Alhaji Taiwo Musibau Iyanda Lamidi and Alhaji Kehinde Muritala Ayinla Lamidi are living their lives as God destined. They are not rich but their chosen path has brought them fame. They never knew what they started as child’s play with youthful exuberance would bring them into limelight. Asked for the best way to get to their house, Taiwo simply offered: “When you get to Olorunsogo, board a vehicle to Amuloko and tell the driver that you are going to the house of Bembe Oru (Night Drum men).” It was as easy as he stated. Nearly everyone at the motor park plying the route knew their house. They are indeed famous for their dexterity in the traditional musical Yoruba bass drum, bembe.
“My children are fulfilling the prophecy said about them before their birth. Look at how people are coming around to see them! They have become famous as predicted then. When I became pregnant, my father, a herbalist and diviner, had consulted Ifa oracle after a celebration and he was told that I would give birth to a set of twins who would become famous in the country and beyond. I had given birth to three children before them. I also delivered another set of twins after them, before Idowu and Alaba. I thank God that the prophecy is fulfilled in my lifetime.”
These were the words of the over 100-year-old Mama Fowotade Asakun Jalawu, mother of the Bembe Oru crooners of the Ode Aje Oloolu fame in Ibadan during a visit of Saturday Tribune to their house during the week.
There are many fascinating things with these identical twins. Apart from the fact that they live together within the same compound, they are on the same wavelength. Ask them any question and the duo will answer with almost the same rhythm and precision and with same words. They are coordinated in their responses. They recollect events and experiences as they relive them. Born on January 5, 1957 at the Adeoyo Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan, they were honoured at birth, as the Olubadan of Ibadanland at the time, Oba Isaac Akinyele, visited the hospital and presented them with gifts.
For the twins, singing and expertise in bembe is hereditary. Their father was famous in Ibadan for his expertise in sekere, a beaded gourd rattle which comes in many shapes and sizes and is played in a variety of styles. His contemporaries then were Tatalo Alamu, Amuda Agboluaje, Atokowagbowonle, Alhaji Afolabi and even the father of Saidi Osupa. Many of the times, their father would take them along for performance, especially when his colleague drummers disappointed him or there were plenty activities. Then, they used to play the drum called Agidigbo, belonging to the class of gbedu or agbamole.
Did they grow up with silver spoon? Not at all, they chorused. Yes, their father was famous for his Sekere and many performance acts, especially at the palace, there was no commensurate wealth. In their primary school days, they wore a single uniform all through. Even when it got tattered, they patched and dyed it (pa l’aro). “In fact, our colleagues used to taunt us for our tattered uniforms.” Their father could not afford secondary education for them so they opted for vocational training. Taiwo learnt iron works while Kehinde trained as a vulcaniser. They lived and grew up in their compound at Ode Aje Oloolu before they moved to their own house at Amuloko almost 40 years ago.
How did they come into Bembe performance? Hear them: “After birth, our parents strove to cater for us. We went to IMG Primary School, Ode-Aje. We got admitted in 1964 and graduated in 1971 from primary school. Before we finished primary school, between 1967 and 1968, there was a man, Muri Alafara, he used to play during Sahur (Ramadan period) for the wife of Baale Irefin. He normally came around every 15 days then and we normally targeted the time he would come. We would then follow him to perform at the Irefin palace. He normally played Bembe, so we were watching him and then we later took the drums and began to play it. It was like a child’s play then, nothing serious about it. We were only catching our fun. There were about three or four people playing Bembe, Baba Akintiko in Oje, one man, Yayi, but we learnt a lot looking at Muri Alafara then. He was singing and we were playing bembe then.
“When we finished primary school, we got admission to Lagelu Grammar School. Then our father said he could not afford to sponsor our education. Yes he was famous for his Sekere expertise but there was no money to sponsor our education. So, he advised us to take vocational training. Taiwo learnt iron bending while Kehinde learnt vulcanizing. As fate would have it, we didn’t learn same trade. After completing the vocational training, there was no money for freedom. We then went to Ondo State to work at a construction firm belonging to Chief Bayo Oyediji, the late Seriki of Ibadanland. Then we were paid for labour. We used to dig gutter for road construction. We worked for like one year there, earning one kobo per month.
“Then we heard that they wanted to employ some labourers at Secretariat in Ibadan to install some printing machines. We applied. The engineer, one Mr Akin, came from Lagos. He was a good man. The last time we saw him [Akin] was during the Shooting Stars vs Bendel Insurance match in Lagos. We had thought to cross over to his side to greet him but there was commotion and bloody clash after the match and we couldn’t see him again. After installing the machine at Secretariat, he then asked us that he wanted to install another machine at Odu’a Press in Eleyele, so we followed him. After installation, the General Manager then considered us for full employment. That was how we were employed. While working, we still observed Sahur awareness waking people up to eat during Ramadan.
“One fateful day, we had observed Sahur before daybreak and as usual, we didn’t sleep again before going to the office. David Jemibewon was the governor. He paid an unscheduled to Odu’a office that day. Our colleagues were on duty but we had slept due to our performance for Sahur. He met us sleeping and asked that we be sacked immediately. That was a sad day. We trekked from Eleyele to Oke Adu.
“On our way home that day, when we got to Labiran, we met some people telling us that they heard on radio that Ile Akede (Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS)) wanted to engage anyone who knew how to play bembe. We didn’t take the information seriously at first, but the pressure was much on us. It was during the Western Region days. The next day, we were at Ile Akede. The number of the people who showed for screening that day was more than 1,000. Everyone practised with their bembe drum. When it was our turn, they asked for our bembe but, unfortunately, we didn’t own one. We always used the one belonging to Muri Alafara for our outings. We couldn’t get anyone among the co-contestans to lend us bembe for the interview. So, Mr Biodun Sanda and Mr Mustapha who was the General Manager gave us their pens. We used the pens to display and we were employed for Ramadan Sahur awareness immediately. We did that in Ile Akede then for 10 years, playing for five minutes every Ramadan day to wake Muslims up for Sahur. We were getting stipends then, but that was the takeoff for our fame in bembe performance.
“There was a particular incident we remember now. Around the time, we were becoming famous and getting more invitations for performance. Alhaji Arisekola-Alao, the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, wanted to hold the burial of his mother. Every artiste was to entertain the gathering for five minutes each. We were many that were invited that day. After every performance, the artiste would get money and leave. When it was our turn, we declined the offer. Of course, we had our private jobs, iron bending and vulcanising. So, the report got to Arisekola and he called us: ‘Ejire, why didn’t you collect the money?’ We replied that we had our daily jobs. He then asked what we wanted. We told him that nearly all Muslim organisations then had vehicles to move around but we didn’t. Immediately, he promised us a new C-20 bus and asked us to come for it the next day. He also promised us hajj slots for that year. That was how we went for our first hajj in 1981/1982. We have performed hajj three times now.”
The Ile-Akede performance made them popular and they were getting invitations from almost every part of the country, especially the South-West and the North. Most times, they had ceremonies that spanned months and could not meet up with the vocation anymore, so they began full-time bembe performance. Bembe has taken them to nearly everywhere and has brought them a lot of goodness. The houses they live in were built by their fans. Their hajj pilgrimage was sponsored. They have enjoyed goodwill far and near and are grateful to God for the blessings. They have eight records to their name. They include ‘Abode Mecca’ and ‘Punctuality, Soul of Business’.
They said they have performed for all the Olubadan that they have grown up to know, governors of many South-West states, even up to some presidents and heads of state of northern extraction. They have performed in Kwara, Niger, Kano, Kaduna and many other places.
They said they are grateful to God for how far He has helped them and to their benefactors, many of whom they said God used to help them in life. They mentioned Alhaji Arisekola-Alao and the current Aare Musulumi, Alhaji Dawud Akinola (De-Damak). Like Oliver Twist, they called on Governor Seyi Makinde to help them. They said they needed a bus for their art.
They added: “The job has taken us across the country and has also afforded us the opportunity of performing for notable dignitaries, including sharing the stage with some eminent musicians.
“We remember a time when Alhaja Rabiatu, a wealthy Ibadan woman living in Kano invited us to come and perform at the conferment of a chieftaincy title on Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. We spent two weeks in Kano playing at all the functions for Barrister in that town that year, including his marriage to a lady in Kano. Before that encounter, we had known Barrister. At least, he was an Ibadan man, too, but we performed live at his event in Kano. We became his favourite after the Kano outing.
“We have performed for most fuji, juju and other musicians. There is no way we will drum for you and you won’t give us money. We were with Taiye Currency last week in Ibadan. He was thrilled when we played for him.”
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