Inetimi Odon, the Nigerian singer better known as Timaya, has recalled how his family was affected by the 1999 Odi massacre in Bayelsa state.  

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The Odi massacre was a brutal attack on the Ijaw community of Odi by the Nigerian armed forces during the Niger Delta conflict, which stemmed from disputes over oil resources, environmental degradation, and indigenous rights.

Reports indicate that over 900 civilians were killed, and the town was nearly destroyed.

In a recent interview on Joey Akan’s Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, Timaya shared his deep connection to Odi, despite being born and raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

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The ‘Dem Mama’ hitmaker revealed that his mother owned a bakery in Odi, where she supplied bread to the entire community before the attack.

Timaya revealed that his mother lost her bakery and other properties during the attack on the community. He described the tragedy as “deeply personal”.

“I was born and raised in Port Harcourt. I did not live in Bayelsa. But I am from Bayelsa. My parents are Bayelsans. I came to Lagos to finish secondary school and returned to Port Harcourt,” he said.

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“(I started representing Bayelsa) because it was part of me. Also, because my mother had a bakery in the village of Odi and was supplying the whole village and all that. (Odi is important) because it was the village that was attacked.

“It is very touching because we lost lives, lost a lot of things. You know, when the government says go shoot these people down.”

Timaya explained that his 2007 hit song ‘Dem Mama’ was inspired by the massacre, serving as both a personal story and a form of advocacy for his people.

“I sang about it—that is the most I can do. I told the story of how they sent the military to burn down the village,” he said.

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“Narrating my story helped me make an impact. I became the voice. And they gave me Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa state. That is the mouthpiece of the people.”



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