Innocent Ujah Idibia is popularly called 2face Idibia or 2 Baba. He was born on September 18th,1975 in Jos, Plateau State, in Nigeria. He is an indigene of Idoma, from Benue State. He is one of the Nigerian most decorated musicians.
He attended Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State. He then moved to Enugu State Enugu State for his National Diploma course in Business Administration and Management at the Institute of Management & Technology, Enugu (IMT). He started composing songs while still at the Institute of Management & Technology, Enugu (IMT).
He was also performing at his school events and other regional school-organized shows and parties. He was then known as Lord Lily. He was also composing and making jingles at the GB fan Enugun State Broadcasting Services (ESBS). He later dropped out of school in 1996 to pursue his music career.
2Baba later went to Lagos, where he joined Blackface(Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo), and Faze ( Chibuzor Oji), to form the Plantation Boiz. They released two albums together; Body and Soul (2000), and Sold Out (2003). But in 2004, they separated, and each one of them went solo.
2Baba contributed greatly to the popularity of Nigerian music in Nigeria, Africa, and the world.
He released his debut solo album in 2024, titled; Face 2 Face. The album featured the chart-topping hit song ‘’African Queen’’, marking a turning point in Nigerian music. Nigerian music became sought after in the African continent and the diaspora. Then in 2006, he released his second album, Grass 2 Grace.
His song, ‘African Queen’ won him many awards in Nigeria and abroad. The song made him the most popular and celebrated musical artist in Nigeria, Africa, and in the diaspora. He became the ambassador to the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) in 2009.
He is the recipient of so many awards, both locally and internationally;
● Best Male Vocalist 2002 Affinity Awards
● Song of the Year 2004 A.M.E.N Awards
● Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Industry 2004 Award for Excellence
● In 2005, he won the first MTV Best African award
● Best Album of the Year 2007 Nigeria Entertainment Awards New York
● Best-selling Nigerian Artist 2008 World Music Awards, Monaco, Spain
● Best R’n’B / Pop album 2008 Hip-Hop World Awards, etc.
He is married to Annie Idibia, and they both have two children. Though 2Baba has five other children from three different women.
