This year’s edition of the African Drum Festival was unique in many ways. It witnessed the unveiling of Kuti Heritage Museum in Abeokuta; the launch of Adire Ogun seal and the celebration of 12 Ogun State-2born musical icons such as Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, Haruna Ishola, Ayinla Omowura, Fela Sowande and Hubert Ogunde at an exhibition tagged:Masters of the rhythms, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.
•Gombe State emerges overall best
For many years, the twin buildings that was home to the father of the late Afrobeat legend Fela Aniklulapo Kuti, Oludotun Ransome Kuti, in Isabo, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, were in a deplorable condition. The structures, which were failing and not habitable, became an eyesore to residents and tourists to the rocky city. Part of the premises became a refuse dump site and public toilet. Now, the ancient buildings have also been transformed by Ogun State government into a living museum, housing vital archival materials on the life and times of the Kuti family.
Last Friday, Governor Ibikunle Amosun unveiled the Kuti Heritage Museum, saying the ceremony was part of his administration’s efforts at celebrating iconic Ogun indigenes as well as preserving the state’s heritage.
A statue of the couple – the late Mr and Mrs Oludotun Ransome Kuti – is erected in front of the main house. While Israel Oludotun is seated, Olufunmilayo stands behind her husband on the left side. Expectedly, the couple are dressed in full Yoruba attire. The sculpture mounted on a raised white top platform is close to the garage that houses an old white car belonging to Olufunmilayo, who was the first Nigerian woman to drive a car.
As a prelude to the ceremony, a drama sketch telling the life and times of the couple’s educational career, activism and marriage was presented by Gangan Cultural Troupe. The performance, which was more of narration, offered the guests, especially the foreigners, the opportunity to know the family beyond what they had read. Olufunmilayo’s many battles, such as her struggle against taxation of women in Egbaland,which resulted in the banishment of the then Alake, Oba Ademola, her contributions to the formation of the National Council of Nigerian Citizens, Commoners Peoples Party, and the Federation of Nigerian Women Society, among others, were highlighted in the performance.
Few hours before the unveiling, a large crowd of men, women and youth stormed the premises of the new look Kuti home, singing, dancing and waving to Amosun in appreciation of the government’s efforts at upgrading the facility.
Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, who was at the ceremony, said the strict discipline he got as a child growing up with his uncle, Oludotun Ransome Kuti, the Fela’s father, shaped his life.
Soyinka recalled with nostalgia how tough it was to have spent two years as a student at the Abeokuta Grammar School where his uncle, Fela’s father, was the school principal. The Nobel laureate,an extended family member of the Kuti family, relived his two years stay at the school last Friday during the ceremony. Soyinka recalled that the two years he spent with his uncle were enough to have shaped his life and made him who he is today. He later left for Government College, Ibadan.
“I remember my uncle. I remember that he wielded a heavy cane, that was what made us. He was a disciplinarian, a leader and a great educationist. That education came in many ways, the more painful part, which I remembered. Unfortunately, I was able to escape to another school after these two years, from Abeokuta Grammar School to Government College, Ibadan.
Two years were more than enough to tune me up. I spent two years at Abeokuta Grammar School before I escaped to Government College, Ibadan, which to him, was an “Ajebutter” school, a school for spoilt children,” he said. He noted, however, that irrespective of the campaign against child abuse, parents shouldn’t spare the rod when necessary to use it.
Soyinka, who commended Ogun State government for the refurbishing and upgrading of the Fela’s familyhouse in Abeokuta, however, said it was long overdue.
Unveiling the Kuti Heritage House, Governor Amosun said the event was part of his administration’s efforts at celebrating Ogun sons and daughters, and preserve the state’s cultural heritage.
He noted that heroes and icons do not die as their homes will be turned to museums and a Mecca that future generations and scholars will use as research centres.
“This house has a lot of history. This is the house where all the Kutis were raised. From Mama Dolupo to Prof Olukoye, Fela and Beko, who were giants in their own right. When you are writing the history of Nigeria, all of them will have a pride of place. For us, we cannot allow all these giants to be unsung. We don’t want their memories to die and we don’t want our young ones to forget them. Once upon a time, there lived a couple, Mr and Mrs Kuti”.
Senior Consultant to Governor Amosun on Culture and Tourism Yewande Amusan described the Kuti Heritage House as a well thought out idea and investment to preserve the legacies of Ransome Kuti’s family as a befitting museum put up to tell the story of the family as a whole.
Speaking on behalf of the Kuti family, Yemisi Kuti noted that integrity, human values, hard work,selflessness, and patriotism were invested up by her family in national development in various fields of human endeavour. These translated to what the government and people were celebrating and not material wealth or position.
Drumming the future
This year’s African Drum Festival with the theme:Drumming the future…drums of life, rhythms of development, attracted seasoned African scholars and master drummers, who charted fresh paths to making drumming attractive to the younger generation. Chaired by founder/director, Le Kolatier Music Market, Mr. Luc Yatchokeu, a Cameroonian, the roundtable session of the festival held at Olumo Rock Complex, Abeokuta examined among other issues, how the young generation can use new technology to promote the African drum. Participants were drawn from Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Trinidad and Tobago, Kenya, Ghana, Benin, Cote D’Ivoire, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Morocco and DR Congo.
In the drumming competition held at Olumo Rock Complex and the new Amphitheatre Complex (under construction) at the city centre, Gombe won the first position followed by Kwara and Ondo states in second and third positions respectively. No fewer than 26 states participated in the festival. Ekeme Group from Akwa Ibom State won the overall best and cash prize of N2million in the independent category.
For international category, Ghana won the first position and a cash prize of $5000, while Chad and Benin Republic won second and third positions and cash prizes of $3000, and $2000 respectively. But, in individual category (international), Morocco came first with a cash prize of $3000 while Cote D’Ivoire and South Africa won second ($2000) and third positions ($1000) respectively.