By Adedapo Adesanya

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Tuesday arraign Mr Jude Okoye on a fresh charge of $1 million and £34,537.59 theft before the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.

The accused is the elder brother and former manager of Paul and Peter Okoye of the defunct music group, P-Square.

Justice Rahman Oshodi will hear the four counts charge filed before the court on January 27 by the EFCC Prosecutor, Mr Aso Larry Peters.

Mr Okoye’s arraignment before the court was initially slated for Monday (today) but could not go on because the defendant was absent in court as the Ikoyi Correctional Centre where he was remanded said it had not received any information for his arraignment.

In the charge, the EFCC accused Mr Okoye of dishonestly converting to his use the sum of $767,544.15, which was paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties with intent to permanently deprive Mr Peter Okoye his special interest in the asset.

He was also accused to have sometimes between 2016 and 2023, dishonestly converted the sum of £34,537.59, paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/ publishing royalties with intent to permanently deprive, Mr Peter Okoye his special interest in the asset.

The commission also alleged that Jude Okoye dishonestly converted the sum of $133,566.49, a sum paid by Kobalt Music digital distribution/publishing royalties with intent to permanently deprive his brother, Mr Peter Okoye, his special interest in the asset.

The anti-graft agency also said the defendant dishonestly converted the sum of $118,652.23, paid by Mtech Limited as payment for music digital distribution publishing royalties, with intent to permanently deprive his brother of his special interest.

According to the EFCC, the offences committed between 2016 and 2023, contravene sections 278 and 285 of the criminal laws of Lagos State 2011.

Meanwhile, another court, the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on Monday granted a N100 million bail to the defendant, Mr Jude Okoye.

Justice Alexander Owoeye granted him bail with two sureties in the like sum.

The judge held that “one of the sureties must be the owner of a landed property, while the other surety must be a business owner with verifiable address.

“Both sureties shall show an affidavit of means”.

Justice Owoeye also ordered that the property title as well as the Bank Verification Number (BVN) shall be deposited before the court.

“The defendant shall not travel out of the country, pending the hearing and determination of the charges. The defendant shall continue to be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions,” the judge held.

The case was adjourned till April 14, for the commencement of trial.

One of his brothers, Paul (second part of the former PSquare), who now goes by the stage name, Rude boy, was present in court to give support to the defendant.

Mr Okoye was arraigned on February 26, 2025, before the court, by the EFCC for an alleged crime of money laundering involving N1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59.

He was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Limited, on seven counts preferred against him by EFCC.

The Commission told the court that the defendant alongside his Northside Music Limited sometime in 2022, in Lagos, directly acquired a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth N850,000,000.(Eight hundred and fifty million naira) with money he knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful activities.

The anti-graft agency also alleged that Okoye and his company, in 2022, used a Bureau De Change to convert $1,019,762.87, held in an Access Bank account operated by Northside Music Ltd, into naira and transferred the funds into various bank accounts to conceal the illicit origin of the money.

According to EFCC, the offences committed contravene Sections 18 (2)(a) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act and are punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.

Mr Jude Okoye pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, have commended the organizers of the ongoing Design and Innovation Exhibition at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Lagos, noting its role in providing young entrepreneurs with a global platform to showcase their talents.

The exhibition is organized by Design Week Lagos, in partnership with Ecobank Nigeria and the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.

During his visit to the exhibition on Saturday, Prof. Osinbajo expressed his admiration for the innovative products and designs on display. He stressed that, with the right support, these young innovators possess the potential to take the nation to new heights.

He also acknowledged Ecobank for its significant role in advancing Nigeria’s design and creative industries and urged for more public-private collaborations to foster further growth in the sector.

“It’s truly inspiring to see these remarkable products and designs created by young entrepreneurs. You can see the vision, potential, ideas, and passion they’ve poured into these projects. This exhibition bridges talent with commerce, and it’s essential that we encourage them. I commend Ecobank and the organizers for supporting these youths and this industry,” he remarked.

Similarly, Mr Gbajabiamila expressed his gratitude to Ecobank for its support of the initiative.

The former Vice President and the Chief of Staff, along with their wives, were given a guided tour of the exhibition by Titi Ogufere, Founder of Design Week Lagos; Bolaji Lawal, Managing Director/Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria; and other exhibition organizers and partners.

The 2025 edition of the exhibition showcases Nigeria’s top talents in furniture, product, and industrial design. Under the theme Building a Made-in-Nigeria Brand, the exhibition celebrates Nigerian designers’ creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship, while also focusing on industrialization and the export potential of locally made products.

The exhibition features the Manufacturer and Designer’s Pavilion, highlighting collaborations between manufacturers and designers, as well as the Designer’s Pavilion, where 50 individual designers present fresh concepts across various disciplines, including furniture, toys, automotive, and industrial design, reflecting Nigeria’s diverse creative landscape.

The exhibition, which began on Tuesday, February 25, will run until Sunday, March 2.

By Dipo Olowookere

For as low as N1,000, new and existing subscribers can access Showmax General Entertainment (GE) Mobile for N1,000 from February 28 to March 31, 2025, instead of N1,600.

The popular streaming platform has made this possible in its Shikini Season deal to offer customers the chance to enjoy the stories they love on Showmax mobile or multiple screens at the most budget-friendly price yet.

This limited-time-only campaign is also to make premium entertainment more accessible and affordable for Nigerians.

A statement made available to Business Post said the Showmax All Devices will be available during the period for N2,000 instead of N3,500.

Showmax said it created this promo to mark its one-year anniversary relaunch in partnership with Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky, which introduced a complete rebrand, an upgrade to Comcast’s Peacock platform, and a stronger content slate.

Notably, Showmax recorded a 50 per cent year-on-year increase in paying subscribers as of September 2024, reflecting MultiChoice’s continued investment in establishing it as Africa’s leading streaming platform.

This March, subscribers can enjoy an extensive catalogue of entertainment featuring Showmax Nigerian Originals including epic Yoruba series Between Worlds (premieres 6 March) and Kabiyesi, new episodes of Under the Influence and fan-favourite dramas Cheta M S2 and Wura S3. The local content slate also includes the record-breaking Season 3 of The Real Housewives of Lagos and other fresh Africa Magic series.

For lovers of top-tier international content, Showmax will be streaming Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire and Venom: The Last Dance and Despicable Me 4 (three of the 10 biggest blockbusters of 2024); It Ends With Us (Google’s sixth most searched movie of 2024) as well as Emmy nominees Gangs of London and The Righteous Gemstones. Also available on Showmax is Season 3 of the Emmy-winning series The White Lotus, plus Suits LA S1, Power Book II: Ghost, Love Island and Yellowjackets.

“We know that affordability is a key concern for many Nigerians, and we want to ensure that access to first-class streaming entertainment remains within reach,” the Executive Head of Marketing for West Africa at MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr Tope Oshunkeye, said.

“Showmax Shikini Season is our way of ensuring more Nigerians can enjoy never-before-seen content without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a new or returning subscriber, this is the perfect opportunity to dive into our diverse content library at an unbeatable price,” he added.