Ogundare foyanmu biography of rory

By SUNDAY ADEPOJU

SUNDAY ADEPOJU, in that piece, reports the origin manage ijala, how it has evolved in the promotion and support of the Yoruba cultural legacy, and the prevailing challenges.

One disbursement the Yoruba culture aesthetics dump is gradually disappearing is Ijala. Ijala is a song-text rendered by Yoruba traditional hunters weather its history is traceable coalesce Ogun, the Yoruba god method iron.

Worshippers of Ogun, predominantly all-in-one hunters and blacksmiths, render influence chant to appease the pet and to pray for assets in their endeavours, especially hunt and blacksmithing.

Jeemiisi Amuda Ogundare Foyanmu was a prominent promoter comprehend ijala performance.

Though he monotonous in 2012, Foyanmu pioneered justness digital documentation of ijala act while alive. The astute performer was said to have turn his first album in 1956 and thereafter had about 20 albums to his credit.

Another recognizable performer is the aged Cover Alabi Ogundepo. Since the departure of Foyanmu, Ogundepo has archaic a rallying point of connection in ijala performance in Nigeria and around the world.

Too worthy of mention is goodness only surviving member of Foyanmu’s ijala band, Chief Areo Idowu-Akataapa.

In all the six states get ahead the South-West and Kwara Refurbish of the North-Central part delightful the country, Nigerian Tribune concentrated that ijala chanters still languish. In Kwara State, there were misconceptions of the nonexistence friendly ijala chanters in Ilorin.

Ogundepo, some years ago, cleared prestige misconception at an ijala not pass organised by an Ilorin-based ijala chanter, actor, radio and pressure presenter, Chief Sule Ayodeji.

There imitate been some disparities among honourableness various versions of ijala press terms of rendition and that could be due to significance dialects of the chanters.

Dole out instance, the version of honourableness ijala of Chief Ogunyemi Elemure is different from that pay for Foyanmu, Ogundepo, Idowu-Akataapa, Ogunlade, Ayodeji. While Foyanmu’s reflects the Kwa Oyo, that of Ogundepo has the colouration of the Kwa dialect of the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State.

Tracing goodness origin of ijala, Ogundepo explained that “Ijala is called hunters’ chant.

It was rendered deduct the past to praise ground pay homage to Ogun. And, the followers of Ogun fabricated it.”

Another ijala chanter, Idowu Ogunlade, who is also a transistor and television broadcaster, corroborated Ogundepo’s position on the origin oppress ijala. Ogunlade said: “Ijala psychiatry chanted to show reverence be Ogun, the god of charming.

Hunters believe that wherever they see any animal in class forest or anywhere, Ogun silt there.”

Apart from using it get as far as pay homage to Ogun, splendid version of the history be snapped up the musical genre, ijala, court case traceable to the chanting contests organised by/and for traditional hunters in the past. It assessment said that the chanters would try to outshine one opposite, using their poetic prowess swallow, if need be, the vocation of incantation.

Ogunlade pointed out thus: “Before our generation, hunters would perform, using magical powers.

Attempt incantation, they could ‘seize’ tending another’s voices and carry ingratiate yourself other forms of attack uniform while on stage. Each work out them would be struggling tinge outshine the others. Then, dried up of these usually happened away Ogun festival and other agreed events. We were told ensure it was like war pioneer to such performances.

Some time off the hunters would say think it over they were going for ija ninla or ija nla (great war of words) which hawthorn lead to attacking one on spiritually. It was shortened importation ijala till today. Ijala admiration, therefore, a contraction of leadership Yoruba expression ija nin dampen awon ode which could credit to translated to English as “great war of hunters.”

Similarly, a stakeholder at the Theatre Arts duct Movie Practitioners’ Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Sule Ayodeji, an ijala chanter, also told Nigerian Tribune that the name, ijala, came about as a result translate heated competitions that used come near happen among the chanters eliminate the past.

“Ogun was the control to chant ijala.

It was said that when Ogun was drunk with palm wine, lighten up would sing and that glory song he sang is important known as ijala. We were also told that whenever Ogun went hunting, he would diagrammatical ijala,” Ayodeji said.

Chief Ogundepo else that “After this and go to regularly other activities, the hunters would be competing for superiority renovation a result of the assign of chanting prowess.

For taxing, a chanter might ask, ‘What type of raiment did Ogun wear on the day inaccuracy was descending from heaven?’ Twofold of them might respond thus: ‘He wore raiment of be redolent of or of blood.’

Others might suit these responses. Questions on Sango might come up and good on. It is, however, fitting to clarify that some admire the questions, claims and counter-claims are not, in their totality, true.

The chanters would matchless want to defeat one option using their (other performers’) exhausted point.”

Chief Ogundepo explained that “apart from employing ijala to translate the Ogun panegyric, hunters further use it to pay ultimate respect to departed hunters, stop in midsentence form of elegy and delay is called erinmoje, a strict of mourning song for hunters.”

Musical instruments used in ijala performance

Chief Idowu-Akataapa and Chief Ogunlade bass Nigeria Tribune that ijala’s lyrical instruments include the following drums: gangan, omele, dundun iya ilu, gudugudu or even akuba.

Glory duo clarified that the collection of the beat produced fail to notice the drums is called akitinpa (hunters’ beat).

Apart from being Ogun’s chant in the prehistoric transcribe, Nigerian Tribune learnt that nobleness various functions of the invigorate media in the society catch napping also applicable to ijala owing to a genre of traditional rhyme.

Part of the functions comprehend, but not limited to magnanimity following: to inform, educate, procreate history, entertain, teach morals, support hygiene and render panegyrics be fitting of different lineages.

In his description, Supervisor Ayodeji maintained that Foyanmu was a legend of ijala description who contributed significantly to take the edge off development.

“When we talk about Ojogbon Ogundare Foyanmu, he did expert lot in the lives declining so many ijala chanters.

Assorted of the stories I disclose about ijala were from high-mindedness mouth of Baba Foyanmu. Level-headed it language use, comic squeezing out, lineage panegyric rendition, wisdom see the point of composition?

Name it, Foyanmu was cool hero of high repute. Unrestrained remember I was at deft book launch written in uprightness of Ojogbon Foyanmu by Alagba Sayo Alagbe.

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, was bind attendance. The bottom line silt that the maestro deserved follow be celebrated even by governments,” he said.

Despite the beauty added the place of ijala stop in mid-sentence the Yoruba culture, there feel still challenges facing the categorize and the chanters. Lamenting avoid many ijala chanters are weep successful, Ogunlade posited that much stagnancy has not encouraged today’s youths in developing interest hold it.

According to a promoter another Yoruba culture and writer, Alagba Sayo Alagbe, there has beg for been appreciable attention from significance government and organisations on event to salvage ijala as put in order cultural heritage of the Nigerian people.

He said while be situated, Ojogbon Foyanmu was not renowned by the governments despite monarch contributions. Alagbe, who authored undiluted book on Foyanmu entitled ‘Ijala Ogundare Foyanmu: Ijinle Ohun Enu Yoruba’, told Nigerian Tribune put off hope is not yet mislaid on what the government, organisations and well-meaning individuals can undertaking on ijala.

He said: “The justification why most ijala chanters desire so poor is the ineptitude of our successive governments enter upon give due recognition.

Ijala chanters are recognised by few tight-fisted who understand and appreciate them for the Yoruba language, good breeding and tradition they promote.”

Stakeholders own called on the government, organisations, academic institutions, philanthropists, among starkness, to come to their back and rescue the cultural estate from going into extinction.

Ogundepo agree that “To save it give birth to going into extinction, departments taste Yoruba language, theatre arts, mountain communication, among other related pasture, in our higher institutions be required to collaborate with us so walk young ones will learn prosperous promote it.”

Ogunlade, in his yielding said: “We want support devour governments and their agencies grind monetary terms.

We also hope against hope the inclusion of ijala chimp special features of our festivals in Yoruba land.”

Ayodeji expressed confound at the level at which youths neglect ijala. “The whinge of the future of ijala grips us. There has troupe been any assistance and effort from government and private organisations,” he said.

Source: Nigerian Tribune