History maker, Ben Tomoloju, releases 100 songs at once

In an unprecedented move, Concrete Communications Studios on Saturday, August 29, unveiled 100 songs composed and performed by renowned culture activist and multi-talented artist, Benson Omowafola Tomoloju.

Not only was the event without precedent, but the 100 songs, in genres including reggae, folk, evangelical and Bolojo were for the giveaway price of N1000. All the interested listener needed to download the masterpieces by the artist, also known as Ben T or Pappy Ben, on a Google Playstore app, was a token N1000.

But then, the paltry sum for such a rich bouquet of songs reflected the altruistic worldview of the artist. Some would have made a killing with such an offering, but not Ben T. He believes more in the humanising and pedagogical qualities of the arts.

It was not a surprise then that people from different parts of the world joined in the unveiling, which happened on Zoom. But beyond unveiling the app containing the 100 songs, attendees also seized the opportunity to pay tributes to Pappy Ben, a mentor per excellence.

One of his numerous mentees and a member of Kakaaki that Tomoloju founded around 1980, Jahman Anikulapo masterfully moderated the session such that people stayed on in the meeting room watching the music videos long after the session ended.

Giving an insight into the project’s history, Executive Producer and CEO, Concrete Communications, Semoore Badejo, who worked on it alongside Ropo Ewenla and Anikulapo, said it started with him and his Ewenla trying to generate publicity for the studio. Since he had always loved Tomoloju’s ‘Aja Kubo’, written for the play ‘Jankariwo’, they decided to do it and send to the artist for comments.

“He reverted with volumes of comments so we said the owner must come to do his thing. We felt he had done a lot and that we needed to document him. Some people don’t know him as a singer, and we thought we should showcase this icon. The first challenge was hoping he would agree, but when we told him, he said he would pray over it. He did and later got back to us. When we started, we were the ones running after him because of his pace. He composed and voiced all the songs. Here is an excellent product for you. If not for COVID, the unveiling would have been done since,” Badejo disclosed.

On the choice of an app for the songs instead of the conventional CD, the CEO of Concrete Communications, said they wanted to “make Ben T a citizen of the world without leaving Nigeria.” They aspired for a global audience and were able to launch it on Google play store.

Badejo also explained the N1000 cost to download the app. “Our mission is to get across to the world. We would rather reach out to millions of people than a few thousand. The app is mobile literature; it comes with lyrics and the inspiration behind each of the songs. You can gift people this app. It is not on i-phone yet, but it would soon be in about three to four weeks.”

For producer, Ewenla, the project wasn’t an ordinary one. “We conceived it as a means of expanding our collective memory. There’s a tendency not to archive our products. Still, we hope this project will expand folkloric knowledge we can bestow to our children. This project is beyond music and art. It’s history, and we have not even scratched the surface. I’m happy and fortunate to be part of the project; it’s cultural evangelism, and this is just the beginning.”

Contributing, Anikulapo said the essence of the project was archiving and letting people know that Ben T, is the creator of the various songs that have been adopted by other artists, the Kegites Club and white garment churches among others.

In his initial remarks, the playwright and director, acknowledged his younger colleagues for the honour given to him through the exciting music project. He explained that “the roles are reversed. These are the people who run my life; I don’t know why they are calling me their teacher. I don’t know what to say because some of it might sound like self-adulation. But it’s exciting for me to go back in time and scoop out some of my old works. Not only scoop them out but process them into some exciting form of music. Music that I call eclectic. “Why 100 songs, you may wonder? I want to be empathetic to students who come to my house or theatre base to make me sing directly to them when they wanted to do my theatre productions. They travel from all corners of the country. Now, they can have these songs. They are songs from about six or seven plays of mine.”

The songs, like the former Deputy Editor of The Guardian noted, were an eclectic mix. Theatre, gospel, reggae, folk and gyration.

“I expect people in Jamaica; Brixton or where is it, to connect because the reggae we produce here in Africa is not copied reggae, it’s authentic reggae. You find reggae in our local symphonies, percussion. You find that some of the Orlando Owoh music productions are reggae based. But I must tell you, I love reggae,” said Ben T as he lapsed into a number, ‘Reggae is a wild rose’.

Some of the songs, he continued, were composed for “my students as a form of cultural pedagogy in the educational process. This was at Saka Tinubu Memorial High School, where I started as a teacher. I also adapted novels, particularly of Peter Abrahams to drama and we also produced Soyinka’s ‘The Trials of Brother Jero’. Some of these songs came from when I was teaching, and I used it to minimise tedium that literature was for students in those days. And having internalised some, they respond spontaneously.”

Ben T also touched on the popularity of his songs and how some people who don’t know their roots assume that they are folksongs. He narrated his experience at last year’s Ondo Festival of Arts and Culture, where he delivered the keynote speech. At the occasion, one of his compositions that has become an anthem in theatre circles, ‘Epo Biriki’ was rendered. He later told a young member of the troupe that the song was his. By the time the lady returned from where she had gone to inform other members, Pappy Ben had disappeared. He also seized the opportunity to clarify that he wasn’t angry with the Kegites Club for adopting the Kakaaki anthem.

“I can’t be angry; I was ‘Fellowrised’ at Unilag,” he said, adding that he does music “for love, not for any special honours.”

Recollections of Pappy Ben’s impacts on their lives by participants further enlivened the unveiling, with each speaker highlighting a peculiarity of the honouree. Veteran filmmaker, Tunde Kelani; CORA Secretary-General, Toyin Akinosho; Prof Duro Oni, Teju Kareem, Lilian Agbeyegbe, US-based scholars, Akin Adesokan and Kole Ade-Odutola; formers arts journalist, Layi Adeniji; Arts Editor of The Nation, Ozolua Uhakheme; writer and editor, Molara Wood; Lookman Sanusi and former members of Kakaaki – Tomi Ogunjobi, Funmi Ajamofua, Akeem Anishere and Kayode Tomoloju- all either commended Ben T’s total commitment to the arts or posed questions to him.

Three musicologists also had their say on the songs during the unveiling. First to go was pianist and composer, Ayo Bankole Jnr. “What you’ve done is remarkable; 100 songs at once is much,” noted the pianist. He also lamented that people categorise popular music whose roots they don’t know as folk music.

“This collection is awesome. It’s almost a crime that you are giving it out so cheaply. The songs are multi-dimensional, their appeal is beyond just the lyrics. One person can look at the songs and redo as Ras Kimono did with Aja Kubo. I’m happy that you have taken time to catalogue a few, but I’m horrified by the cheap price. You listen to the songs and engage with them on several levels.”

Ewenla read Dafe Ivwurie’s short review. “My earliest recollection of Aja Kubo was the Ras Kimono rendition from his album ‘Under Pressure.’ It was quite apt that he would include that song in an album of that title because that was when Nigeria was truly under pressure.

“This Hundred Songs of Ben Tomoloju ensures that the consummate thespian gets due and appropriate recognition for Aja Kubo and many other original songs.

“Aja Kubo is a dirge or a lamentation because it contains all the elements of that form of composition – lyrical and instrumental repetition, symbolism, imagery, chants. The refrain “What has the nation become become” makes it easy for you to carry the song subconsciously long after it has stopped playing as you hold in your mind references to the whirlwind. Quite sombre.

“Drumming N Dancing” shows that performance in Africa is total theatre: drama, music, dance, chant, colour. The song (the video) is a lively package of all these elements, with the added opportunity to praise-sing those who have contributed eminently to the drumming and dancing vocation. In general, the collections of songs are soothing, calming, sometimes prayerful and contemplative. Strongly recommended for your quiet time when you need the muse to visit. If you drive in Lagos traffic, or any other traffic in any other crazy city of the world, download the app, and you have a soulful companion.”

The last reviewer was former Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde, who also worked under Tomoloju at The Guardian.

“This is a brilliant one from our boss,” began Ayorinde. “100 songs in a single compilation is the first in Nigeria and this part of the world. It deserves all the commendation, all the accolades that we can give and not just for the project alone; fantastic project no doubt. But the man in whose honour it has been done,” he continued.

The Publisher of TCN added that ‘Aja Kubo’, sampled by the late Ras Kimono in ‘Under Pressure’ is his all-time favourite of Tomoloju’s songs. He suggested that the project should further be broken down.

“Distil the project; work towards it dominating the air space using social media and digital technology. You can’t upload 100 songs to Boomplay at once. What’s been done for Ben T means he can enjoy the benefit of his labour, sweat,” said Ayorinde, who also suggested cross-generational collaborations to popularise the songs.

“Let’s celebrate this as the first part of what we should do with this compilation. The second part will be how to milk it; how to sell to the world, and the world includes the younger generation—the 15 to 25 age group. I want to see collaboration with a Burna Boy, Wizkid and Davido. We should up the ante, for lack of a better word. We should break the compilation down to bits; break it down into 10s and 20s. I would love to see a collaboration with Yinka Davies, Tiwa Savage. Don’t let’s restrict him to those who know him; sell him to other generations. We should make the songs available to the younger generation.”

Responding to some of the other questions posed to him by commentators, Ben T gave more insight into his liberal, creative worldview.

He disclosed that he would rest easy now that he has fully utilised the gifts God deposited in him. “Suppose I was at heaven’s gate and that angel says what did you do with the talent God has given you? I felt I could not plead innocence, so I was praying that this work should be effectively disseminated.”

He also appealed to people to allow the copyright issue between him and Ras Kimono rest because they made peace before the reggae artist passed. “Art is dynamic. Whatever came from Ras is a manifestation of the dynamism of art. We have to align ourselves with that reality,” he said, adding that: “I pray that my songs become more successful for young people to experiment, to innovate upon. It’s almost canonical in literary criticism, courtesy oTS Elliot; you do not create anything outside of tradition. There’s always a tradition for you to tap. If mine becomes a baseline of tradition, let these young people feed on it and also advance their aesthetics.”

Pappy Ben also touched on the importance of documentation, disclosing that “I do a lot of it only that I ‘don’t document myself.” He reiterated that his mission is not “just to release songs but to moralise and philosophise; enlighten and motivate people. That’s why my songs may not be comparable with what people are singing now.”