Nigerian singer Speed Darlington has publicly apologised to Burna Boy, asking the Grammy-winning star to withdraw the charges against him and allow their long-running dispute to come to an end.
The controversial entertainer, whose real name is Darlington Okoye, made the appeal in an Instagram video posted on Thursday, expressing regret over the pain and embarrassment he may have caused Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu.
Speed Darlington, popularly known as Akpi, also offered to stop making direct or indirect comments about Burna Boy’s sexuality and promised not to mention the singer’s name again if the legal dispute is resolved.
“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 said.
He acknowledged that he had made a mistake by assuming Burna Boy would respond to their disagreement in the same way he might expect from others.
“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 Makes Promise Over Burna Boy Comments
In his appeal, Speed Darlington specifically addressed his previous remarks about Burna Boy’s sexuality, which became a major part of their public feud.
He promised to avoid both direct and indirect comments on the subject, but made the commitment conditional on Burna Boy withdrawing the charges against him.
“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,” he said.
He concluded his message by asking for peace and promising never to mention Burna Boy’s name again.
“I give you my word. Let peace reign. I promise I will never use my mouth to mention your name.”
How the Dispute Between Burna Boy and Speed Darlington Started
The disagreement between the two entertainers escalated in October 2024 after Speed Darlington questioned Burna Boy’s Grammy Award win for his 2022 album Twice as Tall.
During his online remarks, Speed Darlington also made insinuations linking Burna Boy’s Grammy recognition to an alleged relationship with American music executive Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Those remarks were allegations made by Speed Darlington, not established facts.
Burna Boy subsequently petitioned the police over alleged defamation and cyberstalking.
The petition led to Speed Darlington’s arrest in Lagos on October 4, 2024. He was later transferred to Abuja, where he was detained before being released on October 9, 2024.
His latest apology appears to be an attempt to end the disagreement and resolve the legal dispute.
However, it remains unclear whether Burna Boy will accept the apology or agree to withdraw the charges. No response from the Grammy-winning singer was included in the supplied report.
For now, Speed Darlington has publicly made his offer: an end to the comments, an end to the name-calling and a chance for both entertainers to move on.