Odolaye Aremu
{{Short description|Nigerian artist}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix = Alhaji
| name = Odolaye Aremu
| honorific_suffix =
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| native_name = Mohammodu Odolaye Aremu
| native_name_lang = yor
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| birth_date = 1943
| birth_place = Ilorin
| origin = Ilorin
| death_date = 1997
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| genre = Dadakuada
| occupation = Folks Musician, Praise Singer
| instrument = Gangan, Bata Talking Drum
| years_active =
| label = Olatubosun Records
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Mohammodu Odolaye Aremu was an Ilorin-born Dadakuada{{Cite journal |last=Na'allah |first=Abdulrasheed |date=1992-01-01 |title=Dadakuada: the Crisis of a Traditional Oral Genre in a Modern Islamic Setting |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/jra/22/4/article-p318_3.xml |journal=Journal of Religion in Africa |language=en |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=318–330 |doi=10.1163/157006692X00031 |issn=1570-0666|url-access=subscription }} artist who sang in many Yoruba cities and recorded many albums until he died in 1997.{{Cite web |last=Na'Allah |first=Abdul-Rasheed |date=October 1996 |title=THE ORIGIN OF EGUNGUN: A CRITICAL LITERARY APPRAISAL |url=https://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/68145/1/ASM_17_59.pdf |access-date=20 November 2024 |website=African Study Monographs}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.routledge.com/Yoruba-Oral-Tradition-in-Islamic-Nigeria-A-History-of-Dadakuada/NaAllah/p/book/9780367787950|title=Yoruba Oral Tradition in Islamic Nigeria: A History of Dàdàkúàdá|website=Routledge & CRC Press}} During his life, he lived in many places including Ibadan, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Okeho, Shaki and Lagos. However, he spent most of his time in Ibadan.{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Odolaye Aremu |url=https://www.boomplay.com/artists/674035}}{{Cite web |date=2023-05-04 |title=Odolaye Aremu Archives |url=https://highlifeng.com/yoruba/tag/odolaye-aremu/ |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=HighlifeNg |language=en-US}}
Early life
Musical career
Like many Yoruba musicians, he sang praises of many important and famous people in society. This includes Dr. Olusola Saraki, Chief Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao; Alhaji Jimoh Saro, Chief Meredith Adisa Akinloye, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, Chief Ladoke Akintola, Ariyibi Adedibu and many others.{{Cite news |date=21 Jun 2014 |title=Nigeria: Arisekola-Alao - Exit of Quintessential Ibadan Man |work=Daily Independent |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201406230215.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203084908/https://allafrica.com/stories/201406230215.html |archive-date=3 Feb 2021}}{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Ilaji: Let there be light … |url=https://sunnewsonline.com/ilaji-let-there-be-light/}}
Music and style
Odolaye was a prominent exponent of Dadakuada music, a traditional Yoruba genre. His songs combined oriki (praise songs) and owe (proverbs and epigrams), addressing social, political, economic, and cultural issues.{{Cite journal |last=Otukoko |first=Ismail S. |title=FolkSongsasSourcesofHistory: AnAnalysisofAlhajiOdolayeAremu'sIlorinDadakuadaMusic |url=https://www.veritas.edu.ng/journals/vunahisjourna. |journal=Vunajournalofhistoryandinternationalrelations |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=1}}
Historical significance
Odolaye's music serves as a valuable historical resource, providing insights into Yoruba oral literature and historical events.
Themes and commentary
Legacy
Discography
• Olowe Mowe
• Alakori Alakowe
• Eniyan Nlanla Lo
• Ilorin Lawa
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aremu, Odolaye}}