Timaya, whose real name is Enetimi Alfrred Odom was born on 29. November 1977 in
Bayelsa state. His mother, a trader, had seven children with his father, who was by profession a banker. The father had with another woman eight more children.
At the age of 14 left, without money in his pocket, his parents' house. 'When I had nowhere to stay, I had to go and live with a woman friend who turned me into a prisoner. I had to live by her rules. I could not go anywhere until she Allows me to. I could never stay out until 7pm, or else I am in trouble. She was older than me by four years and I did not have a choice', says Timaya, 'Anytime I complain, she threatened to throw me out of her house. If I failed to make love to her, she would accuse me of sleeping with other ladies, and she will again threaten to throw my things out. that was when I was in
Porthacourt then. It was not easy for me but, what could I do? It was when I was able to save some money to get another place that I was able to escape. "
Timaya then moves to Lagos, where he completes his educational career with a Secondary School Certificate at the Ikeja Grammar School in
Lagos.
His mother wanted him to be, just like his father, a banker. But as he sings in a song from his album
Gift & Grace '...no book enter my head' So he turned to music. His musical career began in the
Eedris Abdul Kareem band, according to him, Eedris was a good man, what he liked most about him, his faith in himself and that he can entertain people. However, he was not paid by Eedris, he got only once thousand naira. That he had not copied, Timaya says that his group would be well paid by him, because he knew that they also have to feed families.
His musical career began in the Eedris Abdul Kareem band. About Edris, he says that he was a good man, but he paid little in most cases even nothing. Then he took part in a talent contest, he did not win because he lost his voice.Trough a judge in this competition, he met with K-Solo, with whom he recorded his first song 'Timaya'. This song made him famous. This was followed by concerts and lots of very successful songs like 'True Story', 'Plantain Boy ' and ' Dem Mama ', 'Ogologomma '. Timaya won 2008 and 2009 the African Hip Hop Awards for Best Dancehall Album.
Timaya is the proud father of a young daughter, Emmanuella. She was born on 05/21/2012 by his girlfriend, Barbara. He's not ready for marriage, he had indeed found a wife material in Barbara, but he wants to focus on the music, he said.
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| Timaya with his Girlfriend Barbara |
