Nigerian singer and songwriter, Inetimi Timaya Odon better known by his stage name Timaya, has expressed concerns about the worldwide economic hardship, stressing its severe impact on Nigeria.

He shared his empathy for those struggling, citing his own experiences with increased expenses and helping others.
Timaya highlighted the disparity between earning in dollars versus naira, making it challenging for Nigerians to keep up with economic demands.


He said: “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 lamented.
“My staff’s salaries and upkeep for family members have drastically increased because of the high cost of living.
“You don’t expect things to be normal. 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.
“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.”


He also discussed the entertainment industry’s struggles, noting: “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”.
Timaya shared how his controversial personality nearly destroyed him at the start of his career.
Timaya confessed that his controversial lifestyle was initially a deliberate move to gain attention.
However, he said the media’s intense scrutiny took it too far.
He recalled how he faced intense backlash, with people labeling him “crazy” due to his actions.
Following the harsh criticism, he deliberately rebranded himself.
He attributed his past behavior to his roots as a Port Harcourt boy and being the sole controversy-stirrer at the time.
The ‘Dem Mama’ crooner recalled: “My being controversial was a strategy but the press took it too far; they wanted to kill me. And back then, it wasn’t the internet; it was newspapers. When they publish it [controversial story], it goes on the street for one week before they publish another one. For that one week, you will be the topic of discussion.
“When you go to buy suya the next week, you will see your face in the newspaper that was used to wrap it. So, it was really hard. At that time, I was the only one causing controversy. People thought I was crazy. My foundation as a Port Harcourt boy also played a role in me being controversial back then.”