Terry Apala, the Nigerian star who blends afrobeat and Apala hip-pop, has opened up about his painful past in an emotional interview with Chude Jideonwo. He revealed that his father, Jeff Ejeh, a former banker, was absent from his life for 17 years and he had no bond with him. The only time he saw his father was on the night he died in 1990.
Terry, who grew up in Mushin, Lagos, said his father came to their house from Apapa unexpectedly and spent the night with him and his younger brother Obi. Terry’s mother, who was not at home, was shocked to hear that Jeff was there and asked him to leave. But Jeff refused to go until he saw her. Terry’s other siblings could not return home that night because they were afraid of Jeff, who they barely knew.
Terry and Jeff slept in the same room, and Jeff shared the bed with Obi, while Terry slept on the floor. Terry woke up in the morning to find his father vomiting blood. He said he felt sorry for him, but he did not have any attachment to him. Jeff died later that day, leaving Terry with mixed feelings of sadness and resentment.
Terry said he did not blame his mother for kicking his father out, because Jeff was not a good husband or father. He said he learned to be independent and responsible from his mother, who raised him and his siblings single-handedly. He also said he forgave his father for abandoning him, but he did not forget the pain he caused him.