Goldberg Ariya Repete: A brand and its culture renaissance quests

THE management of Nigerian Breweries (NB Plc), brewers of the Goldberg Lager beer brand and organisers of the Goldberg Ariya Repete Symposium, a roundtable discourse, on Yoruba culture and practices, was unequivocal of the mission of the discourse, held recently in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The primary objective of the annual cultural discourse,  they argued, was to identify with the culture, tradition and  beliefs of their consumers, especially those in the South Western part of Nigeria,  the Yorubas.

Interestingly, they have found a ready platform in the Goldberg lager beer, a brand whose essence typifies cultural edification in all ramifications.

The annual intervention, the company argued,  had therefore become imperative, to enable it provide a platform for culture renaissance and ensure that the once vibrant and rich traditional beliefs and heritage of the Yoruba people are sustained, in tune with the lager brand’s essence of culture, respect and enjoyment.

Interestingly, the thematic focus of this year’s discourse was woven around  Fuji, Juju and other traditional genres of the Yoruba traditional music and the impact today’s technology seems to be having on those different genres of the Yoruba music, as a way of bringing the this culture of the people in the South Western part of the country to the fore.

Curiously, the  consensus, among the audience, comprising intellectuals, culture enthusiasts and artistes from the Yoruba ethnic stock, including the Fuji maestro, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal and juju crooner, Sir Shina Peters, was the need to do more for the Yoruba culture so as to prevent it from going into extinction.

Commending the Goldberg brand for coming up with such initiative, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, noted that such platform would go a long way in giving the Yoruba language and culture the much-needed impetus to take its pride of place in the comity of other Nigerian languages.

He attributed the slide in fortune the  Yoruba language had continued to experience, in the past few decades to its being relegated by people of the Yoruba ethnic stock.

Wasiu, popularly known as KWAM 1, however, believes that for such cultural renaissance which the brand had just embarked upon to be effective, artistes from the  Yoruba ethnic stock,  desirous of eking out a living from playing either fuji, juju or other genre of Yoruba music, must be well-groomed in Yoruba language.

“I think what this brand has done by organising this roundtable is highly commendable. And I also think the organisers deserve some kudos by making fuji, juju and  other key genres of Yoruba music the talking point here today; since those genres of music are part and parcel of the Yoruba culture.

“Interestingly, the advent of technology has begun to take its toll on some of this music; since many of the present-day musicians are not really versed in the language. That is why I tell the younger musicians that want to eke out a living playing any of this Yoruba music and making a name to always make it a point of duty to learn the language and learn it well,” the Fuji musician stated.

In his remarks at the event, Afro Juju musician, Sir Shina Peters stated that the continued slide in the fortune of Juju music, then and the increasing popularity of the Fuji music informed his decision to introduce a fast-tempo Juju music, then.

While stressing the need for the younger generation of musicians to be creative and innovative, the Juju musician noted that his music career would have died a natural death if he had not changed the beat of his

music, then and made it appeal to the teeming youth population.

Giving reasons for the introduction of the Roundtable concept, the portfolio Manager, Regional Mainstream, Lager and Stout brands, Emmanuel Agu, stated that the initiative was designed to foster unity

among all the traditional genres of Yoruba music and culture, and to preserve the music heritage of the Yoruba people in a more contemporary way.

“As a brand that respects the culture and way of life of the Yoruba race, with deep root in the west, it is only sacrosanct that preserving  our heritage and music is one unifying element that crosses all boundaries and makes us who we are,” he stated.

Agu added that the campaign, which started four years ago with Fuji To Bam, had been able to accommodate other genres of Yoruba music, while describing artistes’ response to the programme as  quite overwhelming.