A Nigerian Music icon, Innocent Idibia, otherwise called 2Face or 2Baba has said the protracted Boko Haram crisis which has claimed the lives of millions and traumatized thousands with billions on property lost has nothing to do with religion but rather the failure of the political leadership of the country.
According to the music maestro, “unless government and politicians step up their games by doing the needful in eradicating poverty among the masses, particularly youths, ensure justice to all manner of people or else, ending the Boko Haram insurgency and other violent clashes across the country will be difficult and unrealistic”.
Mr. Idibia who spoke to journalists in Maiduguri as he winds up his visits to displaced people in the state where he visited the Camps in Banki, a border community with Cameron Republic and other resettlement areas in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital as part of his Foundation’s collaboration with United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to drum support for the IDPs said he was particularly “sadden by the pathetic living conditions of the IDPs in the camps”.
He announced that he will donate part of the proceeds from his new song launched on World Refugee Day this year to support the affected population through UNHCR., adding that he will be staging a concert in Abuja at the Hilton Hotel on 24 July as part of continuing efforts to support IDPs and returnees in Nigeria.
He Urged government, security agencies, Media Practitioners and other Humanitarian agencies to scale up a coordinated efforts in addressing the plights of IDPs and other victims of violence, as well as tackling terrorism in the bud.
his world, ” I am here in Maiduguri with support from UNHCR to use my music in contributing to alleviate the suffering of our IDPs and other victims of insurgence.
“I feel honoured to work with organization like UNHCR, am just one person, when I went round some of these camps, I was saddened, I saw fear, sorrow and trauma, I feel disappointed looking at the faces and eyes of the IDPs. You will see hunger and object poverty. Unless Government and politicians shun injustice, corruption and remained focus and committed to our collective development, these same set of traumatized and displaced people in camps may turn up to be more dangerous in the society.
“Although, I have seen hope of life among some of these IDPs, all hands must be on deck to the needful by rendering support no matter how little it is. Presently I have a song, titled ‘Hold my Hands’, this song is on many platforms, all people need to do is to download it and use it ringing tone. It will only cost you N50 per month, but will surely contribute in giving hope of life to our traumatized victims of insurgency.
“In my little way, I have come and seen the live in camps and next week, when I go back to Abuja, we are going to do a concert as my proceed donation in alleviating the suffering of the IDPs”, 2Face stated.