…Calls for unity among warring factions to save the union

By Benjamin Njoku

US-based Nigerian musician Aguike, also known as Allah Bama, a prominent supporter of the president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, Pretty Okafor, has made a surprising turnaround, apologizing to his colleagues in the music industry for endorsing Okafor for what he now believes were the wrong reasons.

Aguike admitted that he lacked sufficient information about the ongoing issues within the union prior to backing Okafor’s leadership.

In a detailed statement shared with the press, Aguike revealed that he was misled into supporting Okafor.

This statement comes months after members of PMAN’s National Working Committee (NWC), including notable figures like Sunny Neji, Zaaki Azzay, Michael Stephen Ruggedman, and JFO Baba Ojonorgua, announced Okafor’s suspension. The decision was based on multiple alleged violations of the union’s constitution, financial misappropriation, and other offenses. Subsequently, these NWC members were also suspended by the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) for misconduct and efforts to undermine the integrity of the organization.

Aguike emphasized that he was deceived into supporting Okafor, as he was unaware of several activities related to his leadership.

The statement read in part: “I want to apologize to all my colleagues for backing Pretty Okafor over the past two months. When I joined PMAN’s Elder Forum, Peace Forum, and Stakeholders group, I was not properly briefed about the various challenges at hand. The person who added me failed to provide any context.

“Initially, as I read different posts, I assumed there was a concerted effort to undermine Pretty Okafor. I left these groups multiple times because those who had added me did not take the time to explain the circumstances. Discussions often centered on accusations of disrespect towards PMAN’s founders by Okafor and claims that he refused to attend meetings. I learned that he had walked out of a meeting with respected members of PMAN, and I thought I could help facilitate communication between him and concerned members. However, I quickly realized the situation was much more complex than I had been led to believe.

“To better understand what was happening, I spoke with Brown Bread, who highlighted several achievements he attributed to Okafor. I learned that he had secured a secretariat for PMAN, which genuinely pleased me. I was also shown a pamphlet featuring radio equipment. Encouraged by this information, I began to defend Pretty Okafor against his critics, insisting they recognize his accomplishments.

“My first and last interaction with Okafor occurred during an interview by the late Livi Ajuonuma at Ray Power, where Okafor and the late Junior acted as his hype men. After seeing numerous critical posts about him, I felt he needed a platform to defend himself. However, I was informed he had declined to participate. After obtaining his number, I called him, and we soon began discussing PMAN. We reminisced about our last meeting, and I praised his efforts in helping PMAN secure a secretariat. I commended his dedication, unaware of Sunny Neji and the other members of the NWC. In fact, I had lost interest in PMAN over the past 20 years. I even advised him to seize any opportunities that arose, as I believed he was the savior PMAN had been waiting for.

“Pretty Okafor spoke passionately about his vision for the organization, leaving me feeling uplifted. However, as I fervently defended him in various conversations, I began to receive feedback. Some accused me of being overly enthusiastic and disconnected from reality. I insisted he should be included in discussions, feeling frustrated by the constant criticism he faced.

“As I continued to defend Okafor, I remained unaware of the tensions between him and Sunny Neji, Zaaki Azzay, and others. I mistakenly thought the discussions mainly revolved around who originally leased one acre of the three allocated to Nigerian musicians. Due to time constraints that limited my visits to these platforms, I believed I was doing the right thing by supporting a man who had achieved what previous PMAN presidents could not”.

Aguike’s statement then calls for solidarity among the factions within PMAN to restore the union’s integrity and purpose.