African Drums Festival Unveils World’s Tallest Drum In Abeokuta
The second edition of the African Drums Festival kicked off in Abeokuta, the Ogun State on Thursday evening with pomp and pageantry. The glamour that marked the event was exciting to watch. The first edition was held on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, and referred to as “Nigerian Drums Festival.”
During Thursday’s event, Governor Ibikunle Amosun unveiled an 18-feet high drum, an improvement over the 17-feet high drum unveiled last year. The 18-feet drum is acclaimed to be the world tallest drum.
The aim of the event, according to the state government, organisers of the programme, is to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Africans through drums. Among the dignitaries that graced the occassion, held at the premises of the June 12 Cultural Centre were, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.
Other dignitaries include, the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Olu of Ilaro, paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and the Olowu of Owu, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu.
The representative of the Mayor of the city of Dallas, USA, Regina Hill, Lady Bernard Suarres from Cuba, Prof. Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi and representatives of Imo, Oyo and Kastina State governors, Kaddi Obinna, Toye Adesola Arologun and Mammud Borodo, respectively also graced the event.
The three-day event witnessed performances from over 50 cultural troupes. But as at Thursday, troupes from five African countries as well as Cuba, Haiti and the United States of America (USA) had arrived.
The Thursday’s event witnessed beautiful performances from Ara, the female drummer, the Atilogwu troupe from Anambra State, the Wagnilo group and Oliworo ko kou of Benin Republic, among other performances.
The Ekemini Cultural Troupe made up of children from Akwa Ibom State warmed the hearts of the audience with their beautiful performance on the xylophone. Other local troupes from Nigeria were, Association of Kano State Troupes, Hubert Ogunde Cultural Troupe from Ogun State, Duro Ladipo Troupe, Shehu Troupe, Niger State, Oyo State Cultural Troupe and Ensemble Drums, Maliki Troupe of Borno State, Dawa Troupe from Plateau State, as well as troupes from Bayelsa, Osun, Katsina, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Imo and Benue States.
The foreign troupes were, the Association of intersection Haiti, Association Toffondji of Togo, Leydis Bernal Suarez of Cuba, Faso Djarabi of Burkina Faso, La Campagnie N’tsamini, Afro Media, USA, Gwari troupe, Ghana, Nikki Spooner from the city of Dallas, USA.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in his goodwill message noted that the festival would rejuvenate and sustain the traditional culture of the participating countries, adding that the festival would continue to create opportunities for the youths to showcase their talents and dexterity on different drums.
The Monarch who spoke in Yoruba, said: “The African Drums Festival is a tourism haven and a boost to our unity as a people in Yorubaland and Nigeria in particular. Drums have continued to unite and add glamour to our lifestyle from time immemorial.
“I am glad at what I am seeing here today. Yoruba people are unique creatures because God created us first. God created us as humble beings and He gave us rich cultural heritage in which drum is derived from.
“But what is giving us great challenge is how to turn our (Yoruba) rich cultural heritage into money and we can only achieve this when we continue to promote our culture and tradition. Whatever we do, we must always strive to promote our culture and prevent it from going into extinction.
“I was speaking with the Alaafin where we were seated and we both commended Governor Ibikunle Amosun for putting this together. He is taking a good step in preserving and promoting our culture,” he said.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who also spoke in Yoruba, said: “What we are doing here today is very important in Yorubaland. Drum is a very important item in Yoruba culture. I read a lot of books and I have travelled far and wide and in all the places I have been to, I have never seen a talking drum except in Yorubaland.”
Highlighting some of the importance of African drums, the Monarch noted: “Drums are always present in all the palaces of Yoruba Monarchs. Every morning at 5am, drums wake up Yoruba Kings and always remind them of oaths they took to serve the people at all times unlike our politicians who don’t have anything to remind them of their pledges to the people who put them in power.
