Alamu Atatalo
Encyclopedia
Alamu Atatalo was a pioneer of sekere
, a type of traditional Yoruba
music. A native of Ibadan
, he was popular in Yorubaland
throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. By the middle of the 1960s, however, his popularity began to wane when he was incriminated, in a criminal frame-up, by his detractors. As a result, he struggled relentlessly, for more than a decade, to clear his good name. Ultimately, he bounced back and reclaimed his enviable position as the "king of sekere
" in the mid-70s by releasing several hit LP records
. His version of sekere
music and Alhaji Dauda Epo-Akara
's were music
dominated the Ibadan
party scenes until the advent of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's fuji music
.
Sekere
This article is about the musical genre. For the musical instrument, see Shekere.Sekere is a type of traditional Yoruba musical genre that was pioneered and popularized by the one and only "king of sekere," the late Alhaji Alamu Atatalo from Ibadan, Nigeria...
, a type of traditional Yoruba
Yoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
music. A native of Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
, he was popular in Yorubaland
Yorùbáland
Yorubaland, or Yorùbáland , is a cultural region in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo that includes the indigenous territory and cultural reach of the Yoruba people.- History :-Settlement:Oduduwa is regarded as the legendary progenitor of the Yoruba...
throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. By the middle of the 1960s, however, his popularity began to wane when he was incriminated, in a criminal frame-up, by his detractors. As a result, he struggled relentlessly, for more than a decade, to clear his good name. Ultimately, he bounced back and reclaimed his enviable position as the "king of sekere
Sekere
This article is about the musical genre. For the musical instrument, see Shekere.Sekere is a type of traditional Yoruba musical genre that was pioneered and popularized by the one and only "king of sekere," the late Alhaji Alamu Atatalo from Ibadan, Nigeria...
" in the mid-70s by releasing several hit LP records
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
. His version of sekere
Sekere
This article is about the musical genre. For the musical instrument, see Shekere.Sekere is a type of traditional Yoruba musical genre that was pioneered and popularized by the one and only "king of sekere," the late Alhaji Alamu Atatalo from Ibadan, Nigeria...
music and Alhaji Dauda Epo-Akara
Alhaji Dauda Epo-Akara
Dauda Akanmu Epo-Akara , a Yoruba musician from the historical city of Ibadan, was the main force behind the popular Yoruba music genre called were music. He started producing SP and LP records under Saliu Adetunji's Omo Aje Records label in Lagos...
's were music
Were music
Were music is an indigenous Yoruba music, which, like ajisari, is a way of using music to arouse the Islamic faithful to pray and feast during Ramadan festival in Yorubaland. Ajiwere or oniwere means "one who performs were music."...
dominated the Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
party scenes until the advent of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's fuji music
Fuji music
Fuji is a popular Nigerian musical genre. It arose from the improvisation Ajisari/were music tradition, which is a kind of music performed to wake muslims before dawn during the Ramadan fasting season...
.