Tope Alabi recounts how sister would beat her, put pepper on her wounds

Tope Alabi, the Nigerian gospel singer, has shared adetailed account of the abuse she suffered as a young girl living with herelder sister. Taking to Instagram, the 54-year-old songwriter, famous forhits like ‘Logan Ti O De’, described a recurring cycle of punishment where hersister would first order her to grind scotch bonnet peppers, unaware of theirintended use. “When I was living with my sister, she used to beat memercilessly. Anytime she wanted to beat me, she would tell me to grind scotchbonnet peppers on a stone grinder,” Alabi recounted in a video. “I did not know that is how you punish someone. After shehad beaten me severely with the cane, there would be wounds all over my body.She would then put the ground pepper all over the wounds.” The routine, which, according to her, happened every timeshe offended her sister, caused such excruciating pain that she “would run likea mad person”. The singer revealed the profound psychological impact of theabuse, stating, “I almost lost my sanity”. Alabi explained that she had chosen to bury the memories butfelt compelled by a higher power to speak out now. “She did this to me every time. I would run like a madperson because of the pain. You would feel like you want to lose your sanity. Ican never forget. Not that I forgot, but I just decided not to speak about it,”she wrote. “I believe the Holy Spirit wants me to talk about it now fora reason.” The singer said she was using her painful past as a lessonwhile issuing a plea to parents and guardians. She urged parents to keep their children close, regardlessof their financial circumstances “Dear Parents, never let your children live with anyone. Ifit is garri you are drinking in your house, drink it with your children,” sheadded. “To guardians that are training other people’s children, benice to them because you never know what they can become in future. I thank Godfor my life today.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tope Alabi (@tope_alabi_)

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