Before we begin, let’s set the stage—for the girls who weren’t on the internet in the early 2000s and for the Gen Z babes who only know Tuface Idibia as “that legend that gave us African Queen.”

Who is Tuface Idibia (2Baba)?

Innocent “Tuface” Idibia is one of Africa’s greatest musicians—no argument.
A Nigerian icon. A pioneer of Afrobeats. A man whose catalog raised half of us.

But alongside the fame, Tuface became known for something else:
complicated relationships, deep entanglements, endless drama, and the kind of love life that could fill three seasons of a Netflix series (It did).

Who is Annie Macaulay-Idibia?

Actress. Model. Businesswoman.
A woman who met Tuface when she was young, loved him fiercely, chose him loudly, and defended him publicly—even when the world mocked her for staying through years of infidelity, baby mama tensions, and emotional exhaustion.

She became the wife, the “African Queen”—the woman he eventually married after a decade-plus of ups and downs.

And who is Natasha?

Natasha Irobosa Osawaru (born 14 November 1994) is a Nigerian politician. A member of the Peoples Democratic Party, she serves as the representative of Egor Constituency in the 8th Edo State House of Assembly. A much younger woman who is married to Tuface after his separation from Annie.Online conversations paint her as the “new peace,” the “soft life partner,” the woman who “understands him better.” Their relationship has now taken center stage online, with pregnancy rumours and a lot of public debate.

Now, Let’s Talk About This Trending Matter.

If we’re being honest, e no go ever shock me how quickly Nigerians gather to “save” a grown man — a man old enough to father half the commenters on Instagram — but will drag a woman to her knees for loving him too loudly.

This is for Team “Let’s Save TuBaba.”
Because I’ve been asking myself one question:

Save him from what exactly?
Or better still — save him from WHO?

A 50-year-old man with decades of fame, influence, money, and life experience does not need saving from women. If saving needs to happen, it’s saving him from himself, from the patterns he keeps dancing back into, like it’s his favourite old track.

But what about the women?

Because no matter the version of events you believe, one thing stood out — the women around him have always carried the heavier cross.

ANNIE: THE WOMAN WHO LOVED OUT LOUD

Say anything you want about Annie, but she loved that man fiercely.

We all saw it.
Her devotion was intense—to a fault.
She worshipped him. Protected him. Covered his shame when the internet dragged him like a generator.

She defended him.
She protected him.
She covered him.
She stood in front of bullets that were not hers.
She raised children that were not hers.
She absorbed shame that was not hers.
Even when she broke down, it was in the privacy of a home already cracked by pressure.

Yet, somehow… she still became the villain. Yes, she had her own struggles—who doesn’t?

Because in this country, once a woman cries too loudly, people say she is dramatic.
Once she fights for her home, they say she is insecure.
Once she stays, they say she is stupid.
Once she leaves, they call her ungrateful.

A woman cannot win.

ENTER THE NEW WOMAN

Then came another woman, Natasha, and the story shifted again.
One day, new peace replaced old chaos, and people started rewriting a narrative:

“Annie couldn’t give him peace.”
“She was the problem.”
“This new woman understands him better.”

Nigerians love a fresh start.
Especially when it involves a man getting a new muse.

But let’s ask ourselves honestly:
How many times will we circle back to the same pattern before we admit the obvious?

Maybe the women were never the issue.
Maybe the common denominator is the man himself.

Because when one man repeatedly ends up in messy emotional cycles with different women, the math is not mathing — and it’s not the women failing the test.

THE WOMAN-BLAMING CULTURE IN NIGERIA

Dear Naija Girl, you already know the truth:

In this country, men can misbehave endlessly and still be crowned kings.
But the women who love them? They become punchlines.

We will analyze a woman’s weakness, scars, childhood trauma, attitude, and tone —
But we won’t touch a man’s patterns with a ten-foot pole.

We will say she is dramatic.
She is clingy.
She is toxic.
She is too emotional.
She is too loud.
She is not peaceful.

But you see him?
He is “human.”
He is “trying.”
He is “under pressure.”
He is “misunderstood.”
He is “a legend.”

Legend or not, responsibility is not optional.

This Part E Pain: The Public Allegations & Rumours

Online conversations have resurfaced old accusations:

• That Tuface once allegedly referred to Annie with harsh words like “dr***gie.”

• That he allegedly has a history of enabling certain habits in partners.

• That Natasha—currently pregnant—has allegedly been seen in circulating videos engaging in unhealthy behaviors alongside him.

Are these allegations verified?
No.
But they are part of the public conversation.

Still, one thing is clear:
Tuface is the common factor in all these situations.

And instead of rushing to “save him from Natasha,” perhaps the real question is:

“Why do we never hold men accountable for the chaos they create?”

Leaving Annie Might Have Saved Her

Before the split, many fans noticed that Annie and Tuface appeared drained.
Haggard. Exhausted. Restless.
The marriage looked like two people drowning but refusing to let go.

So maybe—just maybe—the separation was necessary for Annie’s healing.

Because sometimes the person you love is the very storm you need to escape.

THE TRUTH NOBODY WANTS TO SAY

All these “Let’s save TuBaba from women” conversations only prove one thing:

If anyone should be saving him from anything,
maybe it should be his family—
not random people on the internet.

These same family members once dragged Annie publicly, forgetting she held that home together with hope, tears, and long-suffering love.

Everybody should carry their own cross, abeg.

If this entire Tuface–Annie–Natasha conversation stirred something in you—whether it’s anger, empathy, confusion, or a deep sigh of recognition—you’re not alone. Relationships in Nigeria are a different kind of battleground. Love here is loud, layered, complicated, sometimes painful… and sometimes, beautiful in ways only we understand.

And conversations like this are exactly why I wrote my book,
A Language of Flowers 

It’s a guide, a mirror, and a love letter to every woman trying to make sense of:

• Why we love the way we do

• Why do we stay longer than we should

• Why do we carry emotional blame that isn’t ours

• Why do we soften ourselves for men who refuse to grow

• Why does society give men grace and women shame

• Why our hearts break the loudest when no one is watching

In A Language of Flowers, I unpack relationships, sisterhood, dating in this wild country, self-worth, and the emotional journey of being a woman who feels deeply in a world that demands hardness.

If you want to go beyond gist—
if you want the wisdom, softness, fire, and clarity behind my thoughts—
Then you absolutely need to read this book.

Order A Language of Flowers today and explore more stories, lessons, and truths just like this—raw, honest, and written just for women like us.