Music legend, Alhaja Hawawu Alake Aminulahi, popularly known as Iya Aladuke Abolodefeloju, speaks to TUNDE OYEKOLA about her experience as a musician, her life and music genre, Senwele
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You are popularly known as Iya Aladuke, how was the name derived?
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My name is Alhaja Hawawu Alake Aminulahi. My husband is Alhaji Aminulahi Adisa. The name Iya Aladuke which people call me was derived from the name of one of my daughters. People call me Iya Aladuke (mother of Aladuke).
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When did you become a musician?
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I started singing about 75 years ago, but I didnt go into commercial music then. It used to be done as a pastime. I sang at social functions like christenings or marriages and while doing chores like picking vegetables or pepper. At such times, I would sing so that the work would not be boring. That is how I started singing but at that time, there was no drumming. I started playing proper music when I was grown, and by that time, my children had grown and got married.
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How did you learn to sing?
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I didnt learn it from anybody. It is a gift from God. I was selling food at the time and my friends encouraged me to go into music. I told my husband about it and he said I could do it.
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Is your husband a musician?
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No, he is neither a drummer nor a musician. He endorsed it wholeheartedly.
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How did you come about the type of music that made you popular, Senwele?
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I am the originator of Senwele music. When I started, anytime I went for christenings or marriages with other women from my husbands family, and whenever I was chopping okra or things like that, I would be singing: Olomo lo pe mi o, Senwele o. So, Senwele was the chorus of the song that I used to sing. Eventually, anytime someone had to do christening, they would send for me Iya Senwele to come and perform. Senwele music originated from there. Senwele was not known before then.
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