By TAIYE OLAYEMI

Aralola Olamuyiwa, Nigeria?s foremost female talking drummer, popularly known as ?Ara?, has revealed how she experienced a series of exploitation, enslavement, and abuse during her journey to stardom.

Ara, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday anniversary, shared her 25-year experience as an artiste while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday.

She stated that, at one point in her career, the leader of a particular record label she had a six-year contract with exploited her sexually.

He also isolated her from her family members and subjected her to a series of abuses.

In spite of this, she remained grateful for her achievements while working with the record label, which brought her to the limelight, adding that she had to endure terrible situations.

?My journey to stardom is not complete if I do not talk about how I was exploited, enslaved, and abused for six years, from 2000 to 2007.

?I was isolated from my family; my parents were not allowed to see me, nor were my fellow artistes.

?At one point, I was sexually exploited when the owner of the record label started dating me, and he lied that he was not married until I discovered that he was expecting a child with another woman.

?It was a horrific experience, which I felt was influenced by some diabolical forces.

?At the end of the six-year contract, I had no house, no plot of land, no car, and no money. The official car I was given was taken away from me because I refused to renew the contract.

?My experience, I must say, was worse than that of the late Mohbad. At one point, I suffered from depression and had to leave the country when Professor Wole Soyinka offered me a job.

?However, while I was on that contract, I was in the spotlight. That was when I performed with Wyclef Jean, Stevie Wonder, and Wesley Snipes.

?I am not ungrateful; I appreciate all that I achieved during that time,? she said.

Ara noted that, while she was on the record label, the agreement was for her to receive 30 per cent of the entire proceeds, while the label would receive 70 per cent.

However, she stated that even with this arrangement, her money was always given to her in tranches whenever she needed it, so she had no full control over her resources.

Ara explained that she decided to share her experiences to highlight the importance of creating a safe and inclusive environment in the entertainment industry.

She stressed that it was crucial for industry leaders and mentors to prioritise the well-being and safety of aspiring artistes, ensuring that they were not exploited or taken advantage of.

As the current Governor of the Lagos chapter of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Ara intends to inspire others to speak out against exploitation and abuse.

Looking back, she said that she would not have signed the contract without her father?s consent and the guidance of a lawyer.

?Truly, I do not look like what I have been through because I have found grace. The journey was rough, but now I have a fighting spirit.

?Then, I was isolated from fellow artists, so many people thought it was pride, but I was made to believe I was not supposed to mingle with people. I was really brainwashed.

?After the contract, another lady artiste was raised by the platform, and she was given my name as well, with just a difference in pronunciation.

?My shows were diverted to her. I reported it legally and to relevant people, but nothing was done, so I later decided to channel my energy toward building my career.

?A lot happened to me, and because I intentionally worked on myself to forget some experiences in order to keep my sanity, I developed a tendency to live in denial.

?At another point in my career, some of my colleagues resorted to diabolical means to drive me mad; one of them confessed to me after another one ran mad in Ibadan, and she is still mad till today,? she said.

Speaking on marriage, Ara said, ?Yes, I still intend to get married; I value marriage a lot, and I know a good man will come.

?Although suitors have been coming, I have decided to take my time for self-development.

?I was legally married before, but it was annulled in 2011 for some reasons, but today we are friends. We had a son together, and he is 16 now.

?Lately, I have observed that men do not know how to approach ladies anymore; they rather focus on enticing ladies with material things, and for me, it does not work.

There was a time I was celibate for six and a half years; it was not easy,? she said.

Ara appreciated God for attaining the milestone of her golden jubilee, describing herself as more of a performing artiste than a recording artiste.

NAN reports that in her 25 years as an artiste, Ara has released no fewer than 40 songs digitally. (NAN)

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