Nigerian singer and entertainer Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has appealed to Grammy-winning musician Damini Ogulu, known as Burna Boy, to withdraw the charges against him and end their prolonged dispute.
In an apology video posted on Instagram on Thursday, Speed Darlington said he regretted his past remarks about Burna Boy, saying they may have caused the singer pain and embarrassment. Addressing him directly, he acknowledged that he was wrong to assume everyone would respond to provocation in the same way.
“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 is wrong of me. I apologise, Burna Boy,” he said.
However, Speed Darlington tied his apology to a request that Burna Boy withdraw all charges. He also pledged to stop making direct or indirect comments about the singer’s sexuality if the dispute was dropped.
“I give you my word that if you withdraw all charges and let everything die, I will never make any direct comment regarding your sexuality. Even indirect comments. I will no longer try to sustain it. I give you my word. Let peace reign,” he said.
He added that he would not mention Burna Boy’s name again if they resolved the dispute.
The appeal marks a change in Speed Darlington’s stance in a disagreement that began in 2024. He had questioned Burna Boy’s Grammy win and made insinuations about the singer’s relationship with American music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Burna Boy won the Best Global Music Album award at the 2021 Grammy Awards for Twice as Tall, an album executive-produced by Diddy. Speed Darlington later challenged the circumstances surrounding the win and made provocative remarks about the two men. In one viral video, he held a bottle of baby oil while commenting on Diddy and Burna Boy. He later released a diss track titled “Baby Oil,” adding to the controversy.
The dispute moved beyond social media after Burna Boy petitioned the police over allegations of defamation and cyberstalking. Speed Darlington was arrested in Lagos on October 4, 2024, and transferred to Abuja, where he was detained until his release on October 9.
The controversy flared again in November 2024, when he was arrested while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo State. He remained in detention for several weeks and was released on January 21, 2025, after meeting his bail conditions.
His release did not end the feud. In January 2025, Speed Darlington said he was not afraid of returning to prison and vowed to continue releasing content related to the “Baby Oil” controversy.
His latest apology has prompted mixed reactions on social media. Some users have viewed it as a genuine effort to settle the dispute, while others have questioned his decision to make the apology conditional on Burna Boy withdrawing the charges.
As of the time of filing, Burna Boy had not publicly responded to the appeal or said whether he would withdraw the charges.
