Nigerian music star and one-half of the defunct P-Square duo, Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, has fired back at critics questioning his decision to change his birthday celebration date, insisting the outrage is misplaced.
His reaction comes barely a day after he announced that he would no longer celebrate his birthday on November 18, but instead on November 30.
“I’m making it official. November 18th is no longer my birthday celebration date. Please note that I will not be accepting any messages or gifts on that day. My birthday will now be celebrated on November 30th. This is a personal decision,” he had earlier posted.
In a post shared on Tuesday via his X handle, the former member of P-Square expressed surprise at the level of backlash trailing what he described as a personal choice.
“Una dey vex like say I cancel Christmas? Na my birthday date I move… no be your own, why e dey pain you?” he wrote.
The singer, popularly known as Mr P, went further to mock the reactions, drawing a comparison with long-standing debates around the date of Jesus Christ’s birth.
“Even Jesus Christ December 25th date sef, people still dey debate am. Why cry more than the bereaved? Only in Nigeria,” he added.
He also suggested that the attention given to the issue was disproportionate compared with more pressing national concerns.
“Funny how my birthday date shift is causing more pain than Nigeria’s real problems,” he wrote, adding, “Insult no dey reduce success. Who don make am, don make am! Know that and know peace.”
Peter rose to fame alongside his twin brother, Paul Okoye, as part of P-Square, one of Africa’s most successful music duos in the 2000s and early 2010s.
However, the group’s journey has been marked by repeated cycles of splits and reconciliations. Their first major fallout, which became public around 2015, centred on management disputes involving their elder brother, Jude Okoye, as well as issues of royalties and creative control.
The duo eventually disbanded in 2017, with both artistes pursuing solo careers, Peter as Mr P and Paul as Rudeboy.
After nearly five years apart, the brothers reunited in 2021, a development that was widely celebrated by fans. They released new music and performed together, although reports later suggested that underlying disagreements persisted.
Subsequent tensions resurfaced around financial transparency and catalogue management, leading to fresh public exchanges and legal proceedings involving members of the Okoye family.