Nigerian singer Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, has responded to criticism from a social media user who suggested he should retire from music due to his age.
The controversy began after an X user, OloriOfOloris, commented on a clip from the singer’s music video, arguing that, at 44, he was “almost 50” and should consider stepping away from Afrobeats.
“I don’t get why an almost 50-year-old man is still singing like this. It’s okay to retire,” the user wrote.
The remark sparked reactions online, including from media personality Do2dtun, who dismissed the argument as ageist. He noted that several internationally acclaimed artists, including Beyoncé, Shakira, Celine Dion, and members of the Backstreet Boys, are older than Mr P and remain active in music.
“Peter is 44 but you dimwits are so ageist that you don’t even know what you bring down in the name of clicks,” Do2dtun wrote.
Reacting to the debate via his social media page, Mr P suggested that critics calling for his retirement were influenced by longstanding fan tensions linked to the defunct P-Square group.
He also described the argument as inconsistent, pointing out that global stars such as Usher, Beyoncé, and Chris Brown continue to thrive in music despite their age.
“After dem realize say all those narratives no hold water, dem come with another one: ‘Now he is too old to be singing and dancing,’” he wrote. “Meanwhile, na the same people go celebrate and hype Usher, Beyoncé, and Chris Brown for doing the same thing.”
(The Whistler)
