Peter Okoye has publicly addressed the criticism surrounding his controversial “Who Naija language help?” comment, while also responding to his twin brother, Paul Okoye, following his cryptic posts about being proudly Igbo.
The controversy began after Peter revealed that his children now speak French fluently. His post attracted criticism from many social media users, who questioned why his children appeared to be learning a foreign language instead of a Nigerian one. In response, Peter made the “Who Naija language help?” remark, which sparked even more backlash.
In a fresh statement, the singer apologised to those offended by his words, saying:
«“If my response to ‘Who Naija language help?’ upset some people, I apologize and take full responsibility for my words. That doesn’t mean I hate Nigerian languages or our culture.”»
Peter explained that his original post was simply about his children’s ability to speak French and his joke about possibly buying a house in Paris. He stressed that he never mentioned or attacked the Igbo language, contrary to how some people interpreted his comments.
He also took a swipe at his brother, Paul, accusing him of using the situation to score points against him.
«“But again, bro, you’re at it again, using this moment as another opportunity to pull me down. Just like I wrote in my open letter two years ago, doing everything possible to make people hate me will never work.”»
While admitting that his statement could have been expressed better, Peter insisted that his words had been deliberately twisted. He further accused Paul of repeatedly taking subtle jabs at him, recalling previous comments about his dancing and age.
Declaring that he would no longer remain silent, Peter ended his message with:
«“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.”
