Renowned Nigerian Yoruba singer, Musiliu Babatunde Haruna Ishola, has revealed a painful yet life-changing experience that marked a turning point in his music career.
In an interview on Behind The Fame – African A-List on Saturday, September 6, 2025, the Apala musician recalled how an invitation to perform at a private event turned into an embarrassing moment when he was slapped by one of the host’s wives in front of guests.
“One of the sad moments I kept in my heart the most was from one of our fathers who invited us for a show. I don’t want to mention his name. When he called us, he had two wives. It’s after the show that I knew all of this. He had two wives. The first wife said we should be invited. But the second one said he should not invite us. That she cannot dance Apala. That who are those that dance Apala now? That my father brought Apala and he has died with Apala. That nobody hears Apala anymore. But the first wife said she has seen our performance before. That we are very good and we should be invited. And we got invited,” Ishola narrated.
He explained that during the performance, events took a dramatic turn: “Then on getting to the show, we started the occasion. And for me, I did not know what happened. Then I started praising the second wife. Before I could even finish my first verse, I was slapped by the first wife. Then I told myself to calm down and I stopped the show. Stood up from the chair I was sitting on and went backstage.”
According to him, the embarrassing incident caused commotion among guests. “Then people were talking to the husband. What your wife did is wrong. I heard people complaining. And the man came to meet me at the backstage. Took me to his house and begged me. That he is very sorry. Even being slapped and I didn’t say anything. I told him what am I supposed to say? That if I say anything, I’m disrespecting you.”
Musiliu further disclosed that the incident surprisingly became a blessing in disguise. “They gave me a very huge amount of money for being slapped. And since that time, I think if I had been angry that day, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten my fame. But since that time, I started to become popular. And if the man wanted to do any show, any form of any show, he always called me.”
The singer emphasized that what began as a painful moment eventually played a significant role in boosting his recognition and career growth in the Nigerian music industry.
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