Music icon, Tuface Idibia has expressed how difficult it is for him to stay in touch with all his children due to his very active work schedule and for the “painful” fact that they have different mothers.
“It’s not easy. Sometimes, it is painful, especially when you don’t get to see them as often as you would wish to because of work. Today I’m here, tomorrow, I’m there, sometimes for weeks, months; plus the fact that they have different moms… I didn’t plan for it this way, but it happened and I have accepted it, no shaking. My plan was to have a wife and then have children. Something happened along the line, but I didn’t run away from it.”
You once told me that you would like to go back to school to study law, do you still have plans to do that?
Tuface: Yes, I want to do that. I can’t say when exactly, maybe in the next two or three years? But I’m definitely going to do that.
You’ve won virtually all the major continental and international awards for African artistes, but you haven’t won a Grammy yet. Does that bother you?
Tuface: It doesn’t bother me, but I definitely think about it. I still have some things to do. I’m not where I’m supposed to be or where I dream of being yet. So I still have lot of work to do before I cap that, even if I cap that, I would still keep on working (laughing).
When you first started out, did you honestly think you will get to this level, did you ever dream of this kind of success?
Tuface: I will say yes. Everyone wishes to take his game to the highest level, but what you don’t know is how fast or how long it would take to get there, but you definitely have that dream of getting there. So I had a dream of becoming a successful musician/ artiste. I hoped, worked and prayed for it and I’m getting there.
There has been a lot of controversy about who wrote your hit song, the evergreen ‘African Queen’. Did blackface actually write the lyrics, as some claim?
Tuface: The song was written by Innocent Idibia and Austin Amedu; Innocent Idibia is Tuface, Austin Amedu is Blackface.
So, who should get credit for the success of African Queen and did you know it was going to be monster hit at the time?
Tuface: The credit goes to… Tuface, Blackface; OJB, for production; Kennis Music, for marketing; the credit goes to all them and also the fans, especially my Nigerian fans.
Your wife, Anne, featured prominently in the video. When you were writing the song, was she at the back of your mind?(General laughter)
Tuface: There was no particular person in mind when the song was written, it was written with the general idea to show respect and love for the African woman.
Why did it take you so long to finally settle down with Anne?
Tuface: I don’t really have an answer to that question, because I don’t know. I can’t explain why I don’t have an answer to that, but somehow, by the grace of God, we are still together.
You don’t see yourself as a player?
Tuface: If I were a player, they wouldn’t have caught me like that (General laughter)
How challenging is the role of being a father to your kids?
Tuface: It’s not easy. Sometimes, it is painful, especially when you don’t get to see them as often as you would wish to because of work. Today I’m here, tomorrow, I’m there, sometimes for weeks, months; plus the fact that they have different moms… I didn’t plan for it this way, but it happened and I have accepted it,no shaking. My plan was to have a wife and then have children. Something happened along the line, butI didn’t run away from it.
But you seem happy with your career, especially as you discovered your talent early in life. Would you encourage your kids to follow in your footsteps career wise?Tuface: Yes, definitely I will. One already asked me that. If I see that they exhibit any talent, I will definitely encourage them in that direction. I’m not the guy who will tell his son or daughter that you must study this or that. If I see that they actually have genuine talent for it, I will definitely encourage them. If it is music, I’ve been there and still there, it would even be easy for me to be their best adviser.
Do you think education has a role to play in anybody’s success?
Tuface: Success is relative, but having an education is also very important and I would encourage anybody to get an education. Although you find that in some cases, some people didn’t even have access to education but they are very successful people today. All the same, education is important; it’s a plus and a very good advantage.
How come the much anticipated Plantashun Boyz reunion never worked out as expected? Do you foresee another try at a reunion album or concert in the nearest future?
Tuface: We have decided to do something but as it is right now, we haven’t really talked about it or planned for any particular time because we are still on individual projects. But it’s definitely in our minds.
I know you like football. What clubs do you support?
Tuface: Over the years, I have changed my support for many clubs. At different times, it was Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid. So I won’t come out and say I’m a fan of any club. I don’t know, I guess I’m a fan of good football (General laughter).
You have met famous people globally, which one stands out most and why?
Tuface: O boy! I will just go for Wyclef. The guy is just too much. He has the kind of spirit I like, simple, friendly, intelligent, talented, focused, playful, down to earth, serious. He’s just my kind of person.
Which African musician would you say has had a great influence on your kind of music?
Tuface: Definitely, Fela is a big influence. Bongos Ikwue, Oliver De Coque, Hugh Masekela from South Africa, there’s plenty of them, the list is long.
At what point did you realize that your music career had finally reached that breakthrough point?
Tuface: I think it was when I won the MTV Europe Music Awards. When I got that award, it was like okay, there’s no going down anymore. I have to keep on working, keep on moving.
Despite being a superstar, you must have had some most embarrassing moments?
Tuface: Most embarrassing moments? The funny thing is, I can’t remember right now (General laughter). But I don’t like to put myself in any embarrassing situation.
You’ve mentioned in past interviews, how the name Tuface came about. The name also sounds like you have a multiple personality, a man of different parts. Was that the impression you hoped to achieve when you chose it as a stage name?
Tuface: No. I chose that as a stage name, not because of any multiple personality but because of the fact that people in public will see me on TV, read about me in the papers, hear about me on the radio and it would create an impression for them, until they get to know the real me. The TV, radio, and papers are just one side of the whole story. But when you get to know the real me, every other thing now looks like film trick. So, Tuface is an artiste – the public figure, and Tuface, the actual me.
You’re still a humble person, despite your success. Is fame sometimes a burden for you?
Tuface: Yes, it is. It takes away your privacy and freedom to do some kind of simple, basic things. Like I can’t go to Iya Christopher to sit down and eat amala, the way I dey do before (General laughter)
How much is Tuface worth today?
Tuface: I never gather, but I dey try.
Abroad it’s easy to be to tell how much a musician is worth, but in Nigeria, we don’t like giving out figures.Tuface: We don’t want armed robbers to come visit us anywhere (General laughter).
Some people say that despite your achievements in the music industry, they don’t see you as a role model because of the many ‘baby mamas’ dramas, what’s your reaction to this?
Tuface: If they say I’m not a role model, so be it. Let them not follow my footsteps. Let’s leave it like that.
But do you see yourself as a role model?
Tuface: No, I’m not a role model. I’m just a guy that’s living his life. I’m not forcing anybody to do anything, so you if you feel you want to follow my footsteps, it’s your choice. But I’m not going to apologize for the choices I have made. I’m not going to apologize for accepting my responsibility, saying yes, it happened when it happened and I’m not going to run away from it. I didn’t tell anybody I was a role model in the first place, so, if anyone says I’m not a role model, it’s their opinion. Let them live their own clean life. Let me live my own ‘nonsense’ life.
Do you have any regrets?
Tuface: No regrets.
At your recent traditional wedding, you reportedly got car gifts (SUVs) from the governor of Akwa Ibom state…Tuface: Well, as per the gift we got, wedding gift… Yes, we got a jeep.
Because the report in the media was that the governor gave you guys two SUVs?
Tuface: Yes, sorry, one.
Back to your lovely wife, what are the qualities that made you choose her, and finally say ‘this is the one for me’?Tuface: Wow. I have known her for a long time and for me she has a gentle heart, a good heart and that was the major quality that attracted me to her.
When you look back at your early days to today, what are some of the things that you are most grateful for?
Tuface: I think I am most grateful to my parents for the way they brought me up and the things they taught me when i was growing up, how to respect people, how to live and let live. Those things have built my character today.
How many women have you sh___ed? (General laughter)
Tuface: Oh boy o! I did not keep a record, so I don’t actually know. If to say I know I for don dey count dey come (General laughter).
Outside music and movies you are going to get involved in, what are the other things that interest you and why?
Tuface: The funny thing is, everything, but I’ll just say real estate. Somehow you can never go wrong with real estate, man.
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