Odogwu: Igbo artist who performs wonder with Yoruba talking drums

Uche Odogwu

When sages say arts have no boundaries, the experience of an artist such as Uche Obi is one of the ideas they have in mind. He drums, acts, dances and directs. More importantly, he handles Yoruba drums like gangan, iya ilu and bata convincingly despite being an Igbo man.

As a matter of fact, even if his trademark smiles are universal, his name easily gives him out. Yoruba people don’t bear Uche or Obi or Odogwu! Yet, Uche, as he is fondly called, handles the popular Yoruba drums as professionally as many other contemporaries from the Southwest does.

He, for instance, is not only able to deliver woro, bata and sewele beats, coupled with relevant rhythm, he is also able to render Yoruba talking drums proverbs.

To experts in the field, this is major because even many young Yoruba drummers who handle gangan, iya ilu and bata find it difficult to relay the many drum proverbs.

On how he achieved the feat, he says, “I think the most important challenge for any artist is the readiness or otherwise to engage in research. I do this a lot. I also grab any opportunity that opens for me to learn. I relate with more experienced drummers so that I can also grow based on how they do things.”

Described as a prodigy in cultural dances in Nigeria, Uche started his artistic journey at a tender age, setting a plausible pace for children’s inclusion in professional cultural dances and folksong performances. 

Though he grew up in the trenches of Bariga, a suburb of Lagos State, he was not deterred from becoming a respectable theatre practitioner in Nigeria.

He has collaborated with renowned organisations and western embassies to promote African art both home and abroad.

He is currently the Director of AfriAmaka Art, while he is also a dance consultant to the Creative Arts Department of the University of Lagos.  Besides, Uche works as the cultural director to the Nike Art Gallery. He is certified by the Alliance Francaise De Lagos. The respected member of the Bariga Artistes Forum has won awards from some organisations.

Uche has been running a troupe since some 15 years ago. The group consists of male and female drummers, singers, dancers and actors. He says it is not easy keeping one with such multiple talents but he belies it helps them to stay versatile and relevant almost at all occasions.
“We perform at events. I drum for people in studios. We support guys recording songs and shooting videos. We provide backup in theatre and film productions,” he adds.the African culture by using his audience’s satisfaction as his undying motivation.