Some participants at the African Drums Festival

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Abeokuta, Capital city of Ogun State was agog yesterday as eminent Nigerians, traditional rulers, artists gathered in the city for African Drums Festival organised by the state government and aimed at reviving African culture.

The festival will witnesses the performances of over 50 different drums by different groups across the continent.

The event had two giant 7ft drums which Governor Amosun beat to open the event. In attendance were: Governor of Bayelsa, Henry Seriake Dickson, Governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, and his Kastina counterpart, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema was represented by an  aides. Other dignatories were Ogun State Governor, Olufunso Amosun, the state Deputy Governor, Yetunde Onanuga, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Professor Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian Legend, Chief Ebenezer Obey, foremost traditional rulers: Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Dr. Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, Asade Agunloye IV, senators and members of the state legislature, artiste including Dele Odule.

Speaking, Governor Amosun and Governor Dickson and all the foremost traditional rulers in the region stressed the importance of diversification of the nation’s economy stressing that it was a known fact that the era of cheap money from the oil is over.

They agreed that the nation should take tourism and culture very serious stressing that if tourism was given the right attention, it could bring the nation out the current economic recession.

They all noted that drums is a unifying object in Africa because there is no country without unique drums that serve cultural and socio-political functions.

They also said that Africa can propagate her culture through drums.
Oba Ogunwusi called for unity among the Yoruba states pointing out that only unity can bring the desired development in the region.

Both Oba Adeyemi and Oba Gbadebo said that talking drums can only be found in Africa adding that African drums serve lots of purposes in different situations.

Oba Olugbenle sent a signal to the successor of Governor Amosun not to stop the festival declaring, “Any governor in the state that stop the festival should be ready to contend with the traditional institution.