Thisday journalist, Azuka Ogujuiba opens up on her viral interview with Tiwa Savage

In an exclusive tell-all interview conducted by Thisday journalist, Azuka Ogujuiba, an emotional Tiwa Savage opened up about the problems in her marriage with her husband, Tunji Balogun.

Azuka Ogujuiba has now been interviewed by genevieveng.com, where she revealed all that went down, before & during the interview. Some excerpts as you continue.

How did you get to interview Tiwa ?
I was supposed to interview her three weeks ago. And she was supposed to get permission to use Jamil’s picture with the pampers picture.

I had been following up for a while unsuccessfully. i believe she was reluctant because of the issues going on in the marriage.

After Teejay’s rant in the morning, I was asked to check online and saw TeeJay’s rant. I called Tiwa and told her what I heard and asked about the interview we were supposed to have. I later called Elohor both lines were busy throughout the day. I was finally able to get Elohor about 10pm and said I need to speak to Tiwa.But she replied that she doesnt think Tiwa will talk. Around 2am my phone rang and I saw Tiwa’s caller ID. And it was her PA saying she’s ready to do the interview and asked If I can come she would be very grateful. So I had to get my younger brother to come with me because of the time. So they came to pick me from home and we went to Tiwa’s house. It was a bit scary because of that time of the night.

The interview was meant for ThisDay not PulseTV but her management decided to release it to Pulse instead. I was quite upset about that.

What state did you meet her ?
She was in a bad state. Like someone in mourning. Her eyes were swollen. She was in tears. I met her with Elohor in her bedroom. And she gave me her phone to read the exchange between her and her husband and from my conclusion she wanted peace and was asking for them to part ways amicably and be good friend’s for Jamil’s sake. I saw her photos from the miscarriage and that brought tears to my eyes.

People said why did she take pictures. But I believe it was because she knew who she married. There were pictures of her in a stretcher.

How well do you know them ?
I met Tiwa before she came to Nigeria. We became friends when she relocated and I did an interview with her. And shortly threreafter she introduced me to TJ as her manager then and we got talking. He showed a lot of dedication in making sure Tiwa progressed in her career.

I got along well with TJ even more than Tiwa. I feel very heartbroken this happened. I was involved in their wedding. I was the only journalist who flew to their wedding in Dubai.

Why did you show no emotion during the the interview ?
I had done my crying before I went on air. I told myself I had to be hard and it was deliberate. And her management insisted it had to be recorded so that she would not be misquoted. I am not a camera person but I decided to go along with their conditions because I wanted the exclusive. I felt she trusted me enough to give me the exclusive. I’m very nervous in front of the camera. It wasn’t easy for me because I was talking to a friend. I like TJ. I like Tiwa. It was tough I was trying to remove my emotions.

What would you say to your critics ?
I read some of the feedback and insults. I am not a TV journalist. I am a print journalist. I am not trained to be before a camera. I understand the criticism was because of the love for Tiwa so I’m not really bothered because I love her too. So believe it was because I didn’t show her the love which her fans expected.
After the interview was over we still sat down and talked and consoled her.

There were so many memes about my expression. People read me wrong. I was trying not to cry. I was in shock. But cyber bullying doesn’t move me. I have a thick skin. Tiwa knows I like her genuinely so I am ok with what anybody else says, We have mutual respect. She even called me later on to tell me not to let the insults bother me. Some people even commended me on my ability to detach my emotions.I understand her fans coming after me because they think I’m an enemy.

what else would you have asked ?
I think I would have loved to speak with TJ. I read him and Tiwa’s exchange on her phone. Tiwa didn’t want war. I would have asked him how he allowed situation to deteriorate so horribly. I remember how he used to be so protective of her, she was like an egg to him. So it is so shocking things have gotten to this stage.

Do you think too much was shared ?
The woman I saw that night was broken. I really don’t want to blame her. She was a woman who had tried so much. She was in a terrible state. I had to ask her why she was crying like someone had died. She has covered so much from the public like when she covered his debts for the car,wristwatch etc because she was scared the media would get hold of all the information.

I dont believe she did it to revenge. Tiwa is a soft soul. She is not a bitter person. She probably did it to save her brand. She’s the biggest female brand in Nigeria maybe even Africa.

Do you think this will affect her endorsements ?
I don’t think so. I hope not. She was paid 2.5m for a show with Remy Martin and the money never got to her because it was with TJ.

Who do you think is at fault ?
I don’t really want to support anyone but I know them both. I know Tiwa will not fabricate things that never happened. If have to stand with anyone I will stand with Tiwa.

Read more over at genevieveng.com/tiwa-savages-viral-interviewer

Leicester City wins 2015/216 Premier League

Following Chelsea and #Tottenham 2-2 draw tonight, Leicester City is now the winner of the 2015/2016 English Premier League with 77 points. History made in Premier League. Congrats to them.

May Day, Tiwa Savage, Her Husband And Nigeria By Reuben Abati

Read his article below:

“Ol’boy, man don see something oh.”

“Wetin you see?”
“My eyes don see something. My ears don hear, and my mouth sef, I for talk something join.”
“Talk make I hear”
“No be dis Tiwa Savage and him husband matter? The husband wey say him wife offend am, he no gi am food, him wife dey form for house but him dey open leg for other men, and na another woman they give am edible catering, and the man come vex he wan jump inside river for Lekki-Ikoyi bridge”
“Who the hell are you talking about?”

"Tiwa Savage and her husband”
“And who are those?”


“Tiwa, now. Marvin First Lady.  She is one of Nigeria’s topmost female artistes. And her husband.  They are quarrelling. The husband tried to commit suicide. She says her husband prefers to follow other women, take cocaine and ignore his responsibilities as a man and a husband. Social media is agog with the news. Mainstream media is feeding on it too. The man even tried to jump into the Lagoon.”

“And has he done so?”

“No. He was restrained by Banky W and Peter Okoye.”

“And who are those? Red Cross Officials?”

“You are in this country and you don’t know Banky W and Peter Okoye?”

“There is no way anyone can possibly know all the members of the Red Cross? ”

“They are musicians, not Red Cross, not NEMA”

“Oh, I see”

“Don’t tell me you are one of those dumb ones who do not know what is going on in this country?”

“I don’t get it. Am I supposed to worry about how Tiwa Savage and her husband are savaging the public space with their dirty linen and turning their marriage into a subject for beer parlour gossip?”

“It is a serious matter.”

“Oh really? So, how has their matter affected the supply of petrol, the price of foodstuffs and the payment of salaries?”

“It is the biggest news of the week.”

“Of course, because the media does not know what to prioritise anymore”

“There are issues involved. Tiwa Savage’s husband wanted to commit suicide. The same week, there was a report about a man who killed his target of amorous desire and stabbed her mother  in Ilorin because the lady refused to love or marry him.”

“Love is the most potent poison in the world. The graveyard is a prison yard of unrequited love.”

“Tiwa Savage’s husband says…”

“You keep mentioning the wife.  That husband doesn’t have a name? They should have allowed him to jump into the Lagoon, and have his wife do a special song at his funeral and go home on the left arm of another man.”

“They call him em em. actually that is the problem if you would listen to the wife. She is the breadwinner, she says and the man likes to squander money and so on and so forth.”

“Look, I am not interested in that story.  I don’t want a taste of Tiwa Savage’s #Lemonade. I don’t want any tales about the #Becky-with-the-Big-Hair that served her husband “edible catering”. Or do you want the National Assembly to have a special session on a derailed marriage, or may be you want President Muhammadu Buhari to issue a statement on it? One of these days, Nigerians will start insisting that the Nigerian President should become a marriage counselor and he will be blamed for marital squabbles.”

“We are talking about celebrities. And come to think of it, in a normal country, Tiwa Savage’s husband will not have to depend on his wife. He will have a proper means of income.”

“E ma gba mi ke. Doro Tiwa and husband fight and Nigeria no go hear word? E joor oh. As you lay your bed, you lie on it. These things happen every day. Human beings pay for the choices that they make. They learn from the outcomes of their choices. Can we have the media focus on serious matters beyond sex, infidelity, cocaine and the poverty of matrimonial matters in the household of Tiwa and Tee Blliz? Which kin name be that sef?”

“Today is May Day for example”

“Nigerian workers should actually carry placards tomorrow, screaming May Day, May Day, May Day!!”

“You want them to scream for help?”

“Yes, because the Nigerian worker today is hungry, angry, sinking, helpless, jobless, over-used, under-paid and in despair. State governments are not paying salaries. Companies are retrenching staff.  The latest I read is that First Bank is planning to sack 1, 000 workers, Aero Contractors, 100.  I know a couple, who have both just lost their jobs and they have five children. Some other companies are closing shop. Massive divestiture in the economy.”

“Incidentally, you know the people who caused the melt down. “

“Tell me”

“I don’t know.”

“If you don’t know, then you don’t know, before you say something that will make me give you a punch in the face. But I think all that President Buhari needs to do tomorrow is to give the people hope.  In a situation like this, you give the people hope, you reassure them.”

“You are recommending rhetoric. Speaking for speaking sake.”

“No. I am saying hope is a strong weapon. When a leader gives the people hope, he calms down their blood pressure. It is a strong pill.”

“The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress are not asking for hope. Nigerian workers know what they want. They are asking for N56, 000 minimum wage.”

“Chai”

“You heard me. N56, 000”

“Chai. Do they live in this country at all? Do they have economists among them? Does it make sense to ask for what you know you cannot get?”

“You can ask for what you think you deserve.”

“But in matters like this, you look at the economy too. What they are asking for is called wage indexation. That is not sound economics. Wage indexation is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you base your calculations on it, there will never be an end to it, and it will undermine the economy.”

“Which economy? An economy where some people grab N2 billion, and millions of dollars all in the line of a day’s arrangement, and workers cannot get the existing N18, 000 minimum wage?”

“If I were the NLC or TUC leader, I’ll be more interested in giving the government ideas about how to pay the current minimum wage and ensure that the welfare of the people is properly the concern of government. NLC should be pragmatic. Get all salary arrears paid to start with, and get government to pay all emoluments as at when due. Uncommon sense.”

“Sorry, Labour leaders don’t claim that they are economists. They just want the best for the Nigerian worker. That is their mandate.”

“Don’t speak for them. When they meet the President and the Governors tomorrow, let them say so. I wonder if anybody even reads those long speeches on Labour Day. Nigerian workers are looking for unpaid salaries, but their leaders ride exotic SUVs, and live in mansions. I beg.”

“You are beginning to sound like a government spokesperson. Come, are you still one of us?”

“I beg”

“By the way, what do you think is likely to happen in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), now that the party leadership says the Chairman of the party must come from the North East, and the South West members are threatening to pull out?”

“Are you sure anybody in the South West is threatening to pull out?”

“Yes. You don’t read the papers? Na one of your brothers even talk am”

“Who?”

“The Lion himself”

“A lion in my family?”

“Have you forgotten so soon? Abi as your phone no ring again, your brain no ring too? You no know the attack dog, the Lion?”

“Lion. Attack dog.”

“Hen hen now. Him say if they don’t make somebody from South West the Chairman of the PDP, the South West wing of the PDP will leave the party.”

“I’ll advise you not to lose sleep over what politicians say.  What you can be sure of though, is that before 2019, there is likely to be interesting re-alignments.  Nigerian politics may not be the same again before and after 2019.”

“Na dem sabi. Make they just give us the mekunnu, power, good roads, jobs and our salaries at the end of the month. Me, talking for meself, I don see say e no matter which party win election, as long as the economy dey kampe and man fit chop, pay school fees and get light to do welle for night. My broda, na the better thing wey matter pass be dat.”
“What is welle?”

“You no know Welle?”

“No”

“Kai. Lord of Heaven. No be the thing wey dey cause problem between Tiwa Savage and her husband be dat?”

“I still don’t get it.”

“You no watch her interview?  As the girl they talk, dey cry, without make up, looking like an angel, doing her eye like this, her shoulder like that, e just dey pain me say dem no allow the husband jump for inside river. If I see Banky W and Peter Okoye, hen, the kine slap wey I go give dem.”

“Are you alright? Have you been sniffing cocaine?”

“C’ommot there. You just carry book for head, you no know how life be?”

“I am sorry for you.”

“Sorry for yourself.”

“Na you go sorry for yourself. And why your head dey always shine like this? You no get hair? You never reach old age, your head don become desert. Na people like you women dey look for?”

“This is a special haircut, you can see that the shaving of the hair is completely clean.”

“This is not a haircut. This is called desert encroachment, or the desertification of the human skull”

“I did it this way, in the shape of a shining mirror, in solidarity with the people of the Edo Kingdom who have just lost their revered monarch, the Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo,  Erediauwa I”

“Only Benin sons are required to do gorimapa in honour of the great king that has ascended to the rafters.”

“There is no law that says other Nigerians cannot honour a revered monarch who kept the dignity of the throne and left behind a legacy of honour, character, royal grace, and dignity.”

“You don spake my broda. Make I add my own; Oba gha to kpere”

“Ise-ee”

“May his path to the great Beyond be one of illumination and grace.”

“So let it be.”

“So mote it be.”