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Timaya Recalls Odi Massacre, Shares How It Shaped His Music Career

Written by on May 20, 2025

Timaya Recalls Odi Massacre, Shares How It Shaped His Music Career

Nigerian singer Timaya shared personal memories of the tragic 1999 Odi massacre that affected his hometown

“I had to tell the story,” he said. “The military burned down the village. I became the voice of my people.”

“I had to tell the story,” he said. “The military burned down the village. I became the voice of my people.”

In a recent interview, the Bayelsa-born artist recalled when the Nigerian Army invaded Odi on federal orders. The attack killed many and destroyed properties, including his mother’s bakery.

“My mum had a bakery in Odi. She supplied bread to nearby villages,” Timaya said. “That village was attacked. We lost lives and history.”

The trauma pushed him to release his 2007 breakout track, “Dem Mama.” In it, he told the true story of the massacre through music.

“I had to tell the story,” he said. “The military burned down the village. I became the voice of my people.”

That storytelling earned him the title “Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa,” meaning the people’s mouthpiece.

The Odi massacre remains a dark part of Nigeria’s history. Timaya’s words show how music can speak truth and preserve memory.


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