A Day In The Life Of Kwara's Town Crier - Daily Trust

They go drumming in hand, on foot or sometimes on bicycles, shouting or screaming at the top of their voices, sharing information with community members. Most times, their drums signal the break of dawn in some communities; town criers are known to bridge communication gaps between community members and the leadership of the community. Armed with drums, bells, trumpets or whistles, they stop at strategic places in the community like markets, worship centres, shouting the news, repeating key messages for emphasis as they walk through the village to deliver the message.

Interestingly, the role of a historically male-dominated trade in many societies, is a tradition found in places with deep-rooted culture. Over decades, town criers, usually a local or member of the community have been known to be an important part of a community's history and culture, who are appointed by the community's leadership to share news and developments concerning the community.

A town crier in a village is an appointed community member who delivers important news and announcements orally to residents, especially in communities where literacy is limited. They act as a traditional messenger for community leaders, sharing information on events, communal activities, and public decrees using instruments like a gong or drum to get people's attention.

Most times, these town criers serve as the primary source of information, especially in rural areas but with technological evolution taking over the communication space, town criers are gradually going extint in various communities if not completely nonexistent in many. Weekend Trust spotlights the life of a town crier in Kwara State. Ambassador Ambali Azeez has spent decades as the town crier of Shao community, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State delivering messages from the palace, government and local groups.

Today, he is considering stepping aside from an age-long trade turned passion he has done for decades, largely due to financial pre