Burna Boy’s catalogue sale trial stalls over Aristokrat CEO’s absence in court

A federal high court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has adjourned proceedings until April 20, 2026, in a lawsuit alleging fraudulent conversion and breach of fiduciary duty against Aristokrat Records and its founder Piriye Isokrari.

The legal battle stemmed from a dispute over the sale of Burna Boy’s early catalogue.

960 Music Group, a minority shareholder, initiated a legal action to overturn the multimillion-dollar sale of the singer’s catalogue from his former label Aristokrat Music to his current company Spaceship Music.

According to court filings, Aristokrat Music sold the intellectual property and master recordings from Burna Boy’s foundational years to Spaceship Music — owned by the artiste and his mother-manager Bose Ogulu — in a transaction dated May/June 2024.

960 Music Group, which holds a 40% equity stake in Aristokrat Music, claimed it was completely sidelined.

Following the sale, 960 Music Group filed a suit seeking to nullify the transaction. The dispute has since escalated, leading to criminal charges against Isokrari.

The Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) accused him of diverting proceeds from the multi-million dollar sale away from the company’s official accounts, thereby defrauding 960 Music Group of its share.

On Wednesday, the case was again stalled after Isokrari failed to appear in court. Sources close to the matter said the repeated delays have become a source of frustration.

The matter was first called in December 2025 and adjourned to February 10, 2026 — dates on which neither the defendant nor his legal representatives appeared.

The court has now fixed April 20 for the next hearing.