Nigerian singer Teniola Apata, popularly known as Teni, opened up about the lasting impact of witnessing her father’s assassination on her life.

Her father, Simeon Apata, a retired Nigerian army Brigadier-General, was tragically assassinated by gunmen on January 8, 1995, in Lagos, when Teni was just two years old.

Teni shared her experience as a guest on the latest episode of the Tea With Tay podcast, hosted by actor Temisan Emmanuel Ahwieh, also known as Taymesan.

She described her father as a disciplinarian, a soldier, and the owner of Apata Memorial High School, who was known for his philanthropy.

“Growing up with my father passing at such a young age, the trauma of losing my father at a young age affected me,” Teni explained. “You know, him being assassinated in the presence of all of us and all that stuff. I was 2 at the time.”

She continued, “Him passing away robbed me as a child of having a father figure. It sort of made me have trust issues growing up. Because they [gunmen] came into our house purposely to kill him.”

Despite the trauma and challenges she faced, Teni expressed her admiration for her father, who remains a hero in her eyes.