Today Wednesday May 5, we celebrate The ‘Queen of Waka Music’ Salawatu Ibiwunmi Abeni, simply known as Salawa Abeni!
More than four whole decades in the entertainment scene, 42 albums with multiple accolades to show, veteran singer Salawa Abeni has undoubtedly established herself as a force in Nigerians music industry and she’s still going strong!
Her debut album titled Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, released in 1976 on Leader Records achieved mega commercial success, going ahead to make history as the first recording by a Yoruba female musician to sell over a million copies in Nigeria.
An Ijebu Indigene from Ogun State, the beloved singer after her debut album continued recording for Leader until 1986, when she slowed down for a bit.
She was crowned “Queen of Waka Music” by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi in 1992. Waka is an Islamic-influenced, traditional Yoruba music style of music.
Happy Birthday Queen ???
