Shina Peters, the Afro-Juju legend, has revealed that he left his parents at the age of 10 to pursue a career in music.
In an interview on Honest Bunch podcast, the veteran singer explained that he could not cope with his parents because they were poor and could not afford adequate housing.
Peters said as a child, he would witness his parents making love while living in a single-room apartment in Lagos.
The ‘Ijo Shina’ hitmaker said he later informed his parents of his decision to live and fend for himself.
Peters, 67, said he insisted on leaving despite his parents’ attempts to persuade him not to leave.
“What led me to leave my parents at 10 is because they do not have money to rent a room and a parlour,” he said.
“Any time we are having holidays, I always go to Oshodi. They will spread my mat. I will sleep on the mat. My father and my mom will sleep on the bed, waiting for me to sleep before they can perform husband and wife rites. And I will not be able to sleep.
“I just woke them up. Papa, Mama, yeah, I am leaving, they replied ‘you are supposed to go back to St. Peter’s School. I said, forget about education now. Let me find myself.
“If I continue this way, what am I going to do? How can I contribute to the success of my unborn yet? I am not going to be the only one, so let me go and look at how I will make you proud. Let me go outside there and find myself. Then I did.
“I told them that I will not come back to this house if I fail. But I promise you, I will not fail. And this house, I will not meet this house like this.”
The singer said after returning from his second trip to London, he found the house half-demolished.
“1972, my second London tour with Prince Adekunle, they all came to the airport to welcome me. So I asked all the big ones in the industry to follow me to my parents’ house,” he added.
“Guess what? I left the house with 10 rooms. Face me, I face you rooms. I made two because of canal. The canal at Oshodi broke the house.
“But truly, if you want to be an icon in the industry, a legend, you have to go extra miles. You are a role model.”
Peters rose to fame in the 70s with his fast-paced songs and skillful instrumentation.
He recorded hit projects like ‘Ace’ and ‘Shinamania’.
