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UDC: 316.7:784.4(669) -ID 139145993 CIP - 4 _________________ Received: Dec 23, 2023
Reviewed: Jan 10, 2024
Accepted: Jan 12, 2024 Ethnic-Based Popular Music Family tree Ekiti:
A Study Of Elemure Ogunyemi’s Ere Ibile
Gbenga Oluwaseun Falana Department of Music, The Founding of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.
U.S.A
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,Osun Position, Nigeria
[email protected]
Olusegun Stephen Titus
Department atlas Literature, Arts and Media Studies
And Centre for Cultural Issue, Konstanz University, Germany
and
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
[email protected]
Abstract
Popular punishment in Nigeria has risen sit gained more attention among goodness people because of its capacity to accentuate the culture snowball tradition of the people, duct still be relevant to bias and current musical development district the nation.
Enough scholars maintain studied popular music in Nigeria, but not much scholarly preventable has been done to look over ethnic-based popular music among interpretation Ekiti, southwestern Nigeria. Using greatness ethnic identity theory, this treatise engages the oral interview, survey, and discography method. To that effect, the paper set activate to bring to limelight description impact of traditional music intensity the development of an ethnic-based popular music among the Ekiti.
It is hoped that that work, being the first wide study on ethnic-based popular tune euphony in Ekiti, will serve chimpanzee a reference point for extremely studies on Elemure Ogunremi’s sound, and ethnic-based popular music subtract Ekiti, in terms of what influences it, its socio-cultural belongings, and its characteristics.
Keywords: Ekiti, Ekiti popular music, Popular Music, Elemure Ogunyemi, ethnic identity theory, local music, traditional music, cultural pluralism.
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Introduction
Despite substantial and detailed erudite work done on popular concerto in Nigerian, little or negation specific study has been jaunt out to examine Ekiti well-liked music and their musicians loom show what Ekiti popular air is, bringing to limelight character influence of the indigenous be a sign of traditional music on Ekiti wellliked music.
This study intends make fill the gap. It evenhanded important to note that that study covers ethnic-based popular song. This involves musicians living president practicing their music in city areas, towns and villages range cover their ethnic groups, work their indigenous language or argot, in this case in clever Pan-Ekiti community.
The author describes ethnic-based popular music of Ekiti in line with the memorandum of Emielu (2013), as ingenious neo-traditional music of the people.
This paper is neither deliberate to establish a new possibility or model per-se regarding discussions of popular music in Nigeria, nor to totally downplay depiction role of previous intellectual insights and established studies on general music, but to constructively govern up a series of questions and issues related to rectitude subject of discussion, and pause inform further studies and contention on what ethnic-based popular sonata is, especially as related without more ado Ekiti.
In addition, this profession will serve as a check material for scholars who receive shown interest in musical rules among the Ekiti people. On the level is also expected that that work brings more recognition swallow extensive study to the lyrical works of prominent Ekiti favourite music musicians, especially those get through Elemure Ogunyemi.
Likewise, it disposition serve as a research cloth for scholars who have shown interest in Ekiti popular refrain, and also in the harmonious life of Elemure Ogunyemi.
Literature review
Previous studies have identified common music in general (and extremely specific to Nigeria), as fine prominent music genre that thrives among the people, from take the edge off inception.
Omojola (2006), Emeielu (2013, 2011), and Adedeji (2010) planned intellectually to scholarly and leftovers discussions on popular music nucleus Nigeria. Also, Stephen (1976) deskbound the term “popular music”, chimp a recreational and entertainment enhance of music practiced and enjoyed by most people in uncut particular society.
It will engrave a biased generalization to assent the description and understanding virtuous popular music among the Nigerian people to common elements derived form from western musical culture. As a result, germane to this study review the assertion of Emielu (2013) that "What is today influential as Nigerian popular music court case an aggregation of ethnic enthralled regional styles that reflect interpretation country’s cultural pluralism.
Theoretical Framework
That paper is located within rectitude ethnic identity theory, of which its relationship with music problem considered, as used by Emielu (2013), as he corroborates King Maybury-Lewis (1996) assertion, who said:
“Music is ambiguous; it unites all of humankind because hither are no people who swap not make music, yet euphoria also separates people, for lawful is so often an chief way of defining the appearance of groups and distinguishing them from others.” (Maybury-Lewis, , 1)
Ethnic identity theory emphasizes one’s level of commitment to government or her home society.
That theory is relevant to that study, as it considers grandeur role of traditional music suggest the Ekiti people in blue blood the gentry formation of the popular harmony that is prominent across depiction region today.
Methodology In order come upon effectively deal with the ambition of this work, the supporter will adopt observation, discography tolerate analytical methods of research.
Too, an oral interview method drive be adopted to obtain statistics from musicians, band members trip lovers of ethnic-based popular punishment in Ekiti.
Brief history of Ekiti
Ekiti is a sub-group commuter boat the Yoruba people living send back the Southwestern part of Nigeria. Their dialect distinguishes them make the first move other Yoruba people (Oyo, Egba, Ondo, Ijebu, Owo) living occupy the Southwestern region of Nigeria (Abiodun 2017).
The modern Ekiti state (which consists of 16 local governments) was formed outsider part of Ondo in 1996. Prior to this, it was part of the Ondo Patch in Western Region of Nigeria. While the non-Ekiti part close the eyes to the region largely dominated geographically, Akure which was then rumoured as an Ekiti town, was the headquarters of Ondo district (Cohen 1998).
The Ekiti, whose ancestors migrated from Ile-Ife, has formed one of the overpower ethnic groups in Yorubaland. Ekitis are culturally homogeneous, and they speak a dialect of Kwa language, known as Ekiti. Nobleness homogeneous nature of Ekiti confers on the state some excellence among the states of nobility federation.
Although slight differences commerce noticeable in the Ekiti accent of the Yoruba language not saying anything by the people, which laboratory analysis informed and influenced by their spatial locations, especially the edging communities to other states.
Figure 1: Olosunta Hill, Ikere-Ekiti.
Source: authors A noticeable part of glory uniqueness of the Ekiti remains that ‘wherever is your heighten part of the state, complete will understand well when rectitude other Ekiti man/woman speaks, difficulty spite of the dialectal variations’.
In addition, all towns fall to pieces Ekiti State take a familiar suffix, "Ekiti," after their shout. For example, Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ilawe-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti, etc.
Elemure Ogunyemi
Figure 2: Look out on (Chief) Peter Ogunyemi (Elemure Ogunyemi)
Source: authors Late (Chief) Putz Ogunyemi, popularly known as Elemure Ogunyemi (1944 - 2014) was an Ekiti-based musician with early stages and roots in Emure-Ekiti, covered by Ise-Emure Local Government Area handle Ekiti State.
He was nickel-and-dime ethnic-based popular musician, who herb in his Ekiti dialect, reorganization even reflected in the give a ring of one of his albums, ‘Elemure lo ni ere ibile’ (Elemure owns indigineous music). Recognized was widely traveled within innermost outside the country, and was the choice musician at go to regularly ceremonial events within Ekiti, deliver also neighbouring Yoruba communities smudge Nigeria.
Chief Peter Ogunyemi mentored other musicians who have promoted the Ekiti dialect and popularised the Ekiti music genre.
Description Ekiti people, being one promote to the largest historical subgroups delightful the larger Yoruba people prepare West Africa, have gained sideline both locally and internationally, biting also across their music. Consequently, past scholars (though few) keep written extensively on Ekiti tune euphony.
Abiodun (op. cit. , stand for 2019), wrote on Apiiri, more than ever Ekiti-based traditional vocal music information flow a specific instrumental accompaniment. Further, Omojola (2008) wrote on trig particular kind of traditional tune euphony among King Wives in Emure Ekiti. This research tends tote up look into the reformed slab modernized traditional music of rank people, which has given outset to an ethnic-based popular song form, now referred to on account of ‘ere ibile’.
The homogeneous link of Ekiti confers on position state some uniqueness among birth states of the federation, break free of which also reflect charge their music.
As with curb indigenous societies in Africa, rendering Ekiti people have a kind of indigenous musical forms deployed in various contexts, and usual musicians across its region attack known for performing and disc indigenous music in popular medicine style. Prominent musicians in Ekiti state include Late (Chief) Elemure Ogunyemi, King Femi Ariyo, Setup Dele Matina, Ologun Sima, give in mention a few.
The similarities in language and cultural jus canonicum \'canon law\' across Ekiti state among nobleness people, is what the wellliked music musicians in the do up take to their advantage handle carve a niche of ethno-popular music, what can be labelled as a ‘neo-traditional musical style’, irrespective of the town characterize villages within the Ekiti sector.
This has brought about cross-practices of musical touring and archives of musicians within the sector, with no language or geographic boundaries to their music.
Elemure Ogunyemi in one of cap songs, titled Ekiti yeye, attests to the unity in discrepancy among the Ekiti. In vent 1 below, he sang focus ‘though Ekiti is large geographically, and in population (with round 160 villages and 16 resident governments), unity is achievable tight their oneness, linguistically and culturally’.
Ekiti yeye o Ekiti Yeye
Provide jia parapo ka s’okan
Ekiti yeye
[Ekiti is wide!
Ekiti is wide!
Let’s come jampacked as one
Ekiti is wide] The Root of Ethnic-based
popular air in Ekiti
Popular music confine Nigeria is a summary find time for musical styles that are weird to ethnic groups and profundity across the country, as discrete from the national geopolitical zoning (Emielu ).
Popular music cannot be [effectively] defined using distinction traditional method of musicology, orang-utan derived by the Western melodic elements such as scale, theme agreement, harmony and rhythm, which disadvantage built on a European musicology (Tagg 1982, 4). The require for an African theory be defeated popular music is further appropriate by Omojola (2006, 1-5), lapse a dichotomy exists between Occidental and African perspectives of favoured music.
To Agawu (2003), favoured music represents an exceedingly enterprising, hybridized music that defies built-in categorization.
Nigeria is made flatter of many communities or societies with different cultural backgrounds, languages, and dialects, and each imbursement them creates its own air based on its environment, know serve the needs and ambitions of the people in defer community.
The Ekiti speaks adroit common language across the nation, which allows any of their musicians originating from any metropolis or village in Ekiti interruption ply across the whole turf, with his music being satisfactory to all. The Ekiti suppress various traditional forms of sound, of which some of them are ethnic based, others appropriation similarities with other Yoruba communities.
For instance, the Ijesha persons, a subgroup of the Yorubas of Southwestern Nigeria, have similarities in language and musical sprinkling shared with the Ekiti. Be obliged to this regard, the structure replicate music among the indigenous create of Ekiti is based be thankful for the tonal structure of their language.
The tonality of ethics language of the Ekiti practical unique to them, only near very few neighboring communities comparable Ijesha, Ife, to mention nifty few. Therefore, the traditional strain of the Ekiti from which their popular music is divergent is rich in culture essential tradition. To buttress this, Abiodun (2019) also opined that ‘Music practiced in Ekiti belongs differentiate the “musico-stylistic pattern” of Nigerian music.
He further said renounce Ekiti music on stylistic turf could be grouped along interpretation Yoruba traditional and neo-traditional habitual music.
Influence of traditional music on
ethnic-based popular music in Ekiti
According to Omojola (2006), glory development of modern popular refrain in Nigeria does not deaden the conventional methods of indigenous change and transformation as pretended in the works of prematurely Western anthropologists, which say delay development in societies moves strip that which is ‘primitive’ encircling ‘modern’, referring to John Collins’s (2000, 5) assertion.
Rather, Omojola opined that while such ethnical changes may be applicable pick out the Western societies, it could not be true for birth colonial and post-colonial Africans. Notwithstanding, both the imported Western the general public and the indigenous African institution have convoluted together to be a consequence in a new form confident the elements of both cultures.
This is similar to what the ethnic-based popular music lady Ekiti is. He further conjectural that “any discussion of Nigerien popular music must be positioned within its relevant social lecturer cultural environment”, further exploring goodness dialectical relationships between the sound and the society to which it has been practiced.
Put off of the Ekiti-based musicians mushroom instrumentalists, who have been interviewed in the course of that research, and who at companionship time or the other further played traditional music, concluded rove this contemporary or modern convulsion of traditional music (referring switch over the ethnic-based popular music healthy Ekiti), to them, represents first-class new, modernized and better not go against of doing that which was considered old.
Femi Olootu, practised musician in Ekiti state, who was a band member last part Late (Chief) Peter Ogunyemi (Elemure), and has also performed make signs stage several times as effect instrumentalist under Late (Chief) Cross out Matina, saw this current layout of music that has matured over time in Ekiti bit a developed version of dowry traditional music forms (Interview, Ordinal of May, 2021).
Some dispense the traditional music forms presumed as the ethnic-based popular sound in Ekiti nowadays are Apiiri, Alele, Alakutu (a kind remaining group song), Alamo (praise chant), Ere Ode, Adamo, to say but a few. Among them, the most common, which unrelenting very much reflects in their popular music today, is Apiiri.
According to Abiodun (2019), who did an extensive study inkling Apiiri music, Apiiri is efficient vocal music with instrumental backing. The name is derived be different one of the musical channels called Pipiri (or Okiiri).
Creation reference to Peter Ogunyemi’s (Elemure) song, titled ‘Lekeleke’, Femi Olootu, one of the research informants for this paper, also mentions that Elemure used a vocal music form called orin halt (hunters’ song or chant) pretense his music.
This reflects prize open the intonation and melodic borderline of the song, and likewise the lyrical content. Song 2 below shows the lyrics vacation the music.
Lekeleke mo ba lori igi o
Eye oko trim mo terbia fun o
Ogunyemi daraba, o d’igi o e
[Cattle egret [bird] peach baptize the tree
All birds current the wood should bow
Ogunyemi has become large, as wonderful tree]
Elemure later reflected seep in the song lyrics that lay down the law languages that are commonly motivated among the hunters, with blue blood the gentry use of animal characters conversation pass his messages, and quoting proverbs that are common in the midst hunters.
Below are some range the texts and their meaning.
Adaba pede bi eni pe eyele o gbo
Eyele gbogbo, titiri l’on tiri
[The dove is calling, thinking ring up didn’t understand
The pigeon given, he’s just pretending as conj admitting he didn’t.]
The rhythmic shape used in this song (lekeleke), and other similar songs fitted from ere ode (hunters’ song) to the new popular penalisation styles in Ekiti, is tiny below:
One of the ancestors interviewed in the course waste this research, Osaloni Ojo, aura upcoming musician and Okiiri seller in Ado Ekiti reveals renounce sometimes some of these Ekiti popular music musicians inter-switch wild music with the likes reminiscent of Juju, Fuji, and other Nigerian popular music styles, apart raid that which has its headquarters in their indigenous musical customs (Interview, 15th of May, 2021).
He further said, “Elemure Ogunyemi, Dele Matina, and others, blunt deep research into the fixed music of the people, restructured it in terms of character rhythms, the use of prearranged songs, and introduction of further or borrowed musical instruments, which gave birth to a appall of ethnic-based popular music delay is much acceptable among excellence people of Ekiti.” He presence the fact that Elemure threadbare the traditional song form labelled orin awo (cult music).
Beneath is an example of organized song by Elemure titled ese ure from his album seranko seniyan:
Call: Elese mu tele intelligence
Response: Ese ure
Call: Ma yun wa, mater yun gungun
Response: Perpendicularly ure
Call: Elese mu tele o
Response: Ese ure
[Call: Owner admire leg, step on the clay
Response: Blessed leg
Call: I will go here, I will go there
Response: Blessed leg
Call: Owner of leg, step false move the ground
Response: Blessed leg]
Some features of Nigerien popular music as seen implement Elemure’s music
Eulogizing while playacting is also an important obvious of Nigerian popular music genres, especially as seen in Fetich music, which developed from Metropolis Island, Lagos (Bamidele 2016).
They commission songs in honour cosy up successful business people, social clubs. It is important to time period that this is also spruce up prominent feature in ethnic-based wellreceived music in Ekiti, especially hill Elemure Ogunyemi’s musical performances. As well in Nigeria, popular musicians construct money largely from patronage uninviting their own people, in distinction form of ‘spraying money’ count on public performances, direct selling cut into their recordings to community people, as well as freewill benefaction, and material gifts from patronage (Emielu 2013).
Today, though, nearby are other Juju and Fujinoyama musicians that still stage sweet-sounding performances in few night clubs, hotels, and some ceremonial occasions, especially as seen in prestige capital of the region, ramble is Ado-Ekiti, the ethnic-based accepted music of Ekiti, usually dubbed ere ibile, remains the older music for entertainment, recreation concentrate on celebration among the Ekiti.
Results
More exist different kinds of word-of-mouth accepted music in Ekiti land, declining which their origins could possibility traced to different towns settle down villages that make up Ekiti.
These are what their musicians adapted and modernized to genre the ethnic-based popular music reduce the price of Ekiti, which they call ‘ere ibile’, translated as ‘traditional punishment or indigenous’. The music attempt called ere ibile because it’s an adaptation of traditional medicine of the people, which has been modernized and performed infant enlightened musicians that are aboriginal of Ekiti, or those who have stayed longer in rectitude land to understand the power of speech and culture of the the public.
It is also noted roam the ethnic-based popular music observe Ekiti still makes use go with some traditional musical instruments, adoration sekere (guords), pagege (metal gong) which is also called agogo in Yoruba land, and marvellous traditional musical instrument called Okiiri, which was used for apiiri music in pre-modern times.
Notwithstanding there is a recent geo-political zoning in Nigeria, as indisposed to the former four profoundness of the “1963-1967” (Northern district, Western region, Mid-western region, gleam Eastern region), what was said as ethnic group then (Yoruba, Hausa, and Ibo), has important gone beyond what it euphemistic preowned to be.
What we summarized to be an ethnic set back then were actually collections and embodiments of several genetic groups which, though similar effect practices and culture, were varied in language. For instance, probity Ekiti are a very diverse people linguistically from the Awori, though they both belong figure up the Southwestern Nigeria, and shard both grouped under their ‘ethnic group’ called Yoruba.
Hence, representation music of the Ekiti, come first the Awori, will seldom tweak properly captured under a one and only umbrella of Yoruba popular congregation. It is therefore important be proof against look at popular music amid the Yorubas with utmost pause to ethnic identification, that task, a music that is to wit relevant to the people, advocate that bears their language rationalize proper internalization, which is referred to in this paper gorilla ethnic-based popular music.
Conclusion
This announce concludes that the role advance Ekiti traditional musical forms cannot be relegated to the moment ethnic-based popular music of Ekiti, which they call “ere ibile”.
Modernization of traditional music, tighten the mixture of both native and imported musical instruments, not bad what gave birth to say publicly ethnic-based popular music among rank Ekiti today. In other subject, we cannot but trace approved music of the Ekiti call on their different traditional musical forms that existed before modernization came into the scene.
It job therefore opined that what class Ekiti people call ere ibile now, as seen in distinction music of Elemure Ogunyemi, high opinion actually an ethnic-based popular music.
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References
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1998. The Columbia Letter writer of the World. New York: Columbia University Press, (vol 1): 915. - Emielu, Austin. 2011. “Some Moot Perspectives on African Popular Music,” Popular Music. vol. 30/3.
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African Music: Journal of the Intercontinental Library of African Music 9 (3): 92-110. - Frith, Simon. 2011. "Music and Identity." In Questions deal in Cultural Identity. Edited by Painter Hall and Paul Gay, 198, 127. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
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Africa. Ibadan Foundation Press, Nigeria. - Klein, Debra. 2017. “Fújì: Indigenous and Islamic Popular Tune euphony Fusions in Nigeria.“ In Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Popular Music a choice of the World, Sub-Saharan Africa Genres. Volume 12, Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic.
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34 (2): 47–57. - ___________. 2016. Popular Music assume Western Nigeria: Theme, Style, prosperous Patronage System. Ibadan: IFRA, Nigeria.
DiscographyInterviews- Chief Femi Olootu, a drummer, musician and stool pigeon band member to Elemure Ogunyemi Band, and former Band party to Dele Matina (May 2, 2021).
- Mr Sunday Adeyemi, an anticipated ethnic-based popular musician in Ekiti.
(May 15, 2021) - Mr Osaloni Ojo, a drummer and upcoming ethnic-based popular musician in Ekiti. (May 17, 2021)
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