Music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, last Friday, took guests who thronged Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, for the Vanguard Personality of the Year Awards on a musical journey, dishing out his evergreen hits back-to-back.

It was a night of celebration of stars and undiluted entertainment, with 2Baba leading the way. On the sidelines, the music icon spoke to Entertainment Plus, recounting the story of his 25-year journey on stage and what being in the spotlight has cost him.

Vanguard Award

“Vanguard award is one of the most prestigious and credible awards in Nigeria. The award ceremony is always filled with very important personalities under one roof, celebrating achievers in different sectors of the economy. Kudos to Vanguard newspapers.

25 years after, the journey so far

“The journey has been full of ups and downs. But I’m grateful for the gift that God gave me and the love my fans have shown me across the world.

From Plantashun Boiz to solo career

“It’s like a dream to me right now. This is because every time I reflect on the journey, it reminds me of the power of determination to succeed in life. The hustle was tough, but I saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Why I went solo

“My dream was to become successful. Everybody who starts something always hopes to be successful. I hoped, prayed, and worked towards it, and then it suddenly happened. On the issue of Blackface dragging me over ownership of my biggest hits, “Let Somebody Love You” and “African Queen”, I didn’t expect that from him. Honestly, it was a rude shock to me. I was highly disappointed with him. All I could think was, why is this guy doing this to me? He’s the only person who has an answer to that question. But I have moved on. We settled out of court, and he has apologized to me in addition to retracting all that he said about me. For me, it was a shock. I still don’t understand why he did what he did. African Queen was my greatest hit, though I have so many other tracks. But no two tracks can be the same”.

Between African Queen and music of today

“I cannot categorize music under one genre. For me, entertainment is entertainment. And we have many artists who are doing well right now on the global stage. We also have the up-and-coming ones who are hungry to break barriers. I am highly happy about the spotlight on African music and, particularly, Nigerian music. Through the global dominance of African music, many musicians are smiling to the bank.

For many years, it wasn’t so. But today, the story has changed. I am happy for the growth in terms of marketability of Nigerian music and the financial rewards of hard work. But there must always be that debate in terms of who’s the greatest or most gifted Nigerian singer. However, those debates are basically based on personal preferences. In all, the Nigerian music industry is growing rapidly, and we are all witnessing the growth with great enthusiasm.

Nigerian music ruling the world

“It’s like I am dreaming right now because this is what we were praying for, hoping for, and working towards. For me, I am happy that in my lifetime, I have lived to see it happening — world superstars hailing from Nigeria. It’s one of my dreams to come true.

My greatest regret after 25 years on stage

“I wish I was more engaged, educated myself as an aggressive businessman. But I don’t regret being who I am. I live a simple life and I mind my business. For me the desire for peaceful co-existence is my driving force

Advice to young artists

“Young artists should be focused and see music like any other profession. They should also understand the contract before signing it.

Next level

“Next level for me is definitely churning out more good music. I’m just taking my time, studying situations, but definitely, I’m going to make more music.

Delving into politics

“I’m already into politics. I’m someone who would like to see good governance in the country. I will actually be involved in politics. But I’m not certain if I should contest for any elective position in the coming general elections. Nonetheless, anything can happen. You never can tell.

Being in the spotlight

“Ultimately, being in the spotlight has opened so many doors for me. It has also robbed me of my privacy. If I cough, people will analyze it. If I stand somehow, it will start trending. My privacy has been totally lost to fame. My business is everybody’s business. Fortunately, I’m naturally quiet. But here I am today. In any case, the good always outweighs the bad”. (Saturday Vanguard)