Lamidi Aroyewun / Itan Anobi

Released under the Omo-Aje Sound Studio label, this recording features the rhythmic storytelling of Salami Balogun, known as Lefty, and his Sakara group. Sakara music is a traditional Yoruba genre characterized by the use of the sakara drum, a shallow, circular instrument played with a stick, which provides the percussive foundation for praise singing and historical narratives. This specific release, Lamidi Aroyewun / Itan Anobi, fits into the mid-century Nigerian recording tradition where local labels captured the oral histories and cultural commentary of the era to meet the growing demand for regional vinyl.

The record label Omo-Aje was instrumental in disseminating the works of various Sakara artists who transitioned from live performance settings to the studio. Lefty and his group were recognized for their lyrical dexterity and command of the genre’s complex rhythmic patterns. While archival documentation regarding the specific design of the cover or the precise production timeframe remains sparse, these pressings served as essential cultural artifacts, preserving the legacy of Islamic-inflected Yoruba folk music as it evolved through the mid-twentieth century.