“God Should Just Take That Person” Singer Timaya Speaks Out On Bad Leadership, Urges Nigerians To “Vote Right”

 

Nigerian music star Timaya has sparked fresh debate over Nigeria’s leadership and electoral choices after warning citizens against exchanging their votes for immediate personal benefits.  During a Wazobia FM interview on Saturday, September 19, 2026, the singer said any politician whose leadership makes Nigerians “cry again” should be removed by divine intervention, while urging voters to consider the consequences of their choices beyond election day.

 

 

“If Anybody Will Make This Country Cry Again, God Should Just Take That Person”

 

Nigerian singer Inetimi Alfred Odon, popularly known as Timaya, has made a strong intervention in the political conversation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, expressing frustration over leadership and warning Nigerians to think carefully before deciding who to support at the polls.

Speaking during an interview on Wazobia FM on Saturday, September 19, 2026, Timaya said Nigerians should not allow immediate personal needs to determine decisions that could affect the country for another four years.

The singer said: “You see the way God is trying to make everything possible now? We depend on God. If there is anybody who will make this country cry again, God should just take that person.”

He continued:

“Because the cry of the country right now is bigger than just one person. May God kill that person. Your selfish interest cannot be bigger than, or your family’s selfish interest cannot be bigger than, millions of people in the country. No, man. At this point, it is bad.”

His comments quickly drew attention because they combined a warning about voting with a blunt criticism of political leaders whom he accused of putting personal and family interests ahead of the wider population.

 

“If You Know What Is Good, You Have To Vote Right”

Timaya’s strongest message was directed at voters.

The singer questioned the practice of allowing immediate financial or material benefits to influence electoral decisions, arguing that what a voter receives on election day cannot necessarily compensate for the consequences of a poor leadership choice over an entire political term.

In his words: “Nobody is advising anybody. If what you want to eat today is what you are looking for to put in your pocket, that is your business. It is not just one day; it is another four years of hardship. If you know what is good, you have to vote right.”

The remark places the focus on the difference between short-term gain and long-term consequences.

For many Nigerians, election periods can bring intense political campaigning, promises and attempts to win support through immediate assistance. Timaya’s argument was that voters should look beyond what they can receive at a particular moment and consider what kind of leadership they want for the years that follow.

His statement did not identify a particular candidate or political party. Instead, he spoke broadly about the responsibility of Nigerian voters and the consequences of electoral choices.

 

“They Live In Abroad” Timaya Questions Politicians’ Connection With Nigeria

The singer also turned his attention to politicians and wealthy Nigerians who, according to him, spend significant periods outside the country while maintaining political interests in Nigeria.

Timaya said his travels abroad had exposed him to a different standard of living and raised questions in his mind about political leaders whose families are based outside Nigeria.

He said: “When I travel abroad, I see what is going on there. Do you understand? And these people themselves, they don’t even stay in Nigeria. They live abroad. They just work in Nigeria, these politicians, but they are based abroad because that’s where their families are. So how do you expect them to think right?”

He then described such politicians as:

“Selfish, all of them. Very selfish.”

That part of the interview was particularly pointed because Timaya was not simply discussing political promises. He was questioning whether leaders who, in his view, are removed from the everyday realities of ordinary Nigerians can fully understand the problems citizens face.

However, his claim about politicians and their families living abroad was presented as his own observation and criticism during the interview, rather than as a verified description of all Nigerian politicians.

 

“The Cry Of The Country Is Bigger Than Just One Person”

At the centre of Timaya’s argument was the idea that political power should be treated as a responsibility to the wider population.

The singer argued that the private interests of politicians and their families should not outweigh the needs of millions of Nigerians.

“Your selfish interest cannot be bigger than, or your family’s selfish interest cannot be bigger than, millions of people in the country.”

His statement reflects a broader conversation around accountability in public office: whether political leaders should be judged primarily by personal promises, party loyalty or the measurable effect of their decisions on citizens.

Timaya’s language was emotional and uncompromising, but underneath the anger was a message about the consequences of leadership decisions and the responsibility of voters to scrutinise those seeking political power.

 

Why Timaya’s Comment Is Getting Attention

Timaya is not a politician, but he is one of Nigeria’s established entertainers, with a career that has often connected popular culture with social realities.

His breakthrough song, “Dem Mama,” addressed the painful history of the Niger Delta, particularly the 1999 Odi massacre. The song helped establish an aspect of Timaya’s public image as an artiste willing to engage with social issues beyond entertainment.

That history gives additional context to his latest comments.

This time, rather than expressing his views through a song, Timaya used a radio interview to speak directly about voting, leadership and the condition of the country.

His comments also arrive at a politically significant moment, with the 2027 general elections approaching and governance, economic hardship and the responsibilities of voters already forming part of national discussion.

 

Timaya’s Long Career From “Dem Mama” To Political Commentary

Timaya, born Inetimi Alfred Odon, rose to prominence in Nigerian music through songs that combined dancehall influences with stories about his background and society.

His early career was shaped by his experience in Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta, while his breakthrough with “Dem Mama” gave him national attention.

He later released successful projects including True Story, Gift and Grace and De Rebirth, and became known for hit songs such as “Plantain Boy,” “Bum Bum” and “Ukwu.”

Beyond music, Timaya has remained one of the Nigerian artistes whose public comments frequently generate conversation.

His latest intervention therefore fits into a longer history of an entertainer using his platform to speak about issues that extend beyond the music industry.

 

The Bigger Question: What Should Voters Look At.

Perhaps the most important part of Timaya’s intervention is not the most controversial sentence.

His broader argument is that Nigerians have to live with the consequences of electoral decisions long after campaign promises, gifts and election-day excitement have disappeared.

His warning therefore raises a practical question for voters: should political choices be based mainly on immediate personal assistance, or should citizens also examine candidates’ records, policies, promises, character as publicly documented and their proposed solutions to the country’s problems?

Timaya clearly favoured the latter approach, telling Nigerians:

“If you know what is good, you have to vote right.”

He did not name a particular candidate or party in the remarks reported.

 

Supporters Say “He Is Saying What Many Nigerians Feel”

Online discussion following the interview has reflected support for the central message behind Timaya’s remarks.

Supporters have focused particularly on his warning about short-term political benefits.

The argument from this side is straightforward: accepting money, food or other temporary benefits during an election may provide immediate relief, but it does not automatically address the problems Nigerians will face after the election.

Some supporters also agreed with Timaya’s criticism of political leaders who are perceived as disconnected from ordinary citizens.

For these viewers, the singer’s statement was less about attacking one individual and more about expressing frustration with a political culture in which citizens can feel abandoned after elections.

A post sharing the video of Timaya’s remarks on X on September 19 also drew attention to his comments about politicians living abroad and his appeal against leaders who would make Nigerians suffer again.

 

Critics Question The “May God Kill That Person” Remark

While some people have welcomed Timaya’s concerns about leadership, the most controversial part of his statement is the language he used when speaking about politicians he believes could worsen the country’s situation.

His words: “May God kill that person.”

have naturally shifted part of the conversation from what he was saying about leadership to how he said it.

Critics can accept the argument that Nigeria needs responsible leadership while still questioning whether wishing death on a political leader is appropriate public language.

Another point of criticism is his sweeping description of politicians as “selfish, all of them.”

Such a statement covers a very broad group of people. Individual politicians have different records, policies, backgrounds and approaches to governance, meaning that a general description does not by itself establish the conduct of every person in that category.

The distinction is important because Timaya was expressing a political opinion rather than presenting evidence against every Nigerian politician.

 

Neutral Viewers: “Separate The Message From The Language”

A more neutral reading of the controversy separates Timaya’s underlying argument from his choice of words.

From this perspective, there are several different issues contained in the interview.

One is whether Nigerians should allow immediate personal benefits to determine their votes.

Another is whether political leaders adequately understand the realities of ordinary citizens.

A third is whether politicians should be held accountable for the long-term consequences of their decisions.

And the fourth is whether public figures should use language as strong as Timaya used when expressing frustration with political leadership.

A viewer can therefore agree with the call for voters to think beyond election-day benefits without necessarily agreeing with every statement Timaya made about politicians.

 

Additionally, singer Timaya’s September 19 intervention has opened another conversation about the responsibilities of both Nigerian politicians and voters ahead of the 2027 election.

His supporters see his comments as a forceful expression of frustration with poor leadership and political self-interest. His critics have questioned his sweeping accusations and particularly the harsh language used when he invoked death.

Between those positions is a broader issue that extends beyond Timaya himself: how Nigerians evaluate those seeking political power and how seriously citizens consider the long-term consequences of their votes.

For Timaya, the answer is clear in the message he repeated throughout the interview: immediate benefits should not be allowed to overshadow the future of millions of Nigerians.

As he put it: “The cry of the country right now is bigger than just one person.”

And that, more than the controversy surrounding his choice of words, is the central political message behind the singer’s latest intervention.

 

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