By Charles Pemu 
At Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile‑Ife, vibrant video footage surfaced over the weekend showing music artist TML VIBES being halted from performing until he adhered to a long-standing campus custom. Members of the student body, colloquially known as “Awo boys,” demanded the performer prostrate—or “dobale”—before taking the stage. Their move was rooted in a tradition where artists show respect by prostrating for the audience.
When TML VIBES arrived, students surrounded him and firmly insisted, “You come OAU you no go prostrate… Who you? Who born you? How did you form?”
The demand reflected an insistence on cultural etiquette over celebrity status. Eventually, after complying, the performance proceeded to approval and jubilation from the crowd .
This incident highlights a deep-rooted campus culture: artists must show respect through “dobale” to earn the adulation and permission of the audience—a tradition revived most recently with Laycon’s performance, where the moment also became a highlight online .
At OAU, students exercise significant influence over performances, and TML VIBES’s experience underscores how artists outside this framework are quickly reminded of the institution’s unique norms. Whether celebrated as tradition or critiqued as outdated, OAU’s insistence on “dobale” continues to shape who can perform—and how—on its grounds.
(Note: This story spotlights OAU culture and reactions; there are no official statements from the university or the artist on this event.)