Teni Apata: My dad was murdered in my presence when I was 2

Teni Apata, the singer, says her father was murdered in her presence when she was two years old.

Simeon Apata, Teni’s late father, was a retired Nigerian army brigadier-general.

In a recent interview, Teni described her dad as a disciplinarian, a soldier, and a philanthropist who gave his life to protect his family.

She said his death caused her to “have trust issues” because he was “assassinated in the presence of all of us”.

The singer said her late father is the person she admires the most but she is trying to find her own path.

“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 said.

“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.

“This just really made me have trust issues while growing up because they came into our house to kill him in the presence of his family.

“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.

“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.”

Teni gained prominence in 2017 with the release of the hit single ‘Fargin’.

She has established a name for herself in the Nigerian music industry with many hit songs.