THE SOCIO-POLITICAL RELEVANCE OF NIGERIAN MUSIC:
A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SONGS OF
ALEXANDER AJIFOLAJI (9ICE),
BUKOLA ELEMIDE (ASA)
AND BISADE OLOGUNDE (LAGBAJA)
BY
OLATUJA OLOYEDE
MARCH, 2017
A RESEARCH WORK PRESENTED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND LITERARY STUDIES IN THE FACULTY OF ARTS,
ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY, AKUNGBA AKOKO, ONDO STATE.
BY
OLATUJA OLOYEDE
CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that this project work was carried out by Olatuja Oloyedeof the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Arts, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State.
SUPERVISOR
Professor C. Olujide Ajidahun
HOD
Dr. Sola Owonibi
Copy Right
This is an intellectual property which belongs to Olatuja Oloyede and it cannot be copied, transferred, stored or redistributed in any form whatsoever without a prior permission from the author. © Olatuja Oloyede (2017)DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to God for His overwhelming grace given to me to successfully complete this project. I also dedicate this to my beloved parents and to all Nigerian students in general. I hope you will find this relevant in the advancement of literary scholarship.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
What more can I say than thank you Lord. God’s faithfulness is the secret behind the success of this work. Only Him deserves the praises and glory.Words will fail me in appreciating the contributions of my supervisor whose unique academic and moral soundness has provided me the needed mentorship and guidance throughout my studentship in this great institution of learning. The impacts you have made in my life sir will remain forever part of my life.
My parents are certainly inestimable treasures in my heart. Their great sense of responsibility and commitment towards my progress in life can only be rewarded by God. It is my prayer that their labours of love will not go in vain.
I want to appreciate Dr (Mrs) Awe Bolajoko for her constant encouragement throughout the course of this work. She gave the all the papers for the printing and offered to give money and printer if need be. I appreciate this kind gestures ma.
I am grateful to Pastor David Oludipe, Mr Akinsola Akinwunmi, Uncle Jerry Okogwu, Mr Bamidele Anderson, and Erg Edward Olatuja for their consistent concern over my academic progress.
I appreciate my great lecturers in the Department of English Studies, Adekunle Ajasin University for their selfless sacrifices and contributions to my life. The H O D of the Department, in person of Dr Sola Owonibi has been a wonderful and dynamic person. May God bless you all in Jesus name.
To my wonderful siblings: Abiola, Joy and Thatcher, you are the very best and I’m grateful to God to be in such a beautiful family.
I also say thank you to the Nigerian Fellowship of Evangelical Students for making their printers and generator available so as to ensure that this work is a success. To my brethren in this unique family of God, I say thank you and God bless you.
To my personal friends in Living Vine Prophetic Church who have come to become a necessary part of my success, may God bless you.
I appreciate all my colleagues in the Department. It has been a worthwhile experience together since 2012. Greater heights in Jesus name.
Obviously, names are too numerous to mention. To everyone who has been a part of my life, I say thank you and God bless you. Amen.
ABSTRACT
This work focuses on the sociopolitical relevance of Nigerian music by examining how artists have been able to use the institution of music as an instrument of evaluating the society. Musicians therefore are regarded as social critics who appraise the society, locate the basis of encountered human challenges and proffer solutions where necessary. There is an inseparable link between music and the society. It does not exist in a vacuum but within the cyclic continuum of the communal life of the people. The three musicians used as case studies are Bukola Elemide (Asa), Alexander Ajifolaji (9ice), Bisade Ologunde (Lagbaja). The songs examined are Fire on the Mountain, Iya Ni, Petepete, 200 Million Mumu (part 1 and 3). The sociological theories provide this project the systemic principles through which the analyses of the selected songs are done. The artists studied in this work appraise a society that is populated by selfish politicians and corrupt citizens by speaking to such themes like economic hardship, social upheaval corruption, insecurity, poor standard of living, lack of social amenities, misappropriation of public funds and political instability. The major focus of this work is therefore to place music as a relevant art institution through which the totality of a people’s worldview can be understood. It is recommended that the music criticism be given such similar attention enjoyed by literary criticism and more scholarly resources be channeled towards the analyses and evaluation of musical productions to elicit the wisdom embedded in them. This will not only foster the expansion of scholarship but also provide us with a totally new dimension of perceiving our social and political challenges and the suggested ways forward.TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page I-IICertification III
Dedication IV
Acknowledgements V
Abstract VI
Table of Contents VII-XI
CHAPTER ONE
Music, Literature and Society 1-4Background to the Study 4-5
Significance of the Study 5-6
Theoretical Framework 6-7
Research Methodology 7
Scope of the Study 8
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Bukola Elemide 8-10
Musical Career 10-11
Bisade Ologunde 11-12
Musical Career 12
Alexander Ajifolaji 13
Conclusion 14
CHAPTER TWO
SECTION ONE
What Is Music? 15-16Music as A Means of Entertainment 16
Music as A Means of Education 17
Music as an Instrument of Socio-Political Criticism 18-19
TYPES OF MUSIC
Blues 19Children Music 20
Classical Music 20-21
Country Music 21
Hip Hop 21-22
SECTION TWO
Sociological Theories 23-24SECTION THREE
Nigerian Music 25
Traditional Music 26
Theatrical Music 26-27
Children Music 27
POPULAR MUSIC
Juju 27
Apala 27
Rock N’ Roll 28
Highlife 28
Fuji 29
Afro-Juju 29
Afro-Beat 29
Reggae 30
Hip Hop 30
Classical Music 31
Conclusion 31
CHAPTER THREE: THE THEMATIC APPRAISAL OF 9ICE’S AND ASA’S SONGS
General Introduction 32A Critical Appraisal Of 9ice’s Musical Style 32-34
PETEPETE
Post-Colonial Disillusionment 35-36Social Recklessness and Its Effects 37-38
Political Insincerity 38-41
Law of Retribution 41-42
Conclusion 42
THERE IS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
Social Imprudence 43Political Instability and Insecurity 43-45
Civilian Pitfalls 45-46
Cultural and Moral Decadence 47-48
Conclusion 49
IYA NI
Poor Standard of Living 50-51
Poverty 51
Sociopolitical Servitude 51-52
Conclusion 52
CHAPTER FOUR: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LAGBAJA’S SONGS
An Appraisal of Lagbaja Musical Style 53-54200 MILLION MUMU (PART ONE)
The Roles of the Citizens in a System of Corruption 55-57
Relevance of His Masked Tradition 57-58
Criticism of the Social Culture of Scapegoatism 58-60
Restoration of Moral Values as the Way Forward 60-61
200 MILLION MUMU (PART THREE)
Political Avariciousness 62-63
Social Recklessness 63-66
Suggested Remedies 66-68
CHAPTER FIVE
Conclusion 69-70Recommendations 71
Works Cited 71-74
Appendices 75-83
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE, MUSIC AND SOCIETY
Literature, being a fundamental discipline in the humanities, is a field of study with no univocal perception or definition which to various people can mean various things. However, a critic once mentioned that “in an attempt to define the term ‘literature’, one can distinguish between two general directions: a broad and a narrow definition.” In its broadest description, literature can be seen as works of art written or spoken which serves men as a means of creative or imaginative expression of their thoughts, feelings, anxieties, affections and the sum total of their activities. Proponents of this school of thought divide literature into two important strands: Oral Literature and Written Literature.
Moreover, stories, songs, rituals, festivals, ceremonies etc which are the ancient forms of oral expressions are not established on some unorganized or primitive customs but premised upon a systemic pattern concentrated towards a definite end and a concise objective. Therefore, ever before the advent of graphological representation of verbal act in alphabetical or pictographic medium, man has always given a concerted effort, through verbal means, to the evaluation of his society, explanation of natural complexities and interpretation of communal perception of moral acceptance which is adequately preserved in his oral tradition.
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