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In the 2000s, as Afrobeats, R&B, reggae, and hip-hop gained international recognition, Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia was at the forefront of the movement.
He was not just involved; his track ‘African Queen’ from the album ‘Face 2 Face’ singled him out and became one of the most memorable songs of that era.
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Released in 2004 under Kennis Music record label, ‘African Queen’ took the Nigerian and African music scene by storm, redefining contemporary Afrobeats with its soft melody, heartfelt lyrics, and universal theme of love.
Unlike the dominant party anthems of the time, the song stood out with its soulful rhythm and deep appreciation of African beauty.
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When the song’s iconic music video hit the airwaves, it wasn’t just a love song—it became the soundtrack to 2Baba and Annie Idibia’s romance. This melody defined their journey from young lovers to one of Nigeria’s most celebrated couples.
For years, the song stood as a testament to their love, a timeless tribute that fans linked to their enduring bond.
The lyric, “Yeah, yeah, you are my African queen, oooh lord, oooh lord”, became iconic in Nigerian pop culture, a phrase mature men used for the women of their dreams. Despite gaining international recognition, the song remains a timeless love song.
With the couple’s separation, the song carries a different weight—it is no longer just a timeless love anthem but a poignant reminder of a once beautiful love story that didn’t quite have its fairy-tale ending.
What was once a symbol of deep affection now resonates as a bittersweet echo of dreams unfulfilled.
African Queen
‘African Queen’, a guitar ballad infused with West African folk music and hip-hop elements, was a standout track on 2Face Idibia’s debut solo studio album, ‘Face 2 Face.’
Now known as 2Baba, he released the song after leaving Plantashun Boiz, the iconic Nigerian R&B group he co-founded with Blackface and Faze.
The song instantly hit Nigeria, quickly spreading across West and Southern Africa before impacting Europe. Widely regarded as a defining track in Nigeria’s new-school music era, ‘African Queen’ dominated radio stations, clubs, and weddings, cementing its status as an anthem of love.
At a time when Afrobeats was primarily centred on dance and party themes, ‘African Queen’ proved that love ballads could be just as powerful. It was also one of the first Nigerian songs to receive heavy rotation on MTV Base, helping to propel Afrobeats into mainstream global recognition.
Its inclusion in the 2006 Hollywood film ‘Phat Girlz’ further solidified its international appeal. However, the song’s success was later clouded by controversy.
Ahmedu ‘Blackface’ Obiabo, 2Baba’s former bandmate, accused him of stealing the song from him. After years of legal disputes, they reached an out-of-court settlement in November 2019.
Following the resolution, Blackface released his version of the ‘African Queen’ in 2020, retaining key elements such as the lyrics, chorus, verses, and rhythm.
Annie’s video vixen
The song gained even more recognition for its music video, which featured three women—Annie Idibia, Yvonne Jegede, and another model—symbolising the ‘African Queen’ that 2Baba sang about.
The video’s scenic visuals of nature emphasised African beauty and simplicity. One of the most talked-about aspects of the video was Annie’s presence, subtly reinforcing her connection to 2Baba.
This detail became even more significant as their relationship evolved, making the song feel deeply personal to their love story.
Reflecting on her role as a video vixen in 2022, Annie revealed that her career as a model and actress was just beginning to take shape when she was featured in the music video.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, the mother of two wrote, “19 years ago, while still struggling to find my feet in the modelling industry, my then boyfriend, who had just broken from a boy band group, called me to star in his new song (African Queen).
“We both had no idea the song would change the entire music scene in Africa and its narrative and become the biggest song out of the continent. Fast forward to 19 years later and almost 10 years married to that amazing rare human artist, we get to do this again! It’s the smile season, guys!”
Blessing and curse
In 2017, the singer released visuals for the remix of ‘African Queen’ to commemorate his fourth wedding anniversary with Annie Idibia, who featured in the 2004 original video.
He shot the video for the movie ‘10 Days in Sun City’ set in South Africa, incorporating clips from his 2013 Dubai wedding with Annie.
2Baba starred in the movie, which was produced by Ayo Makun (AY), alongside Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Adesua Etomi, and Uti Nwachukwu, among other actors. The song was also one of the film’s official soundtracks.
The song earned 2Baba several awards, including ‘Best Male Video’ and ‘Best African Video’ at the 2005 Channel O Music Video Awards.
Although he had repeatedly stated in interviews that the song was not directed at any particular person but was a general tribute to love and beauty, he admitted on the fifth episode of Showmax’s Journey of the Beats in 2022 that ‘African Queen’ was both a blessing and a curse to him.
He said the song was his way of paying tribute to and celebrating African women, acknowledging their strength and beauty.
He also described it as a life-changing track that singlehandedly propelled him into the limelight and won him national and international recognition.
The song further cemented his status as ‘King of R&B’ in Nigeria and became a template for creating quintessential Afrobeats love songs.
However, 2Baba admitted that the song’s overwhelming success sometimes felt like a curse, as it became the yardstick against which his later works were measured, making them seem less impactful in comparison.
He also expressed frustration that, no matter how much he evolved musically, ‘African Queen’ would always overshadow his other songs in terms of success.
Emotional dimension
While the song continues to make waves, the 49-year-old’s announcement of their separation on Sunday adds a new emotional dimension to ‘African Queen.’
Once a heartfelt tribute to Annie, the song now carries a bittersweet undertone, shifting from a symbol of everlasting love to a nostalgic reminder of a relationship that did not stand the test of time.
This shift is evident in the video’s comments section on the Plateau-born singer’s YouTube page.
PREMIUM TIMES reviewed the video uploaded to YouTube thirteen years ago, and has amassed over 25 million views.
READ ALSO: Seven times Annie, 2Baba’s love story made us believe in ‘Happily Ever After’
The top comment reads, “Who came here first after Tuface posted about their separation on his Instagram story?”
The video now has 11,000 comments, many of which focus on 2Baba and Annie’s separation, making it the dominant topic of discussion.
One comment read, “Annie’s and 2Face separation brought me back here to listen to this masterpiece.”
Another one read, “Anyone here after the divorce announcement? This video and song will never hit the same.”
Watch the African Queen music video here.
