Giving to society: Idibia’s quest for peaceful polls
Please allow me a space to comment on Innocent Ujah Idibia (2Baba)’s activities as a campaigner for peaceful elections in the country. I have always been a fan of Idibia, one of Africa’s greatest music exports, who has won multiple awards within Nigeria, Africa, Europe and the United States. In 2017, I moved from being […]
Please allow me a space to comment on Innocent Ujah Idibia (2Baba)’s activities as a campaigner for peaceful elections in the country. I have always been a fan of Idibia, one of Africa’s greatest music exports, who has won multiple awards within Nigeria, Africa, Europe and the United States. In 2017, I moved from being a fan to a partner, working closely with 2Baba on the Vote Not Fight: Election No Be War campaign implemented by Youngstars Foundation and multiple state-based groups with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Since then, I have seen much more of this man, who I previously only associated with great music and humility. Idibia is the brand ambassador of the Vote Not Fight campaign.
Election-related violence is a major challenge that Nigeria has been grappling with for a while now. Election related deaths have robbed many citizens of their lives, particularly youth, who have played dual roles as perpetrators and victims.
In 2011, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that 800 Nigerians had been killed in the post-election violence that followed the general elections of that year.
This and many other incidents of electoral violence across the country informed the development of the Vote Not Fight campaign, whose objective is simply to reverse the role of youth as perpetrators of violence to leaders of the campaign against it. Idibia was a natural choice during the process of identifying a suitable ambassador from the campaign. True to our expectations, he jumped in without any delays.
Under Idibia’s leadership, the Vote Not Fight campaign has reached 62 million Nigerians with its message of non-violent elections and increased youth participation in elections.
In times when many believe the spirit of volunteerism is at its lowest ebb in Nigeria, Idibia inspired 1,706 youths to actively volunteer on the campaign from 2014 to 2019.
While electoral violence has not been eradicated, it can be said that Innocent Idibia is leading a campaigner that is changing young people’s attitudes towards violence and has begun to reduce election-related violence in Nigeria.
An independent retrospective study commissioned by Youngstars Foundation after the 2017 governorship election in Anambra state stated the following on Idibia’s role: “The use of celebrities like Tuface Idibia as VNF ambassadors and the visit of Tuface Idibia to Anambra state also contributed tremendously to the awareness and acceptability of the VNF peace messages by the public and the youths in particular”.
Imagine what citizens have to say about his contributions to peace during two national elections and the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Edo, Anambra, Ekiti, Osun, and Bayelsa states.
Being a brand ambassador for a charity like the Vote Not Fight campaign with no fees attached comes with great commitment, passion and sacrifice. Idibia is one of Africa’s leading performers with fees in millions of Naira. He has had to put Nigeria and the campaign first on many occasions by refusing a show or an appearance commitment where he would have made money.
I must also say that Idibia does not only volunteer for the Vote Not Fight campaign, he is a youth ambassador for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other groups. As he celebrates another year and indeed 20 years of excellent music and service to Nigeria, I would like to say the time to invite him to the National Peace Committee is now. He has earned it and is a model citizen whose modus operandi is undoubtedly giving back to society.
Bem Aga, a Senior Program Manager at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) writes from Abuja.