Salawa Abeni Explained

Salawa Abeni
Honorific Suffix:Queen of Waka
Landscape:yes
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Salawa Abeni Alidu
Birth Date:5 May 1961
Birth Place:Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria
Genre:Waka music
Occupation:Musician
Years Active:1975–present
Label:Leader records, Kollington, Alagbada

Salawa Abeni Alidu (born 5 May 1961) is a Nigerian singer.[1] An Ijebu Yoruba from Ijebu Waterside, in Ogun State, she began her professional career in waka music when she released her debut album titled, Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, in 1976, on Leader Records. It became the first recording by a female artist in Yoruba Songs to sell over a million copies in Nigeria.

Abeni continued recording for Leader until 1986, when she ended a relationship with the record label's owner, Lateef Adepoju. She married Kollington Ayinla and joined his record label instead, staying with him until 1994.

She was crowned "Queen of Waka Music" by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi in 1992.[2] Waka is an Islamic-influenced, traditional Yoruba music style, popularized by Batile Alake; it is a much older genre than jùjú and fuji.

Controversy

When speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria, Abeni created controversy when she advised fellow musicians to "stay away from homosexuality", likening it to drug addiction.[3] Activists called her comments "a display of ignorance",[4] however her remarks were recently echoed by Nigerian model Olajumoke Orisaguna in her YouTube video Olajumoke Sauce 7: Trends and Acceptance uploaded in February 2018.[5] Under Nigerian law based on British colonial jurisprudence, same-sex relationships between LGBT people remain a criminal offence, with maximum punishments ranging from 14 years imprisonment to a death penalty.

Discography

[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Queen Salawa Abeni. Denselow. Robin. 2001-07-20. The Guardian. 23 January 2010.
  2. (7 July 2016). 'Biography of Alaafin Of Oyo, Oba Lamidi, Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III'. Uche & Maureen. (Nigerian Biography). (Nigeria)
  3. (28 March 2018). 'Salawa Abeni upholds indigenous traditional music'. P.M. News. (Nigeria).
  4. (1 April 2018). "‘Stay away from homosexuality’ local Nigerian musician advises colleagues". nostrings.com. (Nigeria)
  5. (February 21, 2018). 'Olajumoke Sauce 7: Trends and Acceptance featuring Actor Yemi Blaq'. YouTube.
  6. "Abeni, Queen Salawa." Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 4th ed.. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed February 17, 2016,