Toni Payne, estranged wife of Nigerian artiste, 9ice spoke to PUNCH’s Nonye Ben-Nwankwo about the many controversies surrounding her life

Do you know music so much that you had to go on social media to criticise Tonto Dike’s song?

I didn’t do that.

But where did the story come from?

I know where it came from. I was at an event and somebody asked me what I thought of her song. I said she is a woman like me and she is trying. We are not all perfect. The next thing, I started reading online was that Tony Payne said this and that about Tonto Dike’s song. I was amazed. I never said anything negative about her songs. I have heard the song just once on the radio.

But what do you think of her music?

I haven’t really heard it. I don’t believe in abusive criticism. If I listen to the music, I might even end up liking it because of all the abuses she has got.

Why did you come back to Nigeria?

I got married. I just had to move back home. I felt I should have a close knit family. I got into working in Nigeria and I have been having fun.

Do you have any issues with K Solo?

I don’t have any issues with him. We are not friends. We’ve never sat down to have a 10-minute conversation. The issue with him came up because I follow him on Twitter and I saw the comment he made concerning his son. The mother in me couldn’t take it. I was angry about why he could say such concerning an innocent child on social media. That was it.



Have you ruled out marriage?

Everything is in God’s hands. I will not rule out that aspect.

What if 9ice comes back to you?

(laughs) No comment. I will not answer that. I cannot predict the future.

What is this story that he snubbed you at an event?

I don’t know where that story came from. How could he have snubbed me? We are not enemies. He didn’t snub me at any event. I got to the event quite early. At that point, I was about leaving. And because there were too many eyes on me, I just had to stay awhile. It was even later that he asked me if I was at the event.



Do you still talk?

Oh yes we talk. We have a child together. We are friends.

During the brouhaha, you were outspoken, why?

There will be a time in the future when my son will be able to browse the Internet and read up all the stuff that happened. I didn’t want him to ask me why I didn’t defend myself. That was what inspired my own decision. I didn’t care whatever consequences that came out from my defending myself. I had to defend myself.

Why did you marry 9ice? So many people were of the view you were taken by his fame…

When I met him, he wasn’t that popular. I met him before the stardom. He was somebody whose personality I liked. It didn’t have anything to do with his being a celebrity. I saw a person I liked. I didn’t look at his status. I would say he was the first guy I was ever really in love with.

Was he your first boyfriend?

No. he wasn’t. But he was the first guy I had genuine love for.

Who was your first boyfriend?

It was one guy. We still talk. I’m not going to mention his name. He is still my friend.

How did you feel when you heard that another lady now has kids for 9ice?

No comment. I am not going to say anything concerning that. I don’t even know about it. I read about it in the papers. But then, I have read so many things about me that weren’t true in the papers. However, true or not, I will not talk about it.

It is more than two years since you separated. Are you now officially divorced?

I’ll not say anything about that. I’m sure 9ice will not tell you either.


We learnt you went back to beg him to take you back?

Me? Never. I did not. I know where the story came out from. Somebody close to him was feeding the press with the story. For some reasons known to him, he never liked me. He was the one that was always talking about me and coming up with such stories.

I guess you mean his former manager, Deinde?

Yes. And since he left him, no story has been said about me. I didn’t go to beg 9ice to take me back. Why would I do that?

Did you actually sleep with Ruggedman?

Of course I did not. I can categorically tell you I did not. Ruggedman has been my friend. But even before then, we didn’t see. And even after the whole incident, we have hardly seen. The last time I saw Rugged was during Occupy Nigeria. I have not seen him again since then.

Would you want Ruggedman and 9ice to be friends again?

They are adults so they should make their own decisions. But then again, I want peace between them. The fight was not warranted. There shouldn’t have been any fight in the first place. The song that caused the problem wasn’t about me. I was there when the song was recorded. I can still remember what I cooked that day. I cooked jollof rice and I diced the meat I used in cooking the rice. The lady referred to in the song was not me. All the attributes didn’t have anything to do with me. I don’t have tattoos. The last time I checked, I wasn’t bisexual as the lady referred to in the song. It was just a song but people just chose to believe whatever would suit them.

http://na2day..com/

Hmmm hmmm

Senseless..

She still loves him

From d way she's talking I think she has pride.

Fairly used woman

Hmmmn na wash

This kinda woman is very difficult to find. Very nice and straight. I can see truth in her words. Belive me

She sounds childish

i only ve one person to blame on all this,wic is 9ice.he ws so naive,he got fame n went 4 a lady dat is far more exposed,educated n matred than him.i hope he has learn a lesson

She still loves

She still loves him

kai, dis tin na april fool jor. if u are doin ruggedy, will u say u are? havin tatoo or bein bisexual, madam how do u expect me 2 knw dat wen am nt even closed 2 c dat eida? anyways, u try. l like dat spirit.

Airforce1: Fairly used woman

...that cannot be rehabilitated/refurbished again.
Maybe she shld look d way of KWAM1 cos no youngman worth his salt will take her serious again.
Okuko nti ike, na-anu ihe n'ime ite ofe.

Airforce1: Fairly used woman

...that cannot be rehabilitated/refurbished again.
Maybe she shld look d way of KWAM1 cos no youngman worth his salt will take her serious again.
Okuko nti ike, na-anu ihe n'ime ite ofe( d stubborn fowl, regrets its waywardness in d soup pot).

Hmmm...this interview is laced with regrets. From d tone of ur voice, it is evident u've realised u fuckkld up big time. I pity d youngman nice that u nearly ruined his life and career(e remain mk d guy cry 4 him music dat time).
There is still hope only if u'd qeue behind Monalisa Chinda for a piece of d action as soon as Lanre Nzeribe dumps her!

It's always a nice feeling when l see a nicca make it from the hood. The 9ice Toni Payne married was not the 9ice before the fame. Dude was really toughing. I knew him personally when he was starting to get serious with the music thing in akoka then to ifako gbagada. Before he even met Cabasa. He would beg ma elder bruv to burn his remix CD for guys at street jamz.

How many local gals bin send 9ice not to talk of a gal with a masters degree based abroad. She knew 9ice was waiting to blow and was industry naive. We all knew he would blow. Now the nicca gat his international passport tattoed with stamps. Dudes in the know know that payne forced herself on 9ice.