Veteran Nigerian singer and songwriter, Innocent Idibia, professionally known as Tubaba, has said the new generation of artistes don’t owe him recognition as a legend.
The African Queen hit-maker said he appreciates when the young ones pay him tribute in a manner of acknowledging his legendary status, but noted that it is not mandatory for them to do so.
Tubaba spoke in a recent interview with broadcaster, Adesope Olajide, also known as Shopsydoo on the the Afrobeats podcast.
He said; “Nobody owes me anything. For me, it [my legendary status] is there. It’s never going to go away. It doesn’t reduce who I’m if young artistes don’t recognise my legendary status.
“The only thing is, definitely, I appreciate it when people recognise [my legendary status]. There’s nobody that won’t appreciate that. I appreciate when people recognise but I don’t take it too personal when they don’t. That one na the person ignorance.
“Nobody owes person anything because everybody that comes, they are going to tell their own stories. They are not going to start telling my own story. Every artiste that comes up now, even if they get inspiration from me or anybody, they are going to use it to elevate themselves. And that is their own stories [sic].”
Meanwhile in other news…
The musid legend recently wished for students of his alma mater, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun with a passion for music to become successful musicians.
He expressed his feelings while talking about why he built a multi-million-naira music studio at the OAU campus.
Tubaba said he he was honoured by the school by being made a Fellow of the School of Music, so he fulfilled his promise to build the studio to reciprocate the kind gesture.
The ‘African Queen’ star who spoke during a breakfast chat organised by The 2baba Foundation in Lagos State, explained that he extended to him by the university.
The musician said his intention was for students to have a creative space to develop their talents so that the next generation of music superstars will emanate from the school
Tubaba said: “I built the multi-million [naira] music studio in OAU because I was given an honorary degree as a Fellow of the School of Music of the university.
“That was a huge honour for me, and I promised them I was going to build a standard music studio for the school, which I did. My aim is to give the students a standard space for creativity, and I hope the next generation of superstars will generate from there. Also, my next album will be packaged in that studio.”
