Speed Darlington asks Burna Boy to drop charges

Nigerian singer Darlington Okoye, also known as Speed Darlington, has reached out to Grammy-winning artist Damini Ogulu, known as Burna Boy. He is asking Burna Boy to drop the charges against him. Speed Darlington says he will stop making comments about Burna Boy's sexuality if the charges are withdrawn.

Speed Darlington shared this request in a video on his Instagram page on Thursday. He expressed regret for any pain and embarrassment he may have caused Burna Boy.

"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," he stated.

He admitted he was wrong to think everyone reacts the same way. He wants their disagreement to end.

"I made the mistake of thinking that everybody vibrates at the same frequency. That’s wrong of me. I apologise, Burna Boy," he added.

Speed Darlington also promised to stop making both direct and indirect comments about Burna Boy's sexuality. He made this promise conditional on Burna Boy dropping the charges.

"I give you my word that if you withdraw all charges and let everything die, I give you my word that I will never make any direct comment regarding your sexuality.

"Even indirect comment. I will no longer try sustain. I give you my word. Let peace reign," he said.

He went further to say he would not mention Burna Boy's name again if the legal issues were resolved.

"I promise I will never use my mouth to mention your name," he added.

This appeal comes after a feud between the two musicians. It escalated in October 2024 when Speed Darlington posted videos questioning Burna Boy's Grammy Award win for his album, Twice as Tall. He also made comments about Burna Boy's connection with American music executive Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

Following this, Burna Boy went to the police over claims of defamation and cyberstalking. This led to Speed Darlington's arrest in Lagos on October 4, 2024.

He was later moved to Abuja, where he was held before being released on October 9, 2024.

Stan Alieke, Speed Darlington's lawyer, had earlier issued a statement apologising to Burna Boy. He explained that the videos were meant for entertainment and were not aimed at harming Burna Boy's reputation.

Alieke also mentioned that Speed Darlington had privately contacted Burna Boy and his team to offer an apology and clarify his earlier comments.

However, Speed Darlington later said he did not agree with this apology. He claimed his lawyer suggested it so he could get his seized phone back.

The disagreement came up again in November 2024 when Speed Darlington was arrested while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo State.

His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, criticized this arrest. He called it unnecessary and accused Burna Boy of using the police against his client.

Speed Darlington was held for several weeks. His legal team raised concerns about why he was still in custody. He was eventually arraigned and granted bail in January 2025.

Even after his release, the dispute did not stop. Speed Darlington released diss tracks and made more public comments about Burna Boy.

His recent video seems to be another attempt to settle the issues. But he made it clear that he will only stop commenting if Burna Boy withdraws the charges.