Some years back, there was a drama series on NTA 7, Tejuosho, named Feyikogbon, amongst the Acts on the screen was a great dancer, and a chanter that praises people at the palace of Mogaji Feyikogbon, Sunday Akinola. This man is Sulaimon Aremu Ayilara a.k.a Ajobiewe.
The closing glee of the weekly drama always gave Ajobiewe an opportunity to project his act of good bata dance, using all his body including his ears, nose to dance. Today, Ajobiewe has transformed from a mere palace chanter in a drama to a Poet that chants for Royalty, the Nobles and the distinguished personality in and out of Nigeria.
He is a Poet with a
difference, Ajobiewe as he his fondly called is a force to reckon with in
Yoruba oral poetry. His intellectual
acumen in being vast with almost all the pedigree of every clan in Yoruba land
has made him outstanding and a choice to so many people irrespective of class
and age.
He was discovered some
years ago in a play titled Feyikogbon, a weekly drama series that ruled the
television screen in the early 80s. Afterwards, Sulaimon Ayilara Ajobiewe has
continued to grow as he maximized the gift he has and carving a niche for
himself.
Ajobiewe then was admired for his dancing style as he displayed all part of his body to dance during the closure and signing off on each of the episodes on television back in those days. Besides his entertaining style of dancing, he was well known as a good chanter too, and some years later, this man from Ila Orangun in Osun state started showing up at events of politicians and other top-notch in the society ditching out oriki (pedigree) of different clans, towns and villages in Yoruba land.
In his words, Ajobiewe
said, “My name is Chief Sulaimon Oyebanji, Odepindan Ogunyomi Ejiwunmi
Omotanbaje Aremu Ayilara a.k.a Ajobiewe, I joined the make-believe world in
1962. When I started, we had only one television station in Ibadan, but later
things changed and we have them so many today.
“I give thanks to God
who has blessed me so far on the job, I have chanted for Royalty, for President
even Dangote and many others across Africa and beyond. I am not the best,
rather my Creator that blessed me with the talent remains the best and most
outstanding.”
Taking my Yoruba oral poetry to overseas; Canada, America, London, France and other places in the world made me happy, because I never knew I could go that far. I started as an actor dancing and chanting as a mere palace guard in a drama series and today, I have taken that act far and wide, chanting the pedigree of the likes of Obasanjo, Tinubu and other nobles in the society including top Kings and other Royal fathers in Yoruba land and beyond. I salute my God for this great feat He has made attained." Ajobiewe said.
Today, Ajobiewe has a son, Alhaji Azeez Aremu that has taken after his father in Yoruba oral rendition.
Ajobiewe in his words said, perseverance should be the key word to everybody on any job. He added that, “I am always happy seeing myself chant for distinguished personality, I never thought I could chant for village head when I started and when I found myself in the Presidency chanting for a head of state, I felt fulfilled and give all supplications to God.
The profession has a better tomorrow, but the upcoming ones should be ready to apply perseverance and take God as their pillar.”
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