Popular Yoruba gospel artiste, Tope Alabi has narrated how her mother’s disciplinarian nature helped keep her on the right path in life.
Alabi made this known in an interview with The Punch.
She disclosed that to keep her in check, her mother used to check if her virginity was intact at three month intervals until she got married.
Responding to a question on whether her mother supported her career from outset, the popular artiste said, “Yes , she did because she was also a singer. She always sang around the house. She believed that one didn’t have to be immoral simply because she is a singer. Every other member of my family was not pleased with my music career but my mother never took offence. She taught me that a female shouldn ’t be too close to men . For example , I was never bathed at the same time with my male siblings . My mother used to check if my virginity was intact every three months interval before I got married ; especially whenever I returned from movie locations . When I newly got married to my husband , we went to the National Theatre in Lagos to watch a movie and actors like Yinka Quadri , Ebun Oloyede , among others were there . When they saw my husband , they congratulated him and told him that he had chosen a good and exemplary wife. That made my husband quite happy . My mum was very strict and she never spared the rod . She also showed me a lot of motherly love.”