By Jimoh Babatunde

In social gatherings, seeing a man with a drum strapped to his shoulders, or held in his armpit is not a rarity.

From the twaddle of the leather strings fastened around this hour-glass instrument, energetically beaten with a finely curved carved wood, emanates fascinating sounds sending crowds gathered to witness a feast into a merry state.

Such is the impact wielded by the talking drum as it sends feet thumping, gowns flowing in the air, body mass unfettered from a lethargic disposition to an energetic display of dance, through the reproduction of tones, imitation of lines, speech or words of the Yoruba language.

The talking drum derived its name from its ability to imitate human tone when manipulated by its handlers.

But there was a traditional ruler, who took the art of talking drum to a noble height among the Yorubas, and that was Oba John Adetoyese Laoye 1, Timi of Ede ( December 1946- May 16, 1975).

Oba Adetoyese Laoye, the drummer-King, was known for the propagation of talking drums worldwide and one of his legacies to the local media was the signature tune of the old Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation/Western Nigeria Television.

“B’olu badan ba’ku ta ni o joye (who is the next king, if Olubadan passes on) ojogede dudu inun takun (he eats an unripe plantain and suffers stomach discomfort) ko so ni gbese ni bi lo si le keji (there is no debtor here, go to the next house) Eko je Ibadan lowo 130 ( Lagos owes Ibadan 130 thousand pounds)”

Oba Adetoyese was a cultural icon, drummer, dancer, traditionalist, teacher, and musicologist. He was highly resourceful, versatile, erudite and prolific.

It is interesting to note, that during the Queen’s visit to Nigeria in 1956, Oba Adetoyese Laoye entertained Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II by demonstrating the richness and elegance of the Yoruba talking drum.

In 1965, Adetoyese Laoye also travelled to Great Britain, to attend the Commonwealth Festival of Arts with his cultural troupe and also delivered a paper on Yoruba music. Adetoyese was not only a drummer-king and dancer; he was a teacher in the art and science of drumming.

Today, one of the sons of the late traditional ruler, Prince Adewale Laoye, has opened an outfit for the preservation and promotion of artistic legacies of the royal father, in Ede, Osun State known as the ‘Aafin Ilu (Palace of Drum)’.

Ààfin ìlù is setting a new standard for artistic excellence and it provides the community with affordable concerts, educational lectures and opportunities in community outreach.

The palace has become a must-visit tourist centre in Ede for students and people from all walks of life who want to learn about the rudiments of Yoruba and African culture.

Speaking with this reporter during a visit to the palace recently, Prince Adewale said “This place has been a tourist attraction to local and international tourists. With this remodelling and development, the art centre attracts more tourists and contributes to the economic growth of the state and the country at large.

“This has placed the name of Ede on the tourism map. During festivals like Osun Osogbo, Ileya festivals and other celebrations, people troop here and with what we are doing here, we are sure the future of our culture

 is bright as the youth now understand the concept of drums as a means of communication and panegyric (oriki) of their lineage.

He added “Above all, the long-term objective of the centre is to redefine and showcase African cultural heritage through our innovations and artistic excellence.

Prince Laoye during the visit also took the time to explain the making and sounds of different bands like Gangan/ Dundun (Talking Drum); Bata, a double-headed drum and the Iyá ilu (“Mother”), which is the largest drum, among others.

The Iyá Ilu is often adorned with a garland of bells and bronze caps called “Shaworo” which enrich the vibrations and the timbre when the drummer plays the instrument.

A tourist to the palace will have the opportunity of seeing the hand-drawn images of the drum families, and their names, individually and as groups.

Vanguard News