Adediwura Stephen Olanrewaju, bad boy of highly engaging Showmax’s telenova, ‘Wura’, has identified Yoruba drums as a great source of inspiration to him.
Adediwura, who plays the role of Olumide – aka Cobra – in the drama, noted this while speaking on the sidelines of the Ayangalu Festival recently held in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He was one of the judges of the competition aspect of the event hosted by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and is also billed for the Asa Day coming up in Canada in October.
The Ayangalu’s 2023 edition had in attendance notable culture enthusiasts that also included Adediwura’s Manager, Peter Aliu.
While Bisola Omoge Bata emerged as the face of Ayan Agalu Festival with a car gift to show for it, Onilu Kisi Ooni consisting of Olajide Oyinlola, Abiola, Ganiyu Emmanuel, Sunday Olusoga and Alesinloye Posi won the competition with their electrifying drums performance.
The victory earned the group a cash gift of N500, 000 and, for further encouragement to their craft, they have been scheduled to attend the Asa Day 2023 in Canada scheduled for October this year.
This is being powered by Omooba Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye (Baba Asa), the convener of the Asa Day in Canada. Part of the participants scheduled for the festival are Lanre Adediwura himself, Peter Aliu, Olajide Oyinlola Abiola, Ganiyu Emmanuel, Sunday Olusoga and Alesinloye Posi.
According to him, drums are a phenomenal heritage of Yorubas and Africans in general.
“You know that our drums are not just for music and dancing alone,” Adediwura said. “They convey messages. They inspire people. Some have religious connections. And, depending on the mood, context and the drummers, drums can invoke conflict and inspire peace. So, you can imagine how glad I am being part of the Ayangalu Festival, especially with the Oonirisa himself, our Kabiyesi Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi at the vanguard of briging development to the unique aspect of our culture.”
The history of the Ayan-Agalu Festival is as extremely fascinating as that of any other drum festival staged across the globe.
With a plethora of healing, educative, entertaining and prosperous cultural festivals, the Yoruba race is, undoubtedly, one of the most endowed races replete with rich and prestigious traditions and cultures in the world today.
One such celebrated and prestigious cultural festival is the Drum Festival – (Ayangalu Festival). The origin of Ayan Agalu dates back to the epoch when the Yoruba primogeniture, Oduduwa, descended on the earth at Ile-Ife. Ayangalu was said to have descended next to Oduduwa at a historic place called Atiba and this obviously accounts for why Atiba remains the hub of traditional drummers in Ile Ife – Yoruba ancestral abode – to date. The term ‘Ayangalu’ refers to the ‘spirit or god of the drum’.