Ayangbajumo as she’s fondly called is a force to reckon with in the trade of drum beat, which is classified in time past as a masculine trade. In this interview with Eniola Lias Abiodun also known as Ayangbajumo, she took us down memory lane on her journey so far in the use of drum for juju music.
She said, “I started very early in life, my parent especially my dad was against this trade, all he wanted me to become was a banker. He is a retired soldier, a Major in Nigeria Army, who cherished education so much.
“The use of drums in my life can be categorically viewed from three perspectives. Firstly, it was something I inherited from my mum’s lineage; bata drum is a well known tradition in my mother’s family. I also got some kind of training on it, and lastly, the use of drum is a great talent God has endowed me with.
“There’s no drum I cannot handle, this earned me the name Ayangbajumo means a top Celebrity in the use of drum. This special name or title was given to me by His Royal Majesty, the Oloro of Oro Kingdom in Kwara state, also King of Isolo land was in attendance. They were amazed at my performance; he said he has never seen a lady so vast in the use of different drums.”
Ayangbajumo, said despite the fact that she is talented in music, she took up drumming professionally, as a back-up singer with Muri Ayangbola. She said, it was a concept in the band for back-up singers to pick up drums and beat nonsensical rhythm, which served as an opening glee anytime they are up to perform. It was then I discovered the use of Talking Drum (Gangan).
Meanwhile, I have been practicing the use of Bata drum, since it is my lineage thing. Though he wanted us to beat the drums without any reasonable meaning, which served as an opening glee before the real performance, but I took my time to work on it to make it meaningful instead of beating drums without any reasonable meaning.”
As the daughter of a retired Major, Ayangbajumo found it difficult to convince her father about her obsession for music but the story was different with her mother, who was happy that her daughter took up her family trade.
Eniola a graduate of Banking & Finance from Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, worked with Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers as an Administrative Officer for three years before finally taking up music as a career.
In 2004 she took up the use of different drums professionally after she served Muri Ayangbola for years. Recalling the gains and pains so far, she said, “As a woman that is versatile in the use of different drums, it has really distinguished me amongst my peers. No woman has gone this far with the use of different drums.
The popular Ara onilu, with due respect as my boss can play Apala drum very well, while Ayanbinrin beats Apala and Iya-Ilu. But in my case I can handle the following: Bata, Apala, Iya-Ilu, Akuba. Omele-Bata, Sakara and anything that bears the name drum.
Meanwhile, no woman has ever beaten Sakara. What I crave for is recognition; I want to be seen as a woman who controls all aspects of drum. I have been able to achieve this with serious and rigorous training.”
She said her music will be taking her to South Africa very soon; this is being packaged by a church in Pretoria, South Africa.
She has this to say on sexual harassment in the industry, “Really it is an issue we come face to face with every day. Men always have great interest in our body, than the great talent we posses. In my case I do not give in to such temptations. My body is a great temple meant for my God and my husband, so whoever wants to tamper with it in the name of promoting my music will be disappointed.”
Her debut album was titled ‘Owuro La wa,’ she handled the project all by herself without any help. “The quest to taking ladies to bed instead of promoting good African music should cease henceforth; we have the talents and skilled professionals, who are ready to take music to the next level.”