Veteran Nigerian singer and music icon Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has weighed in on the ongoing debate comparing Grammy-winning artiste Wizkid to late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing the discussion as “ridiculous.”
Speaking in a snippet from an upcoming episode of the Mic On podcast, 2Baba said placing the two musicians side by side shows a lack of understanding of their distinct eras, influences, and contributions to Nigerian music.
According to him, such comparisons are not only disrespectful to Fela’s enduring legacy but also unfair to Wizkid, whose career should be judged on its own merit.
“Comparing Fela with Wizkid is ridiculous. Apart from the fact that it is disrespectful to Fela, and at the same time, it is also unfair to Wizkid,” 2Baba said.
The debate intensified after Wizkid responded to criticism from Seun Kuti, Fela’s son, during an online exchange in which the singer claimed to be “bigger” than the Afrobeat legend.
Reacting to the controversy, 2Baba stressed that Fela and Wizkid operated in completely different environments, with varying social, political, and musical realities shaping their work.
He noted that Fela’s influence went beyond music into activism and cultural revolution, while Wizkid represents a modern global success story for Nigerian pop music.
2Baba urged fans and commentators to appreciate each artist for their unique impact rather than engaging in comparisons that diminish their individual achievements.
He concluded that celebrating diversity across generations of Nigerian music is far more productive than pitting artists against one another.
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