Nigerian rapper Olamide Adedeji has defended Yoruba cultural traditions against descriptions of indigenous practices as diabolical, making the remarks at a private screening associated with actress and filmmaker Tayo Sobola, popularly known as Sotayo Gaga, on Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
The musician, widely known as Olamide, spoke at The Pod by Nile Luxury Cinemas during an event promoting Sobola’s film Ose Dudu. A recording of his comments circulated online on Wednesday after being shared through the filmmaker’s social media account.
Addressing perceptions of traditional practices, Olamide said Yoruba people should be proud of their heritage rather than accept blanket negative descriptions of their customs. He used ose dudu, the Yoruba name for black soap, as an example of a familiar product that should not automatically be treated with suspicion.
“Our culture and tradition is not diabolical and it is not to be demonised,” the musician said in the video. He added that people should take pride in their origins and cultural heritage. Speaking partly in Yoruba, he said he would accept black soap if someone offered it to him.
The comments brought attention to a subject that frequently appears in Nigerian films and public discussions: the distinction between everyday indigenous products, traditional religious beliefs and fictional depictions of supernatural practices. Black soap has long been used for washing and skincare, although its ingredients and methods of preparation vary between producers.
Sobola’s film has been promoted under the title Ose Dudu, meaning black soap. Accounts of the screening describe the production as engaging with traditional beliefs and questions surrounding the use of the product. Olamide’s remarks were made in the context of the film’s promotion, rather than as a statement about any particular religious organisation or individual.
Reports of the event described the rapper as wearing an adire outfit. Adire, a Yoruba textile tradition associated especially with southwestern Nigeria, uses resist-dyeing techniques to create distinctive patterns. The garment provided another visible connection between the screening and the cultural heritage discussed by the musician.
Olamide has built much of his recording career around a combination of Yoruba and English-language expression. His songs and public identity have helped bring Yoruba vocabulary, slang and references to local life to audiences beyond Nigeria. His appearance at the screening linked a prominent figure in contemporary Nigerian music with a film centred on an indigenous cultural subject.
Sobola, who works as an actress and producer, has promoted the project through her public channels. The circulating video placed the discussion around the film before audiences who may not have attended the private screening, although the available accounts do not establish how many people were present.
The remarks do not resolve debates over the religious interpretation of particular practices. They do, however, make clear the singer’s stated position: cultural products and traditions should not be condemned simply because they are indigenous. His example concerned his own willingness to use black soap, not a claim that every preparation has the same ingredients or purpose.
The event took place on 3 November, with reports and video circulating on 4 November. Details of any additional public screenings or distribution arrangements should be confirmed through the filmmaker’s official announcements.
Image: Archive photograph of Olamide performing. Source: Pulse Nigeria; photographer not identified in the accessible source.
