On November 9th, 1983, precisely 40 years ago in a week, Alhaji Haruna Ishola the legendary Apala maestro died aged 64. His passing devastated the entire nation. It was shocking to me personally because earlier in May 1983 he alongside Alhaji Lateef Jakande was in Ikorodu to commiserate with the Benson family on the death of the Ikorodu-born iconic Highlife musician Bobby Benson only for him to die six months later. A source asserted that Ishola became unwell and reclusive after the death of his sweetheart Alhaja Sidika Abeni Omo Orogiri ni Isale Eko.
The gap-toothed Apala king was the face of Apala music and he had a considerable influence on the generation of singers including the Apala maverick Alhaji Ayinla Omowura who once declared in a song,
Ninu Elere Agbaye o laiye o 'Ishola mo fear e ju' Baba N Gani l'Asiwaju gbogbo wa...
It started like a child's play in 1947 when he embarked on a musical journey that spanned almost four decades. He was already a grown man of 28. He released his first short play song in 1948 where he serenaded Oba Adeboye the Orimolusi of Ijebu Igbo, but the song was not a commercial success. He encountered so many challenges that he wanted to abandon music to concentrate on something else, but he was encouraged to continue by friends, family, and fans including chief Badejo Okusanya who was the first indigenous owner of a record company in Nigeria. However, in 1955 he released another song for the same Oba Orimolusi where he paid a moving tribute to the king who had sadly died in a plane crash in Tripoli while returning from England. Many artists recorded tribute songs for the late Kabiyesi but Haruna Ishola's dirge for him stood out and it was a sell out. He followed that success with a string of several hits including the hit song Oroki Social Club which was said to have sold 5 million copies.
Baba N Gani Agba as he was fondly called bestride the Apala genre
Like a Colossus, all other Apala singers walked under his huge legs. He was versed in Yoruba adages which can be found in many of his works rendered in his very powerful voice. He was also believed to possess Yoruba supernatural ability otherwise known as jazz which made him to be feared by all in and outside the music industry, an allegation he refuted in an interview. Haji Bari Bello was the undisputable Apala king and he recognized his leading status when he cited in one of his songs thus,
"Eni pe iyan legbe eba, ki e mo wipe onitohun o mo inkankan" Whoever says pounded Yam and Eba are equal is an ignoramus.
He was a favorite of top politicians such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief TOS Benson and of course, my dad who probably had almost all of his songs in his archive. In 1981 Alhaji Haruna Ishola received the national honor of (MON) from the then President Shehu Shagari in recognition of his contributions to culture and music, becoming the first Musician from western Nigeria to be accorded with a national honour.
In 1964 Ishola teamed up with Chief Nurudeen Omotayo Alowonle a well-known figure in the music business alongside I K Dairo and Chief Fasasi Balogun to form the Express Records Dealer Association. The business was initially successful, and Haruna Ishola was so happy that he acknowledged his business partners in one of his SPs thus,
🎵 Sa joma Samodun o Omotayo Alowonle
Bami toju Kehinde Dairo ati Fasasi Balogun
Awa ti Seba akoda o
Aseda aiye iba o etc
But the good time was shortlived, Two years later Chief Alowonle was accused of misappropriating the company funds, and the partners later got embroiled in a landmark case and the company was subsequently dissolved. Ishola later went on to form another successful record company which he named Phonodisk Records.
Since the demise of Haruna Ishola and his contemporaries like Ligali Mukaiba, Nosiru Atunwon, and the most junior among them Alhaji Ayinla Omowura, Apala music seems to have died with them as many of their successive children who later dabbled into music were never anywhere near their famous fathers in terms of success, talents, and recognition.
Four decades after his passing, Alhaji Haruna Ishola remains a direct and long-lasting influence on many musicians and non-musicians in the Country.
By Soa Olaribigbe
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