Author: The Nation

• Oral poet per excellence exits the stage

At one time, his unusual silence under a particular Nigerian dictatorship generated whispers that he had been bribed to keep quiet. This expressed his reputation for speaking truth to power. He later explained why he was mute when Gen. Sani Abacha was in power, in the 1990s, saying, “Abacha was a terrible officer; we knew he killed so many Nigerians and I was not prepared to die just like that.” This did not necessarily reflect lack of courage but the wisdom of a fighter who wanted to live so that he could fight another day.

Yoruba oral poet Chief Olanrewaju Adepoju, who died on December 10, aged 83, courageously fought several battles for social change. His weapon was the Yoruba poetic genre known as Ewi. He demonstrated not only the power of poetry but also the power of the poet. A statement on his death, by his son, noted that “His life’s work was dedicated to making our country a more just and compassionate place.”

How he became a celebrated, politically combative oral poet and musician is a story that highlights talent and social consciousness. He was a broadcaster at the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service, which had radio and television facilities in Ibadan, in the late 1960s and 70s, after a stint as a newspaper proofreader.  “In my broadcasting days,” he recalled, “I introduced a programme called Ijinji Akewi, which was always broadcast at 6:15am.  I used to comment on happenings in the country… because of my poetic effusions I became the darling of every Yoruba listener and my talent began to show.”  At some point, he also produced other Yoruba programmes, Gbele Gbo and Tiwa nti wa.

After he resigned from the broadcasting corporation over copyright issues, he became an independent poet and record producer, and released his works on vinyl, cassette, and compact disc.  Credited with about 100 ewi albums, he was a pioneer recording artist in that category.    

According to him, “My most popular album, Obafemi Awolowo, was released in 1979. It was accepted everywhere and it brought me to the limelight.” Another album that boosted his profile, he said, was “the one after the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed; it was a bilingual record waxed in Yoruba and Hausa.” 

A number of times, his social criticism attracted blows from the authorities. He said: “After the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, I waxed another record Iku Obafemi Awolowo; the flip side was Nibo La Nlo? That particular record infuriated the military junta and they arrested me. They also prosecuted me on that occasion before I was set free by the court.”

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He was a passionate advocate of good governance. Before Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election, he released an album titled Buhari Ti De, supporting the candidacy of Muhammadu Buhari, who later won the election and became president. Adepoju said Nigerians should be thankful to God because “we now have the right man at the helm of affairs.” It was a subjective conclusion, but it showed his desire for social progress.

Born in a village called Abà Òkè Pupa, in present-day Oyo State, he rose above the disadvantages of his early life to earn recognition. His words: “One thing that may sound incredible about my life is that I never went to school; I did not even go to kindergarten school… I have never experienced any classroom education in my life…I have no certificate from any institution.”

Remarkably, he was able to learn to read and write in Yoruba and English, despite the hurdles. He published a collection of Yoruba poetry titled Ìrònú Akéwì in 1972, and a novel, Ládépò Omo Àdánwò, in 1975. The novel was made into a movie in 2005. A notable promoter of Yoruba language and culture, he was Aare Alaasa of Ibadanland, an honorary title that signified his status as a cultural giant.

There was no question about his preeminence among Yoruba oral poets. His exit significantly depleted the exponents of a genre in apparent decline.