Nigerian singer Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has appealed to Grammy-winning artiste Burna Boy to withdraw the charges against him, offering to end their public feud and stop making comments about the singer’s sexuality.
Speed Darlington made the appeal in an apology video shared on his Instagram page on Thursday, where he expressed regret over the embarrassment and emotional distress his comments might have caused Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu.
In the video, the controversial singer admitted that he had been wrong to assume that everyone had the same temperament and said he wanted the disagreement between them to end.
He also promised to avoid making direct or indirect remarks about Burna Boy’s sexuality if the singer agreed to withdraw the charges.
“This video is for Burna Boy. Burna, this is an apology video. I apologise for any pain that I have caused you. Any shame that I have caused you.
“I made the mistake of thinking that everybody vibrates at the same frequency. That’s wrong of me. I apologise, Burna Boy.
“Even indirect comment. I will no longer try sustain. I give you my word. Let peace reign
“I promise I will never use my mouth to mention your name,” he said.
The latest development follows a prolonged disagreement between the two entertainers, which became public in October 2024 after Speed Darlington released videos questioning Burna Boy’s Grammy Award win for his album, Twice as Tall.
He also made insinuations about Burna Boy’s relationship with American music executive Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, prompting the Grammy winner to petition the police over allegations of defamation and cyberstalking.
Following the petition, Speed Darlington was arrested in Lagos on October 4, 2024, before being transferred to Abuja, where he was detained. He was subsequently released on October 9, 2024.
The dispute resurfaced in November 2024 when Speed Darlington was arrested again while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo State. His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, criticised the arrest, describing it as unnecessary and accusing Burna Boy of using the police to oppress his client.
Speed Darlington remained in detention for several weeks before being arraigned and granted bail in January 2025.
Despite his release, the disagreement continued, with the singer releasing diss material and making further public comments about Burna Boy.
