Nigerian singer Obumneme Ali, popularly known as Smash and one-half of the music duo Bracket, has described the long-standing feud between Peter and Paul of P-Square as “spiritual,” revealing insights from his personal experiences with the legendary duo.
P-Square, the Nigerian music duo of twins Peter and Paul Okoye, rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like Do Me and Personally.
Their success peaked in 2011 with the release of the album Invasion, earning them international acclaim.
However, tensions reportedly began surfacing around 2016 over management, royalties, and creative control, culminating in their public split in 2017 when both brothers pursued solo careers as Mr P and Rudeboy.
Despite attempts at reconciliation in 2021, including a brief reunion tour and joint appearances, underlying disagreements persisted, keeping their relationship strained.
Speaking on a recent episode of the AFRIMMA Podcast on August 29th, alongside his bandmate Vast, Smash said Paul himself agreed that the conflict was beyond normal disagreements.
“I’m closer to Paul than Peter, but I always visit Peter’s house, and he listens whenever I speak to him. Honestly, if you ask me as someone inside the circle, I would say the problem is spiritual,” he said.
Smash recounted how he and Vast were given their first big break after encountering P-Square.
“We heard P-Square was coming to Enugu to perform. I booked a bus, went to the venue with two others, and approached them. Jude looked at me and said, ‘Just keep walking, if the right song comes, we’ll call you.’ And that’s exactly what happened,” he said.
He added that after the success of Yori Yori, Paul later invited them to his house, an experience Smash fondly described as ‘like Christmas,’ where the duo even offered him his first taste of whiskey
Reflecting on the current feud, Smash lamented the rift between the brothers, noting how painful it is to witness, given their closeness and passion for P-Square’s brand.
“Jude was part of P-Square, too. Paul and Peter loved that brand with so much passion. If you see Peter building stagecraft, you’d think this one is not human,” he said, recalling Peter’s dedication during video shoots, including dancing for hours straight at the set of “Alingo.”
Smash emphasised that despite the publicised conflict, he and Vast do not take sides. “We can never be on any side, but the last time I met Paul, I told him his problem with Peter isn’t normal, it’s spiritual. Paul agreed,” he said.
The singer’s reflections provide rare insight into the personal and professional dynamics of one of Nigeria’s most iconic music duos. Fans have followed closely as the once inseparable duo navigated personal and professional conflicts, making the P-Square saga one of Nigeria’s most talked-about music feuds.
