Duro Ladipo

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Duro Ladipọ (1931-1978) was one of the best known and critically acclaimed Yoruba dramatists that emerged from post-colonial Africa. Writing solely in Yoruba language, he captivated the symbolic spirit of Yoruba mythologies in his plays which were later adapted to other medium such as Photography, Television, and Cinema. His most famous play, Ọba kò so {The king did not hang), a dramatization of the traditional Yoruba story on how S̩àngó became the God of Thunder, received international acclaim at the 1961 Commonwealth Arts Festival and on a European tour, where a Berlin critic compared Ladipọ to Von Karajan^[1]. Ladipọ usually acted in his own plays.

[edit] Early Life

Duro was raised in a Christian family, his father was a minister at a Anglican Church in Osogbo. However, Duro may have been influenced by his grandfather, who migrated to Osogbo after the Jalumi war. His grandfather, was well versed in Yoruba mythology, especially, those emanating from Old Oyo and was known to have worshipped Sango and Oya.

[edit] The Artist

Duro Ladipo tried hard and succeeded in exposing himself to traditional and Yoruba cultural elements especially when living under the veil of a Christian home. At a young age, he would sneak out of the vicarage to watch Yoruba festivals. This fascination with his culture goaded him into researching and experimenting with theatrical drama and writing. After leaving Osogbo, he went to Ibadan, where he became a teacher. While in Ibadan he became one of the founding members of an artist society or club called Mbari-Mbayo and became influenced by Ulli Beier. He later replicated the club in Osogbo and it became the premier group for promoting budding artists and dramatists in Osogbo. Throughout his career, Duro ladipo wrote ten Yoruba folk operas combining dance, music, mime, proverbs, drumming and praise songs.

[edit] Notes and references

• Ladipọ, Duro (1972). Ọba kò so (The king did not hang) — Opera by Duro Ladipọ, (Transcribed and translated by R.G. Armstrong, Robert L. Awujọọla and Val Ọlayẹmi from a tape recording by R. Curt Wittig), Ibadan: Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.