Tuface Idibia, the multiple award-winning hip-hop artiste who was attacked by gun men in Lagos on his return from the United Kingdom last week is responding to treatment and is fine contrary to media reports that he is still in a critical condition.
While still lying on his hospital bed in a private hospital in Victoria Island, Idibia thanked all his fans for their concern over his misfortune.
Speaking from his hospital bed, the iconic singer who was shot by armed bandits on Thursday October 4 thanked God for sparing his life.
“I thank God. I know it’s not luck. The bullet could have hit me somewhere more dangerous. So I really thank God, and I’m really trying to understand what he’s trying to tell me with this incident,” he said.
Reminiscing on the sad incident which happened along the Oshodi-Mile 2 Expressway, he explained that he was not aware they people that approached them that night came with an evil intention.
“We didn’t know it was robbers. We even thought it was a car trying to ram into us. It was not until I saw the gun, and heard the shot that I realised what they wanted. So I told my guy, let’s find our way o... these guys mean business. I didn’t even know the bullet hit me. It was while we were running, that my left leg started failing me, that I realised what had happened.”
“It’s really sad that people would allow frustration lead them into doing such things. There are people on the road selling stuff, trying so hard to make it. Nothing comes easy in life; you’ve just got to keep trying. I pray they’ll convert all the energy they use to organise those attacks into doing positive things that’ll help their lives.”
Meanwhile, one of the victims of the attack on the MTV Award winner, Mr. Ifeanyi Orji, who incidentally is a brother to Faze, a member of Plantashun Boyz, the group from which Idibia started his career, told of the bravery shown by Tuface in the midst of the attack.
“Tuface arrived and we started going home. We were free styling and singing one song called Sharp Bad Guy which I wanted him to work on when he comes back when all of a sudden two guys came towards the car and started shouting that we should open the door; we were in light traffic. I was driving and Tu-baba was in the front with me while Chucks, a friend that works with Bank PHB and the owner of the car was sitting at the back. I saw two of the robbers; one wore an Ankara clothe and held a shot gun while the other was at the back. Tuface tried to take control of the situation by telling them to calm down; he had a laptop on him when immediately the shot blasted,” he narrated.
According to Orji, immediately they were shot at, Tuface started shouting that they start running for their lives. As the third occupant in the car tried to come out, the other robber hit him in the neck with the gun he was holding. The three ran until they met a bus driver who they pleaded with to take them to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Orji, who just had 12 pellets of bullets removed from his arm which was held in a sling at the time he was spoken to revealed that Tuface showed a rare act of bravery during the attack for which he said he would ever be grateful to him.
“I was scared all through but Tuface was not shaken. He was very confident was in control. Even when we left the car, he was in control. His voice motivated us to run and his courage was solid; he didn’t fear. When we were running, he saw me bleeding and ran to help me because he thought I was hit in the belly; he did not mind that he was shot also,” he said.
Recalling how he got the news of the attack, Mr. Hycinth Idibia, member of the group Da Natives and younger brother of Tuface who just picked up the MOBO Award for the best African Act in the UK said:
“It was around 7:30 pm when Tuface called me and asked if I was coming to the airport. I couldn’t go so Odogwu (Ifeanyi Orji) went to the airport to bring him. Not quite long after I got another call from somebody informing me that he had been shot. I thought it was a joke and drove like a madman to Cedar hospital where they admitted them. On getting there, the first thing he said when he saw me was, ‘HI see me so, bad boys don shoot me.’ I immediately called our mother so they could talk because I did not want her to hear the news from another source knowing she has a tender heart. He hailed our mother: “Mummy Mummy, My African Queen, I am alright, God has defended me again” apparently to assure her that he survived and was well.”
Refuting the news making the rounds that the singer will not be relocating from Nigeria or his FESTAC residence anytime soon, Tuface said he was not leaving the country for any reason.
“As far as I’m comfortable where I am, I’ve got no hassles. Whatever will be will be. I might be in the US and be hit by a stray bullet. Anything good or evil can happen to you anywhere’, he said philosophically. I have my business here so I’m not planning to relocate. I’ll travel anytime I have to, and come back home. There’s no place like home. But I want my people to be more positive and honest. Violence does no one any good.”
Looking more rested and clean shaven, the star singer said he is not allowing the incident weigh him down as it was an opportunity for him to reflect on his works as well as compose new materials.
“You can see I’m listening go a Russel Simmon CD lecture. I’m using my time here positively, and it’s an opportunity for me to reflect on my business, as well as think of new materials for my music,” he said with a smile playing on his lips.
His manger, Joice Ize-iyamu believes the attack, “this will definitely give inspiration for new and great materials. It’s an experience well all never forget,” as well as assured that Tuface will not be flown abroad for treatment as being speculating in some quarters.
“He will not be flown abroad for further treatment. His condition is very stable, so there’s no reason for that. He just needs time for the pellets to expel, and for him to recuperate fully.”
Idibia is presently been hospitalised in a private clinic in Lagos. He was moved from Cedar group hospital in FESTAC on Friday when the crowd of well-wishers became uncontrollable, making it a Herculean task for hospital security and doctors treating him to manage the situation though a date has not been fixed for his discharge. But his friends Ifeanyi Orji who was attacked with him has since been discharged.
While decrying the poor state of security in the country, Hycinth called on the police to concentrate more on the security of the people , adding that, “everyday you see them (policemen) on the road demanding for papers and Roja yet innocent people are being attacked everyday.”
For his fans who have been sending across their messages to him, Tuface said he is very grateful for all they have been doing for him.
“I really thank everyone for their concern’, says 2face who enjoyed a similar display of overwhelming support when he was attacked and injured by suspected robbers in 2005. ‘I thank everybody, the media, my family, all my fellow artistes, my friends, my manager, the Kennis music family and the good Samaritans that helped carried us with their van when we were bleeding on the road after the attack last Thursday,” he said.
While sending his quick-recovery message to Tuface, the President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Mr. Tee Mac Iseli, urged artistes to come and sign on register with the association’s insurance program which he said was initiated for accidental cases like that of Tuface.
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