Enthralling world of US based culture icon, Osadebamwen Oviasogie

 

To Osadebamwen Oviasogie culture cannot be divorced from the moulding of a man’s character. Culture is the totality and well being of a man.

For this, Oviasogie, who is a Benin culture ambassador, believes that man must bear the burden or otherwise of his cultural beliefs and associations.

It is for this reason that since his formative years he has been so consumed with the Benin culture that today he is an iconic and reference figure in the propagation of the Benin culture through the instrumentality of playwriting, songs and traditional dance.

It was towards this end that the USA based singer and dancer hosted dance groups in Benin few days ago.

Oviasogie, who played host to three members of each cultural group from Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha Local Government Areas of Edo State, in what was themed “Suya Night,” within the week, at his sprawling compound, Ogheghe, Benin City, which turned out a carnival of some sort, said the event was to pay tribute to some culture ambassadors.

 

The director of  Osadebamwen Oviasogie Cultural Organisation & YouTube  channel called Edo Tradomusic, believes that a man is a product of his culture.

 

He recalled how it all started:  “It all started one night in 1969 at late Chief Osarenren, the then Obadesuwa of Benin Kingdom house, Benin City during Eho (Ne Ana Ri’eho) performed during Igue festival. I was living with my auntie who happened to be the wife of the chief. This particular night I got excited and out of nowhere entertained the guests with singing and drumming in part of the night. It was there an old man who was one of the guests at the event said to me: “You will be going overseas with this your talent”.

 

“I  started performing in 1971 during our graduation ceremony at Seventh Day Adventist School, Benin City, where I acted as a chief and performed the Ugie dance. Due to a lack of resources, I was home-schooled via overseas correspondence to obtain my GCE. After training in the old Staff Training Centre in Benin City, I got a job as a typist in one of the Ministries. In 1980, I was hired by the Benin Traditional Council, Oba Palace, Benin City as a typist. I was granted leave to go back to school in 1986. This time, Staff Training Centre was now an affiliate of Auchi Polytechnic to study secretarial duties and it was there I got my Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and became a confidential secretary.”

 

Since then, he has not looked back. Now based in Maryland, USA, with a troupe, he has been able to upped the game, performing folktales, Benin evocative songs and traditional genres that appeal to wide audience in the US.

 

Oviasogie tells his story of how he was able to stamp his presence on the world stage.  “In the early 70s I lived in Iguobazuwa for a short time and there I met one Mr. Omere who was working with the Ministry of Agriculture. Mr. Omere invited me to help form a cultural group in his name having seen me perform with the then Madam Iyen Cultural Group in Iguobazuwa. Needless to say that both groups became competitive. When I moved back to Benin, I joined the Ewase cultural group led by Mr. Peter Osunbor of Ore-Oghene street, Benin City. It was during my time with the Ewase cultural group that Mr. John Imafu invited me to form the Imafu Cultural group with him. When things were no longer going very well, I left Imafu Cultural group to join the famous Edo Cultural Group international of Benin in 1975.

 

“I became a very popular artiste during my time with the Edo Cultural Group. I wrote and participated in series of songs,  stage drama shows and appeared on television and on other shows. I also got the opportunity of performing around the country and overseas with the Edo cultural group. In the very early 1990s, I decided to quit the Edo cultural group because I wanted to move on to a higher level as a cultural artiste and that meant forming my group.

 

“In 1991, I was passing by Mr. Parker Obasogie’s house, opposite the Palace of the Oba of Benin when I saw Mr. Omosefe otherwise known as Vasco (Alias Ekpelekpele of Ogbe – now deceased) and some other people playing cards. I knew fully well that Vasco was a die-hard NRC (National Republican Party) member and a strong supporter of Mr. Lucky Igbinedion who happened to be the governorship candidate of the party then. So, I approached him with a suggestion. I asked him if he was aware that Mr. Enaruna Alias Idemudia and David Ariyo alias Kokori had a campaign song out for SDP (Social Democratic Party). He answered in the affirmative and I told him I could do a better song for the NRC governorship candidate. At that moment he became excited and asked if I would be willing to go with him to meet with Mr. Lucky Igbinedion. Without any hesitation, we arrived at Lucky’s house about an hour later. During the meeting with Mr. Igbinedion, he asked if I would be able to come up with songs on a demo cassette the next day. I agreed. Vasco was upset with me after we left the meeting because he never thought I could be able to come up with a demo cassette in 24 hours. I then told him (Vasco) that I was going to contact Mr. Sunny Obasuyi (who was by this time still a member of the Edo Cultural Group) and that we both were going to come up with songs. Vasco promised to get in contact with one fine drummer, late Mr. Lucky Omokaro (who was still with the Edo Art Council performing troupe) and some other people.  I went straight to Mr. Obasuyi’s office where he was working with Mr. Egbon as a draftsman. After the meeting, we both promised to work overnight to come up with campaign songs. The next morning, we all met at Mr. Parker Obasogie’s house. We all rehearsed for hours, record a demo audio cassette. On the same day, I went with Vasco to deliver the demo audio cassette to Mr. Igbinedion. He commended our efforts and then directed us to Mr. Sunday Eghaghe Inneh. He assured us Mr. Inneh would give us money for the production, which he did after a couple of visits to his house.

 

“Vasco, Obasuyi, and I supported the idea of forming a group after we finished with the NRC campaign songs. During this time, we met one Mr. Sunday (Alias Eboghafano) who was one of the political followers of Mr. Inneh.  It was Eboghafano who promised to lead us to Mr. Inneh, after he was told  the number of times we visited him (Mr. Inneh) to try ask for money to form a group. On our way to Mr. Inneh’s house, Eboghafano told my group that the only way he could get Mr. Inneh to give us money would be if he (eboghafano) let him know that we were going to name the new group after him. Sure enough, Mr. Inneh bought the idea and gave us some money to go buy some cultural instruments. That is how the Inneh Theatre Troupe came about. Through hard work and dedication, the group quickly became a household name by promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Edo people. We frequently appeared on television, staged dramas, and other shows.  I wrote  and lead-sing so many of the edo cultural group and Inneh Theatre Troupe songs.  I wrote  a play titled ‘Okieke Aren Vbayakon’ that was performed on stage  by the Edo Cultural group and later by the inneh theater troupe on numerous occasions.   I also wrote and directed the play titled ‘Omomagiowade’. The plays okieke aren vbayakon and omomagiowade were recorded into video cassette and marketed by the Inneh Theatre Troupe.

 

“In late 1995, an opportunity presented itself when Madam Elizabeth Igiehon (now late) of whom I knew as a child living Lagos Street came to my house to inform me of her brother, Aib’s, intention to sponsor a cultural group for a tour overseas.

 

“Madam Igiehon was the daughter of Chief Igiehon, the then Eson N’Ibiwe of Benin. I immediately informed Mr. Sunny Obasuyi about it. To cut the long story short, we went to Lagos to have a meeting with Mr. Igiehon. In 1996, Mr. Igiehon decided to hire another person in Lagos in the name of Mr. Ben to put some artistes from various parts of the country together for the overseas trip in Lagos. I was the only one that was selected from the Inneh Theatre Troupe. The trip did not work out as planned in 1996. In 1997, Mr. Igiehon invited us again to camp in Lagos where eventually we all traveled in May 1997 to the United States of America.

 

“While in America, I left the group to work for the Wo’se African Dance Company. I was introduced to Oluwo General Baba Aido Holmes by an acclaimed international drummer, brother Eric Lewis. I got my first payment of $20.00 in America when I went to play with Mr. Eric Lewis in a Church. I had the opportunity to travel around the country with the Wo’se African Dance Company. I also work with Malcolm X Dancers and Drummers in Washington D.C. Both Baba Aido Holmes and Eric Lewis were in Benin recently (during the sits night) because of the love they have for me and I would appreciate a round of applause for them.”

 

Among the challenges faced by traditional artistes are that Nigerians do not like what they have. “They prefer other people’s culture. That’s why our people do not appreciate our own,” he said.

 

According to him, many look down on traditional artistes as “if we are not human. They want us to sing their praises for nothing. Lots of people believe that cultural artistes are not educated. But in abroad they believe in your potentials whether you are secondary school or PhD certificate holder.”

 

For him,  bringing together artistes from the US into Nigeria in 2021 to perform with him on 50th anniversary as a performing artist in Benin City, was heart warming

 

In all these, he is driven by the fact that he derives enjoyment and entertainment from performsnce. Once on stage, he showcases African art and culture to the world. “Making people happy is one of the driving forces behind my performance. I derive joy when I see people smiling when I am performing, and I am happy to know that some of my songs relate to people’s problems,” he summed.