SOUND, STRUCTURAL PATTERNS AND ICONOGRAPHY IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF GBEDU OLU OF EPE, LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Traditional music is central to the lives of the Yorùbá people. This genre of music is constantly being challenged by emerging trends in musical arts in the Yorùbá states of the South Western Nigeria. It has continued to writhe under the stress of urbanization and globalization. The challenge of upholding this waning musical tradition falls on the surviving socio-political institutions. This paper therefore, examines the Gbedu traditional music of the of p people of Lagos State. The article examines the sound, the structural patterns and other extraneous content of this particular traditional drums as performed in p land. Exploring ethnomusicological approach, the study relies on archival and ethnographic sources for its methodology. The article employs as research instruments, focus group discussion, key informant interview, non-participants’ observation methods to elicit data. This article aims at bringing into focus critical perspectives of traditional music of the Yorùbá people. Primary data for the article were collected from the palace of Olú of p , a prominent and ancient Yorùbá town in Lagos state, South West Nigeria. This article concludes that efforts need to be made by concerned authorities to promote Yoruba traditional music and preserve it from going into extinction.