By Patience Tarhemba
Nigerian rapper Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has appealed to Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy to forgive him and withdraw the charges against him in a bid to end their prolonged feud.
The controversial entertainer expressed remorse over some of his previous comments about the Afrobeats star, admitting that his remarks may have caused the singer embarrassment and emotional distress.
In a direct appeal to Burna Boy, Speed Darlington acknowledged that he had misjudged the singer, apparently assuming that he would react to provocative comments in the same way as other people.
He pleaded with Burna Boy to discontinue the legal proceedings, promising that he would no longer make direct or indirect comments about the singer’s sexuality if the charges were withdrawn.
The rapper also pledged to stop mentioning Burna Boy’s name entirely, saying he was willing to put their differences behind them.
However, Speed Darlington appeared to make his commitment conditional on Burna Boy’s willingness to withdraw the outstanding charges, suggesting that his proposed reconciliation depended on an end to the legal dispute.
The feud between the two musicians dates back to October 2024, when Speed Darlington released videos questioning Burna Boy’s Grammy recognition for his album, Twice as Tall, and made controversial remarks about his alleged association with American music executive Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
Following the comments, Burna Boy reportedly petitioned the police over allegations of defamation and cyberstalking, leading to Speed Darlington’s arrest in Lagos on October 4, 2024.
He was subsequently transferred to Abuja and released on October 9, 2024.
The controversy resurfaced in November 2024 when the rapper was arrested again while performing at an event in Owerri, Imo State.
An earlier attempt to resolve the disagreement was made in October 2024 when Speed Darlington’s lawyer, Stan Alieke, issued an apology on his client’s behalf.
The rapper later spent several weeks in detention before being arraigned and granted bail in January 2025.
Despite his release, the dispute persisted, with both sides remaining at the centre of public exchanges, provocative comments and ‘diss’ tracks directed at Burna Boy.
His latest appeal represents another attempt to bring the prolonged disagreement to an end. However, it remains uncertain whether Burna Boy will accept the apology and agree to withdraw the charges.
The development has generated renewed interest among music fans, given the history of hostility between the two entertainers and previous unsuccessful efforts to broker a lasting reconciliation.
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