I Was Paralysed For Five Years After My Son’s Death – Salawa Abeni

Veteran Waka music singer, Salawa Abeni has revealed that she battled paralysis for five years following the death of her first son.

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The singer made the disclosure during an interview with YouTube channel Oyinmomo, where she reflected on some of the most difficult periods of her life and music career.

Salawa said she became paralysed from her neck down after the death of her son and depended on others for basic activities.

She said, “I faced challenges when my first son died such that I was paralysed for five years. I was taken from place to place in search of healing but despite that, I never got tired of music. “In fact, when my siblings were crying, I would tell them to stop because I knew I was going to get well. I got paralysed from neck to my legs. I was being bathed and dressed for. I thank God for his mercy.”

The singer also recalled the difficulties she faced during the early stages of her career, saying performing music at the time came with serious challenges.

According to her, she experienced disturbing health episodes while performing, including instances of vomiting blood.

Salawa also used the Oyinmomo interview to clarify the history of Waka music and reject claims that she created the genre.

“I started out very young but there were older women, even older than my parents, that were already singing Waka music. So, I didn’t create Waka music, people were already doing it,” she said.

Salawa began singing publicly as a teenager and released her first album, Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, in 1976 on Leader Records.

The album became the first recording by a female Yoruba artist to sell more than one million copies in Nigeria.

She continued recording with Leader Records until 1986 before joining Kollington Ayinla’s record label, where she remained until 1994.

She was crowned Queen of Waka Music by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, in 1992.

Waka predates Salawa’s career, with earlier female performers including Batuli Alake associated with the genre. Salawa has, however, been widely credited with modernising and popularising the style, which draws from traditional Yoruba music and has links with juju, apala and fuji.

Salawa has remained active in music for decades and has spoken publicly over the years about the health challenges that interrupted her career.