Iconic Nigerian singer Peter Okoye has responded to allegations made by his twin brother Paul over ownership of a new song “Winning.”

Peter Okoye shared a detailed account of the song’s creation, clarifying his role and collaboration with others, including Ghanaian producer Vampire and songwriter Calypso.

He questioned Paul’s claims, citing their agreed-upon creative process and Paul’s removal of his (Peter’s) vocals from joint songs.

Peter also addressed his temporary break from music, stating he took time to recharge before returning with “Winning.”

He wrote on X: “If you have followed my journey as a solo artiste and even before, you will notice that I give people their due credit where necessary as I am a firm believer in teamwork; I know my strengths, where I need assistance or guidance I am not afraid to ask or work with those who are strong in the areas I am not; this includes the process of creating music, executing concepts and ideas etc. I will always credit people for their contributions to my projects.

“Sometime in June 2022, I stumbled upon a producer based in Ghana named Vampire, and my team and I also personally reached out to him via DM, that I liked his work and was interested in working with him. Before getting him to Lagos, I presented the idea of this producer to my twin brother and our team, getting their buy-in before I got him flight tickets and flew him to Lagos.“

It was when he got into Lagos I asked if he would be open to working on P-SQUARE’s next album project, that the 5 songs I had penned down from my end to be presented to our A&R team for the album project were: JAIYE, WINNING, FIND SOMEBODY, LEGENDARY, and ATTENTION, based on tracks he had produced.

“We started with my own 5 songs that needed to be submitted for PSQUARE’s album, which he produced for me: The idea for WINNING came from one of his beats that I discovered. I came up with the idea of changing the chord progression from the original version to what it is today with my own producer Goldswarm who is the co-producer of the song WINNING.

“I had also engaged a songwriter known as CALYPSO who wrote and composed the song WINNING and sent it to me on the beats through a voice note. And we started working on the song. Mind you, he worked on some other songs that were to make the album as well, so my brother was aware of his input to the production as we were all in the studio during this period.

“Then when my twin brother heard the song WINNING, which we had already created the hook/chorus for, he then wanted to start creating a verse. Our agreed-on process for each song presented by us was: arrange the song, leave a verse for the other person, then we both harmonise the chorus and refrain bits together. He wasn’t supposed to until Calypso and I finished it as part of my own song submission to the LEGENDARY ALBUM.

“After that, we finished and shared verses among ourselves. I do not wish to get into details of why the album didn’t see the light of day till date but it takes a different level of psychosis for one to steal what is theirs already; as since the release of this song, I have been labeled and called all sorts online and they have even gone as far as asking for the song to be taken down on various platforms, to what end?

“It was never part of his 5, now 6 (according to him) songs for submission, yet when he felt I was not interested in making music because I chose my sanity over the constant berating and drama that seemed to come up over creative direction in the group.

“If it were his song, why do I have all the music data including initial conversations and picture/video evidence on the above-mentioned titles/songs? Which of his songs do I have its data in my possession in that case? All because he was hoping for me to quit music. Even when I learnt that he had removed my vocals on songs we did together, suggesting that he sing the entire songs including the ones that he planned to present for the album without my input (a very absurd idea as we both make up the duo not just the one), but we both perform them on stage, I begun to have a rethink of the entire situation. Let me leave this here.

“Maybe because I was not posting anything music-related on my social media page for over 4 months. He believes I have lost interest in music. I took a breather to get my mind and head in the right space and when that was done, my epiphany was WINNING!”.

producer and executive, Don Jazzy, has urged men to prioritise the paternity of their children, stating that it is more important than a naming ceremony.

On his Instagram story, Don Jazzy emphasised: “DNA test is more important than naming ceremony.”

His statement comes amid ongoing debates about the necessity of DNA tests, fuelled by recent high-profile cases of paternity fraud.

Don Jazzy known in real life as Michael Collins Ajereh is the founder of Mavin Records – through which he has signed artistes including D’Prince, Rema, and Ayra Starr.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially launched its 2024 manifesto, unveiling the party’s plans for the Creative Arts sector.

The manifesto was launched in Winneba on August 24, 2024, and outlines the promises made by the NDC’s Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama.

In the manifesto, the next Mahama government intends to implement the following initiatives:

1. Our Integrated Cultural and Economic Empowerment: will harness Culture for Economic Growth and for Building a Thriving Creative Industry.

– Our Creative Arts Fund will provide sustainable financial support for start-ups as well as ailing large, medium and small creative enterprises with business support as a lifeline for start-ups and struggling creative enterprises – ensuring that recipients can manage their resources sustainably and grow their ventures.

– We will support young digital content creators to develop contents that promote Ghanaian culture;

– Significant Investments in Capacity building and Digital Platforms to further empower artists, with the skills to create commercially viable content, and thrive in a digital world.

This policy also introduces Cultural Villages – vibrant centres for showcasing Ghana’s rich heritage, while doubling as hubs for local content creation. These villages will be pivotal in producing and promoting Ghanaian content; including films, music, fashion and crafts, accessible to both local and global audiences.

2. Our Tourism Infrastructure and Experience Enhancement Policy seeks to enhance Tourism and harness culture to create holistic tourism experiences.

Tourism as a driving force in Ghana’s economy, must renew its focus on enhancing infrastructure and visitor experiences. This policy will see the refurbishment and modernisation of Ghana’s iconic cultural heritage sites and the development of potential sites, coupled with the construction of new Centres of National Culture and the refurbishment of existing ones, into spaces that will not only attract international tourists but also foster domestic tourism through immersive, community-based cultural programming.

Diverse tourism offerings, from culinary to health and wellness tourism, will be developed – showcasing the multifaceted appeal of Ghana, and creating sector job and commerce opportunities within local communities.

To complement these physical experiences, the NDC Administration will introduce digital tourism platforms, offering real-time online databases and virtual reality tours that offer interactive experiences of Ghana’s most treasured sites. This digitalisation effort will broaden the reach of Ghana’s tourism offerings and sustainably put Ghana on the global map as a top-tier tourist destination.

3. Inclusive Cultural Participation and Protection 

At the core of this policy, is ensuring that Ghana’s cultural and tourism sectors are accessible to all and devoid of financial uncertainty. Legal and financial protections, including a pension scheme for creatives, will secure the careers of those contributing to the cultural economy. This initiative will create a safety net for artists, allowing them to focus on excelling at their craft.

– We would review and strictly enforce broadcasting, digital media and local content provisions to stimulate local artistic productions;

– facilitate, enforce and enhance the collection and management system for copyrights and royalties in Ghana; and

– Partner with the private sector to build an ultra-modern recreation village with auditoriums for films, musical concerts and other special events.

– Additionally, our government will prioritize the refurbishment and development of tourist facilities that accommodate access and comfort requirements of People Living with Disabilities (PWDs), and training opportunities for such persons to discover and sustain jobs in the sector.

– The policy also extends to the Ghanaian and African Diaspora, with a legal and ethical framework to help those wishing to relocate to Ghana integrate smoothly into our cultural economy.

– Collaborations with diplomatic missions will be engaged specifically to promote Ghana’s cultural and tourism offerings abroad, enhancing the global presence of Ghanaian culture.

The NDC also seeks to create and promote ‘The Black Star Experience’ as Ghana’s flagship Culture, Arts and Tourism brand to make Ghana a preferred tourism destination. The Black Star Experience will undertake a year-round celebration in all the major entertainment, artistic and educational disciplines.

This will include the celebration of the following:

1. The Pan African Month, Celebrating Heritage, History and Diaspora Engagement.

2. The Ghana Film Festival and Awards Month.

3. Ghana World.

4. Culinary Month.

5. Architecture, Design, Arts and Crafts.

6. Fashion and Textiles Month.

7. Literacy/Literary Month

 Ama Ata-Aidoo, Ephraim Amu, and Kofi Awoonor flourishing our February: Literacy/Literary Month,

 March: Heritage/History/Diaspora Month – telling the true history of the people of Ghana, perhaps Kwame Nkrumah will have his day of truth after all! In March &

 Please remember the following events and themes for each month:

April: The Black Star/Pan African Month, where we will be joined by the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey.

August: Niyenii (Food) and (Drinks) Month, celebrating the diversity of Ghanaian culinary arts, including Akple, Fetridetsi, Tuo Zaafi, Tumbaani, Adunle, Kom k3 Kena, and Sobolo.

September: We will celebrate Ghanaian architecture art forms and highlight new challenges.

October: Ghanaian Film Festival and Awards.

November: Focus on fashion, textiles, garments, accessories, and precious minerals.

December: Ghana Festival Month, featuring highlife, hiplife, dancehall, choral, traditional, and dance, as well as awards.