Nigerian Music: 6 Indigenous Music From Nigeria

But music in Nigeria has a history and can be largely categorized into genres. Music in Nigeria assumed commercial interests in the early 1900s, and by 1910 popular musicians are already emerging into popular genres. Some of these will be examined here and now:

Juju:

Jùjú is a style of Nigerian popular music, derived from traditional Yoruba percussion. The name comes from a Yoruba word “juju” or “jiju” meaning “throwing” or “something being thrown.” Juju music did not derive its name from juju, which “is a form of magic and the use of magic objects or witchcraft common in West Africa, Haiti, Cuba and other South American nations.” It evolved in the 1920s in urban clubs across the countries, and was believed to have been created by AbdulRafiu Babatunde King, popularly known as Tunde King. The first jùjú recordings were by Tunde King and Ojoge Daniel from the same era of the 1920s when Tunde King pioneered it. The lead and predominant instrument of Jùjú is the Iya Ilu,”‘ talking drum.

Some Jùjú musicians were itinerant, including early pioneers Ojoge Daniel, Irewole Denge and the “blind minstrel” Kokoro.^[

. By the 1950s other artists such as Tunde Nightingale, J. O Araba, C. A Balogun came into the Juju music scene, and by early 1960s I. K Dairo rose to stardom and took the center-stage, paving the way for Ebenezer Obey and Sunny Ade to come up into prominence. Sir Shina Peters, Dele Taiwo, and Dayo Kujore also achieved fame with Juju in the early 1990s when the genre was declining in popularity.

 

Highlife:

Highlife originated in Ghana and then Cameroon and Zaire, with Ghanaian E. T Mensah popularizing it in Ghana in the 1950s. Then Nigerian Bobby Benson, Cardinal Rex Lawson, and Dr. Victor Olaiya came on the scene; but the brand of music achieved more with Igbo musicians such as Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, Oliver De Coque, Celestine Ukwu, Oriental Brothers, Sonny Okosun, Victor Uwaifo, and the Yoruba Orlando Owoh.

Apala:

Apala is a slow and emotional dirge-like kind of music which took root in Ogun State and popularized by Haruna Ishola and Ayinla Omowura in the early 1960s. Olatunji Yusuf raised the genre high in the early 70s and Musiliu Ishola, Haruna’s son also made an attempt to resurrect the genre among the Yoruba-speaking people in 2003 with his own album.

Waka:

Waka is predominantly sung by Yoruba women with Islamic backgrounds. The most reputable among these is Queen Salawa Abeni who ruled the Waka music genre for almost three decades with no other artist dislodging her leadership in the genre.

Afro-beat:

Afro-beat was popularized by Fela Anikulapo Kuti around 1961, playing a mixture of funk, highlife, jazz and West Africa music to make his blend of music. Although Fela is credited with pioneering Afrobeat, Orlando Julius Ekemode was also prominent as an Afro-beat musician. Upon Fela’s death in 1997, his son Femi Kuti took the stage and promoted Afro-beat by releasing several album and touring Europe. Then the masked musician, Lagbaja, entered the stage with his form of Afrobeat which became instant hit with people all over the country because of his enigmatic performance.

Fuji:
Were music/Ajisari, traditionally, was an Islamic type music played by the Muslim children in Yorubaland to wake the faithful for fasting or Suhur during Ramadan period. This musical genre was made popular by Alhaji Dauda Epo-Akara, the deceased who based in Ibadan,was the “awurebe” founder and Ganiyu Kuti, a.k.a. “Gani Irefin”.^[1]

The long list of notable “ajiwere” performers during the early Independence years included Sikiru (Omo Abiba), Ajadi Ganiyu, Ayinde Muniru Mayegun a.k.a. “General Captain,” Ajadi Bashiru, Sikiru Onishemo, Kawu Aminu, Jibowu Barrister (under whom Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister performed), Ayinde Fatayi, Kasali Alani, Saka Olayigbade, Ayinla Yekinni, and Bashiru Abinuwaye.

Varying styles were beginning to evolve by this time, and it was not unusual for a few to play mouth organs (harmonica) between “Ajiwere” interludes within their compositions. Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister was the lead singer/composer of the popular ajisari group, Jibowu Barrister, under the leadership of Alhaji Jibowu Barrister (mentioned above). Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and other young “Ajiwere” “rocked” Lagos and its environs.

Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister is the creator of Fuji music, one of the variations of the were/Ajisari musical genre.^[2] The name, “Fuji,” chosen for the new musical genre was conceived in a rather funny and unusual way. According to Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister: “I came up with it when I saw a poster at an airport, advertising the Mount Fuji, which is the highest peak in Japan.” Fuji, in this context, should not be mistaken for the Yoruba word “fuja,” or “faaji,” which means leisure or enjoyment. “Onifuja” or “Onifaaji” is Yoruba for a socialite, or one who relishes leisure or enjoyment.

Between 1970 and throughout the 1980s, other fuji musicians included Fatai Adio, Saura Alhaji, Student Fuji, Rahimi Ayinde (Bokote), Ramoni Akanni, Love Azeez, Waidi Akangbe, Sikiru Olawoyin, Agbada Owo (who prematurely experimented with the guitar), Iyanda Sawaba, Ejire Shadua, Wahabi Ilori, Wasiu Ayinde Barrister (he later changed his name to Wasiu Ayinde Marshall) and also the Ibadan quatro of Suleiman Adigun, Sakaniyau Ejire, and Wasiu Ayinla emerged, all introducing their versions of Fuji music.