British-Nigerian singer, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has revealed why he speaks Yorùbá fluently, despite growing up in London, the United Kingdom.
The Marlian music honcho, who raps mostly in Yorùbá, said his dad banned the speaking of English in their house while allowing only Yorùbá.
He disclosed this in an interview with Cool FM Nigeria in Lagos.Naira Marley said:
“What made it easy for me [to blend with Nigerian street music] is that I grew up in South-East London, Peckham to be precise.
That is like small Lagos, you know what I mean?
“And all my life in England, my dad banned speaking English in the house. So, we had to speak Yorùbá and all these Yorùbá stuff. I still listen to Fuji. We eat African foods. Even though I’m in England, it was like I’m still in Nigeria.
Yeah, it was easy for me. When I came back [to Nigeria], people didn’t really know I came from London.
”The singer said he could have been a footballer, adding that he played for Arsenal youth team while in England.
