Nigerian singer and songwriter Teni Apata, widely known for her musical talents, has opened up about a tragic and life-altering event from her early childhood.
In a recent interview, the artist revealed that her father, Simeon Apata, a retired Nigerian army brigadier-general, was brutally murdered in her presence when she was just two years old.
Describing her late father as a disciplinarian, a soldier, and a philanthropist, Teni paid tribute to the man who she said “gave his life to protect his family.” This revelation has shed new light on the singer’s life and the profound impact her father’s untimely death had on her.
Teni recounted the traumatic incident, stating that it has left her with lasting trust issues. “My father passed away when I was at such a young age. The trauma of losing my father at that age and him being assassinated in the presence of all of us,” Teni shared. “I was two years old when this happened. I come from war, and his passing away when I was a child robbed me of having that father figure.”
The singer went on to reveal the harrowing details of her father’s assassination, recounting how armed assailants entered their home and took her father’s life in front of his family.
She emphasized the immense sacrifice he made for his loved ones and the enduring influence he has had on her life. “He sacrificed so much for people. He laid his life for his family, and that is why, till the day that I die, my father will remain the person I look up to the most,” Teni expressed.
“I am trying to find my own path. My father was an educationist but I am a musician. They told me not to do music at home but I did not answer.”
"My father was assassinated in the presence of all of us. I was 2 at the time"
– Teni Makanaki
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Teni Apata’s musical journey began to gain recognition in 2017 with the release of her hit single ‘Fargin.’ Since then, she has made a significant impact on the Nigerian music industry with a string of chart-topping songs and a growing fan base.
Teni’s candid revelation about her father’s tragic murder and its enduring influence on her life offers a poignant insight into the personal struggles she has faced on her journey to musical stardom. Her determination to forge her own path while cherishing her father’s memory highlights her strength and resilience as an artist and as a person.
