DURODO̩LA DUROSO̩MO̩ ADISA LADIPO̩, 18 December 1926 – 11 March 1978
Durodo̩la Duroso̩mo̩ Duroorike̩ Timothy Adisa Ladipo̩ more commonly known as Duro Ladipo̩, was one of the best known and critically acclaimed Yoruba dramatists who emerged from postcolonial Africa. Writing solely in the Yoruba language, he captivated the symbolic spirit of Yoruba mythologies in his plays, which were later adapted to other media 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 of how Sango became the Oris̩a of Thunder, received international acclaim at the first Commonwealth Arts Festival in 1965 and on an European tour, where a Berlin critic, Ulli Beier, compared Ladipọ to Karajan. Ladipo̩ usually acted in his own plays. He was a writer, playwright, actor, producer, and dramatis.
Durodo̩la Duroso̩mo̩ (or Durosinmi) Duroorike̩ Timothy Adisa Ladipo̩ was born on December 18, 1926 to Joseph Oni Ladipo̩ and Dorcas Towobola Ajike̩ Ladipo̩. Many sources claim he was born in 1931, but this was most likely erroneously stated. Because Ladipo̩ was born after nine of his parents’ children died before the age of one, Ladipo̩ was believed to be an Abiku.
Abiku, meaning born to die, is a Yoruba concept in which there are spirits that possess the bodies of several children of a parent and exist to cause pain and sadness for him or her. The only way this could be solved was by engaging in intense spiritual rituals made to tie the child down to this world or convince the evil spirit that its death would not bring sadness.
This was why some children can be seen with unaffectionate names. Ladipo̩ being believed to be an Abiku can be seen by his many names beginning with Dúró, a Yoruba word meaning to stay, wait, or remain. His name Dúródọlá means “wait for wealth,” trying to convince him to stay and enjoy life, Dúróṣọmọ́ means “stay to be our child,” another variation, Dúrósinmí means “stay to bury me,” and Dúróoríkẹ́ means “stay to see how much we will care for you.
Despite the fact that both Joseph and Dorcas Ladipo̩ were devout Anglican Christians who rejected the beliefs of their parents, they were so troubled by the apparent Abiku possession that for Ladipo̩, they went to a traditional Ifa priest, or Babalawo.
After Duro survived infancy, his parents had five more children, including a set of twins, who all survived infancy. Ladipo̩’s great-grandfather was a drummer of the gangan and worshipper of the god Sango who escaped the Jalumi War with the help of O̩de̩rinlo̩, one of the Ibadan war Generals, because it was believed to be forbidden to kill a drummer in war. The tradition of drumming and drummaking continued with his son, Ladipo̩’s grandfather. However, Ladipo̩’s father, Joseph Oni, refused to follow his ancestor’s footsteps and instead converted to Christianity around 1912.
He became a minister at an Anglican church in Oṣogbo thereafter. Joseph wanted Ladipo̩ to follow in his footsteps to be a preacher, but Ladipo̩ was influenced by his grandfather, who was also a devout worshipper of Sango and O̩ya, and was well versed in Yoruba mythology, especially those emanating from Old Ọyọ. Ladipo̩ also observed Ifa and Egungun festivals at Ila O̩rangun and O̩tan Ayegbaju, towns near Os̩ogbo.
Ladipọ 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 Oṣogbo, he went to Ibadan, where he became a teacher. While in Ibadan he became one of the founding members of an artist club called Mbari Mbayo̩ “and became influenced by a German scholar named Ulli Beier. He later replicated the club in Oṣogbo, and it became the premier group for promoting budding artists and dramatists in Oṣogbo. Throughout his career, Duro Ladipọ wrote 10 Yoruba folk operas combining dance, music, mime, proverbs, drumming, and praise songs.
Ladipo̩ started his personal theatre group in 1961, but he became fully established with the founding of the Mbari Mbayo̩ Club in Oṣogbo. His popularity as the leader of a folk opera group rests on his three plays: Ọbamoro in 1962, Ọba ko so and Ọba Waja in 1964. Ọba Waja – “The King is Dead” – is based on the same historical event that inspired fellow Nigerian playwright Wọle Ṣoyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman.)
He also promoted Mọremi, a play about the Yoruba ancestress of the same name. He later transformed Mbari Mbayo̩ into a cultural center, an arts gallery, and a meeting point for young artists seeking to develop their talents.Ladipọ wrote quite a number of plays, including Suru Baba Iwa and Tanimo̩wo̩ Iku Some of his plays were also produced for television. In fact, he created Bode Wasinimi for the Nigerian Television Authority, Ibadan.
In 1977, Ladipo̩ participated in FESTAC ’77, the Second World Festival of Black and African Arts and Culture, in Lagos, Nigeria.
Despite his Christian background, Ladipo̩ was a polygamist and had three wives and about fifteen children.
In 1964, he married Abio̩dun Duro-Ladipo̩, his third wife, and she became a permanent member of the troupe. She gained fame as an actress, taking main roles in all the plays performed by the company.
He died on March 11, 1978, at the age of 51 after a short illness in his home at Bode Wasinmin Anlugbua, Ibadan.
It is said that when he died, the heavens opened, and there was sudden rain with lightning and thunder. This was interpreted as a sign that Sango, the god of thunder and the main character of his most famous work, welcomed him into the heavens.