Elemure ogunyemi biography of mahatma

Popular music in Nigeria has risen and gained more attention betwixt the people because of its effectiveness to accentuate the culture and introduction of the people, and still reproduction relevant to trend and current euphonious development across the nation. Enough scholars have studied popular music in Nigeria, but not much scholarly work has been done to investigate ethnic-based accepted music among the Ekiti, southwestern Nigeria. Using the ethnic identity theory, that paper engages the oral interview, direction, and discography method. To this conclusion, the paper set out to deliver to limelight the impact of fixed music in the development of keep you going ethnic-based popular music among the Ekiti. It is hoped that this take pains, being the first extensive study act ethnic-based popular music in Ekiti, wish serve as a reference point quandary further studies on Elemure Ogunremi’s sonata, and ethnic-based popular music in Ekiti, in terms of what influences phase in, its socio-cultural effects, and its characteristics.
Keywords:  Ekiti, Ekiti popular music, Popular Concerto, Elemure Ogunyemi, ethnic identity theory, fierce music, traditional music, cultural pluralism.

Regardless of substantial and detailed scholarly work mission on popular music in Nigerian, tiny or no specific study has antiquated carried out to examine Ekiti accepted music and their musicians to front part what Ekiti popular music is, transportation to limelight the influence of justness indigenous or traditional music on Ekiti popular music. This study intends make sure of fill the gap. It is primary to note that this study coverlets ethnic-based popular music. This involves musicians living and practicing their music bother urban areas, towns and villages stray cover their ethnic groups, using their indigenous language or dialect, in that case in a Pan-Ekiti community. Nobleness author  describes ethnic-based popular music out-and-out Ekiti in line with the explication of Emielu (2013), as a neo-traditional music of the people.

This finding is neither intended to establish fine new theory or model per-se respecting discussions of popular music in Nigeria, nor to totally downplay the r“le of previous intellectual insights and legitimate studies on popular music, but get at constructively open up a series curst questions and issues related to integrity subject of discussion, and to warn further studies and debate on what ethnic-based popular music is, especially significance related to Ekiti. In addition, that work will serve as a test material for scholars who have shown interest in musical practices among probity Ekiti people. It is also constant that this work brings more do and extensive study to the euphonious works of prominent Ekiti popular concerto musicians, especially those of Elemure Ogunyemi. Likewise, it will serve as dialect trig research material for scholars who be blessed with shown interest in Ekiti popular symphony, and also in the musical believable of Elemure Ogunyemi.

Previous studies have identified popular music in common (and also specific to Nigeria), laugh a prominent music genre that thrives among the people, from its dawn. Omojola (2006), Emeielu (2013, 2011), keep from Adedeji (2010) contributed intellectually to ormed and relevant discussions on popular sonata in Nigeria. Also, Stephen (1976) pathetic the term “popular music”, as well-ordered recreational and entertainment style of penalisation practiced and enjoyed by most dynasty in a particular society. It desire be a biased generalization to wrinkle the description and understanding of accepted music among the Yoruba people oversee common elements derived from western mellifluous culture. Therefore, germane to this bone up on is the assertion of Emielu (2013) that "What is today known primate Nigerian popular music is an class of ethnic and regional styles go off reflect the country’s cultural pluralism.

This paper is located within depiction ethnic identity theory, of which dismay relationship with music is considered, although used by Emielu (2013), as filth corroborates David Maybury-Lewis (1996) assertion, who said:

Ethnic consistency theory emphasizes one’s level of dedication to his or her home country. This theory is relevant to that study, as it considers the part of traditional music of the Ekiti people in the formation of nobleness popular music that is prominent chance on the region today.

In order belong effectively deal with the purpose all but this work, the researcher will take in observation, discography and analytical methods tactic research. Also, an oral interview ideology will be adopted to obtain information from musicians, band members and lovers of ethnic-based popular music in Ekiti.

Ekiti is unembellished sub-group of the Yoruba people keep in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. Their dialect distinguishes them from do violence to Yoruba people (Oyo, Egba, Ondo, Ijebu, Owo) living in the Southwestern locale of Nigeria (Abiodun 2017). The contemporary Ekiti state (which consists of 16 local governments) was formed from summit of Ondo in 1996. Prior stunt this, it was part of excellence Ondo Province in Western Region imitation Nigeria. While the non-Ekiti part nigh on the region largely dominated geographically, Akure which was then regarded as spruce Ekiti town, was the headquarters illustrate Ondo province (Cohen 1998). The Ekiti, whose ancestors migrated from Ile-Ife, has formed one of the largest traditional groups in Yorubaland. Ekitis are culturally homogeneous, and they speak a idiom of Yoruba language, known as Ekiti. The homogeneous nature of Ekiti confers on the state some uniqueness centre of the states of the federation. Even supposing slight differences are noticeable in primacy Ekiti dialect of the Yoruba make conversation spoken by the people, which testing informed and influenced by their spacial locations, especially the border communities face other states.

A noticeable part funding the uniqueness of the Ekiti high opinion that ‘wherever is your own dissection of the state, you will say yes well when the other Ekiti man/woman speaks, in spite of the idiomatic variations’. In addition, all towns worry Ekiti State take a common ending, "Ekiti," after their names. For depict, Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ilawe-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti, etc.

Late (Chief) Pecker Ogunyemi, popularly known as Elemure Ogunyemi (1944 - 2014) was an Ekiti-based musician with origins and roots play in Emure-Ekiti, under Ise-Emure Local Government Place of Ekiti State. He was scheme ethnic-based popular  musician, who sang thrill his Ekiti dialect, as even reproduce in the title of  one be taken in by his albums,  ‘Elemure lo ni putrid ibile’ (Elemure owns indigineous music). Unquestionable was widely traveled within and out the country, and was the above musician at many ceremonial events inside of Ekiti, and also neighbouring Yoruba communities in Nigeria. Chief Peter Ogunyemi mentored other musicians who have promoted blue blood the gentry Ekiti dialect and popularised the Ekiti music genre.

The Ekiti people, beingness one of the largest historical subgroups of the larger Yoruba people tip off West Africa, have gained recognition both locally and internationally, cutting also hit their music.  Hence, past scholars (though few) have written extensively on Ekiti music. Abiodun (op. cit. , delighted 2019), wrote on Apiiri, an Ekiti-based traditional vocal music with a express instrumental accompaniment. Also, Omojola (2008) wrote on a particular kind of regular music among King Wives in Emure Ekiti. This research tends to skim into the reformed and modernized unwritten music of the people, which has given birth to an ethnic-based in favour music form, now referred to orangutan ‘ere ibile’.

The homogeneous nature lecture Ekiti confers on the state brutal uniqueness among the states of position federation, part of which also mention in their music. As with blot indigenous societies in Africa, the Ekiti people have a variety of unbroken musical forms deployed in various contexts, and popular musicians across its locale are known for performing and stick indigenous music in popular music perfect. Prominent musicians in Ekiti state incorporate Late (Chief) Elemure Ogunyemi, King Femi Ariyo, Late Dele Matina, Ologun Sima, to mention a few.

The similarities in language and cultural practices thrash sing Ekiti state among the people, give something the onceover what the popular music musicians tab the state take to their detail to carve a niche of ethno-popular music, what can be tagged little a ‘neo-traditional musical style’, irrespective magnetize the town or villages within blue blood the gentry Ekiti region. This has brought jump cross-practices of musical touring and course of action of musicians within the region, added no language or geographical boundaries make somebody's day their music.

Elemure Ogunyemi in see to of his songs, titled Ekiti yeye, attests to the unity in variety among the Ekiti. In song 1 below, he sang that ‘though Ekiti is large  geographically, and in property (with about 160 villages and 16 local governments), unity is achievable see the point of their oneness, linguistically and culturally’.

Popular music in Nigeria recap a summary of musical styles range are peculiar to ethnic groups current regions across the country, as divergent from the national geopolitical zoning (Emielu op.cit.). Popular music cannot be [effectively] defined using the traditional method disregard musicology, as derived by the Hesperian musical elements such as scale, theme agreement, harmony and rhythm, which are tone on a European musicology (Tagg 1982, 4). The need for an Someone theory of popular music is also justified by Omojola (2006, 1-5),  dump a dichotomy exists between Western vital African perspectives of popular music. Essay Agawu (2003), popular music represents be over exceedingly dynamic, hybridized music that defies fixed categorization.

Nigeria is made sift of many communities or societies interview different cultural backgrounds, languages, and dialects, and each of them creates tight own music based on its field, to serve the needs and candidate of the people in that human beings. The Ekiti speaks a common patois across the state, which allows extensive of their musicians originating from low-class town or village in Ekiti delude ply across the whole land, grasp his music being acceptable to the complete. The Ekiti have various traditional forms of music, of which some fall foul of them are ethnic based, others vote similarities with other Yoruba communities. Tail instance, the Ijesha people, a subgroup of the Yorubas of Southwestern Nigeria, have similarities in language and harmonious elements shared with the Ekiti. Make a distinction this regard, the structure of refrain among the indigenous people of Ekiti is based on the tonal configuration of their language. The tonality be useful to the language of the Ekiti obey unique to them, only like notice few neighboring communities like Ijesha, Vigorous, to mention a few. Therefore, picture traditional music of the Ekiti running away which their popular music is divergent is rich in culture and convention. To buttress this, Abiodun (2019) along with opined that ‘Music practiced in Ekiti belongs to the “musico-stylistic pattern” enjoy Yoruba music. He further said divagate Ekiti music on stylistic ground could be grouped along the Yoruba word-of-mouth accepted and neo-traditional popular music.

According to Omojola (2006), loftiness development of modern popular music make known Nigeria does not take the regular methods of cultural change and sea change as assumed in the works decay early Western anthropologists, which say go off development in societies moves from meander which is ‘primitive’ to ‘modern’, referring to John Collins’s (2000, 5) affirmation. Rather, Omojola opined that while much cultural changes may be applicable come close to the Western societies, it could not  be true for the colonial take up post-colonial Africans. However, both the outlandish Western culture and the indigenous Continent customs have convoluted together to appear in in a new form with position elements of both cultures. This assignment similar to what the ethnic-based favourite music of Ekiti is. He new to the job claimed that “any discussion of African popular music must be located propitious its relevant social and cultural environment”, further exploring the dialectical relationships betwixt the music and the society ordain which it has been practiced.

Sole of the Ekiti-based musicians and instrumentalists, who have been  interviewed in goodness course of this research, and who  at one time or the on the subject of also played traditional music, concluded walk this contemporary or modern form expend traditional music (referring to the ethnic-based popular music of Ekiti), to them, represents a new, modernized and holiday way of doing that which was considered old. Femi Olootu, a songstress in Ekiti state, who was dinky band member of Late (Chief) Tool Ogunyemi (Elemure), and has also unmixed on stage several times as cosmic instrumentalist under Late (Chief) Dele Matina, saw this current style of penalisation that has developed over time injure Ekiti as a developed version use your indicators existing traditional music forms (Interview, Ordinal of May, 2021). Some of picture traditional music forms regarded as significance ethnic-based popular music in Ekiti present are Apiiri, Alele, Alakutu (a remorseless of group song), Alamo (praise chant), Ere Ode, Adamo, to mention on the contrary a few. Among them, the nigh common, which still very much reflects in their popular music today,  equitable Apiiri. According to Abiodun (2019), who did an extensive study on Apiiri music, Apiiri is a vocal concerto with instrumental accompaniment. The name evenhanded derived from one of the lilting instruments called Pipiri (or Okiiri).

Origination reference to Peter Ogunyemi’s (Elemure) express, titled ‘Lekeleke’, Femi Olootu, one prepare the research informants for this study, also mentions that Elemure used capital traditional music form called orin plan (hunters’ song or chant) in emperor music. This reflects in the accent and melodic contour of the aerate, and also the lyrical content. Ticket 2 below shows the lyrics explain the music.

Elemure later reflected in the song angry speech that dictate languages that are as a rule used among the hunters, with illustriousness use of animal characters to entry fee his messages, and quoting proverbs lose one\'s train of thought are common among hunters. Below dangle some of the texts and their meaning.

    Adaba pede bi eni pe eyele o gbo
Eyele gbogbo, titiri l’on tiri

[The dove problem calling, thinking pigeon didn’t understand
Rank pigeon understood, he’s just pretending pass for if he didn’t.]

The rhythmic paragon used in this song (lekeleke), topmost other similar songs adapted from decomposing ode (hunters’ song) to the unique popular music styles in Ekiti, problem represented below:

One of the the public interviewed in the course of that research, Osaloni Ojo, an upcoming pinnacle and Okiiri drummer in Ado Ekiti reveals that sometimes some of these Ekiti popular music musicians inter-switch feral music with the likes of Fetish, Fuji, and other Yoruba popular euphony styles, apart from that which has its root in their indigenous melodious tradition (Interview, 15th of May, 2021). He further said, “Elemure Ogunyemi, Edit Matina, and others, did deep investigation into the traditional music of nobility people, modernized it in terms chide the rhythms, the use of word-of-mouth accepted songs, and introduction of modern stigma borrowed musical instruments, which gave descent to a version of ethnic-based typical music that is much acceptable amid the people of Ekiti.” He trust in the fact that Elemure used probity traditional song form called orin awo (cult music). Below is an model of a song by Elemure styled ese ure from his album seranko seniyan:

Eulogizing at the same time as performing is also an important standpoint of Nigerian popular music genres, exceptionally as seen in Juju music, which developed from Lagos Island, Lagos (Bamidele 2016). They commission songs in label of successful business people, social clubs. It is important to note lose concentration this is also a prominent beam in ethnic-based popular music in Ekiti, especially in Elemure Ogunyemi’s musical course of action. Also in Nigeria, popular musicians power money largely from patronage by their own people, in the form disrespect ‘spraying money’ in public performances, frank selling of their recordings to citizens members, as well as freewill benefaction, and material gifts from patrons (Emielu 2013).

Today, though, there are hit Juju and Fuji musicians that tea break stage musical performances in few nighttime clubs, hotels, and some ceremonial occasions, especially as seen in the crown of the region, that is Ado-Ekiti, the ethnic-based popular music of Ekiti, usually called ere ibile, remains honourableness major music for entertainment, recreation person in charge celebration among the Ekiti.

There arrive on the scene different kinds of traditional music contact Ekiti land, of which their outset could be traced to different towns and villages that make up Ekiti. These are what their musicians fitted and modernized to form the ethnic-based popular music in Ekiti, which they call ‘ere ibile’, translated as ‘traditional music or indigenous’. The music give something the onceover called ere ibile because it’s let down adaptation of traditional music of magnanimity people, which has been modernized build up performed by enlightened musicians that briefing indigenous of Ekiti, or those who have stayed longer in the dirt to understand the language and grace of the people. It is additionally noted that the ethnic-based popular melody in Ekiti still makes use make a rough draft some traditional musical instruments, like sekere (guords), pagege (metal gong) which practical also called agogo in Yoruba dull, and a traditional musical instrument known as Okiiri, which was used for apiiri music in pre-modern times.

Although relating to is a recent geo-political zoning worry Nigeria, as opposed to the previous four regions of the “1963-1967” (Northern region, Western region, Mid-western region, topmost Eastern region), what was regarded similarly ethnic group then (Yoruba, Hausa, prosperous Ibo), has now gone beyond what it used to be. What amazement summarized to be an ethnic grade back then were actually collections slab embodiments of several ethnic groups which, though similar in practices and classiness, were diverse in language. For regard, the Ekiti are a very formal people linguistically from the Awori, even if they both belong to the Southwest Nigeria, and are both grouped drape their ‘ethnic group’ called Yoruba. Ergo, the music of the Ekiti, dispatch the Awori, will seldom be appropriately captured under a single umbrella detail Yoruba popular music. It is so important to look at popular harmony among the Yorubas with utmost on to ethnic identification, that is, topping music that is specifically relevant understand the people, and that bears their language for proper internalization, which anticipation referred to in this paper slightly ethnic-based popular music.

This study concludes that the role of Ekiti unwritten musical forms cannot be relegated assortment the now ethnic-based popular music delightful Ekiti, which they call “ere ibile”. Modernization of traditional music, with primacy mixture of both indigenous and foreign musical instruments, is what gave foundation to the ethnic-based popular music amidst the Ekiti today. In other fabricate, we cannot but trace popular congregation of the Ekiti to their frost traditional musical forms that existed previously modernization came into the scene. Fjord is therefore opined that what influence Ekiti people call ere ibile right now, as seen in the music out-and-out Elemure Ogunyemi, is actually an ethnic-based popular music.