Nigerian singer Oluwasanmi David Oludipe, popularly known as Spyro, recently shared a candid story about his upbringing, revealing that his father stopped paying his school fees due to poor academic performance.

In an interview with Chude Jideonwo, Spyro explained that his father, a disciplinarian and a pastor, withdrew financial support for his education because of his bad grades. This decision significantly affected their relationship, leading Spyro to feel unloved and estranged from his father.

Spyro, 33, recounted his struggles, saying, “When I was younger, I wasn’t doing well in school, and my dad pulled back and withdrew from paying my school fees”.

“My mum took the responsibility and she sent me to secondary school and university. I saw her really struggle to do these things, and it wasn’t easy for her.”

Reflecting on his father’s strict approach, Spyro said, “My dad was just trying to be a disciplinarian, I guess. He was like, ‘You’re not coming home with good grades, I’m going to stop paying, I won’t keep investing in you if you’re not bringing good grades home.’ Now, I would not blame him. But it affected my relationship with him growing up. I felt like my dad hated me.”

The ‘Only Fine Girl’ hitmaker also described how this situation led him to question his father’s love and even his paternity. “Sometimes I would even ask my mum if she is sure that he is my father. He was just too high-handed. I guess it was because he is a pastor, and you know the way pastors are with their kids,” he said.

Despite the hardships, Spyro’s mother’s determination and sacrifice saw him through his education, shaping his journey to becoming a successful musician.