PMAN Crisis: I Regret Supporting Pretty Okafor, Says Aguike

Emma Ike Agu, the United States-based Nigerian musician better known as AGUIKE, has apologized to his colleagues in the music industry for throwing his weight behind Pretty Okafor, President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN.

Aguike, also known as Allah Bama and a well-known supporter of Pretty Okafor, said he was wrong and lacked sufficient information about the ongoing issues within the union prior to backing Okafor’s leadership.

In a statement over the weekend, Aguike revealed that he was misled about Okafor, whom he initially believed to be a beneficial figure for PMAN.

The statement comes months after 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 as the musicians’ union leader.

Their decision was based on alleged multiple violations of the union’s constitution, financial misappropriation, and other offenses.

These NWC members also were later 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 troubling activities related to his presidency.

His statement in parts: “I would like to apologize to all my colleagues for supporting Pretty Okafor for two months. When I was added to PMAN’s Elder Forum, PMAN’s Peace Forum, and PMAN’s Stakeholders group, I was not adequately informed about the various issues at hand. The individual who added me did not provide any debriefing.

“Upon starting to read various posts, I assumed there was a concerted effort to undermine Pretty Okafor. I left these groups several times because those who had added me never took the time to explain the situation. The discussions in the forums mainly revolved around accusations of disrespect towards PMAN’s founders by Pretty Okafor and allegations that he refused to engage in meetings. I learned that he had walked out of a meeting with some respected members of PMAN. I thought I could facilitate a meeting between him and the concerned members. Little did I realize the situation was far more complicated than I had been led to believe.

“To get a clearer picture of what was happening, I spoke with Brown Bread, who detailed several achievements he attributed to Pretty Okafor. I learned about how he secured a secretariat for PMAN, which made me genuinely happy. I was also shown a pamphlet featuring radio equipment. Encouraged by this information, I began to defend Pretty Okafor against his critics, insisting that they recognize his accomplishments.

“The first and last time I encountered Pretty Okafor was during an interview conducted by the late Livi Ajonumo at RayPower, where Pretty and the late Junior served as his hype men. After seeing numerous posts criticizing him, I felt it was important for him to be included on these platforms to defend himself. However, I was informed that he had declined to participate. After obtaining his number, I called him, and we immediately began discussing PMAN. We reminisced about our last meeting, and I praised him for his efforts in helping PMAN secure a secretariat. I commended his dedication, I was unaware of Sunny Neji and the entire members of the NWC. In fact, I had lost interest in PMAN over the past 20 years. I even advised him to take advantage of any opportunities that came his way, as I believed he was the Messiah PMAN had been waiting for.

“Pretty Okafor spoke passionately about his vision for the organization, and I felt uplifted. However, as I fervently defended him in various discussions, I began receiving feedback from others. Some accused me of being overly enthusiastic and disconnected from the reality of the situation. I insisted that he be added to the group, feeling frustrated that he was consistently being criticized.

“Tee Mac expressed indignation, saying he would leave the group if Pretty Okafor was added. I privately contacted one guy named Bishop to let him know I couldn’t remain in a group where Pretty Okafor was frequently attacked. I also advised Atta-Boy, a friend since the 90s, to stop sending me messages related to PMAN. At one point, I nearly blocked Dr. Zimakoy because of the hostility aimed at Pretty Okafor. Prominent Nigerian musicians warned me that associating with him could damage my reputation, but I chose to ignore their advice.

“As I defended Pretty Okafor on a daily basis, I was unaware that he was facing issues with Sunny Neji, Zaaki Azzay, and others. I mistakenly thought that the discussions primarily revolved around the question of who originally leased one acre out of the three acres granted to Nigerian musicians. Due to time constraints that prevented me from visiting these platforms regularly, I believed I was doing the right thing by supporting a man who had accomplished what previous PMAN Presidents couldn’t.”