Ara

Nigerian singer, performer and aficionado of the traditionally male-dominated ‘talking drum’, Aralola Olamuyiwa is looking to bring the traditional music of Africa to the world in a contemporary way.

Her label Atuna ENT is getting the thumbs up from high places, including from legendary soul star Stevie Wonder, whose latest CD features her instrumental beats.

“My music is a mixture of African and western music,” she says. “Western music is universal and we too want everyone, everywhere in the world to be able to listen to African music. It is about selling African culture in a highly cosmopolitan manner, without losing its innate nature.”

Araloloa’s long, carefully braided hair is an integral part of her meticulously crafted image. Known simply as Ara, her name means mystery in her native Yoruba language.

She recently performed in the Nigerian capital Abuja, in a show which was a visual as much as a musical experience.

“If you don’t feel the rhythm, you can feel the beauty of the displays of the acrobats, the choreography and drums,” she says. “It is a total package. Each time that you see Ara, you see something different.” - © 2010 The Stage Newspaper Limited

By NIKE BAKARE


Aralola Olamuyiwa


From Stevie Wonder to Wyclef, she has performed with them all, beating the drum. Today, Ara is not just a local star, but an international one.
She spoke to Daily Sun about her life, career, romance, and many more.

Background
My stage name is coined from my real name which is Aralola. I am Aralola Olamuyiwa, from Ondo town in Ondo State. I grew up in Warri, Lagos, Akure, and of course back to Lagos. In a family of nine, four girls and five boys, I am the last girl. I attended Methodist Primary School, Warri, Our Lady High School, Efon, also in Warri, Fiwasaye Girls Grammar School, Akure, University of Ilorin, briefly for Law, I later left and went full time into music. I went back in 1997 to Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, studied English, I was there for two years before I met my dream, ATUNDA E.N.T, and I have been here for almost five years now.

I am in my early 30s. I was not in a relationship before I was signed on by ATUNDA. Right now I am in a relationship with someone, but I won’t like to talk about the person, when the time is right I will.
Right now I have a problem of who truly likes me, many men want to get close to me because of who I am. They don’t know the real me.

Yes, I am the same person on stage and off stage, the only difference is that of course when there is no music playing I can’t be jumping or dancing up and down. I live Ara, drink and eat Ara. I write my own songs, I am in the studio rehearsing my song every day.
If I am getting all the attention I get now from men because I am Ara, I think it is something good. ATUNDA has actually created something unique, and I do get attention also from women not just the men.

I have never had a problem saying no to love advances from men, because they actually don’t have access to me. I only see the people I want to see, I have never had any cause to say no to anybody. I don’t go to parties, or socialise I live a secluded life, I am busy trying to create new songs, dance steps and helping other upcoming artistes on ATUNDA E.N.T.

On Wyclef
While performing at the special concert for Wyclef, I was surprised that he left his table to get on stage with me. It was amazing, I never expected that. After my performance, he sent his bodyguards to me. So, I had to meet with him, he asked me if I was billed to perform the next day at his concert I said no. He was surprised, so he said he wanted me to perform. So, that was how I ended up on stage with him in Lagos and Abuja. And after the concert he told me that if I needed anything from him I should ask, that he would do anything for me.

We have an agreement to record a song together when next I am in the United States of America. I think Wyclef is a very talented man, I don’t think it has anything to do with physical attraction, I think he just fell in love with my music and for the fact that I play the drum.

And I was really flattered when Milky, (Wyclef’s sister) invited me to come to New Jersey to meet Wyclef’s mum, and Wyclef’s brother who looks so much like the star. Milky actually wanted me to meet her brother, so maybe we could date. Next month I will be going on tour of America with King Sunny Ade. So, may be if I find myself in New Jersey, I would say hello. I am thinking of it, it would actually love to meet Wyclef’s mum.

On Stevie Wonder
I met Stevie in Ghana, last year, at the birthday of former President of Ghana. I performed alongside Stevie when he sang the Happy Birthday song, I backed him up with the talking drum. And then I had my own performance afterwards and we danced together. He later invited me and we chatted for a while, and he informed my manager that he would like me to come to Hollywood to record some songs with him. And two months later, I was in Hollywood, and it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. Words just can’t express how I felt. I was moving around with him from one studio to another in Hollywood. It was hectic, but working with Stevie Wonder was wonderful. And at the last record session we had before I came back to Nigeria, Stevie had invited Oprah Winfrey to come record my segment at the studio. It was recorded live. The CD will be out in few months time, and I will be going on tour with him later this year. He is somebody that is nice to be with and he inspires me. As a younger person I had always thought that some day I would be singing with Stevie Wonder. So, it is like a dream come true for me.

On her looks
I thank God for the kind of body that I have. I work out regularly, I eat healthy, very soon am going to be on a vegetarian diet for health and spiritual purpose. I don’t see myself doing any other thing than what I do now. And in the next 10 or 15 years I don’t see myself doing any other thing.
My life is going to be strictly music and entertainment till I go to the next world.

On dating
I still find time to cope with the demands of a relationship. When it comes to relationship, I like to stick to a man, I am very disciplined when it comes to that. I am not saying that I am altar- bound, because I don’t think I am ready to be tied down by any man right now. I have seen many female artistes dumping their careers for marriage, because once they get married the man doesn’t want them to pursue the goals. It’s either me or your career, that I don’t want to happen to me. Because if I find myself in such a relationship I will not hesitate to dump that marriage for my career. My talent was given to me by God for a reason, I will not stay in a man’s house like a piece of furniture. Yes, I believe a man is the crown of my head, every woman’s head according to our tradition and culture. But he must understand, that God has given me this talent for a purpose, that I symbolise something, I am not just his symbol. You don’t light a candle and put it under the table. So, if I feel I am being choked in a relationship, am sorry I will leave because my career comes first.

The time for marriage will come at the right time, I don’t just want anything to come in between me and my destiny. And I love children and I pray I just have triplets.
Besides, there are so many babies out there waiting to be loved, so I intend to adopt as well.
My most wonderful moments
When I performed for the Queen of England in Abuja, because I actually saw her expression change when she saw me. So, I felt so honoured to get such an amazing response from the Queen of England. My meeting with Stevie Wonder, when we danced, I couldn’t believe I was holding him in my hands while we danced.

And the way he treated me while I was in Hollywood, it was amazing. He actually played my drums and I later met his daughter, Aisha. The one he wrote the song "Isn’t She Lovely" for.
Another wonderful moment was when I was given the key to the City of Miami last year December 18.
And, of course, my first trip to the United States of America, I wasn’t told I was going to America, I was told I was going to Ghana. I wasn’t at the embassy, so I never knew, so when we got to the airport, my founder (Wanle Akinboboye), said "young lady you are on your way to New York." I was dumbfounded, and I travelled first class.

And I thank God that I met the founder of ATUNDA ENT, if not I would probably be married with kids. ATUNDA is the only entertainment outfit that takes unknown talents and turn them to stars.
Because what other labels do, is to tell you to go and record your work and bring to them for marketing. And they take a huge percentage off you. But ATUNDA has invested in Ara and it takes muchpatience to do that in Nigeria. I remember the first year we started, we were offered 300,000.00 US dollars to go on a U.S. tour but ATUNDA turned it down because as far as they were concerned then I was not ready. I had not even started playing the talking drums at that point in time, I was just learning how.

Paying back
I have only just started paying back what ATUNDA invested on me. And I do more of international shows than local ones. Because the entertainment company (ATUNDA) is trying to sell Africa in a highly cosmopolitan manner without losing the African touch. Most of the contracts we are getting are quite big so, the money ATUNDA has invested so far, they will definitely make it back, it is even possible to make it back with two or three international shows.

So, that is why it is very important to invest in a talent, not a person, or because she is a sister, girlfriend or a wife, if you do that you are wasting your time because that’s not what the people will see on stage.
This year, we have many international shows talk shows lined up. And Prince is also interested in working with me. In fact, I am going to record some certain songs for my CD in Los Angeles.
And the founder runs an open house policy, I know about the contracts, for shows I know how much we are being paid for all the shows, he has never hidden anything from me. I see all the contracts, and he has invested so much on Ara, and I still get my own percentage on all the fees charged by ATUNDA. And we only just started going commercial this year, so far ATUNDA have been investing on Ara.

The drumming
I started drumming from primary school. I started with Konga drums, but the talking drum thing started when I joined ATUNDA. The company wanted to do the unusual, there was no lady drummer before me. So, they wanted me to give it a try.

Initially I resisted, because I thought it was a sort of taboo, but I am happy today that I gave in, because the spirit of the drum agreed with me, you know these things are very spiritual, every instrument has its own spirit, so if the spirit does not agree with you, you play for nothing. So, lucky for me, within a week I got used to it, and I am still learning, because there are so many things I want to do with the talking drum.
The problem I had initially, when I wanted to start learning was that Muri Ayangbala who plays with Lagbaja was contacted to teach me, but I think for one reason or the other he couldn’t. We had an in-house talking drummer then who was reluctant to teach me, and I don’t blame him because he had not seen any woman do it before. So, I just asked him how many tones does the drum has, just tell me. He beat the tones for me, so I said okay, I locked myself up I was at the beach resort and that was how I learned on my own. I guess I am just destined to be who I am.

I later found out that on my mother’s mother side (I am a descendant of Oba Aderounmu Abiodun, Alaafin of Oyo) and on my mother side, playing the talking drum is in my lineage. King Sunny Ade is from the same family, so we belong to the same family.
And I listened to old records from King Sunny Ade, Haruna Ishola, Ayinla Kollington, Ayinde Barrister. I just listened to their records and it actually helped me. I practised for less than six months before I started performing in front of an audience.

Two days after I told the founder that I was ready, I was whisked away to the beach resort to discover myself, and that was where I wrote the song I performed with Wyclef "Gedegbe." For two weeks I slept in a hut and I was not allowed to go anywhere. I still do that up till now, it is a nice way of rediscovering yourself, it’s nice for creative people.

Creator of the Ara look
The long braids, the costumes were all created by the founder, he created everything about ARA. It takes over 10 hours to fix my braids and is done by five boys from Badagry.
Inspiration
My inspiration comes from God.
On love
Right now I am in love with that special person in my life. I met him before Ara. My daddy expects me to bring somebody home but I am not in a rush, but in good time I will.
My dreams
I am living my dreams, and I don’t want to exchange it for anything in the world.
My kind of man
I am a very petite woman, so I am attracted to tall men. But to me what is inside counts more. But on the outside I like a tall man with good dentition and a gentleman. - © 2005 THE SUN PUBLISHING LTD

By Andrew Princz
Reporting from Abuja for ontheglobe.com

Her hair flows very long, is carefully braded, and an integral part of her meticulously crafted image. As she speaks each word is enunciated carefully with her answers toned to perfection.

And just as we begin our interview, three bare chested drummers are placed directly behind her for the benefit of our camera - standing tall in the background like statues. The tone was set to remind you that you are in the privileged presence of Ara.

Living a somewhat of a secluded life, Ara - who sometimes talks of herself in the third person - is being carefully honed and raised for stardom by her calculating manager Wanle Akinboboye of her management, Atuna Entertainment, a label that favors putting African talent in the spotlight.

"Ara, like my name, means mystery," says Ara, "It is about African culture and this has much to do with our mission. It is about selling African culture in a highly cosmopolitan manner, and without loosing its innate nature."

Aralola Olamuyiwa, known as Ara, means mystery in her native Yoruba language plays the 'talking drum', a traditional instrument that was once reserved for men. On stage, she is outgoing, ever-present, singing and playing her special drum as dancers and acrobats contribute to the impressive show that is as much a celebration of Africa, as it is an 'Ara' performance.

Today a 'master drummer', her work has not gone unnoticed. When actor Wesley Snipes was in Nigeria, it didn't take long before he graced the stage with her and together danced the night away. And the legendary Stevie Wonder, who saw her perform at a concert in Ghana, immediately took her under his wing as a musical collaborator by recruiting her to record the mysterious sounds of her drum on his latest album.

"With Stevie, I realized that there are no limitations on who you want to be," says Ara earnestly, "No matter how much you think that you are at the top, you are not. Stevie, who is a living legend, still works hard today and I look at him as one of my mentors."

"If I ever look at myself and for one reason or another feel as if I am giving too much, I think of Stevie. I soon realize that I am really not giving enough," she ads.

Ara spoke with Andrew Princz in Abuja late last year following her performance at the Abuja Carnival 2005, a celebration of Nigerian culture.

ontheglobe.com: I have heard it, I have seen it... but exactly what is this mysterious 'talking drum' that you play?

Ara: I think that the name explains it all: it is a drum that talks. I was told that in the days of old my forefathers used it as a means of communication. It was the sole preserve of men. I happen to be the first woman to break the jinx of the talking drum, being the first female talking drummer of repute. Women might have played it in the corner of their rooms, but they were not allowed to perform it in the public. The talking drum only became a musical instrument in recent times, as originally it was an instrument of communication. The instrument itself is made of plants and animal skin.

ontheglobe.com: What motivated you to become among the first woman artists to perform on this instrument?

Ara: As a child I used to play the small traditional drums. When I was taken on by Atuna Entertainment, my label, the founder wanted to do something different. Because Atuna in Yoruba means re-creation, re-birth. He asked me if I had ever played the talking drum. Of course I said that I hadn't, and that I wouldn't touch it. He replies that, 'you are going to touch it, because it is going to be your instrument'. I wanted to leave at that point because I knew about the taboos of the talking drum, with my being a woman. I told him that I had to consult with my family, and we argued back and forth.

Soon enough, I tried to have some men teach me, but they wouldn't. Especially the 'Talking Drummers', the musical group. Then I decided that if they were being dodgy and did not want to teach me, then there must be something special about this drum.

I picked it up and took it home with me. I slept with it. I woke up with it. I did everything with it. I asked how many tones this instrument has? They said three, and I said fine. That is how I started learning on my own. And with all humility, even though I am speaking as a master drummer today: I still believe that I am learning. I still would like to do things that the men have not been able to do with the drum.


ontheglobe.com: Recently you performed with your drum in Paris with symphony... another unusual event!

Ara: Yes, that was at the anniversary celebrations of UNESCO. My segment was referred to as the heartbeat of the concert. I went with four of my drummers and we played about four different drums. Many people did not believe that we could infuse the African drum into classical music. That is what happened at the 60th anniversary of UNESCO. I played the bata, iya-ilu, which are traditional Yoruba instruments. Many people were really stunned that it could really work.

ontheglobe.com: You recently collaborated with Stevie Wonder, even participating on his latest CD.

Ara: That was one of the high points in my career. As a child I loved Stevie Wonder so much, and I still do. Meeting him was like a dream come true. He heard my music, my drumming, and he invited me to Las Angeles. I didn't do voice but I played four of my instruments, and the CD is out now. Working with Stevie humbled me because I was given the opportunity to work with a living legend of our time. It made me a better person, a better musician. With Stevie, I realized that there are no limitations on who you want to be. No matter how much you think that you are at the top, you are not. Stevie, who is a living legend, still works hard today, and I look at him as one of my mentors. If I ever look at myself and for one reason or another feel as if I am giving too much, I think of Stevie. I soon realize that I am really not giving enough.

ontheglobe.com: Your show is more than simply you and your music. There are many components to the show: the back-up singers, the performers, acrobats and dancers. Do you put the whole thing together?

Ara: Ara, like my name, means mystery. It is about African culture, and this has much to do with our mission. It is about selling African culture in a highly cosmopolitan manner, and without loosing its innate nature. That is what Atunda Entertainment, my label; set up to do with Ara.

Each time that you see Ara, you see something different because there is so much that we need to show the world about what we have. Each time that Ara performs, you will see something interesting, exciting and African. It is also something that everyone in the world can relate to.

If you look at my choreography, you see a mix of western and African moves. My music is a mixture of African and western music. Like western music is universal, we too want everyone, everywhere in the world to be able to listen to African music. I also try very hard to write in English, Yoruba, and sometimes even a little bit of French. Even if you don't understand the language, you feel the beat, the rhythm. If you don't feel the rhythm, you can feel the beauty of the displays of the acrobats, the choreography and drums. Everybody has something to say. It is a total package.

ontheglobe.com: How much of a challenge is it for young Nigerian artists like yourself to break out into the international scene.

Ara: We are looking to take our music all over the world, and breaking more barriers. Most of the artists are trying to be European, or to be American: both of which have wonderful artists. I, however, strongly support the slogan that we must be proud to be African. When you show the world who you are they will accept you for that. When you try to be somebody else, the public just senses that, and they get the impression that you have a personality problem.

ontheglobe.com: The Abuja Carnival is a celebration of the traditional cultures of Nigeria. Here we have seen a plethora of cultures, religions, peoples... This, while many cultures in Africa are following the opposite course. Many peoples are forgetting the indigenous cultures in Africa.

Ara: This is an interesting phenomenon that is happening in Nigeria, and I am happy that the president has come up with this idea. As you said, a lot of our culture is really going down the drain, and this carnival is really awakening all of us. We have to be proud of who we are because it is our culture that differentiates ourselves from the other cultures in the world. It is something that has been passed down to us by out ancestors. Something that we need to make sure that doesn't ever die, and something that we need to pass on to our own children, and generations yet unborn. It is one of the best things that the president has done for Nigeria.

Montreal-based cultural navigator Andrew Princz is the editor of the travel site ontheglobe.com. He is a writer and broadcaster and is also involved in international guiding. He has traveled to almost sixty countries around the globe on culture and tourism related projects. In 2010 he will accompany the tours Egypt: Land of Ancient Civilizations and Peru: The Way to Machu Picchu.

* Text by Andrew Princz, ontheglobe.com [31 December, 2005] - ontheglobe.com

Aralola Olamuyiwa better known as Ara is a star! She has performed all around the world yet not that many Nigerian know her music. No doubt she is popular, the girl with the long braids and the talking drum but why cant we sing any of her songs? I guess that is part of the mystique, Ara is a stage artiste, not a studio performer. She brings great vibrancy and energy to the Nigerian music scene and deserves every accolade. Ara is undoubtedly a true Nigerian diva. - The African Seat of Nations

Ara's emergence into the Nigerian music scene took people by storm. She emerged at the scene when the industry had lost the steam. She came when the light had been put out and there was little or no success recorded. Ara emerged when pundits had predicted that the music industry had died.

However, her emergence is a strong indication that hard work and a strong sense of purpose can still yield good results. She demonstrates the fact that something good can still come out of the moribund entertainment industry.

The young petite lady came in with an uncommon and unique product, made African culture her U S P and within a short period, Ara became a symbol of true African culture.
Ara has risen to become a great force to reckon with both in Nigeria and Nigerians in diaspora.

Her brand and style of music is no doubt, a refreshingly different deviation from the convention.
Her determination, strength and sense of focus is visibly evident in her performance. She has successfully projected the rich African cultural values on the international platform to earn her a pride of place at UNESCO.

Ara has recently been appointed and named UNESCO cultural ambassador, the first Nigerian artiste to be so honoured.

Her uncommom creative ingenuity has also seen her dine and wine, hubnubbed and performed alongside renowned international greats like Stevie Wonder and Haitian- born Wyclef.
Recently, the atiste with rare verve and an unconventional sense of style took Saturday Sun into the window of her soul, revealed her new project and talked about her passion to lift those forgotten lot in our society.

How it all began
I used to sing and mime to popular songs and was a hot performer in youth circles, known as Lola Ola. I was studying English at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; the vice president of my department and one of the best five students.was to take us for the Girls' nite out at La Campagne Tropicana Club, Ikeja later I started going to rehearsal with everyone else and got invited by Atunda ENT to an audition. I excelled, then did another audition before the President of both La Campagne Tropicana and Atunda ENT
– Mr. Wanle Akinboboye saw me and later told me: “From what I see, you definitely have what it takes. If you are determined and disciplined, you can make it through the programme I have”.
Five years later plus about N40million branding cost, the enigma of Ara's professionalism and personality is in sharp focus as the first serious musical export that Nigeria has produced…

Ara's Passion Project
Queen of the talking drum and Africa's internationally acclaimed enigma, Ara, told Sun about her resolve to actualize her life's ambition of establishing a rehabilitation Complex According to her, she hopes to aquire a 25 acres of land to take care of different classes of the abandoned, orphaned, sick, helpless and hopeless lot in society.

She plans to spearhead a worldwide network of concerts that would bring some of the world's greatest musical icons together for the common good of the under-privileged around Africa. She fondly calls it“my passion project.” She is already sourcing for substantial land from an appropriate state.
The Ara Passion Project (APP) was borne out of the yearning and strong desire of young Aralola Olamuyiwa who used to worry greatly about other kids who didn't have good food to eat and shoes to wear while she enjoyed a pampered life.

Even as a kid, she pledged to herself and her parents that when she grew up and made it big in life, she would ensure that she aided as many kids as possible to also enjoy the basic necessities of life.
Today, Ara has toured the world and has performed alongside great acts like Stevie Wonder, P-Diddy, King Sunny Ade, Wyclef Jean, et cetera, on international platforms that include four invitations to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and a concert before the Queen of England.

“I have achieved many of my dreams career-wise but not so with my passion. My passion is to see everybody doing well, but more so the abandoned and orphaned children…” Ara said.

She visited two charity homes (Fantasia and Heart of Gold) recently and became more determined than ever to make real her passion project. Indeed she visited the Heart of Gold Hospice in Lagos – and her visit coincided with the discovery of a newborn baby that was abandoned. found in a cellophane bag, still covered in its birth blood and its umbilical, the baby was bathed and brought to the hospice.

Shocked but not overwhelmed by the inhumanity of its unknown mother, Ara was immediately inspired to adopt the baby and has been responsible for its care while still in the hospice. She named the baby Araifeoluwa (Wonder of God's Love), while her mother named her Tomiwa (Seek me out).
Ara plans not just to provide succour to the disenchanted and frustrated, the orphaned and abandoned as well as the rejected and dejected, but also to influence the younger generation in her role as a cultural ambassador of the country.

A holder of the Freedom Key to Miami-Dade County, USA, and a UNESCO musical ambassador. She has been nominated for a Nigerian Music Award 2006 in the cultural genre with a contemporary flavour.
“I will also be honoured by His Excellency, the governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel this month and I intend to intimate him about my passion project… I plan to build a home for children with the Down syndrome as well as a home for pregnant teenage girls who can either have their babies and put them up for adoption or acquire skills to fend for themselves and their babies and get their lives back on track.

“On this proposed property, there will be restaurants, a library, museum, park, shopping mall, health farm, etc, and administrative blocks where international organisations that are helping with the project will have their offices. I want to leave the right legacies behind so that decades after I'm gone, thousands who have benefited from this dream and others who read about it can remember me for good. We've estimated this grand project at N2 billion. I've been making great contacts home and abroad and I can already see the signs that I will achieve this dream” she said.

Ara's new album is the first in her five-year history – titled 'Arayo' (Ara emerges) is a nine-track wonder that dwells on the folk style she is known and celebrated for all over the world. The audio CD contains hit numbers like Arayo, Lakiti, Tolongo, Ile Ife, Labe Igi Coconut, Keep Nigeria One and Aramurere. Three of the tracks have also been shot on video CD for the worldwide launch of the album starting in Lagos.

The album shall be the first to be distributed nationwide through branch networks of some mega banks, which have already signed up their commitment to the project.

Greatest advice my parents gave me
They have always told me to remember the daughter of who I am. This piece of advice has greatly influenced everything I do as I have taken it to everywhere I go. It's been my guiding principle. For me, I remember that I should not allow fame or success to get into my head.

As a matter of fact, every achievement that I make humbles me. This advice is a guiding force and has helped to shape my attitude so that no matter the achievement and greatness, I will always remember where I am coming from and whose daughter I am.

The greatest lesson life has taught me.
The greatest lesson I have learnt in life is that one does not need necessarily need anyone in life to be whatever he/she will be. God is the ultimate in our lives. - NigeriaFilms.com

Aside her musical career that is currently blossoming both at home and abroad, muti-talented Aralola Olamuyiwa, popularly known as Ara is set to make history in philantrophy.

The songbird and queen of the African talking drum has announced her resolve to establish a rehabilitation centre especially for the orphaned and the needy. This is aimed at actualising her life’s ambition of establishing a rehabilitation complex spread over 25 acres of land to take care of the poor.

Among her proposed beneficiaries are the abandoned, orphaned, sick, helpless and hopeless people in society.

Sequel to this, Ara plans to spearhead a global network of concerts that would bring some of the world’s greatest musical icons together for the common good of the under-privileged in and around Africa.

According to Ara, who simply tagged the proposed complex: My passion project, efforts are already being made to source for substantial land from an appropriate state. She explained that the Ara Passion Project (APP) was borne out her childhood strong desire of worrying greatly about other kids who had neither good food to eat nor shoes to wear, while she enjoyed a pampered life.

As a kid, Ara disclosed she pledged to herself and her parents that when she grew up and made it big in life, she would ensure that she aided as many kids as possible to enjoy the basic necessities of life as she did.

Today, Ara has toured the world and has performed alongside world acclaimed acts such as Stevie Wonder, King Sunny Ade, Wyclef Jean among others. She has equally mounted several international platforms including four invitations to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and a concert before the Queen of England.

Her words: "I have achieved many of my dreams career-wise but not so my passion. My passion is to see everybody doing well, but more so the abandoned and orphaned children…"

Recently, Ara visited charity homes in an attempt to make her mission a reality. At one of the charity homes:Heart of Gold Hospice in Lagos – run by Mrs. Adedoyin – where she saw a newly born baby that was abandoned. The baby was in a cellophane bag still covered in its birth blood and umbilical cord before being bathed and brought to the Hospice.

Shocked but not impressed by the inhumanity of its unknown mother, Ara was immediately inspired to adopt the baby and be responsible for its care, while still in the Hospice. She named the baby Araifeoluwa (Wonder of God’s love.

Ara plans not just to provide succour to the disenchanted and frustrated, the orphaned and abandoned, but also to influence the younger generation in her role as a cultural ambassador of the country, a holder of the Freedom Key to Miami-Dade County, USA, and a UNESCO musical ambassador. She has equally been nominated for the much publicised Nigerian Music Award 2006 (cultural genre with a contemporary flavour) holding in London.

While explaining the facilities at the proposed complex, Ara hinted that come August 27, she would be honoured by Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Ogun State Governor, who wishes to host her on her passion project. Her words: "On this proposed property, there will be restaurants, a library, museum, park, shopping mall, health farm, etc, and administrative blocks where international organisations that are helping with the project will have their offices.

I want to leave the right legacies behind so that decades after I’m gone, thousands who have benefited from this dream and others who read about it can remember me for good. We’ve estimated the grand project at N2 billion. I’ve been making great contacts home and abroad and I can already see the signs that I will achieve this dream" .

New album
The first in her five-year history, the new album is entitled: Arayo (Ara emerges) is a nine-track wonder that dwells on the folk style she is known and celebrated for all over the world. The audio CD contains hit numbers such as Arayo, Lakiti, Tolongo, Ile Ife, Labe Igi Coconut, Keep Nigeria One and Aramurere.

Three of the tracks have also been shot on video CD for the worldwide launch of the album starting in Lagos. The album shall be the first to be distributed nationwide through branch networks of some mega banks, which have already signed up their commitment to the project.

Background
Ara started by singing and mimicking popular songs and was a hot performer in youth circles, known as Lola Ola. She was studying English at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma where she was the vice president of her department and one of the best five students. The year, Girls Nite Out was to take place at La Campagne Tropicana Club, Ikeja, she started going to rehearsal with everyone else and got invited by Atunda ENT to an audition. She excelled, then did another audition before the President of both La Campagne Tropicana and Atunda ENT– Mr. Wanle Akinboboye – who told her: "From what I see, you definitely have what it takes. If you are determined and disciplined, you can make it through the programme I have". Five years later, about N40 million branding cost, the enigma of Ara’s professionalism and personality, is in sharp focus as the first serious musical export that Nigeria has produced… And Africa’s internationally acclaimed enigma, Ara, has announced her. - sunnewsonline.com

28. ARA: Aralola Olamuyiwa, the drummer-girl started walking away from her label Atunda Records in 2007. She completed the journey this year; becoming her own master, and spending the better part of her time in Iceland. Ara, 34, may not have dropped a single song this year, but she grabbed our attention more than a few times: be it for her regular interviews asserting her independence from Atunda, her battle with the label boss, ‘Wanle Akinboboye or her romance with a Lagos prince (for whom she now has a baby) - NIGERIA BEST FORUM . NBF

Musician
Africa’s international enigma and multitalented songbird of the African talking drum, also known as “Ara” has generated so much attention to her self both at home and abroad. Having toured the world and has performed alongside world acclaimed acts such as King Sunny Ade, Stevie Wonder, Wyclef Jean among others. - Welcome to Nigeria Entertainment Industry Who is Who