and professionally analyzed accordingly. So, yes, the walls of Psquare has fallen, the costs counted, the spoils shared and behold one becomes two again.
The stormy tides of marriage or the scornful scourge of women may have formed the foundation upon which the Psquare brand destruction was built. However, many issues have since been erected over that platform. One of such issues is the fight over scouted talents. Cynthia Morgan was supposed to be signed by Psquare but Jude Okoye signed her for himself and a half of the twins wouldn’t let that sin go unpunished. In fact, Peter wanted PSquare to sack Jude Okoye as their manager for that sin. But Paul would rather forgive and uphold the blood-is- thicker- than-water adage.
There was also the fight for balance presence in the group’s productions. The allegations sold the idea that Peter Okoye’s wife taunted her husband as a mere dancer who has relegated from singing to becoming a video vixen for the PSquare. This resulted to internal brawl whereby Peter threatened to exit unless he gets equal share of the music verses and video presence.
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It started like a joke but sadly Nigeria’s longest singing Duo, P-square, made up of Paul and Peter Okoye have finally decided to go their separate ways. Few weeks after the twitter rants from Peter Okoye bared it all on social media, it is now obvious that the brothers are not ready to resolve their differences and have embarked on solo music careers.
Peter, who led the agitation for a Solo Career said he doesn’t want his elder brother, Jude Okoye as their manager anymore and failure to amicably resolve the dispute has led him on to becoming a SOLO act. Now known as addressed as Mr P, he has introduced his new manager as Olatunde Micheals. Olatunde has been a close friend of the Okoye brothers for a long time and he’s well known in the entertainment industry as well. Before taking up the full time job as Peter Okoye’s manager, he’s been with him for years. He’s currently the Managing Director of Playcenter Nigeria.
In the year 2014 (April, to be more precise), when the rumor of this break up was first entertained it all looked like a cooked gossip. The wild fire spread from the Sahara parts of the Black continent into the Forest settlement. Psquare is splitting became the hottest investigative assignment for every entertainment journalist. As the topic submitted several versions of the concocted separation, it as well amplified the Google ratings of the subject and objects matter and clearly milked in juicy squeezing the targeted benefit thereof. The digital and media news merchants feasted on it. Why? Because the Psquare’s fan base is a huge one, and the extended goodwill could make huge commercial blessings for the media industry.
When Trends spoke with Lillian Okoye (PSquare’s sister) back in 2014 about the break-up she said as a family they had embarked on prayer and fasting asking God to take control. Knowing well that, If their mother was alive she would have adopted the same approach because she was a pastor. She wouldn’t support any claim that the wives of Peter and Paul are part of the issues, “I wouldn’t blame all this on Lola or anyone. I called Lola and Anita on phone; I told them that I don’t want to know who is at fault that they should all join in the prayer and fasting. Their coming into the family should be a blessing and not a curse.
They both agreed and we fasted and prayed together”.
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At the moment, Nigerians seem to be comfortable with the break, but back in 2014 it wasn’t so. The lovers of Psquare just couldn’t imagine a breakup happening. So many prayed and a lot begged for the peaceful settlement of the ensued brawl. Now, many are of the opinion that it’s high time the group got separated. Saying the union has indeed served its purpose.
However, Paul Okoye doesn’t feel all good about the break up. Now stage-named Rudeboy, in his solo single , ‘Call Heaven’. A tearful Paul, expressed his sadness over the crisis rocking the group, lamenting the death of their parents, ‘Make somebody please call heaven.. make I tell my mama say e don happen.. oh Papa na that level wey I promised you say e no go happen,’ he sang, before adding that, ‘If to say una dey for everything wey dey happen today, e for be say we no go misbehalf… wherever you are, we no be who we were… cos if to say una dey for everything wey dey happen today, e for be say una go intervene.. right now everything na pain, see your children dey misbehalf’ .
The other half, Peter, also released his own single, look into my eyes. They are settled and already moving fast with this newly found solotude, with both of them already headlining international concerts, as individual performers. “DUBAI I will be performing live in your city at KIZA DIFC on Thursday April 7th! See you there!” said Peter.
Some celebrities who spoke with Trends would rather have the pair as an item. Popular actress and mother of three, Mercy Johnson Okojie, reacted to the break up. She shared a picture of a mother and child with the wordings “without my children my house will be clean, my wallet will be full but my heart will be empty”. Ace DJ, Jimmy Jatt, also doesn’t want the duo separated, “You are brothers. You have no choice. You just have to stay together. It is normal for siblings to have issues, but please do not let it tear you apart. I believe in you, I have great faith you will remain together”. While nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, attempts to sermonize the Okoye brothers, “When you break up, your whole identity is shattered. It is like death. The love of twins is undisputed, Paul and Peter. You have been together for years, making great songs like Senorita, Do me, Story, More than a friend, Omoge mi, Busy body, Alingo, Personally, Testimony; the list is endless! Why break it up now?
Unfortunately, the Okoye brothers are already done with it. There’s no one else that can bring the duo back as one. We may as well start adjusting to this fact. And that takes us to the next rhetorical question, who will be more famous or successful as solo artistes.
Peter has the favorable figure in terms of social media followers. He was the show-man of the group, but is this enough? Ronaldo has this same figures but it’s Messi who has won more Ballon D’ior . It’s an open secret that Paul wrote, produced and recorded 90 percent of their songs. Is this enough for Paul too? Blackface was majorly saddled with writing songs for Plantashun Boiz. Did that helped him while the group separated? No. Ironically,
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it was the written work of Blackface that Tuface stole and used to kick-start the now illustrious solo career of his. While both started as fantastic dancers, Paul soon relegated that commitment to Peter. It now became Peter’s job to choreograph their dance steps. Will this be the winning formula for Peter? Who has already started his own reality show known as Dance With Peter (DWP) and was fully funded by telecommunications giant, Globacom .
So for Peter his dance show will continue, and his football management business, P-Classic Football Management (PCFM) will also come handy. Even if he does not know how to write good songs, he will pay people to do the writing for him and it is no big deal because we have many underground writers today in the music industry.
In that same vein, Paul like Don Jazzy can always go out to seek for extra talents. Starting with dancers (there are legions of them out there now, the likes of GGB dance crew). So, we may not know for sure who the Tuface of this particular break will be. But in the same way we predicted the fall, Trends can predict in favor of the underdog, Paul Okoye. Yes, RudeBoy will me more successful. You can also send your predictions to my email (edialewrites@yahoo.com ). Meanwhile, when you get to Jos and order for a bread.
And the bread seller hands you Twins Bread (the bakery products of Psquare’s parent, still leading the bread industry in Jos), you may just smile, shake your head and know for a fact that the bread inspired by the birth of Peter and Paul Okoye has outlived Psquare.
Fan’s most painful music group break-up (Trends Ranking)
1. Plantashun Boiz
2. Styl Plus
3. Remedies
4. PSquare
5. TrybesMen
6. Infinity
7. Kush
8. Zule Zoo
9. Maintain
10. KcPresh
Fan’s most painful music partnership break-up(Trends Ranking)
1. Lagbaja and Ego
2. Don Jazzy and D’Banj
3. 9ice and ID Cabasa
4. Banky W and Wizkid
5. Tuface and Kennis Music
6. Chocolate music and Brymo
7. May D and Psquare