Legendary Afro-Juju icon Sir Shina Peters has opened up about the extreme measures taken to rebuild his public image following his dramatic exit from Prince Adekunle’s band.
Speaking in a recent interview on The Honest Bunch podcast, the music veteran recounted how he became the target of public outrage after his departure, with many accusing him of abandoning Prince Adekunle, who he considered a father figure, simply for financial gain.
According to him, the backlash was so intense that his record label boss, Tunde Savage — then a top executive with Daily Times — teamed up with senior editors from Concord Newspapers and Evening Times to craft an elaborate publicity strategy aimed at earning public sympathy.
Peters explained that the plan required him to temporarily look like a mentally unstable person in public.
“The label owner told me to braid my hair and leave it uncombed for days. He asked me to tear my old clothes and wear them,” he said.
The musician recalled being taken to Oyingbo Market, where he was secretly filmed buying vegetables while dressed in the disheveled outfit. He said he had no idea the footage would later be used to sway public perception.
The theatrics continued in Badagry, where construction work was ongoing at the time. Peters said he was instructed to behave like a “madman” in front of passersby as part of the stunt.
“All those gimmicks were to change the narrative and make fans see me differently,” he explained, describing the experience as both humiliating and necessary to protect his rising career.
The revelation has sparked surprise among fans, shedding light on the lengths entertainers sometimes go to maintain public favour and reshape their identity in the competitive music industry.
