Page 22 - Yearbook issue try out

Talking drums and tradition
T alk ing drums and tr adition

Few installation dinners feature the new Master and The Lord Mayor
performing with traditional Nigerian drummers. Anjola Adeniyi’s did,

when he became Master of the Guild of Young Freemen. KIMBALL BAILEY
was at the ceremony and talked to him a year on

ONDON? A square mile? I can jog round
that! You’re having me on, right?” When
LAnjola Adeniyi came to London from Nigeria
in 2002 to further his studies and build a career
in IT security he knew nothing of the City or its
traditions. Now a Court Liveryman at WCIT and
Immediate Past Master of the Guild of Young
Freemen, he is better informed.

Anjola has always been fascinated by the history
and ceremonial of the City, his interest sparked by
a TV programme, presented by former diplomat Sir At the Lord Mayor’s Show
Christopher Meyer, highlighting the philanthropic
aspect of the livery movement. The GYF positions itself as a “feeder” for other
livery companies, and has no desire to become a
“It was amazing to see the Stationers’ Hall, which company in its own right. So Anjola was unusual:
I didn’t know existed,” he says, “but the names he was already part of WCIT and a Freeman of
of these companies – they were just words at the the City of London, and perhaps this is one of the
time. I mean, I knew what a Stationer was, what a reasons why he rocketed up the ranks of the GYF
Poulter was, but not a Mercer.” Court, becoming Master in 2019. “It’s 80 per cent
about turning up”, he says, modestly.
He became even more captivated by the livery
movement when he found out there was a “My year as Master has obviously been quite
company representing his own industry. This difficult,” he continues, “but like WCIT, the GYF has
company had its own hall and had built a school. successfully managed to carry out many events
What is more, he could potentially become part of virtually, via Zoom.” The greatest achievement for
it and do something to help others. him in his year has been to set up the GYF Charity –
a great legacy.
And he wasn’t put off when he asked his former
Professor of IT about WCIT, and drew a complete So what now? “Well, I have just joined the Court of
blank. “No idea, never heard of it”. Anjola was on a WCIT, which is a great honour. We’ll see how that
mission. goes.”

“Everyone at WCIT was very welcoming – and He raises, too, the issue of ethnicity. WCIT
seemed quite normal, even at ‘Bangers’. My first does have a few members with Nigerian roots
major event was at the Stationers’ Hall which was (including Sir Kenneth Olisa, Tom Ilube and Nneka
a happy coincidence, and felt surreal. I became an Abulokwe), he says, “but again only a handful –
active member of the Careers Panel, the Security and that handful feels like more than the rest of the
Panel and the Education and Training Committee, City put together.”
but I noticed there is, perhaps inevitably, a certain
‘age profile’ among the membership. There were Is this why he drew on his family traditions for
only a few people of my own age – I was then in my his own installation as Master? “Well, the talking
early thirties – in WCIT, so I also joined the Guild of drums were a hoot, weren’t they?” Yes. They
Young Freemen.” certainly were!
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