By Denrele Animasaun

Marcus Garvey once said that: “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”

Marcus was right. It is so important that our history is taught to our young and that they know who they are, so that they can take pride knowing that they   are part of an incredible lineage. The failure to embrace our culture is at the core of many of what plagues the country today. The self loathing denial and disunity is very much a symptom of today’s throwaway generation.

When I was growing up, it was common to spend time with our parents, our grandparents and they would tell us stories and share life lessons which they will sprinkle with proverbs and moral lessons. I always wondered how the older people knew so much and how many of these stories I would remember. Many years passed and I am the one telling my children stories and traditions that was passed down to me, now to my children.

With modernity, many of us have ignored our traditions, values and we were told the old way was not progressive and it was old fashioned.

Inferiority complex ensued with the advent of western education and with it many of our cultures and traditions fell by the wayside. Now, we have a disconnection with the past and the future.

Well, there is hope because some of our young people are paving the way to reconnect the past with the future. One such young person is Ayanshina Khalid Ikeoluwa. The 22- year old is better known by his stage name, Beriola. He is an old soul and I got to know about him from the buzz that his activities have created through the social media. This young man is going places. An Ibadan native, he spent his formative years in Oyo town, Oyo State. He graduated from Federal College of Education, specializing in Theatre Art and is currently studying performing art and culture in LeadCity University, Ibadan. This young man despite his young years has been very busy.  He is into African contemporary and cultural dance, especially Yoruba batá dance and he has mastered the art of chanting Yoruba ancestry lineage (oriki ile Yoruba) he is a dance instructor, he visits many primary and secondary schools teaching the young people cultural dance and songs.  He has breathed new life into old songs and dance that the school children are eager to learn and master the steps and songs.

Khalid, is also the curator of Beriola Ayanshina cultural entertainment troupe (BACET) which specializes in promoting Yoruba culture and tradition.

Although both his parents come from a long line of traditional music and dance family (mother is from a masquerade family in the ancient Oyo town and father from the family of ‘Ayan’Drummers), they are not active in the arts. But it seems that the gift is innate and he told me that as long as he can remember, he was always chanting of the Yoruba panegyrics, eulogies and culture.

He is enmeshed in the Yoruba tradition, culture and he is so enthusiastic to learn as much as he can ;” the entire ways of life of the Yoruba are culturally valued. Our salutation is cultured, our food are cultured, our attires are cultured, each of the dances have their specific meaning and interpretations; we have Sango dance, Osun dance, Ogun dance, Oya dance and so on. There is a time for each song with special information, messages, like telling a great story about things generally and as well correcting vices in society. As a cultured Yoruba child for instance, you are not meant to dress half-naked and nudity is a taboo. It teaches us so many things, such as ways of behaving and moral lessons in our tradition, how to treat one another.

Moreover, it is not possible to discuss the creation of man without mention the myth of the descent of ‘Oranmiyan’ from heaven. So, historically, my culture is long reaching”

Khalid told me that he was inspired by many greats including; Baba Odolaye Aremu,Jaigbade Alao,Epo Akara,Baba AKEWI Dare Ishola, Asabi Oje, Baba Legba and that listening to their songs makes him feel connected to the ancestors. He was quick to tell me that he never gets tired of listening to the songs that it makes him extremely happy and invigorated.  I could not agree more, he seems to truly come into his own when he is on stage and delivering his performance and I am sure he inspires not just the young but the not-so-young alike.

As the history of Yoruba is not exclusive to Nigeria, I wondered if  would  like to go to places like Cuba and Brazil, where the Yoruba descendants have managed to retain some of the culture and   passed down  the tradition within the Yoruba lineages and of course, outside Yoruba land, it is where the batá are becoming widely known.

He said: “Some of my superiors I met in the entertainment industry and they are already there, I look forward to  going to  Cuba and Brazil  someday, and perhaps I  can go and share the batá from the Yoruba  motherland.

Khalid has been performing for some time and here are some of the notable performances: He represented Oyo State as a cultural ‘bata’ dancer at the Abuja Carnival in December 2010 and December 2011 at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria. He featured as the lead cultural dancer in the 2011 movie of the famous Yoruba Movie. He performed at the celebration of the 40TH Anniversary of the crowning of His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi AtandaOlayiwola Adeyemi III.

In 2012, performed at the 2012 ‘Oranyan Festival’ in Oyo town; in 2015 at the ‘Oro Festival’ in Iseyin. He performed in 2016 at the Oke-Badan Festival at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan and at the festival at the ‘Ibadan Mesiogo’ club in the presence of the eminent kings and chiefs of the entire Yorubaland.  And at the birthday of Oba Adewale Akanbi, the Oluiwo of Iwo. He  mentioned much more .

I asked Khalid how he feels when he is performing: “my unique ability to swiftly responding with precision to rhythm ‘bata’ drum is indescribable, I know that when I listen; I hear the heartbeat and I am able to make swift steps in response to the speedy rhythm of the ‘bata’ drum, I can dance for many hours.

I know this is my path and I have a talent that  actually precipitated my career. My parents didn’t choose my career for me. I purpose did. I chant and dance without little or no efforts put into rehearsing. This is my being. This is me. My spirit speaks to me every blessed day that this is the path where I am to walk. I dance and chant with unquantifiable measure of love, passion and concentration”.

I asked if he has any plans for the future:” Yes, I have drawn my plans and I have set my goals to take my troupe abroad. Currently, I enjoy moral support from my counsellors, mentors and guardians. Nevertheless, I still need more and more support”.

This is one impressive young man and he tells me that although it has been a long road, he would like some support to take his company to the next level:” I need sponsorships from the lovers of the Yoruba culture and its heritage both at home and in diaspora. I anticipate worthy investments into this course.

I asked Khalid what he would like to tell the young people:” My piece of advice that all the adolescents and youth out there should discover their purpose”.

I have no doubt we will be seeing and hearing more of this young man. I wish him and the other young people well in shaping Nigeria.

To contact

Khalid: 08031576798 or 08153900220 (whatsApp) 

Instagram: Khalidayanshina

Facebook:Khalid Ayanshina

YouTube: search Ayanshina Khalid

BBM pin 7B6167D7

Mailboxes: Ayanshinakhalid@yahoo.com or kharlead@gmail.com