From Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
The evergreen virtues and legacies of the first Timi of Ede, Oba John Adetoyese Laoye I, came to reckoning recently when a national colloquium was organised in his honour as a part of moves to immortalise him.
The late monarch was a virtuoso of Yoruba native drums and music which he deployed maximally to promote and propagate the cultural values and traditions of the race.
He used the instrument to preach the virtues of morality, peace, religious affinity and cultural integration in Africa and among the Yoruba and other races in Nigeria.
Laoye, who is reputed as the first monarch of Ede, Osun State, was installed on December 13, 1946, at the age of 46 and reigned for 29 years from 1946-1975.
Forty five years after, the programme was organised by the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), Abere- Osogbo, to celebrate the impacts of the late sage, especially in the sociocultural and educational development during his reign.
The event which had the theme: “The Life and Legacies of Timi John Adetoyese Laoye I, 45 Years After” had in attendance scores of scholars, culture thespians, traditional rulers, academics, friends, family members as well as some children of the late king.
The virtual conference was used to encourage scholars, academics and youths to inspire interest in Yoruba arts and culture. It was also used to renew participants’ interest in his legacies.
Since he died in 1975, there has been no much documentation on the late king, whom the late Alhaji Maitama Sule had referred to as: “The King who made music.”
The late Timi Laoye is reputed for placing the talking drum on the global map. His works are still widely celebrated in the Yoruba arts and culture firmament till date.
Whenever African drums are discussed in the African culture Adeoye’s name rings bell.
He was not just a drummer, but was also an authority to be consulted and studied for cultural development.
While some of the speakers took turns to eulogise him for his successful reign as a pacesetter in the kingship of the town and the entire Yoruba land, others paid glowing tributes to him for the remarkable roles he played in the progress and development of the town and its cultural and traditional heritage, especially music and talking drum which he deployed to articulate the values of the culture and traditions of the Yoruba race.
A professor of History, Osun State University, Siyan Oyeweso, went down memory lane and harped on the enduring legacies set by the monarch.
While describing him as “the monarch,” Oyeweso who is the Executive Director of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, said: “Given the couple of his publications and academic engagements, there is certainly no doubt that Timi Adetoyese Laoye I was an intellectual monarch. His published works have remained an indispensable roadmap for scholars of African Studies and the bedrock of many masters’ dissertations and PhD theses.”
He added: “He was a practical man of letters, a man who lived his thoughts. He was an avid participant in many international conferences with focus on the deepening of African culture and civilisation. He was a gift of the 19th and 20th century and the contemporary society.”
Oyeweso called on the contemporary traditional rulers to emulate the Timi’s best practices in education, professionalism and mentoring of young monarchs, artistes and scholars.
He also called on all the South West governors to come together and inspire cultural integration with a view to engendering “our collective heritage and symbol of unity” which the late Timi represented.
Professor Oyeweso also urged harness of all the late oba’s publications and intellectual inputs for further documentation to further immortalise him.
One of the late Laoye’s sons Adewale Laoye, who took after him to continue his Yoruba tradition music legacy on the aegis of his Yoruba musical outfit fondly known as Drummer of Peace said: “I have my centre called Palace of Drums where I continue the legacies that dad set. After his demise, I grew up with nostalgic memories of his evergreen talking drum prowess which he used creatively to sing music that preached beautiful messages of love, peace, unity and Yoruba cultural development and heritage.
“By virtue of the inestimable value of his contributions to sociocultural, economic and educational development of Ede and the entire Yoruba race, I was moved to keep the legacies alive through drums and music which remains a landmark legacy in Ede land.”
“We have neglected the legacies for too long. That is why Laoye family remains grateful to the organisers of the colloquium which, I believe, shall become an annual event henceforth. Laoye’s current predecessor, Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal Laminisa I, said: “Timi Laoye I was a man of many firsts. He was the first Western educated, literate Timi of Ede and the first Christian monarch that Ede has produced since its founding in the 16th century.”
He added: “He was one of the renowned traditional nationalists who projected African culture in the global space between the 50s and 70s. Timi Laoye made Ede the cultural hub of the Yoruba nation.”
“Prior to his installation as the Timi of Ede in 1946, Ede was a small, rusty town renowned only for its military prowess and diplomatic roles during the 19th century Yoruba warfare. But he changed the narrative with his exploits in the art of talking drum. He brought global attention to Ede as an emporium of African living art and culture.
“Oba Adetoyese Laoye I was a major protagonist of the Yoruba Renaissance who successfully mobilised a number of Yoruba obas to preserve the culture and traditions of their people.
“He also created a pathway for sustainable development of Ede community through agriculture. He encouraged indigenes to practise both food and cash crops farming. His contributions to Yoruba culture, traditional institution and community development were enormous. ” It is against this background that I enjoin the appropriate authorities to see to the immortalization of this great monarch as we celebrate his achievements 45 years after.”
The Chairman, Board of Trustees, CBCIU, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said: “Oba Adetoyese’s spirit of culture and arts illuminates both the young, old, African cultural experts and Western cultural apologists who appreciate the essence of culture.”
He added: “Oba Laoye also had a profound impact on several prominent men and women who also benefitted from the wealth of knowledge on culture and arts, especially the late German scholar and culture thespian, Ulli Beier and his consort, Sussane Wenger, whom he orientated into the Yoruba culture and tradition.
“By celebrating Oba Adetoyese Laoye I today, we are only reminding ourselves that we have not only a rich historical past, we hold him as a good example of progressive monarchy that current occupiers of the royal stool can draw valuable lessons from.”