Niniola Remembers Late Husband, Says He Kept Her in Music

Nigerian afro-house singer Niniola Apata has shared a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Michael Ndika. She revealed he helped her career and encouraged her not to quit music.

In a video believed to be from events held to honor her late husband, she spoke about how their relationship grew into a partnership that influenced both her career and personal life. The video was shared by @ChuksEricE on X last Friday.

Michael Ndika, who was the Chief Executive Officer of NaijaReview, a platform focused on afro-house and contemporary African music, passed away on May 19, 2026, at 44 years old.

With tears in her eyes, Niniola called their relationship a “love story.” She said her husband played a big part in her success in the music industry.

“My story with Michael is a love story. Michael did everything for me. Everything was for me, he was breathing for me. He loved me, I loved him so much. And I learned so much from Michael,” she shared.

Niniola explained that Michael changed her life when they met. He introduced her to new experiences and pushed her career forward, even though she was naturally shy. She said he always told her he would make her a superstar and was the reason for her success.

She mentioned that even when she thought about stepping away from music, he convinced her to keep going.

“But Michael met me raw, and he said, I’ll make you a superstar. And he did. I was just the face and the voice, but Michael was the engine. Even when I decided to, you know, give music a break, he didn’t let it,” she explained.

Niniola also talked about the emptiness she feels after his death. She described him as the most important person in her life.

“The first person I saw in the morning was Michael. And the last person who closed my eyes at night was Michael. So now what do I do? Tell me, what do I do? Michael was the best thing, the best person that ever happened to me,” she said.

She expressed her gratitude to the Ndika family for welcoming her. She acknowledged the shock that came with the news of his death and apologized to anyone hurt by how the news was shared.

The announcement of Ndika’s death caught many fans and industry people by surprise. Niniola revealed last week that her husband of 13 years had passed away. The news attracted a lot of attention because many did not know she was married.