Sensational female drummer, Aralola
Olumuyiwa Apake, simply known as Ara,
took the world by storm when she emerged
on the scene many years ago.
Touted as the first female talking drummer
Nigeria had ever known, she toured the
world performing with some of the greatest
musicians alive. However, after the
expiration of her seven-year contract with
her former record label, Wanle
Akinboboye’s Atunda Entertainment about a
decade ago, the talented drummer said she
left with only her name, and no money.
In a chat with Sunday Scoop, Ara spoke
about her time with the record label.
She said, “I was with him for seven years,
and as big as the Ara brand was, when I
was leaving him, I left with nothing but my
name. He took seven years of my life, my
official car; and practically everything else
from me. I was meeting top stars like Stevie
Wonder, Wyclef Jean, Wesley Snipes, among
others, but Akinboboye
was taking 70 per cent of all my earnings,
while I only got 30 per cent. Meanwhile, he
was very dishonest with me, and even if I
needed as little as N10,000, I had to sign for
it.”
On some of the lessons she learned from
that experience, she said, “I would have left
him earlier than I did, but a contract bound
me, and I had to wait till it expired. The
most important lesson I learnt is that one
shouldn’t sign any contract without a
lawyer being present. I remember back
when I wanted to sign the contract, I
wanted to get a lawyer, but my former
manager told me that I didn’t need one, and
that he had my best interest at heart.
Because I was anxious for my talent to be
showcased to the world, I went ahead to
sign it without a lawyer looking at it. I now
regard that as the greatest mistake of my
life.”
The drummer also reiterated that she hadn’t
returned to her former label unlike what
was reported in some sections of the press.
She said, “I was just going through the
Internet when I stumbled on a story on the
website of a prominent Nigerian daily (not
The PUNCH). The story stated that I had
returned to my former manager, Wanle
Akinboboye of Atunda Entertainment. I was
shocked because there was nothing factual
about that story. My contract with him
expired in 2007, and I have never thought of
renewing the contract. However, I made
some findings and I discovered that the
particular story was done to defraud a
particular set of people.
They were marketing someone else to some
foreigners as Ara, the first female drummer.
Akinboboye has a new artiste that he calls
Ara; she also beats the talking drum and
wears the same long braids as I do. If they
are certain that I performed at the said
event, they should provide pictures.”
Sharing a bit about what she’s working on
at the moment, she said, “My movie,
Osunfunke would be premiered soon. It is
the first movie I’ve ever produced, and I
acted in it as well. I went into movie
production from the angle of culture and
tourism. I am interested in showcasing what
we have to the rest of the world.”
source: Punch
Sensational female drummer, Aralola
Olumuyiwa Apake, simply known as Ara,
took the world by storm when she emerged
on the scene many years ago.
Touted as the first female talking drummer
Nigeria had ever known, she toured the
world performing with some of the greatest
musicians alive. However, after the
expiration of her seven-year contract with
her former record label, Wanle
Akinboboye’s Atunda Entertainment about a
decade ago, the talented drummer said she
left with only her name, and no money.
In a chat with Sunday Scoop, Ara spoke
about her time with the record label.
She said, “I was with him for seven years,
and as big as the Ara brand was, when I
was leaving him, I left with nothing but my
name. He took seven years of my life, my
official car; and practically everything else
from me. I was meeting top stars like Stevie
Wonder, Wyclef Jean, Wesley Snipes, among
others, but Akinboboye
was taking 70 per cent of all my earnings,
while I only got 30 per cent. Meanwhile, he
was very dishonest with me, and even if I
needed as little as N10,000, I had to sign for
it.”
On some of the lessons she learned from
that experience, she said, “I would have left
him earlier than I did, but a contract bound
me, and I had to wait till it expired. The
most important lesson I learnt is that one
shouldn’t sign any contract without a
lawyer being present. I remember back
when I wanted to sign the contract, I
wanted to get a lawyer, but my former
manager told me that I didn’t need one, and
that he had my best interest at heart.
Because I was anxious for my talent to be
showcased to the world, I went ahead to
sign it without a lawyer looking at it. I now
regard that as the greatest mistake of my
life.”
The drummer also reiterated that she hadn’t
returned to her former label unlike what
was reported in some sections of the press.
She said, “I was just going through the
Internet when I stumbled on a story on the
website of a prominent Nigerian daily (not
The PUNCH). The story stated that I had
returned to my former manager, Wanle
Akinboboye of Atunda Entertainment. I was
shocked because there was nothing factual
about that story. My contract with him
expired in 2007, and I have never thought of
renewing the contract. However, I made
some findings and I discovered that the
particular story was done to defraud a
particular set of people.
They were marketing someone else to some
foreigners as Ara, the first female drummer.
Akinboboye has a new artiste that he calls
Ara; she also beats the talking drum and
wears the same long braids as I do. If they
are certain that I performed at the said
event, they should provide pictures.”
Sharing a bit about what she’s working on
at the moment, she said, “My movie,
Osunfunke would be premiered soon. It is
the first movie I’ve ever produced, and I
acted in it as well. I went into movie
production from the angle of culture and
tourism. I am interested in showcasing what
we have to the rest of the world.”
source: Punch
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