Album title: Iyin Nla
Artiste: Akin Ogundokun aka Wirinwirin
Year: 2016
Reviewer: Olutayo Irantiola
Different genre of Yoruba music
has been relegated to the background; some of which include Ijala (the hunter’s
song) and Apala, but there are some exceptional people like Akin Ogundokun popularly
called Wirinwirin have taken time to study and come up with a gospel album
using these genres.
The 45 minutes album with 6-track
opened with an Ijala track that extols God and thereafter prayed for a
meaningful life. The second track, which is the longest in the album, is also
full of praises with original songs; he spiced the track with well known
choruses in English, Igbo and Pidgin that he sang in with Apala. The third track
is about the greatest gift that nature bestows on anyone which is a child; it
is equally a prayer for those praying for the fruit of the womb.
The fourth track of the album is
very creative in its mix of Yoruba and English words with a Yoruba hymn in
Apala. The fifth track is a prayer for all categories of road users:
pedestrians, riders and all automobiles drivers. The sixth and the last track
is for his alma mater, Obafemi Awolowo University, the leadership of the
institution, as at the time of going to the studio, his lecturers and his fans.
This album equally gives rise to the Apala
variant of the school anthem.
As a whole, the album is full of lyrical
rhythms typical of the Yorubas and prayers which everybody desires. Each track
is peculiar and different people would easily identify with it. The music compilation
is ingenious and engaging. This album is a revival of the genres that people
have missed for some years because many gospel artistes have not excavated
cultural genres and present it to people of our age in an appealing form. Kudos
to Akin Ogundokun for serving us this lyrical ‘meal’ for consumption at this
point which is a sequel to his first album.
11th January 2016
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