Yesterday, Nigerians were treated to a shocking announcement from none other than 2 Face, our 2 Baba, the legendary Afrobeat icon and everybody’s “very good bad guy.”
But this time, he wasn’t the good guy—far from it. With the swipe of a thumb and the audacity of a celebrity immune to public backlash, 2Baba took to Instagram to declare that his marriage to Annie Macaulay-Idibia was over.
Naturally, we thought it was a joke, a PR stunt, or a hack. A classic case of “My account was compromised.” After all, celebrities are no strangers to the convenient excuse of rogue hackers.
But 2Baba doubled down with a video on his story to confirm, “Na me talk am.” Oh, really? You said what you said? Okay, sir.
Let’s talk about timing. Because if 2Baba wanted to win an award for Worst Timing Ever, he just secured his nomination. Annie has been going through it lately—dragged through the mud on social media, accused of being an addict and a bad friend to Swanky Jerry, and every other embarrassing thing we saw on the recent season of Young, Famous & African saga.
The sweet 2 Face
A lot of questions surrounded her age when Annie started dating Annie, but there was not a single doubt in Annie’s eyes and in the eyes of social media inlaws that 2 Face loved her. He chose her, always. No matter the women who claimed he slept with them or the women he impregnated, he wanted Annie to be his wife.
Two of my favourite scenes in the Netflix reality show; Young African and Famous involved 2 Baba and Annie. Last season, he came to her defence during her rift with Swanky Jerry. Similarly, she was going through a lot in the recent season of the same show and she called Innocent to rant, and he said “Come home, just tell me when you’re coming and I go declare“
The bitter 2 Face
Let’s rewind, shall we? Annie stood by 2Baba through the messy entanglements, baby mama dramas, and almost every scandal you can imagine. She defended their love like her life depended on it. She made it clear that 2Baba was her forever, even when the streets were saying otherwise. Zari showed us that if you want to take shots at Annie, call her husband a philanderer.
What’s more, Annie opened up that she had a miscarriage of twin babies a few months ago. There is no understating that she is going through a lot, and this is how he thanks her? By jumping ship when the waters get rough?
Rumours are even swirling that she’s in rehab. And instead of standing by the woman who has been his rock through many public scandals, this man—who turns 50 this year, by the way—has chosen now of all times to let us know that he has called it quits.
Look, no one is saying marriages don’t end. People grow apart; life happens. But there’s a way to go about it, especially when you’re a public figure. You don’t hop on Instagram, throw a grenade into your marriage, and then follow it up with, “Na me talk wetin I talk” That’s not a mic drop moment, sir—it’s a PR disaster.
Here’s what really grinds my gears: 2Baba has always been the poster child for love and charm. The man who could serenade us with “African Queen” and make us forget all his shortcomings. But this? This is just disappointing. It’s one thing to end your marriage; it’s another to do so with a level of pettiness that’s both unnecessary and cruel.
Annie deserves better. Nigerians deserves better. Heck, even 2Baba’s brand deserves better. Instead, we’re left with this sour taste in our mouths, wondering how someone who gave us such beautiful music about love could make such an ugly move.
So, to 2Baba, I say this: You might have said what you said, but maybe you should’ve thought a little harder before you said it. Because right now, the good guy image you’ve worked so hard to maintain? It’s starting to look like a poorly written Instagram caption—empty, disappointing, and easily forgotten.
