Agogo of Life: Unveiling the World’s Tallest Gong

In our homeland, a Guinness World Record is about to be broken. It’s just not a world record but a new and fabulous world record. The world is about to receive its TALLEST traditional gong (Agogo). The mighty gong in Shaba, Malaysia's easternmost state and one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo, currently holds the record of the largest circular gong but I guess, this our own is gonna beat it. Let’s wait and see.

A gong is an African, East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat, circular metal disc which is hit with a mallet. (Wikipedia). The Gong was the Facebook and Twitter of the ancient time. A ding on it could mean “you have four friend requests”. If the sound was accompanied with an instruction, that could mean “Your WhatsApp subscription will be due in two weeks.” It was such a wonderful tool of communication. The history of the gong can be traced to as far back 20^th century in ancient china. Typically made of bronze or brass, the gong produces two distinct types of sound that sends ripples down the eardrum of receivers. Gongs are of many type which include the Opera gongs, Chau Gongs, Tiger Gongs, Scriptural gongs, Nipple gongs and ‘African’ gong (I had to give our own a name) etc.

A Nipple Gong in Malaysia with a golden nipple

The State of Osun, Nigeria is that place where the books of world history are about to be challenged. Of course, this isn’t the first time that Osun State will show the world the beauty of the African mind. It’s just another feather to her cap. In 2013, the state of Osun won the World Summit Award (WSA) for best e-Learning & Science content with its ‘Opon Imo – Tablet of Knowledge’ project, triumphing over 421 other innovations for the 2013 Awards vetted by the grand jury of global eminent experts. --- Read more about the WSA here.

Now it’s time to unveil the Gong of Life.

Venue: The Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, Osun State.

Chief Host: Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Executive Governor of the State of Osun)

Date: 31^st December, 2014

Time: Google Works (Use it!)

Dress Code: Native

My last chat with a member of the organizing committee confirms that officials of the Guinness Book of World Records are a part of this. So, I can assure you that ‘America will know’

Join us as we break yet another world record and make history. See you there!

Keere oooooooooo!

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Your comments are highly welcome, Emdee cares.