The Role of Music in African Pentecostal Churches in Southwestern Nigeria (original) (raw)
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Church music is purpose-driven and functional art. The search for authentic African experience in Christian worship among Nigerian Baptists brought about the introduction of art music compositions into the drama of worship. The paper discusses the development and contextualisation of Baptist worship by the inclusion of new music(s) written, composed and performed by Africans for the purpose of the liturgy, serving as a voice within the culture. The research adopted an ethnographic research design. Data were collected from published works and recorded art music compositions, content analysis of worship bulletins, personal interviews with art music composers, choirmasters and pastors within the denomination. Textual analysis of art music compositions reveals that there are four different modes of communication in the drama of worship: Kerigmatic, Leitourgic, Koinonia, and Reflexive. The emergence and performance of art music compositions in the drama of worship have facilitated commun...
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African Musicology Online
One of the distinguishing identities of any Church movement is music. Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C) in Nigeria and the Diasporas at her inception came with her peculiar music firmly rooted in the Pentecostal theology of the church and in indigenous African musical culture. It became a great tool in the spirituality, evangelisation and proselytisation processes in the Church. Today, not only has C.A.C. influenced Nigerian Christian music greatly, but also dominated the gospel music, one of the most popular music genres in Nigeria. This paper, hinged on transformative and functionalism theories, aims at exhuming the philosophical theology, performance practices and the evolution of this Pentecostal brand of music, both at home and abroad. Employing theological, musicological and historical approaches, the paper as a sacred musicological study, discovers that C.A.C. music is highly functional with deep metaphysical connotations. From indigenous native airs, anthems, hymnody, art musi...
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2016
This study is gratefully dedicated to my Sovereign God who is the Author and Finisher of my soul. HE HAS BEEN MY GREAT SUCCOUR. To my beloved late father, Chief Shylon Oyekunle Odewole (1934-2005), and my mother, Chief Mrs. Felicia Kikelomo Odewole, for enabling me to go to school and the discipline of loving knowledge. To my friend, better half, sister, mother from another woman, sweetheart and darling wife Adesola Olufunke Rachel Odewole who over the years has been my backbone. She encourages and supports me morally, spiritually and, more importantly, financially. If it were not for her understanding and endurance, and not minding what people say, it would not have been possible for me to attain this height. To our beautiful children, Oluwamayomikun Ise-Oluwakolebaje Lois and Oluwasayodemi Ife-Oluwa Lucas, for their understanding, patience, daily prayer and immeasurable love. Not to us, LORD, not to us, But to your name be given glory on account of your gracious love and faithfulness (Ps.115:1-International Standard Version) iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND FOREWORD It is with deep gratitude that I would like to thank the LORD my Awesome GOD, the sending fountain of all knowledge, for the privilege of Salvation through missional church. My journey as a chorister and clergyman has been enriched with the knowledge of, and being included in His mission. I could clearly see God's hand in this research throughout the past three years and His Grace has carried me through very difficult and turbulent times during this period. "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, this is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes (Psalm 118:1 & 23-ESV). Along the road, there are individuals who also contribute to the formation of one's character, both in one's academic and personal life. Then there are individuals who lend emotional and moral support by merely showing interest in one's work. Without this support, the road would have been difficult, if not an impossible endeavour. Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor and promoter, Prof. Thinandavha Derrick Mashau, for his unalloyed continuous support of my D.Th study and related research, for his patience, motivation and immense knowledge. His guidance and support helped me in all the time of research and writing of this thesis. I could not have imagined having a better Advisor, Promoter and Mentor for my D.Th study. Besides my advisor, I would like to thank my friend, better half, sister, mother from another woman, sweetheart and darling wife, Adesola Olufunke Rachel Odewole, for her unconditional love, support and understanding over the past years since the time I left her to go to Manchester, UK. She has been my backbone and a pillar of support: she is a wife in a million. To my daughter, Mayokun, and my son, Sayodemi, for their understanding, patience, daily prayer and immeasurable love. My parents have played an important role in my religious life. After the death of my father, my mother carried me through difficult times, emotionally and financially. It is with gratitude that I iv thank them for their love and support. I also want to thank all my other family members and friends who have supported me and my family in one way or another. My dear Bishop, father and mentor, The Most Revd. Dr. G. L. Lasebikan Ph.D, The Diocesan Bishop of Ondo and Archbishop of Ondo Province, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion has played an important role in my academic formation during the years of my studies. He vested in us an interest to further our studies and he takes delight in us improving ourselves. This was the beginning of the road to my academic achievement in the Church. I also want to thank my home Diocesan Bishop, The Rt. Revd. Emmanuel Oludaisi Adekunle, M.Div., M.Ed., The Diocesan Bishop of Egba, Nigeria, for his keen interest and constant words of encouragement. My colleagues in the Dioceses of Ondo and Egba have constantly shown a keen interest in, and supported my work. I also need to thank the retired and new Bishops of Pretoria, South Africa, The Rt. Revd Dr Johannes Seoka (rtd) and The Rt Revd Allan Kannemeyer respectively and the entire clergy of the Diocese for their open hands of love. I acknowledge this with much gratitude. E seun gan pupo.
Book Chapter in The Routledge Companion to the Study of Local Musicking, edited by Suzel A. Reily and Katherine Brucher, 2018
This chapter discusses the relation between religious musicking and locality by looking at the ways in which music is made and perceived among members of a Nigerian Pentecostal parish in Greece. Central to Nigerian Pentecostal worship, music making is seen as a powerful means of spiritual engagement. Appointed music ministers carry special responsibility for directing the musical parts of services and for conveying musico-spiritual skills to the congregation. However, the ethos of musicking in these services is deeply participatory, inviting the entirety of congregants to take an active part in musically articulated worship, praise, and thanksgiving. While proposing that musicality and spirituality are inseparable and interchangeable skills of experience in the ethnographic context in question, I argue that participatory musicking in religious services can bring about a shared musico-spiritual experience. This shared experience creates a transcendent place, a locality not defined by mapped territories, but rather by worshippers connecting with one another while reaching the divine.
Christian music in contemporary Africa: a re-examination of its essentials
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