By Tahav Agerzua
The ranks of veteran Tiv traditional music and dance legends was further depleted Friday morning, 30th June, 2023 with the passing of Atule H么m.
His wife, Mrs Laadi Atule, called at 7.10 am to inform me of the transition.
The remains have been deposited at St John's Catholic Hospital, Gboko mortuary.
A week ago I had a strong hunch to visit the ailing performance legend who had a protracted battle with prostate cancer and was in and out of hospitals the last of which was St John's Hospital Gboko.
He spent his last days under the care of his family at his private residence at number 20 Kajo Street, behind Government Secondary School, Gboko.
During the three-hour visit we were able to go over an interview we had on 13th December, 2020 in my office in Makurdi when I was Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Culture and Tourism.
Although his body was frail as his health deteriorated, his mental faculties were alert as he made corrections and provided additional information.
An indigene of Mbatyula, Shitile, in Katsina-Ala local government area of Benue State, the deceased told me at the time of the interview that he was about 96 years old.
He said his father had been a trumpeter whose mastery of the instrument captivated his mother who married him.
Having dropped out of formal school early he learned music under Akulega Ajav at Tor-Donga before moving to Gboko.
Atule's major specialty was the big female drum which made King One Abua to invite him to play in his band.
Later the late Atule H么m founded his own band known as Swemkaragbe Band of Africa.
His captivating music was a fusion traditional and western instruments which he skillfully weaved and produced captivating ryrics.
He composed most of his songs and performed them alongside a group of young female and male dancers beautifully clad in Tiv traditional attire.
During his performance career which spanned more than five decades he produced several albums including Segege, Keep Benue Clean, Shilididi, and Kwase Kuhwan.
Atule H么m married five wives, all from the Gaav area of Konshisha local government area, three of which have been deceased.
He is survived by two wives and six children.
During our interactive session he stated that as he approached the end of his life he had made peace with God and attended church regularly at the encouragement of Laadi, his wife.
He said he regretted composing some of his songs and does not wish to listen to them any more.
One of his most popular songs which the Benue State Arts Council Performing Troupe reiterates often is that no human is immortal.
"Or a ts么ron y么 ka Jato Aka man Akaahan Agbo Kpile ka mba yan ve ts么r la...ng么m or tser ga kwagh hemba se."
"If humans were to be immortal it would have been Jato Aka and Akaahan Agbo Kpile these would have been immortal...my mother no human is immortal we are helpless."
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