Alaafin, Ebenezer Obey to launch book on Ayinla Omowura

Lamidi Adeyemi, alaafin of Oyo, Ebenezer Fabiyi, respected musician better known as Ebenezer Obey, will on Wednesday, launch a book on the life and times of Ayinla Wahidi Yusuf, a Yoruba Apala who was known as Ayinla Omowuraa.

The book, entitled “Ayinla Omowura: Life and Times of An Apala Legend”, is a 537-page research work on the life and musical efforts of Omowura, a foremost Apala musician, who was murdered in a barroom brawl in his Abeokuta home on May 6, 1980 – exactly 40 years ago.

Written by Festus Adedayo, former special adviser on media to former governors of Enugu and Oyo states – Chimaroke Nnamani and Abiola Ajimobi – respectively, according to the author, “is in part, a dig into the culture, music, language and morphology of the Yoruba people.”

According to a press by the author, the actual presentation, which would not be done due to the observance of the social distancing demanded by the battle to free Nigeria of the ravaging COVID-19 disease, will however be a virtual launch/presentation by the two notable Nigerians from their different bases.

“The choice of the two foremost Nigerians and eminent Yoruba sons is an acknowledgment of their voices as cultural, musical and Yoruba societal leaders. While Oba Adeyemi is a cultural repository of the Yorubaland which Omowura’s music projected to the whole world, Chief Fabiyi, apart from being an Egba kinsman of Ayinla’s, also uses his music to exemplify the richness of the Yoruba people’s language and culture,” Adedayo said in a statement.

The author also said the book would be available for sale after the launch.