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| Ayanbinrin |
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| Ayanbinrin |
Her chants and dance steps
resonate African traditional values. A peep into her lineage revealed that drumming
runs in Ayanbinrin’s family. Her paternal grandmother's family were
professional drummers. Her grandmother's immediate younger brother was once the
leader of the Association of Talking Drummers of their time in Ondo State.
Also, her father’s love for good music helped Ayanbinrin to develop interest in
folk music.
She reveals why
she chose folk music: “I grew up watching my father listening and enjoying
music by Orlando Owo, King Sunny Ade and so on, that is why my musical thought
geared towards culture and tradition. There was no cassette by Anita Baker or
Shakira in our home.”
Her flair
for dancing and the search for unique identity attracted her to playing talking
drum. She grew up and discovered that
she could dance very well, especially when Sir Shina Peter’s Afro-juju songs
were reigning. Basically, her music career began in 1999 after she joined a
traditional group called Landmark Folk voices in Lagos State University when
she registered for a pre-degree Programme.
She
explained the meaning of her stage name, Ayanbinrin simply as a female drummer.
In 2003, she decided to go into music full
time to play talking drum. She recalls
how one of her friends called Akuko introduced her to a drummer who nurtured
her. “Funny enough, I was playing in my mother’s shop, then, I told Akuko that I
wanted to go into traditional music and he jokingly asked me to go and learn
how to play keyboard and guitar. He later introduced me to his friend called Alaroye
who actually taught me the rudiment of drumming, but the more you rehearse the
better you become. Inspiration comes each day I pick up my drum.
“It is a
continued process. My friends, well-wishers and Association of Professional
Drummers of Nigeria contributed immensely to my success. I was the first lady
that joined the association and they were very encouraging,” she added.
She has a band known as “Tiwantiwa
Band,’ which consists of ten members. It is a versatile group with a mandate to
communicate and transfer the displaced African values and heritage to every
home through drums, songs, dance and dexterity playing African percussion like dundun drum famliy.
Just like an
American hip-hop star, Shakira sang “Hips don’t lie,” Ayanbinrin
believes that hips can serve as a means of communication. The
genre of her music is called, “TradHiptional Gbedu,” a fusion of traditional
arts and the combined groove of rhythmic drum ensemble, creatively grafted
together to which the European colonization, trade, migration, religion and
music has influenced our cultural heritage.
“Some may think
that shaking one’s hips is a way of enticing men but I am only doing my job. I
love dancing any traditional music. I also love indigenous things, that was
what led me to music. The percussion is traditional. If you hear any music from me, you would
know that it is Ayanbinrin’s music. Though it may be funky and hippie. The
percussion and my dance step help stand me out,” she said.
Making sure that her
TradHiptional music outlives her is a task she vowed to accomplish, that is why
she said a lot of young artistes under her tutelage that will continue with her
band till eternity.
The robust and ever smiling
lady shone like a star during Felabration 2012 celebration at Africa Shrine
despite the fact that she did not have enough time to prepare. She explains: “I did not do enough rehearsal.
Somebody pissed me off at the backstage and I entered into the stage without
knowing what next to do. But I regained my confidence immediately I stepped on
the stage.”
Is it not a taboo in Yoruba
land for a lady to play a talking drum? She was asked. “I won’t say it is a
taboo. The fact remains that there are limits to which a lady plays a talking
drum and we have different kinds of drum. There are some drums women cannot
play. We have social and spiritual drums/cultural drums. Cultural or spiritual
drums are found in Oba’s palace. I play a social talking drum,” she explained.
Presently, Ayanbinrin
manages herself but any interested company is welcome for a chat. Her contract
with her former manager did not work so they parted ways. “I have always
managed myself. Promoters came to me, but their terms were unfavourable. One of
them asked me to sign for five years and told me not to marry within five years
of signing a contract with them. I thought about it and decided to be on my own
by ignoring their juicy offers of taking me to the United States of America.
“One company told me that
after taking me abroad, sharing of proceeds would be 70 percent for them and 20
percent for me, then 10 percent to the company. I had a nasty experience and
made up my mind to be on my own. Not that I came from a very rich family, I am
from a humble family. I am where I am today with the help of God and the
support of my husband, my mother and well-wishers. As much as I want popularity
and money, peace of mind is important. We should live our lives,” she stressed.
Asked whether
Aralola, the first female talking drummer influenced her to play talking drum,
she cuts in: “Aralola did not influence me in any way. She is my colleague.”
In 2010, Ayanbinrin
released her 11-track maiden album titled “Ayanbinrin Unveil,” which is being
celebrated. She revealed that her second album is in the pipeline.
She featured Ego Ogbaru,
former Lagbaja’s back-up singer in one her songs ‘Dance with me’. “I am a
cultural activist. I am not a feminist but I love to promote female gender. The
choice of Ego was because she is a female and very ambitious.”
She explains why she has
not released another album after 2010: “I took a break to have babies because I
could not cope combining making babies with doing music, that is why I have not
brought out another album. Moreover, my work takes me out of Nigeria a lot of
time. Thank God I have a very caring mother who has been helpful in nurturing
my children. I have shot a video I made for her, titled: ‘Dear mother’. I also
dedicated it to all mothers in Africa,” she said.
An
indigene of Ondo State, Ayanbinrin was born into a family of four and she is the
oldest child. She attended State Primary School, Dopemu where she had her
primary school education. From there, she proceeded to Egbado College, Ilaro
(now YEWA College) for her secondary education. She later obtained a degree in
Chemical and Polymer Engineering from Lagos State University.
“My engineering background
is a stepping stone to where I am today. I intend to become a professor of Arts.”
She is married with
children. She revealed that she met her husband in Lagos State University where
he studied Mechanical Engineering. He graduated when she was in her first year.
“My husband never knew I was going to be a musician even though he saw that I
was music inclined. He loves my career. My greatest achievement so far is
setting up my family.”
She rates the
result for doing music in Nigeria and says: “Definitely for anything you are
doing, you must look out for the monetary aspect but money is not everything. I
believe that it will come at the right time. There are times I give free shows
to sell myself. Right now, I am comfortable. Nigerian music is improving. We
now have music with a touch of proverbs or local poetry. So be it hip hop or
fuji, we are now promoting our culture through music. Many parents have been
coming to tell me to train their children about drumming but I always advise
them to send their children to school to enable those children have quality educational
background before going into music. Music is improving. Most of our music now has
a lot of messages unlike in the past. There should be room for creativity.”
She has won many awards
locally and internationally in the course of her career and they among others
include: Yoruba Solidra Circle Award as the Best Performing Act in 2005,
Outstanding Achievers Awards as the Outstanding Creative Entertainer in 2011
and Oodua Royal Icon Award as Asoju Odobinrin
Oodua of Yoruba land.
The brain behind the Mother
Drum Arts Foundation launched her foundation on December 2, 2012 and sheds
light on what her foundation is all about. “This foundation aims to use arts to
promote African cultural values. We normally organise annual event, a gathering
of arts lovers who participate or watch theatre, dance, choreography,
cinematography and exhibition of artworks. Everything about me depicts arts
including my hairstyle, costume and music so my foundation aims to unite arts
practitioners in order to promote our cultural heritage. Arts run in my blood
so I set up this foundation to reward both creative and musical arts practitioners.
We have given awards to people who have made prominent impact in the world of arts
like Joke Silva, Tunde Kelani and so on. I intend to set up an arts village
where people will come and learn the art of sculpture, painting, drumming and
dancing. I am also a sculptor and a presenter,” she revealed.
Finance is a very big
challenge Ayanbinrin is facing. “I implore corporate bodies to come and invest
in entertainment. Government should stop focussing on oil and gas alone, art is
a very lucrative industry lying fallow to be tapped. We need people to
encourage us to do more. We need investors.”
She attributed her success
to God who has been sustaining her but said her greatest regret is not having
sponsors who back her up when she needed assistance. Many organisations are
scared of sponsoring new jobs due to their past experiences.”
One plague that is
attacking artistes’ flow of income is piracy; Ayanbinrin has also had a bitter
experience of the hydra-headed monster fighting against the financial success
of many entertainers. She recounted how she bought a pirated copy of her album which
was yet to be released because it was in post-production stage. “In 2010, I went to Alaba International market to see a friend and saw my own
compact disc on sale there. I was flabbergasted and decided to check very well
whether it is my work. I bought a copy of it at N40. 00, listened to it and it
was my song. Sincerely, I didn’t make the money I invested in that album but I
released it for the benefit of my fans because I wanted them to listen to it
when I am not there,” Ayanbinrin said.
She suggested that
piracy could be curbed through a law that will deal decisively with pirates.
“Until somebody follows it with all sincerity, it will be difficult to
eradicate piracy. Piracy is a general disease everybody must stand up and fight
against, not only artistes. I implore my fans to buy only the original compact
discs, though it is difficult to know that original ones and DVDs in the
market.”
In the next five years, she
aspires to be more successful. “I leave everything in the hands of God. I have
plans and I know that God has His own plan for me so I will allow His will to
be done.”
In the music industry her
role models include: Lagbaja, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Sir Shina Peters
and Asa.
Folk music has brought
fame and fortune to Ayanbinrin. “Nobody would have known me if I was practising
engineering. I thank God that I discovered my talent and passion on time. If
there is anything I would like to do over and over again, it is arts.”
She is not
a fashion freak, when it comes to style; she is simple, elegant and looks good
in anything she wears. She wears anything African. Her hairstyle is part of her
trademark. “I am Ayanbinrin on stage but Tosin at home. I am a very simple and
humble person because I am not better than people on my street. I dress according
to my mood. I combine formal and traditional wear.”
Her favourite
colour is red because it is bright.
Mainly African in all its
ramifications, Ayanbinrin makes her costume with fabrics like Ankara, Damask, Aso
Oke, Kente and Kampala embellished with cowries.
Pursuit
of excellence with respect and
dignity is her philosophies of life. “My father taught me to respect other
people.”
Her costume conveys
a message: “It is pure African. I love to wear trouser because I dance with
ease in it. As a drummer, I have to be flexible, dynamic and free. I also wear
jeans and top. Whenever you see me, you must see a touch of Africa that is,
cowries fitted in my hair, bangle, earring and cloth.”
She frowned at the rate
ladies are almost going nude in our society in the name of fashion and urged
ladies to emulate their mothers who did not go naked before their parents married
them. “You have cheapened yourself and exposed all you have when a man sees
everything you supposed to cover. It is what you keep that has value.”
She loves any kind of food
as long as it is not poison.
In a nutshell, she
aspires to dominate the African music scene with her unique fusion of
traditional rhythms and also to be recorded in the history as the most exciting
female talking drummer of renowned capability from the continent of Africa who
contributed to the promotion of African culture.
She advised her
fans to be diligent and know what they want to do in life by not allowing
people to discourage them.
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