NIGERIAN MUSIC
Nigeria has a very rich aesthetic culture represented in her myriad of musical forms (like the traditional music, popular music, theatrical music etc) across the various ethnic groups of the country. It is also worthy of mention that Nigerian music has undergone series of changes largely as a result of her interactions with Western civilization and her international relation policies. Just as Karollyi (1998: 4) observes, little is known about Nigerian music before the colonial era, though there are bronze carvings which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries depicting musicians and musical instruments. These carvings are evidence of history that music has always been an inseparable fragment of the Nigerian society even before European contact.
The traditional music is one of the oldest forms of music in Nigeria. Jeff Todd (1992: 70) avers that this form of expression is oftentimes functional as it plays a fundamental role during rituals such as wedding, funeral, festivals etc. Traditional music is also entrenched into the daily activities of an average Nigerian society which can be in form of work songs (like agriculture songs), women songs (the complex rhythms used in housekeeping tasks), children songs (during their games) etc.
As regards ownership and authorship of lyrical compositions, traditional is largely regarded as societal documents which are communally owned and passed down from one generation to the other, though this is with few exceptions. The Tiv for example, acknowledges individual composers in most of their songs and the Efik identifies specific authors of most of their secular songs.
Nevertheless, music in Nigeria is a complex corpus consisting of the philosophical worldview of the people as well as providing a veritable instrument of critical evaluation of the society. A common form of Nigerian music is the call-and-response choir, in which lead singer and a chorus interchanges verses, sometimes accompanied by instruments. Epic poetry is sometimes performed in some parts of the country and this is usually viewed as musical in nature.
GENRES OF NIGERIAN MUSIC
Traditional Music
This form of lyrical composition is an attempt by the Nigerian artists to celebrate their cultural identities, social values, religious inclinations and indigenous philosophies. This form of music is relevant during naming ceremonies, marriages, circumcisions, work, war, games, etc as a means of entertainment, education, motivation etc as occasions demand. Due to the complexity of Nigerian cultural heritage, it could be misleading to attempt generalizing the specificities of traditional music across the nations as various ethnicities have their own unique ways of expressing their traditional values through lyrical compositions. The Hausas, for example, are popular for their “complex percussion instrument music,” heavily influence by the Islamic movements of the 14th century. Some of their traditional instruments are: the Tambura drum, the talking drum, Kakaki (an elongated state trumpet) etc. However, among the Igbo people, their folk traditional songs are reputed for their ready adoption of foreign styles and the importation of part of Niger’s highlife. Some of their traditional musical instruments are: the Obo (a 13 stringed zither), slit drums, xylophones, flutes, lyres, bells and drum ensembles. More so, the Yoruba traditional music which makes use of varieties of instruments can be spiritual in nature (as a means of devotion to their gods) or social in nature (as a way of addressing social sensibilities.) Ronnie Graham (2000: 589) contends that Yoruba music has become “the most important component of modern Nigerian music, as a result of its easy influence from European, Islamic percussion and styles brought by Brazilian merchants.” “Modern styles of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister’s Fuji, Salawa Abeni’s Waka and Yusuf Olatunji’s Sakara are derived from Yoruba traditional music.”
Theatrical Music
Music is a relevant aspect of Nigerian theatre as well as a dramatic strategy used to communicate certain impression, mood and tone of events to the audience. Nigerian theatre uses music, oftentimes traditional music usually without adaptation in an extensive quantity, in their production. Prominent among the Nigerian traditional theatre are the “Puppet shows” of the Borno State among the Ogoni and Tiv people, and the ancient “Alarinjo” tradition among the Yoruba people. Civilization (most especially, the advancement in road technology and telecommunication) has led to the proliferation of these originally ethnic theatrical compositions across the country. Prominent among the musicians and dramatists are Hubert Ogunde and Ade Love who produced their movies utilizing very rich Yoruba traditional songs.
Children Music
It expedient to note that there is an established musical tradition among children in most of the Nigerian societies. The songs which are usually “call-and response” is intertwined with their teenage activities like games and work. Among the instrument peculiar to children across the country are un-pitched raft zithers (made from corn stalks), drums (made from tin cans), a pipe (made from a pawpaw stem) and a jaw harp (made from a Sorghum stalk)
Popular Music
Popular music is an umbrella word for the various types of musical traditions which enjoy near-national reputation especially in the late 19th century and 20thcentury. Among these genres are: Juju, Apala, highlife, fuji, afro-juju, afro-beat, waka, etc. The earliest forms of Nigerian popular music are juju and highlife, which spread across Nigeria and surrounding countries like Ghana, Sierra-Leone and Liberia. Below is a list of some types of popular music:
Juju
Juju, which can be used interchangeably with palm-wine music tradition, is one of the earliest forms of popular music to develop in Nigeria. The most famous of Juju artist is Babatunde King who has been credited as its pioneer founder. It is relevant to state that Juju emanates from the palm-wine tradition, “a diverse set of styles played with string instruments, characteristically, guitars or banjos, sekere and hand drums.” Other popular artists of this tradition include Ojoge Daniel, Tunde Nightingale, Speedy Araba, Irewole Denge and the “blind minstrel,” Kokoro (Toyin Falola 2001: 173).
Apala
Haruna Ishola emerges in the 1930s with a “style of vocal and percussive Muslim Yoruba music” as a means of “rousing worshippers after the fasting of Ramadan” which will be later recognized as Apala. Nevertheless, Apala becomes widespread as a result of Afro-Cuban percussion influence. Traditionally, two or three talking drums (omele), a rattle (sekere), thumb piano (agidigbo) and a bell (agogo) are the instruments required for a successful Apala music.
Rock N’ Roll
Between 1950 and 1970, various electric instruments are being imported into the country from the United States and Europe which gave impetus to the birth of several styles like Rock N’ Roll, soul and later funk. Some existing styles (like Apala, and Juju) also undergo series of transformations as a result of their contact with western civilization. This period sees the rise and the flourishing of the three biggest names in Nigerian music history: Fela Kuti, Ebenezer Obey, and King Sunny Ade. Though these artists are not Rock N’ Roll specialists since they develop their own musical style, it is however worthy of note that it is during this period that they emerge.
Highlife
Highlife is a dominant style among the Igbo people following the influence of the guitar-band styles from surrounding countries like Ghana, Cameroon, and Zaire. The Ghanian, E. T. Mensah (easily the most popular highlife performer of the 1950s), for example, made frequent visits to the Eastern part of the country, attracting various audiences especially among the Igbo people. However, among the Nigerians that gained popular recognition through this style are Bobby Benson, Jim Lawson, and Prince Nico Mbarga (who sang “Sweet Mother” a Pan-African hit that sold more than 13million copies, more than any other single of any kind.)
Moreover, Highlife witnessed a massive decline after the Nigerian Civil war of the 1960s as the Igbo ware being forced out of Lagos and the tradition is being associated with the people of the East. Though its popularity dwindled considerably and it was supplanted by the fast growing Juju and Fuji, yet some great artists still managed to keep it alive. Igbo highlife artist include names such as Stephen Osita, Sonny Okosun, Celestine Ukuwu, Oriental Brothers, Victor Uwaifo among others.
It is also necessary to specify that the development of Highlife, Rock N’ Roll, Fuji and Reggae overlap. These musical genres developed side by side in various communities across the country.
Fuji
The works of Haruna Ishola, through his Apala, which usually alternates between “slow and emotional, swift and energetic style; becomes a formative influence on the developing Fuji style.” According to Arab World Information: Popular Fuji Music in Nigeria, Fuji is a synthesis of Apala with the “ornamented free-rhythmic” vocals of Ajisari devotional musicians accompanied by the sakara, a tambourine driven and Hawaiian guitars.
Alhaji Sikiru educates that the world Fuji is named after Mount Fuji in Japan, purely for the sound of the word. Among the earliest stars of the genre as Ronnie Graham provides in his From Hausa Music to Highlife (2000) are Haruna Ishola, Ayinla Omowura, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Ayinla Kollington.
Afro-Juju
This musical genre combines elements of Afro-beat and Fuji. This is also sometimes called “shinamania” as a result of the overwhelming influence of Shina Peters, undoubtedly the afro-juju biggest star of the 1980s. Segun Adewale, Olu Fajimorokun and Ayuba are also other names whose works have left a mark of impart in carving out this genre.
Afro-beat
Afro-beat which is a prominent part of world music category is a fusion of American funk music with elements of highlife, Jazz and other styles of West African music. Fela Kuti, who is indisputably the biggest and most famous performer of Afro-beat in Nigeria music history, is credited to have coined the term “Afro-beat”. Though Fela began his music carrier in 1961, the afro-beat tradition came about in 1963 after his exposure to the Sierra-Leonean Afro-soul singer, Geraldo Pino. Even though, Fela Kuti is often regarded as the only pioneer of Afro-beat, other musicians such as Orlando Julius and Ekemode are also prominent figures in the tradition.
Some international movements like the Black Power Movements coupled with the domestic brutality of Nigerian government alongside the poverty, human trafficking etc are fundamental to Fela’s thematic preoccupation in his songs. However, this sometimes lands him into trouble with the government. In 1885 for example, he was jailed for five years, but released after two years of massive national and international protest. He eventually died of AIDs in 1997.
By the end of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, afro-beat has been diversified by taking in new influences from Jazz and Rock ‘N Roll. Lagbaja, the ever-masked and enigmatic musician becomes the greatest force of this tradition in the 21st century.
Reggae
Nigerian Reggae is a form of African Caribbean fusion whereby musicians incorporate Jamaican patois into their lyrics and beats. The pioneer reggae artists in Nigeria include big names like Ras Kimono, Majek Fashek, Jerri Jheto and Daddy Showkie. This genre is gaining more presence in Nigeria especially among the younger audience with recent 21st century artists like Duncan Mighty, Timaya, Slim Burna, and Patoranking.
Hip Hop
Hip Hop is a cultural form that attempts to negotiate the experiences of marginalization, brutally truncated opportunity, and oppression within the cultural imperatives of African-American and Caribbean history, identity, and community. It is the tension between cultural fractures produced by postindustrial oppression and the binding ties of black cultural expressivity that set the critical frame for the development of Hip Hop (Rose 1994: 21)
Hip hop, which is of African American descent, came into Nigerian in the late 1980s and ever since has received a massive support among many Nigerian audiences especially due to the activities of the media which has tremendously aided its popularity. Famous Nigerian hip hop artists are Ruggedman, Young Paperboyz, Jay Ikwan (also known as MegaJay), and P-square.
However, in the past few years, hip hop has enjoyed monumental successes in terms of the exposure of its contemporary musicians like Olamide, Ice Prince, M. I. Wizkid among others.
Classical Music
The 20th century has given birth to a number of classical composers which include artists like Fela Sowande, Joshua Uzoigwe, Akin Euba and Godwin Sadoh. Sowande was one of the first and most famous composers in the western tradition and founder of the Nigeian music tradtions. He is an organist and a Jazz musician.
Conclusion
This chapter has shown music as an integral part of any human society irrespective of culture, age, religious inclination or worldview. However, it has been stated that music is not just a means of satisfying owns emotions but also a veritable weapon of socio-cultural evaluation and political advocacy through which artist interpret and understand their worlds. The world music categories which include such genres like blues, hip hop, classical music, children music etc are also briefly examined. More so, this chapter lucidly explains the major tenets of sociological approach which is the theoretical framework through which this research is being conducted. In similar ways, since the scope of this work is limited to Nigeria, the notions of Nigerian music alongside her distinct forms were also examined in this chapter. The major thrust of this chapter is therefore to reflect upon the centrality, the role and relevance of music in the cultural system of man irrespective of age, time and tradition.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page I-II
Certification III
Dedication IV
Acknowledgements V
Abstract VI
Table of Contents VII-XI
Music, Literature and Society 1-4
CHAPTER TWO
SECTION ONE
Music as A Means of Entertainment 16
Music as A Means of Education 17
Music as an Instrument of Socio-Political Criticism 18-19
SECTION TWO
SECTION THREE
CHAPTER THREE: THE THEMATIC APPRAISAL OF 9ICE’S AND ASA’S SONGS
A Critical Appraisal Of 9ice’s Musical Style 32-34
PETEPETE
Post-Colonial Disillusionment 35-36
Social Recklessness and Its Effects 37-38
THERE IS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
Political Instability and Insecurity 43-45
Cultural and Moral Decadence 47-48
IYA NI
Sociopolitical Servitude 51-52
CHAPTER FOUR: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LAGBAJA’S SONGS
An Appraisal of Lagbaja Musical Style 53-54
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
CHAPTER FIVE
Conclusion 69-70
Recommendations 71
Works Cited 71-74
Appendices 75-83WORKS CITED
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