We won’t join Tuface-led protest, APC Musicians Forum declares

*As more celebrities shun African Queen crooner African Queen crooner

The APC Northern Musicians Forum on Friday said it would not participate in the planned protest by Nigerian music icon, Tuface Idibia, over alleged sufferings in Nigerian

Haruna Ningi, Chairman of the Forum, who made the remark at a media briefing in Kaduna, said that the protest was different from the ideology of the forum.

He, however, agreed that Nigerians were suffering, but insisted that the present administration met nearly an empty treasury and had to increase savings, to get Nigerians out of the present situation.

Ningi urged Nigerians to be patient with the present administration, adding that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government would get the country out of the present difficulties.

“ There is hunger in the land and the president is going to give us a life-saving change that our sufferings will not come back again.

“But they need time for the change to come.”

Ningi debunked the claim that the forum was influenced by politicians.

“The president has integrity and will not pay any musician to sing for him.”

He said that the forum was meant to mobilise the electorate through music at the grassroots to disseminate correct and factual information on national challenges.

“Such songs in hard times will imbibe in the minds of common men that they have a role to play in the journey of change.”

…Bovi, Funke Adesiyan won’t join Tuface anti-government protest

Some Nigerian celebrities, say they will not partake in the planned anti-government protest by award winning musician Tuface, also known as 2baba.

Tuface, the African Queen crooner recently took to his Instagram handle: @official2baba, calling on his fans and followers to join in the nationwide protest scheduled for February 5.

He stated: “First Massive Nationwide Protests’’.

“A call for good governance.
A call for urgent explanation into the reckless economic downturn nationwide….to come out and protest this obnoxious and baseless policies and excuses of the government of the day.”

Reacting, popular comedian, Bovi Ugboma, said he would not join the protest.

Bovi on his Instagram handle: ‏@officialBovi stated, “Boycott” is too strong a word to describe my not attending. I won’t be there. Simple. It doesn’t define whether I support it or not.

“I am not joining the protest, and stop saying ‘we’ and ‘us.’ You don’t belong…..my life is not governed by your opinions of me.”

Tuface, real name Innocent Ujah Idibia, is also a producer, entrepreneur and one of the most decorated and successful Afro pop artists in Africa.

Similarly, popular Yoruba actress, Funke Adesiyan who disagreed with 2face over the plan said that protest was not the only option.

The actress, who recently completed a course in film-making and directing at the New York Film Academy in the U.S, stressed the importance of youth participation in governance.

The Yoruba actress of Ibadan origin who contested and lost the Oyo State House of Assembly election under the umbrella of PDP in 2015, stated on her Instagram handle @funkeadesiyan:

“When people ask me why I joined politics, I tell them from the truest of my heart that it is because I got tired of how things were being done in my country.

“It’s not enough for us to protest, it’s more important for us, youths of this beloved nation, to get involved in governance. You could try many times before you achieve it,” Adesiyan stated.

Tuface started his music career while studying at Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Enugu where he recorded several jingles for Enugu State radio broadcasting station.

His professional career did not begin until he moved to Lagos where he met other members of the rested Plantashun Boyz group, comprising Black Face and Faze in 1996.

Idibia has received several awards including MTV Europe Music Award, world Music Award, Headies Awards (Hip-hop award), and Channel O Music Video Awards.

Others are BET awards for his musical work, MTV Africa Music Awards, MOBO award, KORA award among others.