Waka music queen, Queen Salawa Abeni, has disclosed that she battled paralysis for five years following the death of her first son. The veteran singer shared this during an interview with the YouTube channel Oyinmomo, where she recounted some of the most challenging periods of her life and music career.
Salawa explained that she became paralysed from the neck down after her son’s passing, which left her dependent on others for basic activities. “I faced challenges after my first son died that resulted in my paralysis for five years. I was taken from place to place in search of healing, but despite that, I never lost my passion for music. In fact, when my siblings cried, I would encourage them to stop because I believed I would recover. I was paralysed from my neck to my legs, and I needed help with bathing and dressing. I thank God for His mercy,” she said.
Reflecting on the difficulties she encountered in the early stages of her music career, Salawa noted that performing during those times was far from easy. She mentioned experiencing alarming health issues on stage, including vomiting blood.
Having been associated with Waka music for over four decades, the singer took the opportunity to clarify the history of the genre and refute claims that she was its creator. “I started very young, but there were older women, even older than my parents, who were already singing Waka music. So, I didn’t create Waka music; it was already being performed by others,” she explained.
