Timaya expresses concern over escalating hardships in Nigeria
On Wednesday, October 23, singer Inetimi Alfred Odom, widely known as Timaya, voiced his frustrations regarding the increasing hardships faced globally, particularly emphasizing the severity in Nigeria.
In a recent interview with Channels Television, Timaya remarked, “Things are really hard. I feel it for people because if people are not happy, I can’t be happy, too. I pay bills. I help a lot of people. So I understand what people are going through. I’m also feeling it [the hardship].”
He highlighted the impact of rising living costs, stating, “My staff’s salaries and upkeep for family members have drastically increased because of the high cost of living.”
Timaya noted that the current economic landscape leaves little room for normalcy: “Even politicians are crying, too, not to talk of me. The only way you can meet up with the current economic demands is if you’re earning in dollars. If you’re earning forex and you convert it to naira, that’s how you can ball.”
He elaborated on the broader implications of the crisis: “Even in America right now, things are still hard there because they’re earning in dollars and spending in dollars. It’s hard everywhere. The world is hard right now, but Nigeria is harder.”
Additionally, Timaya discussed how the economic strain is affecting the entertainment industry. “Currently, you need a lot of money to promote music. Before, we didn’t even bother about shooting music videos. Even if we were shooting a video, it cost just N1.5 million.
“Now, just to shoot one video: 100 million, 50 million, 60 million. And when you shoot the video, to promote it, you need more millions. That’s why booking fees for artists now are expensive,” he explained.
