Department of Music (MTU) hosts Symposium on Appropriation & Reconstruction of Popular Music in Nigeria.

A symposium for undergraduates was put together by Mountain Top University (MTU) in partnership with University of Lagos (UNILAG) and University of Bayreuth, Germany. The symposium was held on 20th May, 2022, at the Organ House, Department of Music, MTU.   The Convener- Dr Albert Oikelome, Associate Professor of Music, University of Lagos, stated that popular musicians were appropriating popular music in all sphere. According to him, in the next decade, there would be a new dimension in popular music. He added that the present materials were been digitalised and preserved for posterity.  The First Keynote Speaker at the event was Dr Babatunji Dada, Department of Music, University of Ibadan.

Dr Dada spoke on the topic: “From Interpellation to Interpolation: New Heritage and the use of Indigenous Musical Concepts in Naija Hip-Hop”. In his speech, he stated that the Marxist theory of Interpellation, as advanced by Althusser, was a process in which we encounter our culture’s values and internalise them.  

Dr Dada said that the Nigerian music heritage could be considered as the musical cultures and traditions that predate the new popular music tradition. ‘These were practises that have been transmitted through several generations’, he remarked. In addition, he stated that Interpolation could be the introduction of something additional or extraneous between other things or parts.

 In the same vein, Dr Dada mentioned that Afrobeats has authenticated and asserted itself as the symbol of the new heritage in Nigerian popular music. In his concluding remarks, he stated that the “Naija Hip-Hop was a manifestation of the new heritage in Nigeria music culture.”  The second speaker was Dr Abiodun Bello, Department of Music, University of Southern Mississippi, USA. Dr Bello spoke on the topic: “New Heritage and Alternative Music in Nigeria”.

Dr Bello noted that there were acculturative factors that promote the new heritage in Nigerian music:  

•    Slavery      
• Colonialism

According to Dr Bello, the Nigerian music culture had an occasioned and compelled home and diaspora relationship. He stated that the idea of anonymity in the urban space had to be challenged.  The next speaker was the Head, Department of Music, Mountain Top University, Ogun, Dr Bayo Ogunyemi.  Dr Ogunyemi spoke on the topic: “Genetic of Change in Yoruba Traditional Drumming”. According to him, in recent times, the Yoruba traditional drumming had been appropriated into popular music. Dr Ogunyemi enumerated the factors that promote those changes:    

• Globalization    
• Socialization    
• Civilization

“Then, the functions of music were restricted but they are presently, liberated”, he said.  The Last speaker at the event was Dr Joseph Oluwatade, Coordinator, Every Student a Musician (ESM), Mountain Top University & Head, MFM Guitar Choir, Worldwide. Dr Oluwatade spoke on the topic: “New Heritage and Modification of Yoruba folksongs among popular Musicians in Nigeria”.

In his speech, he stated that without context, music cannot give morals. According to Dr Oluwatade, reconstruction of songs were questionable if they could not solve moral inclination. He stated that reconstruction and appropriation were vital approaches to songs that were sustainable and culturally impactful to the society. In his concluding remarks, he noted that whatever would be achieved for posterity should uphold morality; otherwise the essence would result in futility.  There were also question and answer sessions during which scholarly insights were made by the speakers. The conference was well attended by musicologists and experts in Nigerian Arts & Culture.