Speed Darlington Offers Burna Boy an Apology With a Condition: Drop the Charges

Speed Darlington has made a public apology to Burna Boy, but his offer comes with a clear condition: he says he will stop commenting on the singer’s sexuality if the legal case against him is dropped. In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, the Nigerian rapper, whose real name is Darlington Okoye, addressed Burna Boy directly. He said he was sorry for the pain and embarrassment he had caused, adding that he had wrongly assumed everyone shared the same outlook. The apology was paired with a promise. According to the video, Speed Darlington said he would make no direct or indirect comments about Burna Boy’s sexuality and would stop mentioning the singer if Burna Boy withdrew the charges and allowed the dispute to end. He closed by calling for peace. The conflict intensified in October 2024 after Speed Darlington posted videos questioning Burna Boy’s Grammy win for “Twice as Tall” and making insinuations about his association with music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs. Burna Boy, whose birth name is Damini Ogulu, filed a police petition accusing him of defamation and cyberstalking. Speed Darlington was arrested in Lagos on October 4, 2024, and transferred to Abuja. He was released on October 9. His lawyer at the time, Stan Alieke, issued an apology on his behalf, saying the videos were intended as entertainment. Speed Darlington later distanced himself from that statement, claiming it had been made on legal advice while he sought the return of his phone. He was arrested again in November 2024 while performing in Owerri. His lawyer then, Deji Adeyanju, criticised the arrest and accused Burna Boy of using the police against his client. After weeks in detention, Speed Darlington was arraigned and granted bail in January 2025. He subsequently released diss tracks and continued making public comments about Burna Boy. The latest video therefore marks a change in tone, though the offer remains conditional. Speed Darlington has asked Burna Boy to end the legal action; the article reports that the case is still ongoing, and no response from Burna Boy’s side to this latest appeal is described.