Àlàkè The First Female Drummer

Àlàkè The First Female Drummer In Ibarapa Zone

I was amazed and marvelled at the wonderful melodious musical sound of Àlàkè Onibata.

Strolling down to the entrance of Idere Hill’s, I meant this musical group which entertains every visitor who visits Idere Hill’s Re-opening. Among them was this strong energetic and skillful young girl that displayed this Drum called Bata in different styles. Even to an extent she started communicating to me with this same drum.

I dance to every tune of her song which prompts me to ask questions about her because she was too young to display the Bata drum professionally.

I met a friend called Azeez Sodiq Adeshina who was also part of the management team at Heritage Resort Hotel, who spoke briefly about this great Bata drummer called Àlàkè. 

Ayantayo Nasirat Ayanfunke popularly known as ÀLÀKÉ Onibata started her skill at the age of 5 years. Out of the children of Ayantayo Bashiru the father of ÀLÀKÉ, ÀLÀKÉ is the only skillful,talented daughter at the age of 5years.  During her days in primary school, she usually ran out of school, left all the school activities to meet her father while performing live on stage. 

This attitude always upset the father of ÀLÀKÉ, he reported the matter of ÀLÀKÉ to her teachers that they should not allow her to go anywhere. After the struggle and the plan of alake father, ÀLÀKÉ left home early in the morning to go to school. 

As soon as ÀLÀKÉ  got to school, she informed her teacher that she forgot her bag and she wanted to pick it up. The teacher gave her permission,not knowing that Alake had another mission.

ÀLÀKÉ Onibata is a master of her skill at this age, no trainer or instructor.

As we all know that Bata is a male dominated instrument of Southwest Nigeria, most of the elders in the field of Bata used to learn from Alake. 

She has transformed herself to limelight on the talking drum and dancing skill. Àlàkè The First Female Drummer

I’m Dennis Chukwuebuka Okeke AKA Onye-njem one of AFRICA your number one celebrity Tourist.