Singer Segun Johnson has opened up about being raised by a single mother and his childhood experience with his father, revealing how he later understood the circumstances that led to his parents’ separation.
Speaking on the WithChude Podcast, Johnson said his father was polygamous and explained that his father’s decision was influenced by the desire of some African men to have male children.
“My dad was polygamous. So I realized later when I grew up that my mom just followed the same steps that six other women had followed before her.”
“So most African men usually want to have a male child. Right. So when they get married to a woman and the woman is not giving them a male child, usually you see them chasing the women out of the house”
Johnson said his father’s mentality at the time played a role in his decision to become polygamous.
“But his orientation and mentality at that time was what led him to being polygamous.”
He recalled growing up with his mother after they left his father’s house when he was about four years old. “So I grew up under a single mother. I remember, I think we were out of my dad’s house when I was, I think, four.”
“I think one image that I think I can still remember was my mom backing my younger sister, Temidayo, and she had me in her hand. Okay. I think that was leaving the house.”
Johnson said the experience and the version of events he heard from his mother made him dislike his father as a child, “So I actually grew up not liking my dad. Yeah. It was like, ‘Who be this one?’”
However, he said hearing his father’s version of the story before his death gave him a different understanding of what had happened.
“I grew up not liking my Dad because of the version of story my mom told me about him and what I saw as a kid. I was lucky to hear my father’s version of the story then I came to understand why what happened actually happened.”
