Speed Darlington Apologises to Burna Boy, Seeks End to Legal Dispute

Nigerian singer Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has apologised to Grammy-winning musician Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, appealing to him to withdraw the charges against him and bring their long-running dispute to an end. In a video shared on his Instagram page on Thursday, Speed Darlington expressed regret over the pain and embarrassment his comments may have caused the singer, admitting that he was wrong to assume they shared the same temperament. He also promised to stop making direct or indirect remarks about Burna Boy's sexuality and refrain from mentioning his name if the legal dispute was resolved. Describing his appeal as an attempt to restore peace, he said his commitment to avoiding further comments was conditional on Burna Boy withdrawing all charges.

The disagreement between the entertainers escalated in October 2024 after Speed Darlington released videos questioning Burna Boy's Grammy Award win for his album Twice as Tall and making insinuations about his relationship with American music executive Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Burna Boy subsequently petitioned the police over alleged defamation and cyberstalking, leading to Speed Darlington's arrest in Lagos on October 4, 2024. He was later transferred to Abuja and released on October 9, before being arrested again in November 2024 while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo State. Following weeks in detention, he was arraigned and granted bail in January 2025. Although his lawyer, Stan Alieke, had earlier issued an apology on his behalf, Speed Darlington later distanced himself from the statement, claiming it was made on legal advice to secure the return of his seized phone. His latest video marks another attempt to resolve the dispute.

#UTVAfrica#