Famed Yoruba Apala musician, Musiliu Babatunde Haruna Ishola, has opened up about a shocking incident that turned out to be a pivotal moment in his career.
In a recent interview, the celebrated artist recounted how a private performance turned unexpectedly sour — and then surprisingly profitable — when he was publicly slapped by the host's wife.
“One of the most heartbreaking experiences of my career came from a private invitation we received. I won’t mention his name, but the man was married to two women. The first wife was the one who insisted we should perform, saying she had seen us before and loved our act. But the second wife opposed it, saying, ‘Who are Apala dancers these days?’ She claimed Apala wasn’t even danceable. It was disrespectful,” Ishola explained.
Despite the disagreement, the performance went ahead. But just as he began singing, the unthinkable happened.
“I was just getting into my first verse when the first wife — the same one who invited us — walked up and slapped me in front of everyone. I was stunned. I told myself to calm down and immediately stepped off stage and went backstage,” he said.
The shocking moment caused an uproar among the guests.
“People started confronting the husband, saying, ‘You should be ashamed of your wife.’ There was so much backlash that he came backstage to apologize. He begged me and even dragged me to his house. I didn’t say much — I had already been struck, what else was I supposed to say?”
However, what began as an embarrassing moment soon became a career boost.
“That slap came with a huge amount of money. And looking back, I think it played a role in boosting my popularity. If I had reacted angrily, things might have turned out differently. But after that day, he kept calling me for performances. My fame grew from there.”
Musiliu Haruna Ishola reflected on how a moment of humility and restraint in the face of public humiliation ended up being a turning point in his journey through Nigeria’s vibrant music industry.
“Sometimes, what looks like a setback is really a setup for success,” he concluded.
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