Beautiful Nubia thrilling the crowd who left their seats...)
(All pictures were taken by Lolade Adewuyi of lagoscityphotos.blogspot.com-He is one of the finest and dynamic photojournalist I have met).
All roads led to Ile-Ife and Oshogbo, Osun State for the Eniobanke Music Festival, EMUFest, a musical tour with the purpose of bringing alive folklore, performing arts and African consciousness, 28 and 29th of November at the Amphitheatre, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and at the Delightsome Hotels and Resorts, Oshogbo.
It was no doubt a funfare filled with felicity and musical fecundity as it featured acts like Orlando Julius, Jimi Solanke, Beautiful Nubia and Yinka Davies. The day which coincided with the swearing-in ceremony of Rauf Aregbesola, the new Osun State governor, a pedestal Aregbesola got after rigorous legal battles, further magnified the joy in the people hearts, in the state.
For Nigerians, there was no better escape from the strain of modern rigours meanwhile for students of OAU, it was a time to close the chapters briefly and relax
as the examinations stare into their faces.
Although the events started a little late at Ife, the amphitheatre was soon full to the nostalgic feeling of the oldies. Songs like Columbia, Asiko lo laiye Adara, by Orlando Julius and His AfroSanders, one of Nigeria’s highlife icons, with ecstatic dance steps from his female dancers, it was not only a festival it was a musical of the greats, as Orlando thrilled the students with incandescent thrill and expert combination of musical instruments. For almost everyone, they were reliving childhood memories and rekoning with the need for Africans to be united.
Talk of reliving childhood memories, Jimi Solanke, was the champion of children folklore and had remained so since the 1960s when he started his musical experience with the late IK Dairo. With all sense of simplicity and with his usual tale bearing swagger, Solanke brought the crowd into another session of dancing steps, with unforgettable folkore from almost all the ethnic groups in the country.
(Professor Oxford, far from the maddening)
In fact, the audience travelled as far as Jamaica from Story land to Ibadan to Onilegogoro as Solanke danced like a young man in his twenties. Solanke’s funny and sensual innuendos, songs and limericks have not left him either, people were no doubt comfortable with that part of our culture that entertains in sensual codes-so there was no cause for alarm. Solanke also raised socio-political issues with his song titled By the year 2000, as he sang about the eternal postponement of basic amenities and Teacher, a song about the importance of teachers in society.
( Jimi Solanke, King of African Folklore)
Yinka Davies, award winning singer, was the dame of the night as she humbled herself in doing several duets with Orlando Julius, her dance steps where no doubt like a mermaid in her natural habitat. Beautiful Nubia, reknowned performance poet and dredlocked musician, came into the stage with uproar and a standing ovation from the crowd. Songs from his albums, Jagbalanjubu, Irinajo and a host of others were sung by him and Roots Renaissance Band, his band.
(Yinka Davies with her enchanting swagger)
However, this serenity of soul was interrupted by students of the Awolowo Hall, famously called Awo Boys (for their creative eccentricity), who decided to disrupt the programme if Beautiful Nubia did not prostrate for them. This demand made by students of Awolowo Hall was stated as customary for any musical star that performed in the University.
However, Beautiful Nubia refused to prostrate because he felt in the Yoruba hierarchy the elderly do not prostrate for the people of younger ages. For Nubia, “it is only those who do not know their roots that abide by such laws”.
This statement brought the festival to a standstill as there was an exchange of words between other students and students of the hall.
Until the timely intervention of Fredrick Joel,FJ, President of the Students Union and other members of the Union who reminded them of Nubia’s contributions in the past. “You will recall that when the union was proscribed in 2006, it was beautiful Nubia who took it upon himself to do a show for the students to help raise money for the union” FJ pleaded with Awo boys. In response Nubia apologised to the students stating that “we have invested so much to come to this great school to perform some of us have not slept for the past five days-anything I may have said that may have angered you. I am deeply sorry”. After all tensions had seized, another round of celebrations began.
(Orlando Julius, Icon of Hilife)
The dredlocked Afrocentric artiste mounted the stage again, this time totally adorned by the regalia of regard by Ife students. At the end of the show, he was lifted up as a sign of respect. The event at ife came to a close with a song in remembrance of Obafemi Awolowo, one of Nigeria’s indefatigable political icons. Speaking to Yemisi Akingbola, a campus journalist, she stated that “Awo boys were not like this in the past-I am embarrassed, a lot of Alumnus, Press men, were around and they behaved without any sense of caution”.
Yinka Davies also complained profusely to the magazine that some students disrespected her as she was trying to placate them, “OAU used to be a dream school but now, I don’t know what to call it any longer-I am not impressed, and if you journalists don’t write about this, then you will be encouraging such barbaric behaviour”. Aspiring performance artiste like Edaoto and Femi were at the event.
(Beautiful Nubia summoned by the the drums)
A delightsome resort, Oshogbo, a haven for lovers of serenity was the next stop. It was as if all strengths were renewed as the people of Oshogbo and visitors danced all the way to the morning. Edaoto and Yinka Davis had separate duets with Orlando Julius. The artistes also had the opportunity to interact with the musicians as they exuded a high sense of simplicity and commitment to youths. For Nubia , “It is not time for the youths to listen to stupid songs but to steady their minds to the voice of change, let us join our hands together to bring change to this country”.
Ekejuba Innocent, student and performance poet agrees with Nubia, “Africa used to be the citadel of leaning and civilisation, the first University was in Timbuktu, but all that has changed, we are now foot mats and mere markets for foreigners-our leaders are also not helping us. We need to form alliances and change the situation of this country-Africa will change if Nigeria changes”.
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