Nigeria: 2Baba exits Now Muzik

In a statement confirming the development on Wednesday, Now Muzik co-founder and CEO Efe Omorogbe noted that his outfit’s collaboration with the ‘African Queen’ hitmaker extends beyond work, lauding major milestones that “defined an era and validated our collective contributions to the growth of the entertainment industry in Africa.”

2Baba will now be represented by his own company Hypertek Digital.

Founded in 1994 in partnership with fellow industry vets Sammy Odins-Odihirin and the late Fredrick Ayalogu, Now Muzik has been home to over 30 acts, boasting more than 100 awards and a combined music stream of over one billion. The company was founded by Efe Omorogbe when he was an undergraduate at University of Lagos in 1994.

“I am grateful to 2Baba for the trust, and for the friendship,” Omorogbe said. ‘I am proud of the brands we built together, the music we made; the fans we entertained. 2Baba is one of the greatest Nigerian musicians of all time and it really is an honour to have had the opportunity to walk side by side with him, watching and helping him make magic over the past two decades. My team and I look forward to now supporting from the sidelines, and continuing to advocate for any and everything 2Baba.”

On his part, 2Baba, who joined Now Muzik management after leaving pop group Plantashun Boiz in 2004, said: “I owe a lot of my career success to Efe and his team at Now Muzik. Everything l’ve been able to achieve is as a result of the support of so many people and organisations working with me to bring my talent and vision to life. Now Muzik is one of such companies and I couldn’t be more grateful to them.”

Since joining Now Muzik, 2Baba has released eight albums and accumulated over 400 million streams across major digital platforms. He has garnered more than 60 awards including a Lifetime Achievement laurel at the 2023 Trace Awards. In 2019, Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife named him pioneer fellow of its school of music. Additionally, he serves as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and leads the 2Baba Foundation.