NaijaTalkTalk- 2baba @ 40

Innocent Ujah Idibia

Innocent Ujah Idibia better known as 2face or 2baba is one of the most decorated and successful music artistes ever to come out of Africa.

2face, whose music career began in the mid 90s with his former group Plantashun Boiz, has won several local and international awards which include; The Headies, the Nigeria music awards, AMEN Awards, Sound City Awards, MTV European Music Award, MTV African Music Awards, Kora Award, Channel 0 Music Video Awards, BET Award, MOBO Awards, amongst many others.

2face has had collaborations with a number of international music stars such as Wyclef Jean, R.Kelly, Beenie man, Reggie Rockstone, T-pain, Mary J. Blige, and recently had a rare collaboration with Nigerian highlife music legend, Victor Olaiya.

Mr. Idibia got married to his long time girlfriend Annie Macaulay, in May, 2012, and this has helped him to stabilize his celebrity status in the eye of the media, after several cases of flimsy affairs with a fleet of ladies, which made him become a father to at least five children outside marriage.

Outside music, 2face as a person, has over the years been through thick and thin, subjected to many attacks, both verbal and physical, but interestingly, he is still going on strongly.

On Friday, 18th of September, 2015, 2face Idibia celebrated his 40th birthday, a stage where it is believed that life just beginning.

As we celebrate this music icon, we take a look at those things that have made him to stand out as a person and also exceptional as a music star. These lessons are highlighted below.

Humility personified
It will not be out of place to say that 2face is humility personified. He is an individual who often exudes a very humble personality whenever he is in a public place, despite his many achievements.

He has also exhibited this trait a lot of times when he has agreed to do music collaborations with relatively up and coming artistes even at a time when he was at peak of his career, something many other artistes would not oblige to unless there is going to be a huge monetary gain attached to it.

Artistes who have benefitted from his magnanity include Solid Star, Bracket, and many others. He relates easily with the rest of his colleagues and everyone he comes across when in the public, in spite of his status. He is always in smiles. He also never goes about bragging about his achievements; rather all that he preaches to everyone is “one love”.

Unique music style
2face Idibia is not one of those artistes that do popular demand kind of music, his music often comes with a message, even when he decides to do a party song he still makes it very inspiring, and that is what has kept him going for decades even after many of his contemporaries have left the music scene.

He has got a couple of songs that gives inspiration whenever one listens to them.
He has Songs like Africa Queen, U No Holy Pass, Ifana Ibaga, Right Here, Only Me, E Be Like Say, Rain Drops, Be There and even party track like Implication.

These are quality songs that not many music (past or present) in Nigeria can boast of producing.
He has as a result of that proven that one can decide to be different, positive, do what is morally right and still be accepted by many.

Strong personality
He also stands out as a very good example of someone who does not go about the different social media platforms to showcase his wealth and material possessions like cars, houses, awards and the likes, just like many others do, and they refer to it as a PR stunt.

He believes his strong and positive personality and image is good enough to keep him in high esteem in the minds of people and make him remain relevant in the media.

His being non-materialistic has also helped him to manage his resources sensibly well and thus being able to invest and multiply them.

Responsible father
2face was not just a lover-boy to the ladies in his life, but he was also a very responsible man and father to his children, as he has proven by actually accepting and taking care of all of the children born to him by his ladies (his four baby mamas).

2face has taken responsibility of all the kids, even before getting married and has been taking care of them all.

Annie Idibia once confessed about being married to the music superstar, 2face Idibia, she said “No, I’m married to Innocent, one of the most amazing men in the world. I want to believe our marriage is almost like every other marriage. He’s a good person, a good dad, great husband, a wonderful brother-in-law and son-in-law, and he’s all that I thought he would be as a husband and more.”