AKIN WANI JIN’BA WA YAYAI PYEN‘PEACE AND PROGRESS’ (AN ANTHEM FOR S.A.T.B.)

ABSTRACT

The Jukun music is a sub-genre of African traditional music. Like every other African music, it is woven around day to day events of the people’s life from birth through death. It constitutes complex messages which are rooted in specific cultural practices; using elaborate vocal polyphony tunes, polyrhythm, dance drumming, horn ensemble, xylophone, rattles and so on. The  Jukun  traditional  music  makes  use  of  extensive  repetition  of  exclamations,  call  and response, song words as an opening up of space for contemplation, a temporary freezing of verbal content, and giving room for other participant of the music to give a certain turn of phrase, cadential approaches and a spontaneous composition of embellishments. The Jukuns are categorized into two- “the Wapa and the Wanu”. This work will focus more on the wapas being the majority tribe of Wukari town where this research is carried out. The Wukari town has witnessed series of ethnic, political and religious crisis over the years, this brought about the theme of my composition as found in the third chapter of this project work ‘AKIN WANI JIN’BA WA YAYAI PYEN’meaning “PEACE AND PROGRESS”. Unlike many other Nigerian indigenous music which have enjoyed scholarly interventions, Jukun music seems still unexplored. This work aims at searching for the unique features of Jukun music, while drawing from its idioms in composing an anthem advocating for peaceful cohabitation within the community and  the  nation  as  a  whole.  The  research was  carried  out  via  observation and participatory methods. Also, verbal interviews and relevant  literature were employed in the work. These, were combined with some western music elements and techniques, in writing this work of art.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The art of composition, like many other works of art, is endless.  It is a vast platform upon which creativity can be explored. Music composition is an ever evolving aspect of human life that attracts improvement and modifications over and over again, just  like life itself.   The new discoveries and innovations employed in the act of composition are still very dependent on the old and fundamental rules that stand as a solid foundation upon which they are built. It is an endless practice that encourages hard work.

According  to  Onyeji  (1994),  “….because  creative  minds  are  always  reaching  out  for  the undiscovered, different musical resources have been explored at different times and in different

degrees by different composers of different countries” (p. 1). Efforts have been made by different people at various levels to come up with something entirely new, but the fact remains that no man is an island of knowledge. Ideas are still drawn consciously or unconsciously from older works the composer is exposed to over time. Onyeji (1994, p.1) wrote that “in their deliberate efforts to arrive at new musical interpretations of existing phone-facts, and at creating entirely

new music, many composers all over the world have made conscious and unconscious efforts to draw on the folk materials of their peoples”

Ethno- composition as described by Onyeji (1994) is simply “drawing creative inspirations from folk sources as well as utilizing folk musical materials in assembling new music…that captures the folk essence” (p. 2).  Therefore, this work of art being an aspect of ethno-composition draws its inspiration and creativity from the existing musical idioms of the ethnic group the composer is set to work with and some indispensable western compositional techniques. However, various attempts have been made in defining music composition. American Heritage dictionary described music composition as “the art or process of arranging or putting together of sounds in combination by rhythm, harmony and melody to please or interest a listener” (p. 4).

As defined by Nwankwo (2012, p.1) “ music composition is the art of combining musical

fragments to form a whole musical thought, it is a deliberate and conscious activity undertaken by a musician known as a composer… it deals with the conception and bringing to reality of

musical imaginations for the purpose of performance”. Also, Jacobs (1967, p. 80) considered it as “the result of a deliberate individual creative art”. Meanwhile, Onyeji (2003, p. 148) said it is

“the substance/fact of music that signifies structuring, restructuring and unearthing of finished

music or  part  of it”.  Therefore, music composition can be  defined as the  expression of a musician’s creative thought in an oral or written form, made available for the interest of both the performer and listeners.

Music composition in African setting is usually done orally, and in most cases at the place of event. Musicians depend solely on improvisation,while building on existing rhythm and melody. Unlike the Western music; they are neither written nor documented; they were passed on through

oral tradition of which Jukun music is not an exemption. Meanwhile, art music in Africa cameinto being as a result of the introduction of Christianity. Ukpong (2006) recorded that “Written

music was introduced into Africa by Christian Missionaries in the form of hymns. They provided

This composition will probably serve as the first written form of Jukun music, and is aimed at laying solid foundation for further musical research work on it.

1.1    Aims and objectives

The Jukun music as I observed, exhibits the richness coherent in many African music. It is keenly connected to the people’s tradition and culture. The Jukun music is presently still in oral form, though attempts have been made by the church to translate the church hymns and anthems to   Jukun  language.  Popular  musicians  also   have  employed  the  Jukun  music  in  their compositions. However, there  still  exist  a  huge  vacuum in  terms of scholarly writing  and documentation of Jukun music. Therefore, this work sets to put Jukun music in written form, while expressing its musical, socio-cultural, ideological and historical aspects and bringing it to lime light for further research and appreciation. This composition will provide relevant data on Jukun music and the essence of peace and progress it conveys.

Specific objectives of this work are to:

      Ascertain the prominent musical scale,  mode, harmonic style and  instrumental accompaniments of Jukun music.

    Compose choral and instrumental music by drawing from the Jukun music idioms.

    Contribute to the existing wells of ethno-compositions.

1.2    Statement of problem

Jukun music, unlike many traditional music of some tribes in Nigeria, has not been visited nor thoroughly researched by music scholars. Therefore this  ethno-composition is  motivated to explore the  jukun music. Inter-communal and religious conflicts have  become wide spread throughout Nigeria. This growing trend results from the spirit of intolerance among societies. Inter-group relations in Wukari Local Government Area, particularly between the Jukuns and Hausas, Christians and Muslims have assumed the same disturbing dimension over the years.

The composition advocates for peaceful cohabitation of the people living in the community and the nation as a whole.

1.3    Need for the study

The rationale behind the study and composition of AKIN WANI JIN’BA WA YAYAI PYEN is that it will provide the pedestal from which other researchers may take off, in order to procure the hitherto scarce research material and guide for further compositions on Jukun music. So far, only historical research has been done on Jukun tradition and all associated with it by academia.

1.4    Significance of the study

Jukun tradition is one of the prominent traditions in Nigeria, with rich musical culture. Also, Jukun culture and migration, war and settlement history have been written and imbibed into Nigerian history and academic curriculum. Efforts also have been made by theatre artists to stage briefly the Jukun dance and music which deny the masses the true picture of Jukun music. This research and composition will therefore, provide the needed useful information about Jukun

music that will encourage further research.

1.5    Methodology

This research work was carried out through fieldwork, by observing and participating in the music presentations. Oral interviews were also carried out to clarify some observations made. The library and internet was also consulted for relevant literatures to solidify the discoveries made,  after which the general analysis of the findings was made,  before using it in composing

the piece of music.

Employing the choral native air style, in four parts harmony and drawing from Jukun musical idioms.  The  work  is  in  three  movements,  using  some  selected  orchestral instruments and

percussions as instrumental accompaniment.

1.6     Background of the study

Since this work is an ethno- composition, it will be necessary to discourse briefly the people, their culture and the land itself. The present Wukari Local Government Area as recorded by Meek (1931) and reinforced by many Jukun informants in Akombo (1997:12-20), was one of the three districts of former Wukari Federation in the then Benue Province. It was created in 1976. At present, the sixteen former districts of the Local Government Area are merged into thirteen districts namely, Wukari, Puje, Tsokundi/Gidan Idi, Nwokyo, Bantaje, Matar Fada, Akwana, Assa, Kente, Rafinkada, Chonku, Chinkai and Jibu. Located in a very large expanse of land, approximately between 9.80E and 8.90N of the equator. The Local Government is bounded to the North and East by Ibi and Donga Local Government Areas respectively. To the Northeast, it is shielded by Gassol and Bali Local Government Areas. To the South, it is enveloped by Logo and Ukum Local Government Areas of Benue State. Wukari Local Government Area is situated in an area with relatively hot climate of between 240c to 270c. The area has an annual rainfall of between 40-80 inches.

Blessed with fertile land, agriculture remains the dominant occupation of the area, with fishing as a subsidiary economic activity. Both root and cereal crops are widely grown in the area. While the root crops are yam, cassava and sweet potatoes, the cereals are guinea corn, millet, maize, rice, beans, soya beans etc. Similarly, banana and other tree plantations like mango, cashew and orange give very impressive yield. Basically, the Local Government Area is an agrarian society.

Irrespective of the military predicament of the new Jukun center at Wukari, from the center, Jukun influence had become firmly entrenched in the Middle Benue region. And once founded, Wukari remained a center from where Jukun and related groups spread to the west and east of the environs, and variously known at different places in the course of their migration down to their present habitat. History, also have it that the Jukun were the most powerful group in the Middle Benue Region. Jukun religious institutions included the Abo, Buhor, and Achu-Ayonda. The Jukun language was the official language of the then Wukari Federation.  At the wake of the twentieth  century,  almost  all  the  smaller  groups  in  the  former  Wukari  Federation  were assimilated into the Jukun culture, the right to appoint and depose chiefs was a right reserved exclusively for the King (Aku) of Wukari.

Kwararafa Kingdom

An estimated approximation of the boundaries of the historical Kwararafa, the kingdom from

which the modern Jukun claim descendence. Just like the afore mentioned Jukun factors, Jukun

music  also  served  an  indispensable  role  in  their  religious  worship,  festivals  and  social

interactions and all the related groups coined their music from the Jukun music with some

modifications.

1.7    Scope, location and concept of composition

As stated earlier on, this research is carried out in Wukari town of Wukari Local Government area of southern Taraba State. Predominantly occupied by the Jukun ‘Wapas’, the composition was drawn from their musical idioms. The work is in three movements, the first movement is an instrumental exposition by small band consisting of some selected woodwind and brass instruments, accompanied with the bass and tenor drums which represents the male and female dru;of the Jukun people. It is moderately fast and lasted ninety bars, followed by the second

movement which is a slow choral work in four parts with piano accompaniment, it lasted seventy four bars. The third movement is in another key and time signature and is a combination of voice and instrument, alternating the melodies, with a constant rhythmic line played by the tenor and

bass drum,  except  at  two  different  points where voices  came  in  without  any instrumental accompaniment. These, lasted for few bars and the instrument resume almost immediately, and lasted for one hundred and eighty bars. The lyrics of the work is both English and Jukun

language, the second movement is mostly in English language with very some Jukun words infused into it. The crisis and instability in the town which is the motivation for this composition

is expressed in the work, the first movement portrays the season of peace and joy, until it got

interrupted with violence and bloodshed, which is reflected in the second movement as peoplebegan to cry for peace and stability in the community. The third movement portrays a state of recovering from the losses of war and a hopeful future of peaceful co-existence and stability in the community which will eventually breed progress.

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