Popular Ibadan-Based Drummer, 'Baba Onilu' Is Dead A native of Ede town in Osun State, he was well known for his drumming skills, preeminently during the Osun Osogbo festival, where he played a significant role as a special drummer for Osun.
According to The Nation, his son verified the news of his passing, disclosing, “Baba Onilu has passed away overnight. May Almighty Allah grant him Aljanah Fidarus.”
He further stated that his father’s final words were, “La Ilaaha Ila lahu.”
Baba Onilu was a familiar figure at the University of Ibadan, where he entertained students during convocations.
He was furthermore known for performing for corps members in Ibadan, earning him sporadic recognition in the city.
In April 2022, he gained national attention when Adisa Olashile, the corps member and phone photographer, captured striking images of him.
The photos, shared on Twitter, quickly went viral, bringing Baba Onilu into the digital spotlight.
Olashile later turned two of the pictures into NFTs, which were sold on OpenSea for 0.3 ETH each—equivalent to approximately one million naira. As portion of his commitment, he gave Baba Onilu 50 percent of the earnings.
The elderly drummer, overwhelmed with emotion, received 500,000 naira along with a subjunctive 100,000 naira from donations. A framed portrait of his viral image was furthermore presented to him.
In an interview previous year, Ayangbenle shared that he inherited his drumming talent from his father and never attended some formal training.
He said, “Drumming is the profession of my paternal grandmother’s lineage. I commenced drumming in Ibadan.”
Category: World-News
Tag: Popular IbadanBased Drummer Baba Onilu Is Dead
Written by Author
Published 3/13/2025