Wife of Ooni of Ife, Queen Dr Temitope Ogunwusi Ilori Ooni of Ife has been conferred the title of Mother of Drummers, Grand Patron of the Guild of Theatre Art Drummers (GOTHAD) Nigeria.
Queen Ogunwusi received the title from the association at the commemoration of the World Drummers Day event held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) Abuja.
The commemoration saw the book launch of Ola Awakan’s play Echoes of the Drum, and its command performance by Abuja and Lagos GOTHAD members.
Addressing the association’s choice of the Queen as its Grand Patron, National Coordinator, GOTHAD, Williams Isioma, said it was important to GOTHAD not only to catch ‘talents young’ but to associate with her royal majesty as models for its growing female members.
“We want to bring people like her aboard to look after the young women that are taking up careers in drumming. We can’t do that alone. We need help. We need her connection, telling us the right people to meet for certain things,” said Isioma.
The Deltan-born but Lagos raised drum veteran, musician and author, and director of Echoes of the Drum, a drums performance is part of the association’s way of placing drummers in the center, to show that what they do is as important as the actors.
Hence, the performance consisting only drummers taking up acting roles in the play.
Isioma further noted that the association is scheduled to host a universities tour of its GOTHAD Lagos version of the play, as part of its effort to raise funds for its other projects which includes the first ever Drummers Awards, and to publish two books on Nigerian Drums and Nigerian Drummers.
“We have not anything of such nature in the country, and our schools don’t have published works on Nigerian Drums and Drummers. So, we appreciate Awo Awakan for giving us the platform today, even though we made no money from it. We are hopeful good thing will come off it.”
In her speech post the title conferment, Queen Ogunwusi urged Nigerians that beyond appreciating their individual uniqueness, they should learn to care for the less privileged, and unite their individual uniqueness like a bunch of sticks that make up a broomstick to achieve its primary goal.
“If you would take away anything tonight, take a heart of selflessness and sacrifice. Embrace people around you. Look at the children on the streets. What are you doing about the less privileged? The drum is life and resonates in the spirit irrespective of your situation. When you hear the drumbeats, something inspires you.
“ There is life, because it ignites everyone around you, and is healing to the soul, and refreshes the body. Let us collectively tonight think about our uniqueness, encourage our uniqueness and come together as one body, one nation, one country. It is not about legislators or policymakers alone, it is about individuals, having in mind that it is a collective effort to make Nigeria a great country.”
World Drummers Day marked April 4, was founded in 2013 by German drummist, Christian Schages. It is aimed at celebrating drummers worldwide who provide the backbone of any band. Celebrated in countries like Germany, Sweden, Nigeria, among a few others, it is also aimed at the day being recognized by the United Nations.
In Nigeria, GOTHAD – the solely certified association of drumming artistes in the country, are found in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun and three other states.
