The Place of Music in a Typical Nigerian Society.

Nigeria is saddled with high levels of disparity in terms of access to social services and income
distribution. Disparities are socio-economic – linked among others to types of employment and
levels of education of the parents– as well as geographic, mainly between North and South and
between rural and urban areas. Gender inequality is pervasive in Nigeria, in terms of political
representation, access to and control over land, credit facilities, technologies, education and
health. Large numbers of people live in poverty, both monetary and multidimensional. Music to
a typical Nigerian is a way to escaping the harsh realities of being part of the citizenry.

Nigeria is a third world country with over 200 million citizens. Music is practiced in Nigeria from
the day a child is born till the day that child is buried, hopefully at ripe old age. Traditional
music from Nigeria and throughout Africa is almost always functional; in other words, it is
performed to mark a ritual such as the wedding or funeral and not really to achieve artistic
goals. Some Nigerians old or young learn to play musical instruments in order to be performers
and that is it. The idea of music education is supposed to be in the hands of musicologists but
most secondary schools do not scout for music graduates to handle their music subjects,
instead they get road side musicians who can play one music instrument and might not even
understand what he is playing not to talk about imparting the knowledge to someone else.

The study of music in a Nigerian secondary school is supposedly formal, with a classroom,
instruments, instructional materials and tutors. The bane of music study is its merger with fine
art and drama now called cultural and creative arts. Many secondary schools do not know how
to go about this merger to the point that some employ a fine art teacher to handle all the
aspects in the merger (fine art, music and drama) in order to cut cost. Some other schools get a
church musician who plays one instrument mainly the piano to become the music teacher and
this is in order to sell the school and not to impart the students with working knowledge on the
concept of music and how it impacts our lives. Teaching music professionally requires one to be
skillful, versatile, creative, expressive, educative, inspiring, etc and many of these "teachers of
music" are not fit based on the above criteria.

The most common format for music in Nigeria is the call-and-response choir, in which a lead
singer and a chorus interchange verses, sometimes accompanied by instruments that either
shadow the lead text or repeat and ostinato vocal phrase. The southern area features complex
rhythms and solo players using melody instruments, while the north more typically features
polyphonic wind ensembles. The extreme north region is associated with monodic (i.e., single-
line) music with an emphasis on drums, and tends to be more influenced by Islamic music. Due
to this multi-facet music practice in Nigeria, it is expedient that music is studied properly in
Nigerian secondary institution to bring sort of a binding force between all ethnic groups. Music
learnt in a formal setting prepares students for any eventuality that may arise from the practice
of music at any time.

Music is performed during festivals, concerts, therapy etc and knowing all these, it will not be
out of place to study how music is able to stand the test of time and impact American lives in
more than one positive ways so it can be replicated in different areas. America is seen as the
poster boy for anything qualitative hence many Africans show interest in coming over for
studies in different fields which includes music. Music is important and meaningful to many
people around the world. However, there may be areas of this subject that one has not yet
explored or even heard of before. A music degree will consider different genres such as jazz,
classical, pop, etc. providing one with a broad knowledge of these different styles. As music is a
wide-ranging discipline, there are many specialisations one can choose from.

Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It
touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain, the cognitive domain,
and, in particular and significant ways, the affective domain, including music appreciation and
sensitivity. The incorporation of music training from preschool to postsecondary education is
common in most nations because involvement in music is considered a fundamental
component of human culture and behavior. Music, like language, is an accomplishment that
distinguishes us as humans. The benefits of music education are immense and highly beneficial
to students. Music positively impacts a child’s academic performance, assists in developing
social skills, and provides an outlet for creativity that is crucial to a child’s development. Music
education catapults a child’s learning to new heights, and because of this, it should always be
considered a pivotal part of a child’s educational process.

Music education improves and develops language skills in children. Music stimulates the brain,
and with its varied sounds and lyrics, students are exposed to a large amount of vocabulary in a
short amount of time. Music also provides exposure to other languages, which creates a
foundation for the student’s ability to understand and communicate in a different language.

Music is a vehicle for excellent memory skills. Have you ever listened to a song for the first time
in a long time and still remember the lyrics? Even individuals who are not musicians experience
this phenomenon. Through catchy melodies and a variety of sounds, music has a way of
“sticking” with us and is a powerful tool for learning when used appropriately.