960 Music Group's bid to void 2024 sale of Grammy winner's early masters hits procedural roadblock as defendant Piriye Isokrari fails to appear for second time
The high-stakes legal battle over Burna Boy's early musical catalogue hit another procedural snag this week when the chief defendant failed to appear in court for the second time, prompting a frustrated judge to adjourn proceedings until April.
A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has now fixed April 20, 2026, for the next hearing in a lawsuit alleging fraudulent conversion and breach of fiduciary duty against Aristokrat Records and its founder, Piriye Isokrari—delaying resolution of a dispute that could determine ownership of the Grammy winner's foundational recordings .
THE DISPUTE
At the heart of the legal confrontation is a multimillion-dollar transaction dating to May or June 2024, when Aristokrat Music—the label that launched Burna Boy's career in 2011—allegedly sold the artist's historical intellectual property and master recordings to Spaceship Music, the imprint owned by Burna Boy and his mother-manager, Bose Ogulu .
But 960 Music Group, which holds a 40 per cent equity stake in Aristokrat Music, claims the deal was executed without its knowledge, consent, or board approval—a violation, it argues, of basic corporate governance principles .
"You cannot sell 100 per cent of an asset when you only have the authority to manage the company, not bypass the owners of 40 per cent of its soul," an unnamed executive at 960 Music told reporters following the filing . "This was a coordinated effort to move the IP under the radar, and we are asking the court to bring those assets back" .
CRIMINAL DIMENSION
Beyond the civil suit, the matter has escalated into a criminal case. The Force Criminal Investigation Department has filed charges against Isokrari following an investigation into allegations of financial misconduct .
The FCID accuses Isokrari of fraudulent conversion, alleging he diverted proceeds from the multi-million-dollar sale away from the company's official accounts, thereby defrauding 960 Music Group of its rightful share. He is also accused of breaching his fiduciary duties by striking a "private deal" with Spaceship Music that allegedly undermined shareholder interests .
COURTROOM DRAMA
The case was first called in December 2025 and adjourned to February 10, 2026—dates on which neither the defendant nor his legal representatives appeared .
On Wednesday, the pattern repeated. Isokrari again failed to show, and the court was left with no option but to push proceedings further down the calendar .
Sources close to the matter described the repeated delays as a source of mounting frustration for the plaintiffs, who have been seeking resolution since filing their initial action .
WHAT'S AT STAKE
For Burna Boy, whose 2021 Grammy win for Best Global Music Album cemented his status as one of Africa's biggest musical exports, the dispute places his early catalogue in legal limbo .
The 2024 transaction was widely interpreted as the artist's move to secure full control over his early masters—a goal pursued by many global superstars seeking to own their creative legacy. Breakout hits including "Like to Party" and "Tonight" are among the recordings caught in the crossfire .
But if the Port Harcourt or Lagos courts ultimately rule in favour of 960 Music Group, Spaceship Music could be compelled to relinquish rights to those recordings, returning them to the original stakeholders pending further resolution .
INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS
The case, now closely watched across Nigeria's entertainment industry, could set important precedents for intellectual property rights, label-artist relations, and corporate transparency in the country's booming music sector .
Legal observers note that the outcome may affect how catalogue acquisitions are structured in future, particularly where minority shareholders hold significant stakes in catalogues belonging to artists who have since moved to other labels .
Neither Burna Boy's management nor Aristokrat Music has publicly commented on the case as of press time .
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