Nigerian afro-house singer Niniola Apata has announced the death of her husband, Michael Ndika.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that she announced his death through some emotional posts shared on her Instagram story early Wednesday.
In her messages, she wrote, “God took him,” followed by another post that said, “My husband died.”
She also added more detail about their long relationship, writing, “God took him. 13 years. 13 f***ing years.”
Michael Ndika was the Chief Executive Officer of NaijaReview, a multimedia platform focused on afro-house and modern African music.
The cause of his death has not been made public. The singer has mostly kept her private life away from social media and public attention over the years.
Niniola, who is 39, became known after she finished as one of the top contestants on Project Fame West Africa in 2013.
She later grew into one of Nigeria’s well-known music stars.
Her 2017 song Maradona brought her international attention and helped her gain recognition across the global music scene, leading to collaborations with major artistes.
This development comes after she clarified rumours of secretly getting married.
In an interview with Yanga FM Lagos, Niniola debunked the speculation that she was keeping her marriage secret to avoid affecting her career or bookings.
She said, “I don’t care whatever anyone does or says [regarding my personal life]. After all, I’m not a 12-year-old. I’m old enough to say whatever it is I want to say with my full chest. I’m not married.”