Former Styl-Plus member, Tunde Akinsanmi, has opened up about long-standing tensions with his ex-bandmates, Shifi Emoefe and Zeal Onyechemu, saying the rift has dragged on for years and even led to threats.
Tunde spoke during an interview with Daddy Freeze, where he read out a text message he claimed Zeal sent to him in 2021 after a legal notice was issued over the use of the Styl-Plus name.
According to him, the message read, “I am ready for you spiritually and physically… you are a bastard, bring it on.”
Tunde said the threatening message came as a shock because he had always believed the group could still fix their relationship. He explained that he had previously reached out to them many times, even after long periods of silence.
He said, “I will ask them to assist me with stuff… there are times I need a document as part of the group for some international work, and they will make me feel like they will get back to me, but till today they never get back to me.”
He also complained that their old catalogue was scattered across different platforms and that a new contract drafted without his input tried to give full control to Shifi and Zeal.
He said, “The contract they did for me, that was why I activated my legal thing. What are these guys trying to do? What we own together, they put a clause that after five years whatever they want to do with all those things will depend on Shifi and Zeal’s discretion.”
Tunde went on to narrate how the issue escalated after his lawyer sent a letter asking the remaining duo to stop using the name Styl-Plus without proper agreement.
He said Zeal’s reply read, “You are so full of it and you remain that way forever. If you think I keep taking your nonsense, you are on a long thing bro… you want fight and I’m ready for you spiritually and physically.”
Despite the tension, Tunde said he still tried to keep the peace.
He said, “After that message, I still passed by and we still chatted. I still said we should not be fighting. Maybe I’m too forgiving. I don’t hold hate for anybody. But right now, I don’t think there is a possibility for us to come back unless it comes from them.”
He added that people should stop blaming him for the breakup, saying, “If you want us to settle, talk to them. Ask them what I did. I didn’t kill anybody; I didn’t take your money; I didn’t take your woman.”
Styl-Plus, formed in 2000, originally included Shifi, Tunde and Lanre Faneyi. After Lanre passed away in 1999, Zeal joined the group, leading to the name change. Yemi Akinwonmi later left in 2002, and Tunde eventually exited the group around 2008 to pursue a solo career. Internal conflicts and royalty issues later weakened the group.
Today, Shifi and Zeal continue to perform as a duo, while the push for a reunion remains uncertain.
