Alhaja Adepeji recounts her transformation from Palm Oil Hawker to Ekiti's Musical Icon in the 70s

Born in Ido-Ekiti, Alhaja Adepeji Afolabi started as a palm oil hawker across the old Ondo State, using songs in her native Ekiti dialect to market her goods. Little did she know that her melodic hawking would spark a journey into the music world.
Encouraged by the warm reception her voice received, Alhaja Adepeji decided to turn her talent into a profession.
In 1974, she launched her music career with the Apiri Band, releasing her debut album and carving a niche for herself in the traditional music scene.
Despite humble beginnings and limited formal education, she passed through adult learning to better herself, all while receiving support from her husband, a bricklayer who believed in her dreams.
Even in her late 80s, Alhaja Adepeji’s voice remained as powerful as ever, as heard in this throwback interview with Babatunde Bamigboye Omo Edema