The ongoing crisis within Nigeria’s leading musicians’ union, PMAN (Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria), took a dramatic turn on Friday, May 23, 2025, as veteran rapper Ruggedman and three others were arraigned in a Lagos court over the alleged theft of $130,000 from the union’s national secretariat.
Ruggedman, whose real name is Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, stood before Magistrate Court 1 in Yaba alongside Fruitful Mekwunye, Boniface Itodo, and Faga Bem-Paul. They face charges ranging from burglary and conspiracy to grand theft—accused of breaking into PMAN’s headquarters at 4B Hameed Kasumu Street, Chevy View Estate, Lekki, and making away with the cash haul and two Apple MacBooks.
The legal action follows a petition filed on May 12, 2025, by the union’s legal team representing PMAN National President Pretty Okafor, a key figure in the ongoing internal power struggle within the association.
Adding more intrigue, music veterans Sunny Neji and Zakky Azzay were also named in the charge sheet but are currently at large, intensifying the plot twists in what many have described as a union torn apart by politics, egos, and money.
The legal spotlight on Ruggedman comes months after a turbulent chapter in PMAN’s affairs. In August 2024, the rapper, along with Neji and Azzay, was suspended by PMAN’s National Executive Council, accused of misconduct and insubordination during a prolonged leadership tussle.
Amidst the courtroom drama, human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu voiced concerns over the defendants’ treatment in custody, alleging maltreatment and procedural flaws in their arrest and detention.
As the courtroom proceedings unfold, Nigeria’s entertainment industry watches closely, gripped by a scandal that mixes celebrity, controversy, and cash—all within the hallowed halls of a once-unified music association now battling for its soul.
