3 weeks ago
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Yeye Funmilayo Emily Ajamufua is an America-based Nigerian artiste with a affluent blend of talents arsenic a singer, actor, dancer, director, and costume designer. She is the Programmes Director of Bi-Okoto Drum & Dance Theatre, an esteemed African taste institute successful Ohio. She has importantly contributed to preserving and promoting African practice done the arts. Recognising her expertise successful the field, she was precocious invited to service arsenic a panelist for the Ohio Arts Council’s ArtStart assistance programme.
Her creator travel was not truly a chopped retired path. Though portion increasing up, she was ever drawn to the arts, adjacent erstwhile her archetypal imagination was to prosecute wide connection and go a broadcaster. Fate had different plans: She recovered herself people gravitating towards the arts, and it felt similar a cleanable fit.
“I deliberation it’s due to the fact that arts was already ingrained successful maine from a young age. My elder member introduced maine to the National Theatre erstwhile I was conscionable 8 years old, and the acquisition near an indelible people connected my memory. He was determination for a rehearsal, and I was fascinated by the vigor and creativity that filled the space. Additionally, my ma was portion of an amusement radical during her clip astatine Leventis store, truthful you could accidental that creation was successful my blood. As I grew older, I recovered it casual to larn and accommodate to the satellite of arts, and I yet fell successful emotion with it. So, portion I didn’t initially program to go an artiste, I’m grateful that beingness led maine down this path,” she confesses.
Growing up, she was ever drawn to the spotlight, and her passionateness for creation and show was evident from a young age. “Whenever I attended parties, I would eagerly enactment successful creation competitions and consistently spot successful the apical 3. My assurance and signifier beingness were further honed done my engagement successful the literate and debating nine successful secondary school, wherever I represented my schoolhouse astatine assorted events,” the creator says.
Good euphony was what often triggered her, and she couldn’t assistance but creation whenever she heard a
rhythm, careless of the audience.
“However, it wasn’t until I was older that I received ceremonial grooming and guidance.”
“My passionateness for the arts began with dance, and I was fortunate to person had the accidental to bid with the renowned Aunty Sola Sobowale’s creation company, Grassroot. Under her guidance, I honed my skills alongside talented arts ambassadors similar Muyiwa Osinaike (Bababe) and aboriginal with Gong Beat, led by Debo Alexander. The infectious beats of drummer Isioma Williams would transport maine to caller heights, fueling my creativity and dedication to my craft,” Yeye muses.
As she continued to turn and germinate arsenic an artist, galore opportunities presented themselves, and she gave her each to the profession. “With each experience, I refined my skills, paving the mode for aboriginal successes. The travel yet led maine to audition for the Lagos State Arts Council, marking a important milestone successful my career.”
As a subordinate of the Lagos State lasting troupe, she had accidental to correspond the authorities and state astatine section and planetary festivals. Through this experience, she learned the worth of discipline, hard work, and dedication.
“Today, I’m arrogant of the creator I’ve become. I proceed to germinate and grow, embracing caller challenges and opportunities with an unfastened bosom and mind,” she reveals.
The woman says: “When I archetypal embarked connected my creator path, I was met with uncertainty and self-doubt. I questioned my abilities and wondered if my dependable was worthy of being heard. Limited resources and taste expectations added to the struggle, arsenic I navigated the good enactment betwixt contented and innovation. But I persevered, driven by a passionateness to make and stock my story. With time, my assurance grew, and I recovered my unsocial voice.”
As an artist, she is driven by a passionateness to observe African taste practice and empower underrepresented voices. She retorts: “My creation reflects my soul, profoundly rooted successful the traditions and stories of my community. I judge successful the transformative powerfulness of creativity, and I strive to inspire, educate, and uplift done my work.”
With each beat, each movement, and each word, she pours her bosom and psyche into her art. She embraces collaboration and assemblage engagement, knowing that together, “we tin make thing genuinely remarkable.”
Yeye Ajamufua attended Abeokuta Girls Grammar School successful Ogun State and Titcombe College, Egbe, Kogi State. Afterwards, she pursued her higher education, earning: Bachelor of Arts successful Theatre Arts from the Lagos State University, a Certificate successful Drama and Music from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ifẹ. She besides earned a Certificate successful English/Social Studies from the National Teachers Institute.
“My travel to obtaining a ceremonial acquisition was not without its challenges. During my clip astatine Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) successful Ife, I had to get originative to prolong myself and wage my schoolhouse fees. I callback racking excavation tables astatine New Buka and assisting my friend, Lady B, with her nutrient concern successful Old Buka, packing plates, and washing them. My determination to win drove maine to question to Lagos each Friday, execute with Kola Ogunkoya’s Afrobeat set astatine Jazzville oregon different venues, and instrumentality to Ife by Monday greeting to be lectures,” she notes.
Through her art, she aims to permission a bequest that celebrates “our diversity, promotes cross-cultural understanding, and inspires aboriginal generations to clasp their creativity and individuality. I americium an artist, a taste advocate, and a storyteller, dedicated to making a affirmative interaction connected the world, 1 originative look astatine a time.”
In the aboriginal days, she had to trust connected her wit and resourcefulness to marque ends meet. “I’ve ever been mindful of staying existent to my creator imaginativeness and not compromising my values for fiscal gain.”
Just recently, she was honoured to person an grant from the Guild of Theatre Arts Drummers, recognising her contributions to the field. “I’m besides arrogant to service arsenic the Director of Youth and Women Empowerment, wherever I tin transmission my passionateness for empowering others,” she notes.
“Through it all, I’ve remained committed to my creator vision, resisting outer pressures and staying existent to my values. My originative travel has been a winding path, filled with twists and turns, but it’s besides been a transformative and fulfilling experience,” she quips.
Her staying power?
She believes that to beryllium a large artiste, you indispensable person a operation of qualities that substance your originative journey. She says, “passion is the driving unit that sets the creator process successful motion. It’s the spark that ignites the occurrence of creativity, pushing the artiste to continually nutrient and improve.”
Yeye explain: “Staying originative and innovative successful a competitory manufacture requires changeless learning and adaptation. I person had to continually propulsion myself to innovate and enactment relevant. I question retired collaborations and partnerships to grow my scope and impact. Time absorption becomes crucial, arsenic I equilibrium aggregate projects and responsibilities.”
Her travel arsenic a dancer, actor, and manager has been a whirlwind of creativity, growth, and perseverance. On 1 hand, she has besides been blessed to explicit myself done question and storytelling, connecting with audiences and communities successful profound ways. “I’ve had the privilege of bringing characters to life, evoking emotions, and sparking important conversations. On the different hand, the way has not been without its challenges. Juggling aggregate roles and responsibilities tin beryllium overwhelming astatine times. The carnal demands of dancing and performing instrumentality a toll connected my body, portion the affectional demands of portraying characters and managing accent tin beryllium exhausting,” she says.
Blending African arts successful the United States required intentionality, creativity, and dedication. She sought retired like-minded individuals and organisations, learned astir section civilization and creator traditions, and fused African arts done collaborations, workshops, and performances. By emphasising cosmopolitan themes and emotions, she bridged taste gaps and fostered appreciation for African arts, addressing misconceptions and stereotypes done acquisition and taste immersion.
When she archetypal arrived successful the United States, she encountered an array of challenges and taste shocks that tested her resilience. The connection obstruction was daunting, arsenic she struggled to set to a caller connection and accent. Adapting to American customs, norms, and values was besides a important hurdle, arsenic she navigated unfamiliar taste terrain.
Homesickness and loneliness besides weighed heavy connected me, arsenic I missed the familiarity of household and friends I had known for decades backmost home. Furthermore, she had to contend with stereotypes and misconceptions astir Africa and its cultures, moving to flooded preconceived notions and forge a caller understanding. Perhaps astir importantly, she had to equilibrium her taste identity, cautiously maintaining her African practice portion embracing American culture. Despite these formidable challenges, she persevered, learned, and grew from these experiences, emerging stronger and much resilient.
“Bi-Okoto provided a invaluable level for maine to stock my passionateness for African arts and culture. I’ve discovered a genuine involvement successful this cognition and americium committed to sharing it, viewing each enactment arsenic a teachable moment. My determination helps maine support patience and passion, adjacent successful the look of challenges. By staying focused connected my goals and existent to my vision, I efficaciously stock the quality and value of African culture, inspiring a deeper knowing and appreciation, and creating a much inclusive taste landscape,” she points out.
Lately, she has been progressive successful respective breathtaking projects lately! Here are a fewer highlights:
Okoto Kekere: A pre-professional show radical has been engaged preparing for performances arsenic they come. She has besides been progressive successful mentorship programmes. “I’ve been guiding a caller cohort of young artists, helping them make their skills and find their unsocial voices.”
How bash you privation to beryllium remembered?
She draws a agelong laughter and says, “I would similar to beryllium remembered arsenic a passionate and dedicated artist, taste advocate, and mentor who made a affirmative interaction connected my assemblage and the satellite astatine large. I anticipation to beryllium remembered for: My contributions to the preservation and promotion of our affluent taste heritage, Inspiring and empowering young artists to find their dependable and prosecute their dream, Using my level to rise consciousness astir societal and biology issues, Fostering cross-cultural knowing and speech done my work, Leaving a bequest of love, creativity, and resilience that continues to animate aboriginal generations, and astir importantly, I privation to beryllium remembered arsenic a benignant and compassionate idiosyncratic who touched hearts and minds done my creation and my presence.”
Any regrets?
“No regrets, arsenic each acquisition has led maine to wherever I americium today,” she admits. Her proposal for budding artists, particularly the pistillate folk?
My proposal for budding artists, particularly the pistillate folk? “I conjecture it would be: Believe successful yourself: Trust your vision, voice, and originative expression. Stay existent to your art: Authenticity is cardinal to lasting retired successful a crowded industry. Embrace your uniqueness: Celebrate what sets you isolated and makes your creation distinctive.”
As if she has a agelong database which she is reeling out, she says: “Be resilient: Face rejection and disapproval with courageousness and perseverance. Support 1 another: Foster a assemblage of pistillate artists who uplift and empower each other. Take ownership of your craft: Continuously learn, grow, and hone your skills. Break barriers: Push boundaries and situation societal norms done your art. Stay inspired: Draw from your experiences, culture, and passions to substance your creativity.”
She concludes, “keep creating: Consistency and persistence are indispensable to achieving occurrence and making a lasting impact. Remember, your creation is simply a almighty instrumentality for self-expression, empowerment, and change. Own your voice, and ne'er fto anyone dull your sparkle!”
English (US) ·