“BEFORE I DID AFRICAN QUEEN, I TOOK PERMISSION FROM ITS WRITER, BUT I WAS LATER BLACKM@.ILED FOR IT WHEN IT BECAME A HIT”
-Innocent 2Baba Idibia
“Over the years, I have been tagged the villain of the Plantashun history, some say I followed money and betrayed my brothers in the hustle.
Others say I stole a song and made it my hit.
I have ignored it all because I am an enigma and my life revolves around peace, I try not to chase the problematic side of life, my loving wife Ani would always urge me to say something and clear my name but I gave it time.
I gave it time because time reveals all things.
We are growing grey now, our kids shouldn’t see themselves and say “Hey your daddy stole my daddy’s song and made fame from it”. That would drop the pride in my kids so I have to clear the air.
What a lot of people do not know is that; I took permission from its writer as a professional would do.
The writer told me “haba bro, we are brothers from Idoma, I am creative with writing, I can write another. This one Na the least track wey I get self wey go blow”
He underestimated the African Queen, I went ahead to record it, energized and gave it a vibe with my voice and it went beyond Africa to the world.
It became a global hit that pulled platinum sales for my former record label Kennis Music. African Queen became a movement that reawakened the awareness in the beauty of an African woman, it became a sound of the Pan-African spirit and it brought home an Award from MTv.
As a peaceful man, I still contacted the writer to show him love from my own earnings, because as at that time, my whole doings were sponsored by Kennis so they controlled my funds.
I offered the writer ₦2 million naira and a plot land in Otukpo Benue State but he told me he deserved more than that.
I tried to make the writer understand this thing I am offering is coming from my small savings and will do more in future as I grow bigger. The writer needed more because he felt I was global and worth more with no consideration of me under a label.
I even brought it to the attention of my King but the writer still stood his ground.
At that point, I decided to move on and let destiny play its role because it was becoming a distraction in my career.
The record label is operated like a football business, they do not just sign you to come and warm the bench but to bring home the accolades”.
