Famous Nigerian singer Timaya said he became popularly known as Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa because of his protest song against the 1999 massacre of civilians in Odi, Bayelsa State.
The Odi community was accused of having a hand in the death of several security agents who had gone on a peace mission there and former President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered a full-scale military invasion of Odi in retaliation for the deaths.
“It’s very touching because we lost lives, a lot of things and history. You know when the government just says ‘go and shoot these people down,” Timaya said.
“I sang about it [the massacre]. That is the most I can do. I told the story, how they sent the military to burn down the village. I narrated my story, and it helped me to get an impact. I became the voice, which they gave me the title of the Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa State. That is the mouthpiece of the people.”