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Nigerian music superstar Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, one half of the legendary music duo Psquare, has apologised over remarks made on his official X account that sparked widespread backlash, insisting he never intended to insult the Igbo language or culture.
The singer issued the apology on Wednesday after his previous comments on Nigerian languages generated criticism on social media, with some users accusing him of making anti-Igbo remarks.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle, Mr P acknowledged that his comments had offended some people and accepted responsibility for how they were interpreted.
“If my response to ‘Who Naija language help?’ upset some people, I apologise and take full responsibility for my words. That doesn’t mean I hate Nigerian languages or our culture,” he wrote.
Explaining the context behind the controversial post, the singer said the exchange began after he shared that his children speak French, adding that it prompted him to joke about buying a house in Paris. According to him, the conversation was later taken out of context and transformed into a controversy he never intended.
Mr P denied targeting the Igbo language, stressing that his comments referred broadly to Nigeria’s diverse indigenous languages and not to any particular ethnic group.
“At no point did I say I hate the Igbo language or Igbo culture. I said ‘Naija language,’ referring to the different languages in Nigeria, but some individuals twisted it and made it seem like I specifically mentioned Igbo. I didn’t,” he stated.
Despite defending his original intention, the singer admitted that his choice of words could have been better and accepted responsibility for the public reaction.
“That said, I still take responsibility for how my words were received,” he added.
Mr P also used the statement to accuse an unnamed individual of repeatedly attempting to damage his reputation whenever he becomes the subject of public criticism.
According to him, the individual had previously mocked him for dancing at his age and was now exploiting the latest controversy to fuel further attacks against him.
“I don’t know why you look for every opportunity to make derisive comments or jump on the bandwagon whenever I’m being attacked. The other time, you threw shades at me and even age-shamed me for still dancing at my age. Now it’s this again,” he said.
The singer declared that he would no longer ignore what he described as persistent personal attacks, warning that he was prepared to respond in kind.
“At this point, I think it’s only fair I start giving the same energy I receive. No more Mr. Nice Guy. It’s aura for aura, Egusi for Egusi, Oha for Oha,” he concluded.
The apology comes amid intense reactions on social media, where users remained divided over both the singer’s initial remarks and his clarification, with some accepting his explanation while others maintained that the original comments were insensitive.
