Mr P Fires Back at Critics Over Birthday Date Change, Says It’s My Life, Not Yours

(Peter Okoye (Mr P) Photo by Ripples Nigeria )

Peter Okoye, also known as Mr. P, is a Nigerian musician and one-half of the now-defunct P-Square duet. He has responded to critics who have questioned his decision to shift the date of his birthday celebration, claiming the outcry is unfounded.

His response comes just one day after he declared that he would celebrate his birthday on November 30 instead of November 18.

"I'm formally announcing it. I no longer celebrate my birthday on November 18. Please be aware that on that day, I will not be taking gifts or messages. November 30th will now be my birthday. He had previously stated, "This is a personal decision."

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.

He wrote, “Una dey vex like say I cancel Christmas? Na my birthday date I move… no be your own, why e dey pain you.?”

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.

He added, “Even Jesus Christ December 25th date sef, people still dey debate am. Why cry more than the bereaved? Only in Nigeria.” 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 and his twin brother became well-known, 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.

The brothers got back together in 2021 after being apart for almost five years. 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.