By Anote Ajeluorou
AS a build up to the much anticipated 2027 centenary celebration of Nigeria’s drum icon and 1991 Grammy award winner Babatunde Olatunji, a festival was held in his honour in his hometown Ajido, near Badagry, Lagos on May 24, 2025. Among those who participated in the celebration of the drumming legend were Aholu Topan Toyiaga 1 of Ajido Kingdom, His Majesty Saheed Sedonu Adamson and his retinue of chiefs, Olatunji’s wife Mrs. Ami Olatunji, his daughters Mrs. Folashade Olatunji-Olusekan, Mrs. Modupe Maume-Olatunji, Mayor Sherry-Ann, Mr. Babatunde Olaide-Mesewaku, among others.
Ajido, a sleepy town on the Badagry estuary, came alive as dignitaries gathered to celebrate the man who put Nigeria’s drums on the global stage back in the 1940s/50s with his drumming dexterity, a talent that was in abundant display at his celebration. Organised by Bond-Africana International, in conjunction with the Olatunji family, his aged wife and two daughters who visited from the US where Olatunji lived, worked and died, Feast of a Legend lived up to its billing as the celebration of Africa’s undiluted culture at its best with Zangbeto performance as flagship.
As early as 8.00am, both Zangbeto adherents and admirers had gathered at the Ajido waterfront to receive Zangbeto, a water masquerade that in ancient days was believed to walk on water from its shrine from the island across the narrow river to town. But times have since changed and that special potency may seem to be in decline. So boats that are festooned and colourfully decorated are put at Zangbeto’s service to bring the masquerades inland for their performance and magic. Indeed, the Zangbeto magic is why perhaps its mystery and allure will remain for a long time to come. When Zangbeto dances, its raffia mask waves and rolls in majestic waves as in a windstorm tossing water about.
How do you expect a masquerade to be disrobed or unmasked in broad daylight in full view of all admirers, yet no one sees the being supposedly inside the cone raffia mask? Or explain how a live catfish is picked up from where the entity carrying the mask has disembarked from the mask? Or an unopened tin of milk placed inside the now empty mask turns to a blood-brown syrupy liquid that tastes better than milk? These were the sheer spectacle on parade, as Zangbeto displayed its moments of ancient magic and mystery. Whatever entity carries Zangbeto stepped out of the mask in full view yet no one saw it. It would return after a while and re-enter the mask and yet no body saw it, before it danced its goodbye and retired to the shrine nearby. The hundreds of festival attendees were wowed by the sheer magic and mystery of Zangbeto, as its male minders and female acolytes (Kregbeto) who drummed and danced to the unique Ogu songs and syncopating rhythms of the drumming that rang far and near.
