Fact: there would never be another 2face Idibia. He was our first international superstar. Talent, charisma and (obviously) loads of sex appeal.
From his first MTV award and the resultant brand endorsement, from sold out shows and CDs – 2face has seen and done it all.
By virtue of his much talked-about humility, he can also do no wrong in the eye of many.
His cool demeanour has taken him to corridors of power where he would otherwise have been just a paid bard to sing campaign jingles every four years.
And as we’ve seen a number of times, the millions celebrities get from politicians are pretty much in exchange for the conscience.
READ: 2face Idibia calls on Nigerians to join him in nationwide protest against bad leadership
That is why 2face’s call for protests are important and it’s not just because of party affiliations. (An online commentator has accused 2face for protesting because the PDP is no longer at the helm of affairs and the artiste is being pushed by the former Akwa Ibom governor Godswill Akpabio and former Senate President David Mark to ‘heat up the polity’).
At a time like this when the Nigerian masses are rudderless and have no Moses to lead them to the promised land, a voice like 2face’s is important to be heard.
While it is no responsibility of celebrities to be at the forefront of causes and movements, history and fate always judge those who do favourably.
Being a celebrity is more than popping bottles and working the red carpet. The fact that they are famous gives them a voice louder than the ordinary guy.
Of course this is not to say that being involved in every cause will make it successful, it is refreshing to see that net worth has not detached one the biggest celebrities we have in Nigeria from the reality of many fans who follow him religiously.
2face is not the first celebrity to be in a protest – Occupy Nigeria was filled with entertainers who sang at Ojota everyday. His ‘Nigeria First’ may also not achieve much but the effect the idea of it alone is priceless.
Most important, it is the height of self-recognition to realize one’s power and use it for the greater good. It will be hard for 2face to go hungry. His kids will be fine.
If it ever happens – and we all know that it’s almost never going to happen – that 2face becomes broke and unable to support his celeb lifestyle in the future, at the very worst he’ll raise funds for a plane ticket to start a new life in America or Canada.
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The protest is not for Innocent Idibia and family. It is largely on behalf of most Nigerians whose voices will never be heard.
We need our celebs to be more than just walking billboards of brands and advertisers; we need them to be more than just paid minstrels.
We need them to stand up for something more than their own selves. They do not need to lead a protest like 2face intends to do.
They do not even need to run for political office like many of them tend to do. Sometimes all they need to do is to be identified with a cause.
If each individual is encouraged to speak up for what she believes in, then it’s useless for celebrities not to use the power they now have to influence public policy and eventually a change.
Hopefully, they will reach that understanding.