The Nigerian-American singer Jidenna had told the world during his VLad interview that
to protect himself during his dad's burial in 2010, he had to bring a lot of AK47s and employed military commandos because in Nigeria, light skinned people are targeted by kidnappers.
Well, guess what. Jidenna forgot to add that he also crowdfunded for funds to enable him come back home.
I just got led to this article from 2010 on Fear & Fancy, a social club that began in California 2006 and has Jidenna as one of her founding members, where Jide's team wrote a passionate appeal asking for funds. Read the letter after the cut.
Dear friends,
On February 18, 2010, Chief Oliver Udemmadu Ogbonnia Mobisson, Jidenna’s father, made the transition from life to death. While he had been battling several health issues, his death still came as quite a shock to us all. Jidenna has since returned home to Boston to be with his family.
The death of a father and husband is something no one can ever prepare for, and the death of a chief in the Igbo culture, of which the Mobissons are a part, entails many specific responsibilities, trips, and ceremonies. In the coming weeks, Jidenna and his family will be taking on all of these responsibilities, trips and ceremonies, with little time and funding.
They have valiantly assumed these duties in the face of their grief, but are still in great need of help from each and every one of us in order to do all that must be done. It is imperative that we rise to the occasion, as they have, and offer more than our condolences. There are very specific needs that must be addressed, all of which with we can help.
- How You Can Help
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The family must travel to Nigeria to bury Professor Mobisson in his village of chieftaincy. Jidenna needs to personally raise $3,000 in order to cover his airfare and accommodations for this trip. Any funds that you can allocate to this end would be most helpful and most appreciated at this time. In order to meet their needs, the family is requesting such resources by April 1st. For more information, please visit www.OliverMobisson.org.
If you cannot afford to give monetarily at this time, there are many other ways you can help. Another pressing need of both Jidenna and Fear & Fancy is production. Jidenna is one of our main producers for the EP/LP project that we have been working on for the past 4-5 months. Of course, given his current situation, he will not be able to produce for an extended period of time. Therefore, we are looking for anyone who produces to send us production so that we (Jidenna included) can continue our careers.
- Other Ways to Help
Jidenna has stressed to us his need to continue to write and hear new music not only for the project, but also for his emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Music has always helped Jidenna to express, cope with, and find creativity in the challenges he faces in life, and now is certainly no exception. Please send any production to info@fearandfancy.com along with your name and contact information so that we can thank you personally.
If you have received this email, and have read this far, it is because you have some connection to Jidenna and the Mobisson family and have no doubt been blessed, as we have, by their love, friendship, and support. Their loss has given us all a wonderful opportunity to give back and show our appreciation to them. Thank you for your time, prayers, and gifts in advance.
Sincerely,
Fear & Fancy