Biography of Salawa Abeni

Salawa Abeni (born May 5, 1961) is a popular Nigerian singer. An Ijebu Yoruba from Epe, in Lagos State, she began her professional career in waka music when she released her debut album, Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, in 1976, on Leader Records. It became the first recording by a female artist 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. Waka is an Islamic-influenced, traditional Yoruba music style, popularized by Batile Alake; it is a much older genre than juju and fuji.