Salawa Abeni, the legendary Nigerian singer, has opened up about her failed marriage to Fuji music icon Kollington Ayinla, describing the breakup as something beyond her control.
Abeni, 65, was first married to Lateef Adepoju, founder of Leader Records, where she recorded until 1986. She later married Kollington Ayinla, but their marriage ended in 1994 after they had three children.
In 2024, Abeni announced her marriage to Rasheed Adahunse, making him her third husband.
Controversy arose last year when Kollington, now 76, publicly claimed that Salawa was still his wife. Whoever she is with has only borrowed her for some time. She is still my wife till the end of life, he declared.
During a recent interview on Oyinmomo TV, Abeni addressed these remarks, clarifying that she was not to blame for the dissolution of her previous marriage. “I gave birth to my children for him. But I did not leave my marriage. It was not pride or stubbornness. My mother did not have two husbands,” she explained.
Abeni shared that she channelled her experiences into music, releasing an album that reflected what she went through during that period.
When asked if her marriage influenced her career, she chose not to comment but expressed gratitude to her fans for their support. “Not staying long in a marriage is not a bad character. Everything is about destiny. This concerns all the youths. I am not good at everything when it comes to marriage,” she added.
Salawa Abeni began her musical journey in the 1970s, releasing her debut album, ‘Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed,’ in 1976.
