Thirty-eight years after, Ayinla Omowura, (a.k.a. Alhaji Costly and Egunmagaji ) lives on!. At least through his numerous artistic works; which continue to speak volume about the uniqueness of the his music which is highly proverbial and full of folklores.
With his artistic works continuing to dominate the social scenes and air wave, Omowura remains evergreen on the minds of his fans and one of the legendary Apala musicians to have ever lived!. Omowura, died in a controversial circumstance on May 6 1980 The Apala legend died at 39 after he was allegedly stabbed on the head with a bottle by one of his composers and confidants, Bayewun, who was later tried by a court of law, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging.
He had trailed Bayewu to a beer parlour in Ago-Ika area of the state capital; trying to retrieve a motorcycle he allegedly bought for him when a fight ensued between them. In the process, Baiyewu allegedly smashed a glass cup on Omowura’s head and the Apala singer slumped and died before he could be taken to the hospital.
Apala is a Yoruba genre that dates back to the early 1930's. Omowura, who hailed from Itoko, Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State bestrode the Apala scene like a colossus. His style of rendition; the accompanying instruments as well as drumming makes him unique among his contemporaries like Fatai Olowonyo, Epo Akara, the Ajirebe exponent, Ajape among several others.
An Apala modernizer of sort, Omowura's brand of music started in the early 1950's with what was then called "Olalomi", but he shot into limelight with his first record "Ogun Ajobo". This was a record that "Egunmagaji" waxed to highlight the importance of Ogun, the god of iron to the delight and acceptance of many commercial drivers, particularly those in the Southwest region of the country.
He rivaled another Apala exponent, the late Haruna Ishola, so much that the duo waxed records to acknowledge the ingenuity and supremacy of each other. Before his tragic end, he was said to have recorded more than 20 LPs, among others, majority of which are still best selling decades after. They include, "Ogun Ajobo", "Awa ki se olodi won", Eni ro ibi si ki..." Abode Mecca, Omi Titun ti ru". " Eyin Oselu wa", "25 × 40", Anjonu Elere, E ma tori owo pa enia" " Ise 'le ni o ru won de'ta", "Ajoji ki ba onile dule".
Others are "Awa ki se olodi won, Eyin oselu wa", "National Census", Late Muritla Mohammed, "Omi Tuntun Tiru", "Orin owo Ile Eko and Owo Tuntun among several others".
The instant successes and acceptance of his records by his fans made the most popular recording company then, EMI Nigeria, to sign him as one of its artistes in 1970. The success of his first record with the EMI titled " Aja to fi oju de jo" in June 1970 was said to have been a turning point in his life as the copy was said to have sold off instantly. Subsequent works of Omowura like " Ebi ki pa'gun da'le", " A wa ki se olodi won", made him the much talked about indigenous artiste of his time among drivers and traders selling no fewer than 50, 000 copies on each first day of release.
Even 38 years after, Omowura's works, both waxed and live performances still dominate Nigeria's air waves, pub houses and parties. His death was a severe blow to his numerous fans particularly in Abeokuta, the state capital where the old and the young mourned his passage, which they described as untimely.
"Egunmagaji" or "Alhaji Costly's" death was a fatal blow not only to the Egba people, where he hailed and lived until his death, but particularly to his band's group that was not long united after his demise and were soon to be disbanded.
His own type of Apala was issue and current affairs-based, hence he was the most sought after among the Yoruba people, of the Southwest region. The music was also full of folklores and highly proverbial in nature with his leading talking drummer, Adewole ''Onilu Ola'' providing necessary back up with him. It also had pedagogic value which endeared his music to different sexes as well as, both young and old.
The duo understood each other so much that when Omowura stray out of his music line, Onilu Ola would usually bring him on the right path with his talking drum. They were literarily inseparable until Satan threw spanners between them and Adewole, his leading talking drummer stepped aside for many years until he returned shortly before Ayinla's controversial death. After their reconciliation, Omowura eulogised the master talking-drummer describing him as a new born child.
Omowura's fans are highly diversified, socially and educationally. They included both literates and non literates who apppreciated Omowura' s works during his life time and thereafter. Leading the pack is Alhaji Tajudeen Ogunwolu, a retired banker with the Central Bank of Nigeria, who said, he grew along with his colleagues appreciating the Apala king. His words: " Omowura is a unique artist whose dexterity in Apala marks him out as social critic and philospher with lyrics that inform, educate and entertain. For me, Omowura"s records will continue to be relevant, not only among his fans, but among the Yoruba people of the Southwest region of the country.
He added: "with my educational background, social and religious status, I feel proud to say that Ayinla Omowura is my musical idol whom I will forever cherish". In his paper titled: Omowura's Music as Journalism, Dr. Kola Adesina, Head, Mass Communication of Departmemt of Crescent University, Abeokuta described the late Egba musical idol as a titan of his time and beyond.
"Apart from informing, educating and entertaining a mass audience, Omowura's record usually parade sections similar to newspapers and magazines. I was always persuaded by the social responsibility school of thought in communication theory represented by devotion of a sizeable portion of many of his albums and even live sessions to free public affairs announcememt and commentary".
''His track record in public affairs promotion or commentary include the change from left-hand to right in 1972 , Nationwide salary increase ( Owo Udoji), Lagos State Rent Edict. At the beginning, he was not making much from music, so he had to engage in other chores while playing music for consummatory purposes. When the EMI Records got him through the late artiste manager of the company, Alhaji Taoreed Adedigba, music became instrumental to relative wealth and living living".
The don said that since Omowura, whom he also described as an enigma exited this earth like an Iroko tree, he had left a big gap in the Apala musical forest. "Since then, Yoruba music has never been the same again and it is looking like we have to settle for the mickey-mouse and at times mumbo-jumbo now being parroted as Yoruba music
Wole Sorunke, a radio presenter (a. k.a. MC Murphy) described Omowura as one of the local artistes that ever reigned in the country, particularly in Yorubaland. "He was a great Egba musician ever lived that his works were still appreciated and liked decades after his death. There is hardly any social circle today in Yorubaland that his records will not blare through the loud speaker. He was able to carve a nitche for himself, through confidence, which he had. " When he died years back, I was still in primary school. In fact, my mother once told me that Omowura was one of her toasters. Oh! how I wished my mother had married Omowura, I would have loved to be Omowura's child.
"She also told me that the Apala king was referring to her in his lyric " e ku o ni titi, number yin o jade", because of my mother's refusal to be toasted. .I would have been another "egunmagaji". If my mother had agreed to be toasted and eventually married him He has done a lot for the Apala music in Nigeria and as such, he should not be forgotten".
*This story was first published by Moshood Adebayo in 2018