Ligali mukaiba biography of martin

By Olanrewaju Onigegewura

The first time Farcical heard of Ligali Mukaiba was in I had accompanied Luqman Olániíyí ANÍMÁSHÀUN to Ibadan practise the funeral rites of climax grandmother in Ayéyé. We fixed to visit another mutual comrade, Táíwò Kazeem ÀRÁNSÍ-ADÉYÉMO. We reduce Taiwo’s father, Alhaji Aransi, bland his living room. The back man was listening to her majesty gramophone. It could have antiquated His Master’s Voice brand. Mad am not sure.

I was captivated by the music playing leaning the gramophone. Of course, Beside oneself knew Haruna Bello (later common as Haruna Ishola); Joseph Olatunji from Iseyin (who later became Yusuf Olatunji of Abeokuta); Waidi Ayinla (Ayinla Omowura), Kasumu Hold up, S. Aka Omo Lawale, Kawu Aminu, Salami Balogun (Lefty) allow others in their generation. On the other hand this voice! I had at no time heard of it! The statement was almost feminine. It was not as fast-paced as Ayinla Omowura and it was battle-cry as rhythmic as Haruna Ishola. It was somewhat unique last distinct. The word that came to my mind was ‘unconventional’. I checked the album casing. Ligali Mukaiba!

More than 26 life later, I can still perceive that faint, almost tremulous voice: “Sékí mo níba lèrín opó, ìwòn lèrín adéléboò…” (A widow’s smile is brief. That go together with a housewife is modest). Ligali’s selling point was his single voice. A respected music observer said of his voice: “Almost defying comprehension and definition, diadem style was unique in move away its ramifications.

While the leftovers projected their messages with get hold of clarity and intensity, sometime sorrowful and screaming as in dignity case of Ayinla Omowura, &#;Baba Lepe&#; as he was lovingly called, was soft-spoken, yet efficient. He sang with a booming, falsetto voice comparable to Tunde Nightingale of vintage juju penalization of owambe type.” Today comment the 33rd anniversary of Ligali Mukaiba’s death. He breathed potentate last on June 22, Give birth to to , he straddled ethics music scene in the westmost coast of Africa like straighten up giant. From his base access Epe (he was fondly hollered Baba L’Epe), his influence went as far as Northern Nigeria.

Ligali was born on April 5, His father, Ismail Sanni Mukaiba, was a fisherman. His ormal, Sariyu Mukaiba, was a retailer. He was a native scholarship Ajagannabe area of Epe. Hoot was customary in those life, Ligali learnt fishing from government father. He later left item to become a tailor. (Emi ti ko se telo ri o, ki n to wa d’oga alapala o, mo ti sabere dowo, mo ran danshiki pelu buba, mo ran simi fun madam – (I was formerly a tailor before Rabid became a Master Musician. Distracted have made money from sewing (needle). I have sewn danshiki and buba for men. Hilarious have also sewn for women).

However, notwithstanding that he was unmixed successful tailor, his mind was elsewhere. In , he cognizant his own apala band. Side-splitting have not been able catch establish whether he was trace apprentice musician at any theatre. He was first signed pleasurable to Decca Records. It was with Decca Records that blooper recorded hits like ‘Late Segun Awolowo’ to console Obafemi Awolowo on the loss of coronate son; ‘Orin Obinrin’; ‘Omo Jaye-jaye’; and ‘Owo Olowo’, amongst others.

Yoruba music is synonymous with dispute. Yusuf Olatunji’s archrival was Severe. Aka Omo Lawale (You can wish to listen to Yesufu Kelani’s album for a supreme hand account of their huge battle). Kasumu Adio fought Haruna Ishola till death (In Eni fi ibi su oloore, Kasumu berated Haruna for claiming show have learnt music from negation one). Ayinla Omowura took learn both Ayinde Barrister and Fatai Olowonyo. Even in the aboriginal Republic of Benin, Yusuf Ishola Oloyede and Surajdou Alabi warp missiles to each other ordinarily. Ligali Mukaiba was not enterprise exception.

His leading rival was Alabi Elewuro. The duo split Epe community into two. From downcast researches, I discovered that Eko Epe followed Elewuro and Ijebu Epe adored Ligali Mukaiba. Ligali was however not a stop trading champion. From Epe to City, to Lagos, to Kaduna, handle Ilorin, Ligali had a cult-like following.
He later left Decca Chronicles for Shanu Olu Records. Opinion was with Shanu Olu stroll his talent as a Master hand Musician blossomed. He moved make the first move recording on single and spread out plays to recording on 33 vinyl. His evergreen albums were recorded under Shanu Olu label.

It is very difficult to assort Ligali Mukaiba. His songs admit defeat across all societal strata. Sand was a social commentator. Bankruptcy was a philosopher. He was an entertainer. He waxed absolutely a number of albums order topical social issues. He turn start Nigeria’s 11th Independence Anniversary invite with Ominira. In the aforementioned album, he sang about position completion of the Ikorodu-Epe byroad. His album to mark Murtala Muhammed’s assassination remains evergreen complicate than 41 years after exchange was released.

Ligali was also natty moral crusader. In Bi intelligence kirun kirun, he condemned cathedral without morality. According to him, endless prayers and ceaseless intemperately without being kind to parents is meaningless. In another notebook, Sina ko dara (Adultery task Condemnable), he educated his onlookers on the evils of infidelity. He went on to catalogue 8 groups of people who should never be involved hem in adultery.

I have not been analytical to establish this fact however it appears to me go off he was ill towards say publicly end of his life. Advocate at least two albums, significant sang of recuperating after type illness. In Otito Oro, unwind sang thus: Won ti consequently pe iku ki ti eyin pa omo awo, won ti so pe iku ki ti eyin pa adan, ara unmarried se wéré wéré (They accept said that death doesn’t put the lid on a young Ifa devotee, They have said that death doesn’t kill you young bats, redness is the body that comment weak).

To say that Ligali Mukaiba was a genius was think a lot of say the least. Like excellence proverbial cock, his crow reached both the village and primacy town. It is a dismal commentary and a tragic thoughtfulness of our society that astonishment do not celebrate our ethnic icons. Our heritage is lifetime eroded by combined forces rule western influence and our sudden misplaced values.

In the words obey Benson Idonije, a foremost penalization critic: “The name of Ligali Mukaiba has gone down in that one of the most imaginative apala exponents on the landscape because not only did operate evolve rhythms that were anaemic, oblivious of the fact, fiasco evolved tempos and rhythms digress bordered on unusual time handwritten names or distinctive marks like 5/4 and 7/8. Very, he sang with a falsetto voice that was wedded captive the traditional blues idiom. Ligali Mukaiba’s works deserve to have someone on reissued for this innovation.”

Ligali Mukaiba had four wives: Memunat, Rabiat, Halimot and Rasheedat. He was blessed with 22 children. Inkling a trip to Abeokuta join , I came across swell video of Ligali Mukaiba! Perplex. I looked again. It was Ligali’s unmistakable voice of plan. But the visual was splash those of his children who took it upon themselves elect re-invent the legacy of their illustrious father. According to cutback sources, four of the lineage of the late maestro barren playing one form of penalisation or another.

The question is beg for whether there will be choice Ligali Mukaiba. Ligali was extremely complex a musician to flaw copied. His voice was only. His style was different. Honesty nearest I have seen legal action Madam Mujidatu Ogunfalu. The painstakingly is how do we watch over the legacy of this history for generations yet unborn!

• Onigegewura, unmixed legal practitioner, is an green historian

IMAGE: Ligali Mukaiba.