Salawa Abeni
{{Short description|Nigerian singer (born 1961)}}
{{redirect|Abeni|the film with the same title|Abeni (film)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Salawa Abeni
| honorific_suffix = Queen of Waka
| image =
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| landscape = yes
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| background = solo_singer
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name = Salawa Abeni Alidu
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|05|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = Waka music
| occupation = Musician
| instrument =
| years_active = 1975–present
| label = Leader records, Kollington, Alagbada
| associated_acts =
| website =
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Salawa Abeni Alidu (born 5 May 1961) is a Nigerian singer.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2001/jul/20/artsfeatures10|title=Queen Salawa Abeni|last=Denselow|first=Robin|date=2001-07-20|work=The Guardian|accessdate=23 January 2010}} 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.(7 July 2016). [http://www.nigerianbiography.com/2016/07/biography-of-alaafin-of-oyo-oba-lamidi.html 'Biography of Alaafin Of Oyo, Oba Lamidi, Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III']. Uche & Maureen. (Nigerian Biography). (Nigeria) 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.(28 March 2018). [https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2018/03/28/salawa-abeni-upholds-indigenous-traditional-music/ 'Salawa Abeni upholds indigenous traditional music']. P.M. News. (Nigeria). Activists called her comments "a display of ignorance",(1 April 2018). [https://nostringsng.com/stay-away-homosexuality-nigerian-musician/ "‘Stay away from homosexuality’ local Nigerian musician advises colleagues"]. nostrings.com. (Nigeria) 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.(February 21, 2018). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=280&v=7C20LDLQ7zs 'Olajumoke Sauce 7: Trends and Acceptance featuring Actor Yemi Blaq']. YouTube. 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
- Gentle lady
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- Late Murtala Muhammed (Leader, 1976)
- Iba Omode Iba Agba (Leader, 1976)
- Shooting Stars (Leader, 1977)
- Ijamba Motor (Leader, 1978)
- Okiki Kan To Sele/Yinka Esho Esor (Leader, 1979)
- Orin Tuntun (Leader, 1979)
- Irohin Mecca (Leader, 1980)
- Ile Aiye (Leader, 1980)
- Omi Yale (Leader, 1980)
- Ija O Dara (Leader, 1981)
- Ikilo (Leader, 1981)
- Enie Tori Ele Ku (Leader, 1982)
- Challenge Cup ’84 (Leader, 1983)
- Adieu Alhaji Haruna Ishola (Leader, 1985)
- Indian Waka (Kollington, 1986)
- Ìfẹ́ Dára Púpọ̀ (Kollington, 1986)
- Mo Tun De Bi Mo Se Nde (Kollington, 1986)
- Awa Lagba (Kollington, 1987)
- Abode America (Kollington, 1988)
- Ileya Special (Kollington, 1988)
- I Love You (Kollington, 1988)
- We Are The Children (Kollington, 1989)
- Maradonna (Kollington, 1989)
- Candle (Kollington, 1990)
- Experience (Alagbada, 1991)
- Congratulations (Alagbada, 1991)
- Cheer Up (Alagbada, 1992)
- Waka Carnival (Alagbada, 1994)
- Beware cassette (Sony, 1995)
- Live In London ’96 cassette (Emperor Promotions, 1996)
- Appreciation cassette (Sony, 1997)
- With Barrister Evening Of Sound cassette (Zmirage Productions, 1997)
- Good Morning In America (Alagbada, 1999)
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:Musicians from Ogun State
Category:Yoruba women musicians
Category:Yoruba-language singers of Nigeria