People who knew the late civil war veteran, Simeon Apata, have described him as a courageous man whose death created a huge vacuum in his immediate environment of Isolo, Lagos.
It is said that when he was alive, he confronted armed robbers and made sure the area was a safe haven.
Unfortunately, he was later murdered by unknown gunmen on January 8, 1995. Although Apata died many years ago, his legacies still live on. His school, Apata Memorial Schools, in Isolo, managed by his three wives, is still thriving. Also, two of his daughters, Teniola and Niniola, have taken the Nigerian music industry by storm.
As the headline artiste of the monthly Industry Nite event at Hardrock Café, Victoria Island, Lagos, Teni revealed that her father’s death inspired her hit song, Wait. She said,
“Wait tells the love story between my mum and dad. I got the inspiration when my dad passed and my mum was crying, wishing he could have stayed back.”
Teni also stated that it took her seven years to graduate and her younger sisters completed their studies before her. She said,
“I recorded Uyo Meyo for my graduation ceremony because it took me seven years to graduate. My sisters graduated before me; so, it was a big deal for me on the day I graduated. I did the song for myself and everyone who hopes to achieve something.”
