Mr P Responds to Retirement Calls, Says Music Has No Age Limit

Nigerian singer Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P and one-half of the defunct P-Square duo, has reacted to calls from some fans asking him to step away from Afrobeats because of his age.

The 44-year-old artiste, in a recent interview with The Beat FM Lagos, dismissed the idea that musicians should retire based on age, arguing that creativity and passion for music do not have an expiration date.

Mr P said the music industry does not operate like traditional careers where retirement is expected, using late pop icon Michael Jackson as an example of an artiste who remained active later in life.

“We should be careful of how people try to put others down. There’s no retirement in music. I don’t know why some people think there’s retirement in music,” he said.

“Michael Jackson was over 50 and was still planning a world tour before he died. It’s only in Nigeria that somebody would just wake up and start calling on musicians to retire. I have seen some people do the same thing to Wizkid,” he added.

The singer also suggested that some of the criticism comes from people who want to see him fail rather than genuine concern about his career.

The debate around age and relevance in Afrobeats has continued as veteran artistes navigate an industry that is increasingly dominated by younger voices. However, Mr P’s argument reflects a broader reality in global music — many successful artistes continue performing, recording, and evolving regardless of age.

For fans, the bigger question may not be when an artiste should retire, but whether they can still connect with audiences and deliver quality music. Mr P appears determined to prove that experience remains an advantage, not a limitation.