THE SOCIO-POLITICAL RELEVANCE OF NIGERIAN MUSIC:
A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SONGS OF
ALEXANDER AJIFOLAJI (9ICE),
BUKOLA ELEMIDE (ASA)
AND BISADE OLOGUNDE (LAGBAJA).
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
MARCH, 2017
CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that this project work was carried out by Olatuja Oloyede of the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Arts, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State.
Copy Right
This is an intellectual property of the author which cannot be copied, shared, redistributed or transmitted by any means whatsoever without a prior permission from the either the author or the publisher.
PROJECT SUPERVISOR
Professor C. Olujide Ajidahun
HOD
Prof. Sola Owonibi
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.
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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-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 75-83
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