“Fame Took Away My Simple Joys”: Mr P Opens Up About the Hidden Struggles Behind Stardom

For many, fame is the ultimate dream: the flashing cameras, the adoring fans, the global spotlight. But for Nigerian music icon Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P of the P-Square duo, it’s a dream that comes with a heavy price.

In a candid interview on Naija FM, the award-winning artist opened up about the unexpected loneliness and loss of freedom that often accompany celebrity life, especially after spending nearly three decades in the entertainment industry.

“Back then, we prayed so hard for this fame,” he reflected. “But now, I find myself doing everything I can to avoid being recognised.”

Mr P explained that he now goes to great lengths to disguise himself in public, often wearing face masks, face caps, and sunglasses to navigate everyday life unnoticed. It’s not about arrogance, he clarified, it’s about craving a sliver of normalcy.

“There are parts of our lives as celebrities that we don’t enjoy,” he confessed. “Sometimes I just want to stop by the roadside and buy hot akara, but I can’t. If I send someone to get it for me, by the time they return, it’s no longer hot. I miss that.”

With a touch of nostalgia, Mr P reminisced about the joys of eating roadside snacks like akara and bread, calling them “the best burger ever.” But those once-simple pleasures are now distant luxuries, sacrificed at the altar of fame.

His story underscores a truth many overlook: fame, while glamorous on the surface, can be isolating and emotionally taxing. Beneath the awards, the tours, and the spotlight lies a yearning for the ordinary — for freedom, for anonymity, for a life without filters.

In Mr P’s words, it’s time to start living his life — not just as a superstar, but as a man who still cherishes the warmth of roadside akara and the quiet peace of going unnoticed.