Abstract

The intensification of political intolerance, moral decline, and social fragmentation in contemporary African societies has renewed interest in cultural and religious media capable of fostering ethical consciousness and social reform. Sacred music, long associated with worship and spiritual edification, increasingly functions as a vehicle for political commentary
and moral regulation. This study examines the sacred compositions B’Oju W’ole and Ilé Ologo by Blessing Amole, analysing their textual, musical, and socio-cultural dimensions to demonstrate how sacred music engages with the politics of acrimony. Through discography, score reading, and textual analysis, the study reveals that the compositions expose societal
vices such as hypocrisy, corruption, sacrilege, and hostile political behaviour. The songs operate as corrective instruments that caution leaders and citizens against actions capable of undermining justice, peace, and national development. The study concludes that sacred music remains a viable medium for political engagement, moral regeneration, and social
transformation, and recommends that composers continue to produce spiritually edifying and socially responsive works.

Keywords: African Christian Music, Moral Regulation, Political Acrimony, Sacred Music, Social Criticism

Download Full-Text (PDF)

Download Full-Text

References

Adedeji, F. (2006). The church music ministry and the Nigerian society. Ilorin Journal of Religious Studies, 1(1), 45 to 58.

Agawu, K. (2003). Representing African music: Postcolonial notes, queries, positions. Routledge.

Ajayi, B. A. (2014). Music as a tool for social and political change in Nigeria. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 3(4), 45 to 53.

Akuno, E. A. (2012). Music and social transformation in Africa. Muziki: Journal of Music Research in Africa, 9(2), 133 to 145.

Amole, B. A. (2024). Minstrel sings mysteries. Panoptic Wand Global Service.

Amole, B. A. (2024a). B’Oju W’ole [Sacred musical composition]. Unpublished manuscript.

Amole, B. A. (2024b). Ilé Ologo [Sacred musical composition]. Unpublished manuscript.

Arom, S. (1991). African polyphony and polyrhythm: Musical structure and methodology. Cambridge University Press.

Barz, G., and Cooley, T. J. (Eds.). (2008). Shadows in the field: New perspectives for fieldwork in ethnomusicology (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Blacking, J. (1973). How musical is man? University of Washington Press.

Cooke, M. (2009). The role of music in world cultures. McGraw-Hill.

Daramola, Y. (2017). Sacred music and social reformation in contemporary Nigerian Christianity. Nigerian Journal of Musicology, 11(1), 23 to 38.

Idamoyibo, I. O. (2017). Music as a vehicle for social criticism and cultural reformation in Nigeria. Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts, 12, 64 to 78.

Merriam, A. P. (1964). The anthropology of music. Northwestern University Press.

Nketia, J. H. K. (1974). The music of Africa. W. W. Norton and Company.

Nzewi, M. (1997). African music: Theoretical content and creative continuum. Institut für Didaktik Populärer Musik.

Okafor, R. C. (2005). Music in Nigerian society. New Generation Books.

Omibiyi-Obidike, M. A. (2001). African musical resources and African identity. The African Diaspora, 3(1), 12 to 27.

Omojola, B. (2012). Nigerian art music: With an introduction study of Ghanaian art music. Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique.

Omojola, B. (2020). Music, culture, and identity in contemporary Africa. Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, 17(1 to 2), 1 to 15.

Turino, T. (2008). Music as social life: The politics of participation. University of Chicago Press.

Waterman, C. A. (1990). Jùjú: A social history and ethnography of an African popular music. University of Chicago Press.

Author

Blessing Amos Amole, PhD