AKEEM LASISI writes on activities of nine Yoruba actors and musicians who are currently on Hajj in Saudi Arabia
Nine prominent Yoruba entertainers are among the about 165,000 Nigerians currently on Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. While there is the possibility that some other artistes are also in Saudi for the cherished fifth pillar of Islam, those captured by phenomenal.com.ng‘s lens are celebrated actresses, Kabirah Kafidipe, popularly called Araparegangan; Kemi Afolabi and Rukayat Lawal (Iya Ibadan); popular actors, Wale Akorede and Lateef Oladimeji; as well as dramatist and founder of Bubblesville, a Lagos-based arts and recreation centre, Lookman Sanusi.
Others are top fuji musician, Saheed Osupa; brilliantly indigenised rapper, Remilekun Abdukalid, otherwise called Reminisce; and ‘Won ti gba penalty wo throw in’ singer, Adekunle Temitope, aka Small Doctor.
From ‘Saworoide’ to ‘Malaika’
Although the presence of the stars in Mecca is an indication that arts and religion are not strange bed fellows, and that many people believe in the supremacy of the latter over the first, each of them also has a distinct story in terms of their experiences. For instance, for Kabirah, who burst into limelight when she played the role of Araparegangan in Tunde Kelani’s acclaimed movie, ‘Saworoide’, her love for Islam fondled climax last year when she enrolled in an Islamic school where she mastered the Quran. Her graduation at the Surulere, Lagos-based school is one thing she cannot forget in a hurry because, according to her, it was a dream come true.
Kabirah, who has acted in many other movies and produced the likes of ‘Oga’, ‘Iwalewa’ and ‘Malaika’ alongside her sister, Aisha, has also established an Islamic platform where she motivates Muslims to higher heights, through daily messages on Instagram and different fora she organises. On Sunday, which was Edel Kabir day, Kabirah, even from Hajj, sent inspiring messages to her followers, with one of the posts reminding Muslims that what God values most is their piety, not the rams they slaughter.
Phenomenal.com.ng also learnt that she is planning a drama/movie series focusing on the propagation of the Islamic faith.
Kemi Afolabi’s quick recovery
For Afolabi, being part of the 2019 Hajj is a fulfilling adventure. Many, however, did not know she is in Mecca until news broke recently that she had fallen ill in the holy land. But that has become a thing of the past as she has since bounced back.
She later expressed happiness at the recovery in a video message, saying: “Jumah Mubarak! This is to thank you all for your love, prayers and well wishes. I must say that I was overwhelmed and amazed at the level of love I received from you all. I am fine now and doing very well.
The journey over here has been tedious but entirely worth it, as the Lord himself taught us that the walk to redemption isn’t easy. I thank God for the strength to walk this walk with good health of mind and body, for His protection, love and guidance, and I pray that His protection would never cease in the life of any of us. All my family, friends, fans and colleagues who have continually reached out to me, to those who have always remembered me in their prayers and shown me love, I do not take any of those for granted.
“I pray that the Lord grant all your heart desires, that his grace and love would be sufficient for you all. May He continually bless you and may His peace and love never desist from you. Thank you very much, I appreciate you!”
Truly, many people who have been on the pilgrimage to the holy city in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia have noted that it is not a pleasure ride. And it could not have been so because its essence is for the pilgrim to, in five days, go through what Prophet Muhammad experienced when he fought for the entrenchment of Islam from over 1,400 years ago.
Yet, they say the adventure is spiritually rewarding.
Between Okunnu and ‘Gbarada’
In the case of Akorede, all pilgrimage and no comedy may just make Jack a dull pilgrim. The reason is that he has, in the past two weeks, been relaying some funny scenes he is creating even in the holy land. Among them is what qualifies to be called a comedy skit, in which the man stage-named Okunnu reveals the beauty of one of the places the pilgrims visited. According to him, viewers should watch him well as he joined other Muslims in Mecca, as they performed the rite, so that they will confirm that he is truly there. In another video, he introduces business and comradeship into the treat as he is seen advertising a new film by Muyiwa Ademola, titled ‘Gbarada’.
Saridon P’s golden moment
Osupa’s presence in Mecca symbolises double joy. The reason is that he also celebrated his 50th birthday on the sacred shores of the Arafat. While the birthday is still being celebrated by many of his fans in Nigeria and elsewhere, a special prayer session was held for him in Mecca, as seen in a video. Interestingly, the imam who officiated at the event revealed how the musician popularly called Saridon P arranged for his (imam) pilgrimage in a dramatic way.
Osupa, who is revered for his music composition power – even fuji legend, the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, acknowledged this – has just released an album titled ‘Integrity’ to reflect his mood.
It is a matter of joy – Sanusi
Among all the showbiz figures in Mecca, Sanusi’s story is somehow unique in the sense that he is based in London, UK. He finally graduated from the level of a dramatist to an entrepreneur last year when he unveiled Bubblesville. From the United Kingdom, however, he smoothly connects with Nigeria, as evident in the fact that he was the anchor for the reading party recently organised for the writers on the long list of the Nigeria LNG-organised Nigeria Prize for Literature. The event was held at the MUSON Centre, Lagos.
“It is a matter of joy for me that I am able to make the Hajj,” he told phenomenal.com.ng. “Whatever you do, whatever you think you are, Allah is the ultimate and one should seize every opportunity that comes one way to know Him more and to worship Him.”
Waiting for Lateef and Iya Ibadan
For Lateef and Iya Ibadan, their fans are likely to expect some works that will reveal their experiences in the holy land. Lateef has won the hearts of many movie freaks via his ability to give life to whatever role he plays, to the extent that many believe that he is on the path of the kind of greatness now commanded by an actor like Ibrahim Chatta, who is sure to ‘kill’ any role he grabs, from the oldest babalawo (medicineman) to the smartest office worker. On the other hand, Rukayat’s (Iya Ibadan) strength lies in the humour she injects into plots, especially with the raw Ibadan accent she exudes.
Hip guys too are here!
Yet, the biggest surprises currently on Hajj could be Reminisce and Small Doctor. Their genres and lifestyles hardly situate them as Mecca candidates but they seem to have proved that, playing on a statement in Zainab Alkali’s novel, ‘Stillborn’, the hand of Islam is longer than that of art.
1.8 milion pilgrims in Saudi
On the whole, the 65,000 Nigerian pilgrims were among the 1.8 million Muslims across the world who observed Arafat Day in Muna, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. Another figure quoted two million.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigerian pilgrims used the occasion to pray for themselves, their families and Nigeria.
NAN adds, “Some pilgrims who spoke with NAN described the occasion as unique, saying it gave them the opportunity of a lifetime to pray specially for peace and development in Nigeria.
The spiritual occasion has been peaceful with little stress in spite of the hot weather compared to previous occasions when large crowds posed a lot of challenges for pilgrims and officials.
Saudi security personnel were up to the task of guiding the conduct of pilgrims as they were at every location at the site to ensure orderliness of the exercise.”
From Alhaji Ayinla Omuwa to Alhaji Kollington Ayinla
Across generations, Yoruba musicians who are Muslims love observing the Hajj. They obviously see this as not only giving them the opportunity to assert their faith but to also boost their profiles. The appellation ‘Alhaji’ – or ‘Alhaja’ in the case of women – has thus often been the title they gladly erect before their names as they prospect for stardom.
Among those who fulfilled these rites were the late Ayinla Omowura (Hadji Costly), Haruna Isola, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister awurebe singer, Alhaji Dauda Epo Akara (who was in Mecca together with his lead drummer, Olalere Ajani). While surviving fuji acts, Alhaji Kollingon Ayinla, Wasiu Ayinde, Adewale Ayuba and Wasiu Alabi Pasuma have also been on Hajj on different occasions, waka singers, the late Batili Alake and Salawa Abeni, also earned ‘Alhaja’ right in the early stages of their careers.
As a Yoruba writer and researcher, Yinka Alabi, told phenomenal.com.ng, the musicians’ expedition to Mecca often inspires moving lyrics in their albums upon return to Nigeria.
Alabi enthused, “Especially in the past, each of the musicians regales their fans with the wonderful experience they had in Mecca. They do this in the albums they release on their return. I remember how Ayinla Omowura, Barrister, Epo Akara and Wasiu celebrated the beauty of Hajj in various albums. This is no more popular with modern artistes but it lasted well till the early time of Wasiu Ayinde.”
