Omo! Gbemi saaaya, ah ah, gbemi saaaya, baba to bi mi lomo ko ma ma somi l'onkul, kilode to fin pemi l'onkul? I no be your uncle, your uncle dey for your village.... Omoooo anything for me? Sogbo sogbo?" the masked one sang,
"Lagbaja nothing for you" the crowd's reply echoed and reverberated within and without the Africa Amphitheatre.
The theatre which was once opened to the sky, but now covered is one of the theatres that make up the Oduduwa hall building, an impressive building housing two lecture theatres, the amphitheatre and Oduduwa hall itself. It also has several open spaces that have been converted to shops, photo studios, diners and business centres. The crowd sang along, as the performer blew his saxophone then danced rhythmically to the bata drums, moving his legs and body as only a seasoned and skillful bata dancer would.
The 5,000 capacity theatre was filled to capacity and overflowing. Some students were even standing or dancing in the aisles. Lagbaja was known to draw a large crowd, more so in Ife, he was their son, their personal person, an alumnus. But his major attraction was his style of entertainment. His style was unique and new, he only appears as a masquerade and picked the name Lagbaja meaning "No one in particular".
This particular night, Lagbaja drove his fans into near frenzy as he played his saxophone with great expertise and danced.
Ese, despite herself was moving to the beats. This was her second outing after the other night days ago and just like then Teju had coerced her into coming. She didn't know who lagbaja was, hence she had not been interested in coming, she had become even less interested when Teju had told her he was a masquerade, her strict christian upbringing had kicked against it. But Teju had assured her that he was just a musician with a unique style and there was nothing fetish about him. Looking back now, she was glad she had come, she really was having a great time, she was even dancing. They had come early enough to sit at a place where they'd have a good view of the stage but they soon found that it was unnecessary since everyone in front of them stood up as the show began, so they were forced to stand up too. Teju was really digging it beside her, unlike her Teju was a good dancer. The tune changed and the masked man started singing another song
"Sebi naija niye ooo sisi, ose wan pa'jo lekun ooo, bi oyinbo ooo? ...Owo gba'Lesa, ese gba Pota, ori wa'n fi lugbelugbe bi agaama. Oya kokon bilo kon bilo"
Some students rushed down the aisle to the front of the theatre and would have jumped on the stage but for the bouncers who stopped them. Ese stopped dancing and became a spectator instead. She watched with interest, the drama being performed in the front of the theatre. Boys and girls, lined in a straight line, facing the stage and backing the audience bent down, placed their hands on their knees and shook their backside to the rhythm of the song. It was as if they had rehearsed it and Ese would have thought they had, had she not known some of them. Then she saw Pago too in the front, but he wasn't dancing, he was raining naira bills on the dancers. She had not seen him since the other night, not that he had not kept in touch. He had tried to organize another date but she had always found an excuse. It was either she was too busy or too tired or something, even Kalu had tried to make the four of them go out again but she had pleaded tiredness. Not that she didn't find Pago attractive, he sure was attractive but something told her Pago was bad news or maybe it was because she kept comparing him with him.
Now Ese turned to tap Teju to show her what was happening in the front.
"He has the money, let him spend it" Teju said and resumed her dancing but Ese was not done with her
"Why isn't Kalu here? It doesn't look like he is with his friend either" Ese asked
"Kalu has his hands filled now, so he couldn't come, he told me he has an assignment to do"
"This early in the semester?"
"You know he is in medicine, they have peculiar academic calendars I hear"
"Yea, right"
A while later, Ese felt she needed something to drink, the dancing had made her quite dehydrated.
"I want to go get me something to drink Teju, will be back shortly" she said as she stepped onto the aisle without looking back to check if her dancing friend had heard her.
***
"Lagbaja nothing for you" the crowd's reply echoed and reverberated within and without the Africa Amphitheatre.
The theatre which was once opened to the sky, but now covered is one of the theatres that make up the Oduduwa hall building, an impressive building housing two lecture theatres, the amphitheatre and Oduduwa hall itself. It also has several open spaces that have been converted to shops, photo studios, diners and business centres. The crowd sang along, as the performer blew his saxophone then danced rhythmically to the bata drums, moving his legs and body as only a seasoned and skillful bata dancer would.
The 5,000 capacity theatre was filled to capacity and overflowing. Some students were even standing or dancing in the aisles. Lagbaja was known to draw a large crowd, more so in Ife, he was their son, their personal person, an alumnus. But his major attraction was his style of entertainment. His style was unique and new, he only appears as a masquerade and picked the name Lagbaja meaning "No one in particular".
This particular night, Lagbaja drove his fans into near frenzy as he played his saxophone with great expertise and danced.
Ese, despite herself was moving to the beats. This was her second outing after the other night days ago and just like then Teju had coerced her into coming. She didn't know who lagbaja was, hence she had not been interested in coming, she had become even less interested when Teju had told her he was a masquerade, her strict christian upbringing had kicked against it. But Teju had assured her that he was just a musician with a unique style and there was nothing fetish about him. Looking back now, she was glad she had come, she really was having a great time, she was even dancing. They had come early enough to sit at a place where they'd have a good view of the stage but they soon found that it was unnecessary since everyone in front of them stood up as the show began, so they were forced to stand up too. Teju was really digging it beside her, unlike her Teju was a good dancer. The tune changed and the masked man started singing another song
"Sebi naija niye ooo sisi, ose wan pa'jo lekun ooo, bi oyinbo ooo? ...Owo gba'Lesa, ese gba Pota, ori wa'n fi lugbelugbe bi agaama. Oya kokon bilo kon bilo"
Some students rushed down the aisle to the front of the theatre and would have jumped on the stage but for the bouncers who stopped them. Ese stopped dancing and became a spectator instead. She watched with interest, the drama being performed in the front of the theatre. Boys and girls, lined in a straight line, facing the stage and backing the audience bent down, placed their hands on their knees and shook their backside to the rhythm of the song. It was as if they had rehearsed it and Ese would have thought they had, had she not known some of them. Then she saw Pago too in the front, but he wasn't dancing, he was raining naira bills on the dancers. She had not seen him since the other night, not that he had not kept in touch. He had tried to organize another date but she had always found an excuse. It was either she was too busy or too tired or something, even Kalu had tried to make the four of them go out again but she had pleaded tiredness. Not that she didn't find Pago attractive, he sure was attractive but something told her Pago was bad news or maybe it was because she kept comparing him with him.
Now Ese turned to tap Teju to show her what was happening in the front.
"He has the money, let him spend it" Teju said and resumed her dancing but Ese was not done with her
"Why isn't Kalu here? It doesn't look like he is with his friend either" Ese asked
"Kalu has his hands filled now, so he couldn't come, he told me he has an assignment to do"
"This early in the semester?"
"You know he is in medicine, they have peculiar academic calendars I hear"
"Yea, right"
A while later, Ese felt she needed something to drink, the dancing had made her quite dehydrated.
"I want to go get me something to drink Teju, will be back shortly" she said as she stepped onto the aisle without looking back to check if her dancing friend had heard her.
***
Siji had always been a huge fan of lagbaja right from his secondary secondary school days. He could remember he once played truant at school just so not to miss lagbaja when he visited his neighbourhood to perform, so it was only a giving that he would be attending the show in amphitheatre. He hadn't really had time for social events since he came. Pago and Kalu would visit him every morning at his hall and give him a gist of their MOZ 101 escapades. Kalu claimed he was serious with a girl whose name was Teju while Pago had been with several girls in the past week including Teju's friend. Though he didn't really like going to anglomoz, he had been tempted to go with them because of her. He was sure she was a freshman because he had seen the Mercedes drove towards Mozambique. He had not been able to keep her off his mind since the day he saw her and who knows? He may bump into her if he followed his friends to MOZ 101, but it was only on an off chance that he would see her and since he had little believe in off chances, he had stayed behind. But nothing could have kept him from coming to this show.
He had come with Pago. Kalu couldn't make it, he was occupied by a pre-semester assignment.
They were running late because Pago had asked him to accompany him to one of the privately owned hostels in town to pick some girls and the girls were keeping them waiting for like forever.
"We are going for a show not on a date or for a dinner. What do you need these girls for?" Siji asked Pago irritably as they waited for the girls in the car.
"It should be 'what we need them for' not 'what I need them for'" Pago said with a smirk
"Excuse me?"
"They are just two girls, one for both of us. And I know that we are going for a show but them girls have a way of making things more interesting."
"You have to stop this your habit of trying to hook me up with girls, you know I don't like it"
"Siji you don't have a social life, you don't even have a girlfriend. Everything isn't about studies bro"
"I'm not saying everything is about studies, I am just saying I don't like these impromptu blind dates you like setting up for me"
"This isn't a date remember? It's a show, and who says you must like her? It's just for the evening, have fun and stop being such a spoilsport"
"You don't seem to under......"
"Now, here they come, just smile, be nice and have fun" Pago interrupted as the girls appeared. Pago did the introduction. Siji found out that they both were not students, they were just in town to prepare for UME. It was common practice for candidates to travel to university towns to prepare for their UME because such towns are filled with preparatory centres.
When they got to the theatre, everywhere seemed to be filled but Pago managed to get a good spot for them close to the main entrance.
"Why aren't you dancing?" The girl that Pago had gotten for him asked after a while. He look down at her smiling face. "I just don't feel like, I'd rather look"
She shrugged and continued dancing. He didn't even know her name, he hadn't been paying attention when Pago did the introduction, she had a pretty face and minute stature. Not that she wasn't attractive, he just was not interested.
"Look, they are going to the front to dance, let's join them" the skinny girl with Pago said
"Are you coming buddy?" Pago asked Siji
"No, you guys go on and enjoy yourselves, I'll be here waiting"
"Spoilsport" Pago muttered as he and the two girls rushed down the aisle to the front.
Siji was enjoying the show, he was singing and moving but not exactly dancing.
He didn't know what exactly made him turn to look at his side, but he did, and he was glad he did. Because he turned just in time to see her walking out of the theatre.
About the Author
He had come with Pago. Kalu couldn't make it, he was occupied by a pre-semester assignment.
They were running late because Pago had asked him to accompany him to one of the privately owned hostels in town to pick some girls and the girls were keeping them waiting for like forever.
"We are going for a show not on a date or for a dinner. What do you need these girls for?" Siji asked Pago irritably as they waited for the girls in the car.
"It should be 'what we need them for' not 'what I need them for'" Pago said with a smirk
"Excuse me?"
"They are just two girls, one for both of us. And I know that we are going for a show but them girls have a way of making things more interesting."
"You have to stop this your habit of trying to hook me up with girls, you know I don't like it"
"Siji you don't have a social life, you don't even have a girlfriend. Everything isn't about studies bro"
"I'm not saying everything is about studies, I am just saying I don't like these impromptu blind dates you like setting up for me"
"This isn't a date remember? It's a show, and who says you must like her? It's just for the evening, have fun and stop being such a spoilsport"
"You don't seem to under......"
"Now, here they come, just smile, be nice and have fun" Pago interrupted as the girls appeared. Pago did the introduction. Siji found out that they both were not students, they were just in town to prepare for UME. It was common practice for candidates to travel to university towns to prepare for their UME because such towns are filled with preparatory centres.
When they got to the theatre, everywhere seemed to be filled but Pago managed to get a good spot for them close to the main entrance.
"Why aren't you dancing?" The girl that Pago had gotten for him asked after a while. He look down at her smiling face. "I just don't feel like, I'd rather look"
She shrugged and continued dancing. He didn't even know her name, he hadn't been paying attention when Pago did the introduction, she had a pretty face and minute stature. Not that she wasn't attractive, he just was not interested.
"Look, they are going to the front to dance, let's join them" the skinny girl with Pago said
"Are you coming buddy?" Pago asked Siji
"No, you guys go on and enjoy yourselves, I'll be here waiting"
"Spoilsport" Pago muttered as he and the two girls rushed down the aisle to the front.
Siji was enjoying the show, he was singing and moving but not exactly dancing.
He didn't know what exactly made him turn to look at his side, but he did, and he was glad he did. Because he turned just in time to see her walking out of the theatre.
About the Author
Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.
He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is
trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and
playing some indoor games.
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