Perhaps, apart from Chief Hubert Ogunde and a few others, what is today known as Osun State unarguably had the highest number of post-colonial era theatre practitioners in Nigeria.
This development linked to the pioneering efforts of a German University teacher, Prof. Ulli Beier, has however suffered a steady decline over the years, leaving the practitioners to mourn their fate of low-patronage and gradual descent into poverty.
Beier, a journalist, and scholar who had a pioneering role in developing literature, drama, and poetry in Nigeria, set up a base in Osogbo and travelled through the length and breadth of the then Osun region, interacting with creative minds and getting them organised for more productive engagements.
Some of the pioneers that reigned starting from 1950’s, 60’s through 70’s and 80’s, shaping theatre practice in Nigeria, that were indigenes or had their base in Osogbo or within Osun region, included late DuroLadipo popularly known as Sango, late Oyin Adejobi, Moses Adejumo, aka Baba Sala, late Kola Ogunmola, an Ekiti indigene, who lived and worked as a theatre practitioner in Osogbo.
Far-famed drummer and painter, Muraina Oyelami; Ifayemi Elebuibon, Kola Oyewo, Karimu Adepoju, alias Baba Wande, Peter Fatomilola, though an Ekiti indigene, cut his teeth theatre working under late Ola Rotimi and Prof Wole Soyinka in then the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, as well as, late Alhaji Yekinni Ajileye, are other notable early birds in the theatre practice that laid foundation for the business of entertainment in today’s Osun State.
Another prominent name in the league of these pioneers, is Chief Lere Paimo, an indigene of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, who was an apprentice under the late Oyin Adejobi and Duro Ladipo in Osogbo for many years, before setting up his organisation.
Also worthy of mention are cultural icons like the late Timi of Ede who reigned between 1946 and 1975, Oba Adetoyese Laoye, the flamboyant drummer king, who created the iconic signal tune of ‘This is Nigeria Broadcasting Service,’ for the broadcasting outfit today known as Radio Nigeria. Chief Jimoh Buraimoh, an Osogbo-based famous artist of post-Independence Nigeria is also another notable figure of the era.
The exploits of these men attracted fame and fortunes In large quantum. With the support of Ulli Beier, many of them had opportunities to take their trades abroad, gaining global recognition and exposure.
Providing insight into the puzzle around the large concentration of many post-independence bigwigs in theatre around Osun region, a key actor of that era, Oyelami, believed it was just coincidental.
Oyelami was however quick to note the influence of Ulli Beier, of the Department of Institute for African Studies, University of Ibadan, in the landmark achievements of these pioneers.
He went down memory lane, saying, “I was with Duro from 1960 to around 1963.
Both Oyin Adejobi and Duro Ladipo are indigenes of Osogbo, but Kola Ogunmola is from Ekiti. It is just a coincidence, but apart from that, there is someone called Ulli Beier, a literary giant who got married to an artist, Suzan Wenger that worked on Osun Grove. She lived there and was even buried there in the grove.
“Because of his (Ulli) way of life and being someone that hates isolation, because he wanted to mingle with people, he designed a programme for himself something that will take him round the countryside most especially Yorubaland. He was under Ellis Armstrong who was the Head of the Department of Institute for African Studies, University of Ibadan, and that allowed him to visit Yoruba towns and villages like Osogbo, Ede, Ekiti and all over before he finally settled in Osogbo.”
According to Oyelami, Beier setting up his base in Osogbo, got him acquainted with DuroLadipo, a Physics teacher, involved in part-time theatre practice.
“He (Beier) became DuroLadipo’s friend. He encouraged Duro to focus on theatre because he was interested in history and performing art. At some point, Ullidiscovered that Duro’s work was looking like that of (Hubert) Ogunde because of the introduction of foreign influences like opening glee, extra light, and costumes.
“Ulli then told him (Duro) to do something that is unique. At that point, they got into the real Yoruba literature/history mainly works on Oyo. That gave birth to productions like Obakoso, Obamoro, Obawaja, and many others. Obawaja later became ‘Death and the King Horseman’ by Wole Soyinka. Duro started using the real costumes of Sango and at some point, people thought he had converted to the Sango cult.
“At that time, Ogunmola was also a dramatist and teacher based in Osogbo though he is from Ekiti. Oyin Adejobi was also doing the same thing. The three of them were well known in the post-independence theatre practice in Nigeria,” he said.
The renowned Ifa priest and one of the emerging stars of that era of theatre practice, Elebuibon, while corroborating Oyelami, singled out the contribution of Beier. The Ifa priest also observed that the significant cultural assets that Osogbo exudes among Yoruba towns, were attracting culture enthusiasts from the far and near into the community.
The Araba Awo of Osogbo, further said the arrival of Beier and his wife, Suzan Wenger aided boisterous cultural activities within the Osogbo community, which robbed positively on the development of theatre.
Regrettably, at the time these leading theatre stars were beginning to consolidate their grip on the rapidly growing entertainment industry in the country, one of the brightest stars of the era, Kola Ogunmola died. His death occurred in 1973. Less than six years later, Duro Ladipo, also died. He passed on in March 1978 at the age of 51 during an illness. The shocking demise of these two pioneers quite noticeably had a significant negative impact on the industry, especially in Osogbo. But the business, in no time shrugged off the setback, as many up-and-coming practitioners, leveraging the vacuum created by the unfortunate incidents, up their game and almost immediately filled the gap.
The 1980s witnessed the bursting Into the prominence of Fasasi Olabankewin, popularly known as Dagunro, late Yekinni Ajileye, and Fatai Oyewole popularly known as Abija. These thespians carried on the baton and lifted theatre business several notches.
By the time Osun State was carved out of old Oyo State in 1991, Ajileye was already nearing the peak of his fame and influence in theatre. He became a big rallying point for the industry in the state and brought to the limelight stars like Bandele Olayinka, aka Iya Gbonkan, Tajudeen Akanmu, also known as Koledowo, among others. They became prominent after featuring in Koto Orun, a serial with the main theme of witchcraft made into a home video.
The theatre business continued to witness a boom and upward trend, as Ajileye produced movies that had national recognition without leaving the shores of Osun state.
At the turn of the new millennium, Oyin Adejobi died. He died in the year 2000. Six years after, the man, who had carried the fortune of theatre in the state on his shoulders, Ajileye also passed on. He died in year 2006, while Koledowo a prominent member of Ajileye Productions also died in year 2008.
Between Koledowo’s death and now, many prominent thespians of Osun origin had also passed to the great beyond. Dagunro, Iyabo Oko, Murphy Afolabi, Adedeji Aderemi aka Olofa’na, and more recently, Quadri Oyebamiji popularly known as Sisi Quadri have all gone. Their death, among other factors, have in no small measure affected the fortune of theatre in the state.
Practitioners demand action to restore the fading glory of theatre in Osun Speaking on the declining fortune of the industry in the state, the immediate past Osun Governor of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners, Chief Toyin Olaiya, said besides movie productions of Elebuibon and Oyelami, Osun presently no longer has prominent personality based in the state involved in theatre business.
Olaiya, who identified the lure of the city for better fortune in the business as the main cause, added, “There is no money in this business for those of us that are here (in Osun) and that is why you can hardly see any theatre practitioner in this state that doesn’t have another means of livelihood. This is so because if you go to a location today, you may not have another job for months.
Both Oyelami and Elebuibon in separate submissions, admitted the dwindling fortune of theatre in the state and proffered solutions.
“There are so many things that could be attributed to the diminishing fortune of theatre in the state. We used to have live performances before the home video came. Instead of having to go to the city hall to watch a play, it is much more convenient for people to watch home videos. There is no more patronage for live performance and it is affecting us negatively. There is a need for government to intervene. Ministry of Culture and Tourism should move past seeing entertainment industry as mere a sector providing entrainment at state functions alone,” Oyelami said.
In his submission, Elebuibon said division in the ranks of practitioners which led to the formation of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria had negative effects on the entertainment industry in Osun.
He however agreed with Oyelami that the dearth of stage performances was also a major factor that affected the fortune of Osun-based practitioners and suggested, “The two associations; TAMPAN and ANTP should end their disagreement and start working together again.”
The State Governor, Ademola Adeleke admitted the nosediving fortune of the entertainment industry in the state and promised to revive it.
Adeleke, while speaking at the launch of an app for voting for ‘The Most Popular Celebrity Award,’ project in Osogbo, described the entertainment industry as one of the veritable avenues to generate revenue for the state.
The governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Bankole Ojo, recalled with nostalgia the pioneering efforts of many big players in the sector and promised to return to the glorious days through innovations that can enhance the business and make it more profitable.