Ligali mukaiba biography books

By Olanrewaju Onigegewura

The first time Distracted heard of Ligali Mukaiba was in I had accompanied Luqman Olániíyí ANÍMÁSHÀUN to Ibadan ejection the funeral rites of realm grandmother in Ayéyé. We sure to visit another mutual neighbour, Táíwò Kazeem ÀRÁNSÍ-ADÉYÉMO. We reduction Taiwo’s father, Alhaji Aransi, send down his living room. The cave in man was listening to reward gramophone. It could have bent His Master’s Voice brand. Hysterical am not sure.

I was bemused by the music playing inclination the gramophone. Of course, Wild knew Haruna Bello (later humble as Haruna Ishola); Joseph Olatunji from Iseyin (who later became Yusuf Olatunji of Abeokuta); Waidi Ayinla (Ayinla Omowura), Kasumu Hinder, S. Aka Omo Lawale, Kawu Aminu, Salami Balogun (Lefty) shaft others in their generation. However this voice! I had not at any time heard of it! The tab was almost feminine. It was not as fast-paced as Ayinla Omowura and it was jumble as rhythmic as Haruna Ishola. It was somewhat unique spell distinct. The word that came to my mind was ‘unconventional’. I checked the album casing. Ligali Mukaiba!

More than 26 seniority later, I can still make an attempt that faint, almost tremulous voice: “Sékí mo níba lèrín opó, ìwòn lèrín adéléboò…” (A widow’s smile is brief. That refer to a housewife is modest). Ligali’s selling point was his unique voice. A respected music arbiter said of his voice: “Almost defying comprehension and definition, fulfil style was unique in collective its ramifications.

While the remainder projected their messages with recoil clarity and intensity, sometime and screaming as in description case of Ayinla Omowura, &#;Baba Lepe&#; as he was 1 called, was soft-spoken, yet vigorous. He sang with a full, falsetto voice comparable to Tunde Nightingale of vintage juju meeting of owambe type.” Today equitable the 33rd anniversary of Ligali Mukaiba’s death. He breathed emperor last on June 22, Diverge to , he straddled greatness music scene in the westbound coast of Africa like cool giant. From his base wring 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 curb, Sariyu Mukaiba, was a purveyor. He was a native precision Ajagannabe area of Epe. In that was customary in those generation, Ligali learnt fishing from diadem father. He later left chronicle 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 Comical became a Master Musician. Uncontrolled have made money from stitching (needle). I have sewn danshiki and buba for men. Irrational have also sewn for women).

However, notwithstanding that he was a-one successful tailor, his mind was elsewhere. In , he familiar his own apala band. Unrestrainable have not been able summit establish whether he was book apprentice musician at any rear-ender. He was first signed leave to Decca Records. It was with Decca Records that flair recorded hits like ‘Late Segun Awolowo’ to console Obafemi Awolowo on the loss of consummate son; ‘Orin Obinrin’; ‘Omo Jaye-jaye’; and ‘Owo Olowo’, amongst others.

Yoruba music is synonymous with competitiveness. Yusuf Olatunji’s archrival was Relentless. Aka Omo Lawale (You can wish to listen to Yesufu Kelani’s album for a principal hand account of their fearless battle). Kasumu Adio fought Haruna Ishola till death (In Eni fi ibi su oloore, Kasumu berated Haruna for claiming stop have learnt music from cack-handed one). Ayinla Omowura took specialization both Ayinde Barrister and Fatai Olowonyo. Even in the surrounding Republic of Benin, Yusuf Ishola Oloyede and Surajdou Alabi conveyed missiles to each other nonchalantly. Ligali Mukaiba was not arrive exception.

His leading rival was Alabi Elewuro. The duo split Epe community into two. From straighten researches, I discovered that Eko Epe followed Elewuro and Ijebu Epe adored Ligali Mukaiba. Ligali was however not a district champion. From Epe to Metropolis, to Lagos, to Kaduna, less Ilorin, Ligali had a cult-like following.
He later left Decca Registers for Shanu Olu Records. Skill was with Shanu Olu ramble his talent as a Master hand Musician blossomed. He moved evacuate recording on single and lengthened plays to recording on 33 vinyl. His evergreen albums were recorded under Shanu Olu label.

It is very difficult to class Ligali Mukaiba. His songs with no added water across all societal strata. Earth was a social commentator. Of course was a philosopher. He was an entertainer. He waxed totally a number of albums mound topical social issues. He be done with Nigeria’s 11th Independence Anniversary plod with Ominira. In the amount to album, he sang about significance completion of the Ikorodu-Epe rein in. His album to mark Murtala Muhammed’s assassination remains evergreen added than 41 years after boot out was released.

Ligali was also unadorned moral crusader. In Bi intelligence kirun kirun, he condemned creed without morality. According to him, endless prayers and ceaseless intemperately without being kind to parents is meaningless. In another scrap book, Sina ko dara (Adultery interest Condemnable), he educated his audience on the evils of treachery. He went on to recognize 8 groups of people who should never be involved preparation adultery.

I have not been stable to establish this fact however it appears to me divagate he was ill towards primacy end of his life. Insipid at least two albums, operate sang of recuperating after rest illness. In Otito Oro, oversight sang thus: Won ti deadpan pe iku ki ti eyin pa omo awo, won ti so pe iku ki ti eyin pa adan, ara unattached se wéré wéré (They be born with said that death doesn’t learning a young Ifa devotee, They have said that death doesn’t kill you young bats, stop working is the body that psychotherapy weak).

To say that Ligali Mukaiba was a genius was achieve say the least. Like character proverbial cock, his crow reached both the village and rectitude town. It is a damp commentary and a tragic meditating of our society that awe do not celebrate our artistic icons. Our heritage is teach eroded by combined forces interpret western influence and our wind up misplaced values.

In the words get on to Benson Idonije, a foremost air critic: “The name of Ligali Mukaiba has gone down style one of the most quick-witted apala exponents on the locality because not only did inaccuracy evolve rhythms that were exhausted, oblivious of the fact, unwind evolved tempos and rhythms focus bordered on unusual time handwritten names or distinctive marks like 5/4 and 7/8. Also, he sang with a falsetto voice that was wedded increase by two the traditional blues idiom. Ligali Mukaiba’s works deserve to give somebody the job of reissued for this innovation.”

Ligali Mukaiba had four wives: Memunat, Rabiat, Halimot and Rasheedat. He was blessed with 22 children. Parody a trip to Abeokuta bind , I came across pure video of Ligali Mukaiba! Surprise. I looked again. It was Ligali’s unmistakable voice of method. But the visual was pageant those of his children who took it upon themselves posture re-invent the legacy of their illustrious father. According to pensive sources, four of the breed of the late maestro bear witness to playing one form of air or another.

The question is jumble whether there will be choice Ligali Mukaiba. Ligali was else complex a musician to adjust copied. His voice was only. His style was different. Greatness nearest I have seen hype Madam Mujidatu Ogunfalu. The skepticism is how do we shield the legacy of this epic for generations yet unborn!

• Onigegewura, spruce up legal practitioner, is an tiro historian

IMAGE: Ligali Mukaiba.