This Bey/Jay-Tiwa/Teebillz Affair and The Nigerian Culture
Nigerians, are you entertained? We have been entertained! Or have you not? Since the duo met, got married and started their journey together, we have been entertained.
When Tiwa first came onto our screens, with ‘Kele Kele Love, from her failure to be what she aimed to be, having been held back by circumstances such as being Beyoncé’s backup singer, we accepted her into our homes. Little did we know there was an agenda to become her predecessor, indigenously. As time unfolded, we noticed little traits to suggest that she might indeed be walking in the very footsteps as Beyoncé with ‘Love Me x3’, but it was so subtle we could almost miss it for her versatile personality, that of course an artiste must possess.
And then came, ‘Ife Wa Gbono’, and we loved her more, her innocence and sincerity debunked any thought we might have had of her being a wannabe. Collabos and more singles later, she found a permanent spot in our heart and jokingly we started to refer to her as our own Beyoncé aka African Barbie with her angelic vocal.
Fast-forward to the inception of Teebillz in her life, to the album release and the real show started. Slight change in some track sounds as opposed to what she normally delivered, raised alarm (whether she was really genuine or we blew her trumpets a little too soon with the mediocre that was put out) but was quickly waved off with the few good ones. I personally liked ‘Wanted’ when I first heard it. It had this bad girl twist to it and I thought the delivery was well done. It was for a fact the only track I listened to on repeat. (‘Eminado’ had worn off me since it had been turned into a jingle by Nigerian radio stations).
Live performances and shows seeped in…not so bad…beautiful performances…nothing could go wrong…or so we thought…until she announced her engagement to Teebillz. Good news! Of course…all speculations as to if the belle will ever get hitched at her age and with such display of assets, to those who cared to have such thoughts, got their answers. We were ecstatic; we couldn’t wait for it to happen.
Then it happened, and Tiwa felt the need to be more sexy, more alluring, more out there like she’s afraid she was going to lose her spot, with the nasty dresses and attitude- hence- her current performances and videos and public outburst at irrelevant matters such as a defunct artiste pouring out his frustrations. (When are Nigerian artistes going to learn?)
Anyway, yet again, Tiwa is back in the news for her supposedly ”artistic” video, ‘Wanted’ described by all and sunder as Raunchy. I reserve my thoughts as regards this but I’m going to say one thing- it killed the love I had for that song; that sole track I constantly repeated. It killed it forever! (I had a better video idea in my head). And as the norm goes, when it started getting heated, Aunty felt the need to defend herself via social media-wrong move (will tell you why in a bit) and her voltrons followed suit. Wanted the Video was all form of soft porn; If that’s what they were trying to achieve then A for effort (except of course Tiwa’s shoes. what did she visit Frauline Maria and borrow those hideous piece of footwear?). But how can you pull such stunt and expect Nigeria to be mum about it? Its bad enough she was indirectly revealing she is sex starved. (Is the hubby not enough anymore?)
Lets bring it back home. I’m not one to insinuate but I’ve always wondered what Teebillz mother, as a Yoruba cultured woman would be saying or even her friends or even average Nigerian mothers. I can only imagine the conversation going like this when they saw the Wanted video, “Kilonshe iyawo omonyi?” “Kilode to gbagbe pata e?”
If not, then I think something is genuinely wrong because since I came to Lagos I’ve come to the realization that the one tribe keen on culture is the Yoruba’s. From the courtesy greets to the compulsory addition of ‘é’ when referring to someone elderly. With this tribe, I know that even if you don’t like the person/in-law, do ‘Óju Aye’ just to get points and possible defense when the husband wants to misbehave.
Nigeria is a place of culture and ethics. It is really important to the people that our cultures and traditions are adhered to. In some parts of the country, the traditions are still very much active even after ages past. No matter how westernized we want to be we can never get as westernized and that’s what Tiwa is getting wrong. That’s why ordinarily; as it is summer (I still feel we have summer all year round, all ye fake Nigerians) you can’t say you want to walk on the streets with bum shorts and a bikini bra just to feel the sunlight on your skin. Before you make it to the second block, you’d have either been eyed, stoned, casted or chased by area boys.
Rihanna, Beyoncé and Nicki minaj can all pull the look because their culture allows it. Not like in Nigeria where the men will have stripped your sheer off with their eyes alone leaving you shameful and uncomfortable before they think of approaching you next.
Ethics are huge in Nigeria. No one is saying Tiwa shouldn’t go all gaga, in fact be the next lady gaga not only Beyoncé but be ready to take what comes after. Personally I think Tiwa should sack or shoot her PR person in the head. If you want to pull a bey/jay, take the risk and shut the hell up at criticism after. You have the perfect audience in Nigeria, after one week, their energy will wear out and your matter will be forgotten, but that’s after the criticism has garnered you enough recognition. To pull a bey/jay move is not to take the bull by the horn and go raunchy alone, the real bey/jay move is keeping people guessing what is going on. Leave the talking to the people instead on running to social media to rant and give unnecessary explanation and the husband defense mechanism to the bedroom biko.
And for your next move, vis-a-vis the need to do research, check the move of the international celebs your desperately copy, they only attack if its personal and stay MUM when they pull such risqué career moves.
Hilarious but very true. The video was tacky, classless and unlike Tiwa. She so desperately wants to be Bey and it’s kind’a unsexy. but I still love her and the song
watched d video first> hate d song ni. pata pata. but still manage to love tiwa sha. her next will tell what shes plannin. whether she’d go back to our own Tiwa or be international ti
yoncegaga
9ja with dere copy-copy attitude…hmmn
I totally and completely agree with all you have said. When I first saw the video it looked so fake. It’s so obvious she’s trying to copy. You can’t blame her thou, u know she spent so much money in Dubai for her wedding maybe she thinks by releasing a porn video it will generate more income. I pity her condition,
I like the way you built up your argument. Nice
i don’t know how i feel about the video. but the shoes mehn… Tiwa could have done better. And someone should tell her that being married doesn’t mean she’s less sexy. It’s ushers her into a different phase of sexy.
That video is the definition of uncouth. The shoes though, im just going to have to agree she borrowed them from Fräuline Maria. loool
Bimz, no kill me with laff abeg
U DaMN on right abt the video…she’s trying hard to prove being married isn’t a bondage ish.
U wud notice r parents or teebills were not prominent in their wedding compared to even them 2face….m sure dier parents don’t like d whole madneSs
She don fall my hand gidi. gan ni bcoz I choose ar az my role model u need 2 c as dem dey abuse me sey wetin my mentor dey do but I luk 4ward for ar nxt video if she no change den I go no wetin I go do…..I pray make she no lose dat ar husband self bcoz d thing wey I dey tink sey afta ar wedding she go juz dey lowkey sey d nxt tin we go hear b sey she don get belle« e dey pain me oooo with the video I like d song but I hate d video with passion
Hilarious, but extremely hypocritical, considering I see worse on the streets of Lagos every week. All this talk about culture should take a back seat. Nobody cares anymore – at least, most don’t. But everyone wants to pretend like they still do.