While speaking in an exclusive interview with The Tribune,
multi-award winning Nigerian musician, Innocent Idibia popularly known
as 2Baba, spoke on the incessant killings by herdsmen especially in
Benue State.
The Benue State-born legendary singer WHO can best be described as a
musical activist, also opened up on the ills of the government and his
2017 planned protest which he later cancelled in the dying minutes.
Here are excerpts from the chat;
Since the Herdsmen crisis in Benue State, what has the 2Baba foundation done to help Benue people?
To be honest, there is so much we can do. When there was flooding
we went there, did a whole lot. And all of a sudden, we are facing
herdsmen. There is so much we are doing and we need more people to
support us, to join hands with us to continue providing relief materials
for these people. Because for now, that is the main thing we can do.
Apart from that, we want to sensitise the people and as well as
appeal to the Federal Government to do what it ought to do. This thing
is going on for too long, it has been repeating itself. There has to be a
solution. These people are not ghosts. We can’t just sit down and just
wish them away. So, we have to stand up.
Do you think the Federal Government is doing enough?
They are not doing anything. Nothing has been done. As we speak
now, the herdsmen can attack at any time and it will still be like that.
They will only condemn the killings. Every time, “We condemn the
killing”. Nothing is being done.
As someone whose people are directly being killed, how do you feel when you hear the news?
I feel terrible. It is not because it happens in my state. The
killings have been going on in other states. The fact that it is
happening in my state as well does not mean that if it didn’t I would
not sympathise with the people who are directly affected. Whether it is
happening in Nasarawa, Ondo, Plateau or Benue State it is the same
people. It is just people being lawless and the law enforcement agencies
are doing nothing about it. As far I am concerned, I haven’t seen any
serious effort to address the herdsmen’s attacks and killings.
Prominent figures have suggested self-defence. What is your opinion about it?
My brother, if somebody hits you, hits you and if the person that
is supposed to separate you does not do anything, will you allow them to
continue to hit you? You will arrange yourself. So that you wouldn’t
fall victim to that kind of attack anymore. It is the only logically
thing to do.
Should the government grant amnesty to Boko Haram members, would you support it?
I am yet to understand it. We have so many Nigerian graduates doing
National Youth Service Corps in so many states that we haven’t
recognised. And then you said those who are killing the people will be
given amnesty? I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense. It is a shameful
situation. It just means we have accepted defeat. There is no logical
explanation for that.
Nationally, it is known that 2Baba is peace-loving. But
last year, you came out publicly to share your views on politics and
eventually lead a nationwide protest. Can you share briefly what
happened and why you boycotted the protest you spearheaded?
I think there was a boiling point. It wasn’t just me, many
Nigerians were and are tired and angry. But because Nigerians are
peace-loving people and that’s why we haven’t seen any major upheaval;
that’s why this country hasn’t exploded. And that is what these men are
taking for granted because they know we won’t do anything.
But we were shocked that although you initiated the
protest, you weren’t there and we really didn’t understand why you
boycotted. There was the rumour you were threatened. How do you respond
to that?
To be honest, I was not threatened. You see, when you embark on
this kind of thing, you also have to do your investigations and you had
to keep your ear to the ground as well. There were so many things that
were taking place leading up to the Monday we wanted to embark on the
protest. And some people were preparing to hijack the original plan that
would change the cause we were trying to fight and I would not let that
happen.
I just said, “Look, let’s just leave the physical protest”. But it
didn’t mean that we will stop speaking, no. We will always talk about
the things happening in our country. But for the cancellation of the
physical protest, I didn’t want to find myself in a situation where I
call people out and someone’s child did not return home. I wouldn’t be
able to sleep, I wouldn’t be able to live peaceful after that.