Saddened by the youth’s disconnection from our culture, Aralola Olamuyiwa, a culture-first personage popularly known as ARA, created an initiative called “I Love My Culture”.

A concert aimed at connecting the youth to our culture (what we are) by engaging them with sounds from the drum world.

The queen of drums, who just married Davido’s hit song “Blow my Mind” with the talking drum, kicked off this initiative on a campus tour.

That took place at the Afe Babalola Auditorium, University of Lagos.

Where a legion of students explored an adventure into the drum world.

With sounds of varied rhythms drummed out by Sanmi Conga, Karkarkey Percussion, Ayiki, Tayo Conga, and the very first female talking drummer of valid international repute.

Held on Tuesday 27 August 2019, the concert was a great cultural event with marveling moments.

First of these moments is a performance by a creative art student, Ruby Akubueze.

Who sings to live, poked attendees into the thrills of the adventure with a western-feel singing prowess that was a marvel.

Compered by MC Ice Water, the event carried on with Sanmi Conga, who began the adventure to the drum world by beating out rhythmic cultural sounds, exhorting the body to dance.

Karkarkey percussion’s performance, accompanied by the saxophone, upped the thrills of the adventure.

Sponsored by X-pressions, Kanekalon and Centrepoint Travels Limited, this cultural adventure was more exciting with an awesome dance drama.

By the inter-ethnic Yoruba war group.

Who through its Ijebu people rendered the Apepe dance and carried on to Osun giving its dance.

Ife people followed through with the sweetening. Which was rounded off with the bata dance by the Ibadan people of the group.

The engaging percussionist, Tayo Conga, whose rendition was a marvel of this needful cultural event, told Godfrey Times that “this is hugely a welcoming initiative.”

He described the love shown to him during his performance as “wow amazing”.

The much-awaited moment, the moment that fueled attendees’ enthusiasts came with the drumming out of culture-connecting sounds.

That revealed to the youth who were existing explorers of the drum world the hidden beauty of our culture.

The legendary female talking drummer who upped the tempo of the exploration with her unique mastery of the drum. Tele guided it with her awesome singing prowess.

With the use of the relationship between language and music, the queen of drums ARA communicated with the attendees on the need to love their culture and hold on to it with pride.

Through her still-in-the-making songs, “I Love My Culture” and “Proudly Yoruba”.

For the awesomeness of her performance, dance was chiefly a given. She sure exhorted them into dancing on and on because dance is the closest friend of the drum.

Ms. Ruby, in the company of her colleagues and some members of the inter-ethnic Yoruba war group, in their joy of the knowledge of this culture-connection, joined ARA on stage, revealing their dancing strength.

The queen of drum rounded off the varied rhythms with the invitation of Ayiki on stage, describing him as the king of talking drum.

This talking drum savvy introduced an unknown wonder in the drum world to students. ARA joined in marveling at this wonder.

ARA ended this adventure of marveling moments in the drum world by having performers of the day on stage singing the chorus of the song “Proudly Yoruba”.

She with great respect honored Tunde Sotimirin, who also joined in singing the anthem of the day

Oni Adebosola Bolurin, a theater art student of Unilag, told Godfrey Times she is so glad she saw the awesomeness of ARA that she so looked forward to seeing.

“I have never been so proud of being a Yoruba... I love my culture,” she added.

Below are some pictures from the event.