All The Okoye Family Members Are To Blame

The P-Square brothers, arguably the strongest musical group left in Africa (after Don Jazzy and D’banj decided to measure their egos at the cost of their business), are having a rocky patch. Few predicted this, and many cannot believe the stories emanating from their camp.

First came the cryptic tweets. Jude Okoye had taken to Tweeter to announce that they may be splitting. He didn’t exactly say the words, but the tweets don’t exactly leave peace in the hearts of many Nigerians.

Then came the story broken by the uber-connected Linda Ikeji. According to her sources, the breakup is already a done deal (bar a divine intervention). Peter Okoye is the angry one. So heated was his anger that a physical fight couldn’t be resisted, and he had to inflict an injury on his brother, Paul, who currently spots a twisted left eye.

Peter’s anger is fuelled by a lot of reasons. First he feels like his art is being disrespected. His public persona and perception has become that of a dancer. No longer does he feel like the talented singer, who has been likened to Usher Raymond. To him, he’s more like a voiceless Chris Brown, or worse still, a dumb Jason Derulo. A man has to deal with his consuming frustration, and the only way Peter can find an outlet is at his other business partners and family, Paul and Jude Okoye.

And then it gets deeper.

Still finding it difficult to deal with the perceived disrespect to his art, Peter has to endure more trouble closer to his home. His wife, Lola Omotayo, who is older than him, Paul and Jude, has not found favour in his extended family household. Lola is hated, disputed, disrespected and avoided like some plague by Jude. He even registered that publicly with his refusal to attend Peter’s wedding. There was no public excuse given, no apologies, just a blatant disregard for the union of his younger brother and a woman he hates.

Jude seems like a villain right now, and he sure has earned the right to be. Jude represents all that is firm and strong in the P-Square business. He doubles up as a manager, mentor, mediator and the custodian of sanity. He has been the guiding influence and the chief builder of the P-Square brand. Investing his life to make sure success is achieved by the family. A good example is the sale of his car to fund the first music video ever shot. Such sacrifice warrants a certain level of respect and control, traversing not only the business, but the personal decisions of his younger brothers.

To Jude, Lola Omotayo is bad business. She is perceived publicly as a bad influence on Peter Okoye. She possesses an uppity personality, looks down her nose at the world, and never misses an opportunity to be caustic and controlling. Simply put, she’s an alpha-female, a freaking good-old princess. Jude dislikes and disrespects her, but she cares not. She has a family, and she’s pregnant again. Can life get any better?

Many fingers have been pointed her way as the cause of the impending split between both brothers. And they aren’t entirely wrong. She’s not at fault for not finding favour with Jude Almighty, but her mere presence has created a cancer that has risen its head to envelope the family in its destruction. But she’s not really at fault. All she wants is a home for her kids, and a man to call her Prince. She has found that. Who cares about the Square Paradise?

Jude too has his fair share of blame. His open dislike is hurting his brother, and ultimately, their empire, and he can’t afford to let all his hardwork be undone by the small matter of a personal dislike. He has to try. He really needs to.

Peter hasn’t entirely covered himself in glory. He’s hurt, his feelings have gone to shit, and he has even gotten physical with his brother. But he can go another way. He deserves happiness and satisfaction from his art, and that can be gotten. All it requires is a return to the basics that their story was founded upon. He’s a singer and a dancer. He has to regain his pride and love for it. He is who he is.

Jude and Lola’s beef worries him, but theirs is so little he can do to influence that. He has to let the adults show their post-puberty maturity.

Paul Okoye has a swollen eye for all his efforts. He has taken one for the team. He’s a hero who wants nothing but peace and unity in his family. He took to Facebook with a message asking for “God’s intervention & hoping for better days as one family”. Give that man a medal.

In times past, motherly love would have brought calmness to the Okoyes. But their mother is in the afterlife, watching and helpless. Her exit and the entrance of two women into the lives of her sons have made the world a less pleasant place.

Lola Omotayo is guilty and insecure. Jude Okoye is guilty and highhanded. Peter Okoye is guilty, angry and confused. Paul Okoye has a broken eye, and hurt.

No one is covered in glory. May their shit be fixed.