By Akinyele SolChild
Hmmm, what more can be suitable to title the biography of arguably our biggest musical export in this generation, Innocent Idibia aka 2face, 2baba, No shaking crooner, Mr African Queen and President Baby Daddy Association of the whole Nigeria, even West Africa than the oxymoronic beautification of a legacy.
I salute Mr Ayeni, The Great, for that subtly impressive title. It really expanded the 2face brand in simple but astonishingly correct words;Tuface is a very Good (Talented, Humble, Generous, Loved and Respected), Bad (Careless, Unfaithful, -ive influence, Reckless and Unacceptable Role model to our youth in some areas) Guy.
As we celebrate this icon for the good he has done, we should also not ignore the obviously bad things he has been involved in through his years as a public figure. It’s no scuttlebutt that 2face is one of the biggest influence (role model) both negative and positive in the Nigerian Entertainment Industry. Ayeni Adekunle, TheNetng man, isn’t a baby in the PR industry and I’ll like to believe that the experience acquired over the years should reflect in the biography as a very creative and strategic PR man. A Very Good Bad Guy should be a fair representation of the brand but it’ll be incomplete (for me) without 2face setting some records straight like redeeming himself of some past scandals, owning up to the wrongs and apologize while still alive to do so. For a man of his talent, reach and following, it won’t be a bad idea as he is extremely a lovable gentleman whose brand is highly impressive. He has never done this (if I am correct), and the press has helped him to keep it like that.
In 2face’s famous statement: “Nobody Holy Pass” but bruh no excuse for irresponsibility.Gba o!
As much as most of our influences are from the western world, I am one of the few advocates of respect to our culture, morals and responsible representation of public figures that are models for a lot of people. Some years into 9ice’s career, he was busted by the Police and it was in the news that he was arrested for smoking weed; I, years later, had a roomie in my University years that told me that I was missing a lot by not smoking, that do I know that almost all the big Nigerian artistes smoke weed? He listed them:Wizkid, D’banj, Dagrin (R.IP), Terry G, he even mentioned Mode Nine which amazed me how he got this information. Recently, I walked in on a popular scandalous female Nollywood actress smoking weed with kids within the age circle 19-24 years. I was greatly disappointed with a little hint of tears in my eyes.
Innocent Idibia seems to be the most popular baby dada around our climes when artistes are concerned, and today this irresponsible trend has become a way of life in the entertainment industry. The likes of Wizkid, D’Prince, Davido, Solidstar, Timaya, Olamide and so on has carried on the legacy. Yes, what about the ladies, why do they always chase those celebrities about like flies after shit you’ll say right? I recognize the groupies and I have been a victim of their antics before, i have been there and can write an epistle on it. But why do our celebrities involve themselves in unprotected sex owing to how enlightened they should be (they have managers, friends, sponsors etc)? Not even when they aren’t married to the ladies they are having it with. Africa has the largest numbers of sexual transmitted diseases victims today; can you now tell me why this is so? Reckless sexual intercourse, unprotected sex and so on does not have a place in civilized world and the entertainment industry ought to be at the forefront of the fight rather than being the victim.
2face made it decent mating 3 different ladies consecutively;Sumbo Ajaba, Pero Adeniyi and Annie Idibia that eventually became his wife. Even in the marriage with Annie there was an alleged intercourse with a Teniola who was supposedly his account manager. Such an undisciplined act! These are the ones we know, what about the unknowns?
In one of the publications on his scandalous lifestyle, he responded that: “For me I don’t run away from responsibilities, for me I just lock myself away from all the talks, it’s a crazy world you know these days everyone get opinion on how you suppose live your life, crazy.” I want to believe the Nigerian media has been romancing 2face for too long not allowing him to own up to his irresponsibility and promote a sincere, decent model of a real African boy, child, guy, man and husband.
I was watching an online interview he did with Toolz on Ndani TV Session; for a lady to walk past a cheap response when it comes to advocating for the girl child, Toolz disappointed me. After the interview I imagined Tolu Oniru in the shoes of the loads of other ladies that were heartbroken with the choice of Annie by Tuface. Imagine that after the whole razzmatazz of her relationship with Tunde Demuren, he moved on with another lover spontaneously as Tuface answered to her.
What is the integrity of the girl child? What is the respect the African woman is fighting to get from their environment? Why won’t they sincerely fight for these rights themselves and not only come out to fight because they found themselves as victims of a situation. Tony Payne, 9ice’s baby mama, didn’t fight for female child until she was a victim of the abuse. Sincerity of purpose comes to my mind here.
Innocent Idibia aka 2face is a wonderful being, Respectable, Humble, Talented and Adorable; those are obvious to almost everyone. But his goods are equal to his bad.
A politician steals public funds; our youth swindles oyinbo of money. Both are thieves and corrupt people. Who is the role model here? The earlier our media starts criticizing rogues in government and not celebrate them, the better for our country in eradicating corruption. Same goes to calling out lovable and adorable artistes too.
All of 2face’s sexual escapades &irresponsibility and relationship indiscipline that he flaunts as values nowadays ought to be part of what‘The Very Good Bad Guy’ should address. Also inclusive sincere apologies to the ladies he had led on in the past (probably the present too). And a call to all other celebrities that have embraced the “give-me-a-baby-mama” lifestyle, that they should know it isn’t the best practice whichever way you look at it. If they can avoid it, they should do their best to run away from it. And that should be the sincere role of a Model he should play to the Entertainment Industry.
Go get a copy of the The Very Good Bad Guy Biography and let’s both find out if these things I have addressed are all there.
