By Davou, SY; Egemba, OH; Kufre, I (2022).
Greener
Journal of Art and Humanities Vol. 9(1),
pp. 5-16, 2022 ISSN: 2276-7819 Copyright
©2022, the copyright of this article is retained by the author(s) |
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A Probing Order for the
Promotion of National Peace in the Contextual Analytical Structure of the
Musical Piece "Oh Plateau".
ARTICLE INFO |
ABSTRACT |
Article No.: 050122043 Type: Research |
In peace-building, every channel available must be used to ensure the
act's long-term viability. Using music as one of the methods that can
contribute to the long-term sustainability of peace as well as sustain it.
Plateau de Jos Nigeria, which is known for its tranquility
and tourism, has been engulfed in a sectarian crisis that has cost thousands
of lives and destroyed property over the years. Because Nigerians are
profoundly ingrained in art and culture, the search for peace and security
in the entire country began with music. The majority of people appreciate
music. Music is a symbolic language that talks directly to their minds for
them. In the central nervous system, which regulates the mind, music evokes
emotions and feelings. Most musicals, unfortunately, are about bloodshed,
peace, and reconciliation. The study discusses how music can be utilized to
promote peace and long-term sustainability. The report also discusses the
relationship between music and emotional experience. Broken hearts are
healed when wonderful music is played. The song "Oh Plateau," a
song of advocacy and request for peace and unity amid the worrisome
inter-religious and ethnic divisions, is also contextualized and
structurally analyzed in the research. The paper
also demonstrates the importance of music in promoting peace and long-term
sustainability. The focus of this review is on emotions and morality, as
well as the importance of value-ordered music. The researchers hope to
achieve their goal of using music for peace rather than violence by
employing the quantitative research approach. The study's findings suggest
that music has an effect on people, and that the
music one listens to in a scenario has the ability to either calm or worsen
the situation. As a result, during times of concern, the experts recommend
listening to music with soothing words of consolation. |
Accepted: 02/05/2022 Published: 13/05/2022 |
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*Corresponding
Author Davou, Samuel Yohana E-mail: samwatu@ hotmail.com |
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Keywords: |
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INTRODUCTION
Music has been proven to have the ability to
unify people and educate them about important topics that affect their
communities. Though music has been linked to acts of rebellion and violence
rather than acts of peace, as Helen and Rafiki (2019:
279) lamented, "Music is not innocent." In the aftermath of war,
brutality, and mass crimes, it frequently reflects many people's dreams for
peace." Though its lovely melody gives it an appearance of obedience, the
image it displays behind the curtains, which are the lyrics, is not always
innocent because most songs are about agitation, advocacy, protest, motivating,
protest, and so on. However, music's peaceful nature cannot be swamped by its
violence supremacy, as the music in a TeT-fund
Internally Based Research (IBR) sponsored musical, "Pathway to
Peace," is a neutralizer that speaks to the peacefulness of the worried
faction project. The ambivalence surrounding musical linkages between violent
and peaceful modes of social action and change, which is now widely recognized
by practitioners and researchers, as well as individuals
who wear both hats, is the unified theme of the violence theme as music in this
context. The musical arts operetta "Pathway to Peace," which is
sponsored by Tetfund IBR, is based on a fragment from
a musical drama titled "Pathway to Peace." The play, which
exclusively utilized African arts songs to encourage peaceful cohabitation amid
warring groups, thus making it current, takes a look at how African songs, as
well as other songs from around the world, have contributed to peacebuilding in our communities.
African songs, as well as other songs from
throughout the world, have been produced on reconciliation and peace-building
between warring tribes. Because of the vivid imagery that may be conjured up
through reference, songs that reference uproars, risks, and terrible events are
more popular. Such songs, which are frequently seen as entertainment, promote
peace and tolerance by speaking to the thoughts of concerned factions and
motivating listeners to proactively contemplate their vulnerability and
reconcile. Music is a powerful weapon for controlling the mind and mood; the
mind is accountable for every action human takes, and every action humanoid
take determines what happens in his community, for better or worse. Nigeria has
been designated as one of the continent's crisis zones, and the situation of
its people is similar to that found in other troubled areas such as the Middle
East, Ukraine, Russia, and a number of other communities across the African
continent where unrest, starvation, poverty, and other issues are causing
economic stagnation. The high frequency of peace bridging and insecurity that
is currently befouling the peace and unity of our nation is due to the social
norms that serve as key principles in African traditional civilizations,
combined with other economic and cultural elements. Without a question, the
rising reality of security issues confronting our country today is the
bloodiest and most catastrophic issue bisecting the northern region of the
country and the African continent today. When a country faces a genuine threat,
insecurity cripples it even more than plaques do now, especially in developing
countries like Nigeria. Security is the responsibility of all. Security is not
only a prime value that should be promoted by whatever methods available; it is
also an ultimate objective that should be instilled in everyone, regardless of
age. Security should be addressed as a top-secret matter. Nothing in society
functions without it. The ultimate value and the value that determines a man's
value is security and peacebuilding (Olusegun, 2014).
Being at peace, as the expression goes, is preferable to being a prince.
Everything else will be pointless until one can be certain of their physical
protection or safety, which can only be achieved through peaceful cooperation Zabadi (2001). Also,
performative cultures like the Berom
culture, which has experienced its own share of ethno-religious strife since
2001, have always used their structure as a medium of communication, no doubt,
especially on the question of peacebuilding. Day by
day, the situation is spiraling out of control. Ethnic cleansing, farmer-header
battles, religious upheavals, and riots have been labeled as examples of the
high frequency of instability that has resulted in great poverty, hunger, and
malnutrition on the plateau due to a lack of basic facilities and development. The
scope of this paper is to highlight the relevance of music in peace building
and the economic benefits of living in peace and harmony among diverse groups
such as Plateau State, Nigeria and the country at large. Contextual and
structural analysis of the song will also be provided to give an inside look
into how the song was composed. The goal of the project is to provide insight
into how music can be used to promote peace in Plateau State, Nigeria, and
Africa as a whole. More importantly, present facts on how music affects the
human psyche and how to use it to calm nerves in times of stress.
Relevant
Literatures.
The
ability of music to bring a strong-willed universe back to her senses is simply
articulated by Mereni in Olaleye
(2014), who wrote:
Without the discipline music, no
profession can be perfect, for there is nothing without it. For every universe,
it is said, is help together by a certain harmony of sound… music moves the
feelings and changes the emotions, in battles, moreover, the sound of the
trumpet rouses the combatants, and the more furious the trumpeting, the more
valorous their spirit… song likewise encourages the rower, music soothes the
mind to endure toil and composes the distraught minds. The very beats also,
even pulsation of our veins is related by musical rhythms of the power of
harmony (p. 7).
The sentence above
has been a long-held secret in African veins since the dawn of time. The music
is excellent. ‘Oh Plateau’ is a musical style derived from the Berom musical style; the Berom
people employ songs in all of their activities. They sing work songs while
laboring on the land or undertaking hard labor. During combat, they perform a
fight song known as the pee song. The song inspires them to be courageous to
the point of death, when they sing a song to drive away the fear of the unseen.
As a result, whenever Africans convene for peace talks, they sing music to
soften hardened hearts before the talks begin, as evidenced by the use of music
during crisis times in Jos plateau, where all radio stations go silent and
employ invocative music. During the 2001 crisis in Jos, the Disc Joker (DJ)
playing music on one of the popular radio station used Bob Marley's single
"Get Up Stand Up," which many felt was more
controversial and not appropriate in crisis settings, particularly when
situations required relaxation or quiet. Oh plateau is a song of sadness and
advocacy that urges the worried faction's awareness to embrace peace for the
sake of the future, for the sake of women and children, as well as the unborn,
and so on.
The music is excellent. Oh Plateau, like
other musicals with nonviolent themes across Africa, aspires to play a
mediating function. Music in Africa has played an unequaled role in
reconciliation, social norm correction, and instruction of the African arts
than any other technique one can envision. The act has played a significant
part in objectifying and uniting the African community's worldview and
religious beliefs. According to Nketia (1963), African music contains a richness of
knowledge and stimulates learning experiences in the audience. Far from being
merely entertaining, African music promotes humanism by using well-worded
proverbs, idioms, and other literary devices to provide food for thought to its
listeners. Parables are used by music composers to engage the audience's
imagination in deducing meaning from the performance communication. The
audience has the audacity to interpret the music in reference to his or her
situation because the music is frequently audience participative. As a result,
when one gets enraged by another, he should take advantage of the situation to
voice his grievances. It is permissible to call African music approachable.
Nzewi (1997) expresses his
belief that understanding the African cultural value system equips one with the
ability to comprehend African music and deduce the complete meaning from the
communicated experience. When it comes to peacebuilding
and reconciliation, responsibility is not apportioned as much as it is pleaded,
and the necessity for togetherness is emphasized. The song "Oh
Plateau" is a plea to the warring factions' consciences to give peace a
chance so that progress can flourish in the society. Music is the most visible
and accessible way for people to listen to themselves. African music, in
particular, is a powerful means of communication that may harden or soften the
heart, allowing humans to communicate their actions and feelings. The act
creates a venue for members to reflect society in order to better comprehend
how others think and learn more about life. When used positively, the system heals wounds
and prepares the minds of the concerned parties for a peaceful reconciliation;
nonetheless, it frequently stirs the mind toward violence rather than peace,
which is why war songs are useful during times of crisis.
On African music, whether it's folk or art,
according to Avorgbedor in Olaleye
(2014), music is more of a stage art that inspires both active and participatory
listening. If the musicians were in the audience, they would point fingers at
the members of the public whose irresponsible behavior they criticize. This
presentation method heightens the senses of sight and hearing, eliciting a loud
response from the audience. The effect of this outweighs the stimulus-response
effect of listening to recorded music. Music appeals to the conscience either
directly or indirectly, and the sort of music one listens to in times of
distress has a significant impact on the actions that follow, implying that
tranquil music is appropriate in times of distress. In this sense, Avorgbedor in Olaleye mentions
that the music Oh Plateau has the above attribute. Though there are some
elements of acculturation affected by the western harmonic style and usage of
the piano, which is a Western musical instrument, the music is totally
Africanist, and the African dexterity is fully engaged in the creation.
Contextual Analytical
Structure of Oh Plateau
'Oh Plateau' is a four-part choral piece with
a solo soprano voice. It is a song that describes the mourning of an
ethno-religious conflict in a community that was formerly tranquil, using both
English and Pidgin English. From bars 1 to 16, the music is introduced by a
chorus and piano, followed by accompaniment from the drum set, maracas, wood
block, and joint in bars 17 to 85, with the soprano solo vocal taking the lead
in bar 14. The music is light in order to convey the song's sad humour. The music, which is totally a mix-structural composition
with accompaniment, incorporates numerous melodic, rhythmic, and other
techniques of African music. There are a variety of expression patterns, both long and short, as well as textual and melodic motifs
that are repeated. It's written in a straightforward triple time signature. The
first section of the music may be referred to as the theme of the music, which
is summarized in the introduction first section in chorus form (bar 1-14),
while the section where the lead voice takes command from the crotchet note of
bar 14 to make the solo voice dominant while the chorale hums quietly in
harmony in the background may be referred to as the second section of the
music.
From bar 1
until bar 25, this is the introduction. Three separate melodic phrases are
included in this part, all of which are influenced by the texts. The melodic
phrases, on the other hand, are repeated several times as a signal of stress
and to lengthen the music. The first phrase, which finishes in bar 11, has four
exact repetitions of the melodic phrase; the second, which runs from bar 11 to
bar 19, has four melodic phrases as well; and the third, which runs from bars
19 to 25, has two melodic phrases. The middle portion runs from bars 28 to 81.
Low-pitched tunes are prevalent in this section. The melody varies in pitch
from middle to low. Every sorrowful text's true effect is best portrayed
through low-pitched songs. This is typical of African melody, in which the
melody is determined by the content of the lyrics. This
section contains the true lamentation of this woman, who bemoans her
unfortunate situation while comparing her situation to that of her other
fortunate mates, and also begs forgiveness from her parents for defying their
advice in selecting a spouse. The last section, from bar 87 to bar 103, is a
recapitulation of the first. A six-bar interlude with xylophones and other
instruments sets the tone for this section.
Length
‘Oh Plateau’, The text
is a continuous nature story that is linked to the script. There is a logical
structure of the various segments or phrases of the story using repetitions
here and there. The music is a deliberate selection of complete and partial
repetitions of numerous textual and rhythmic ideas fused together by the
continuous harmony of the accompanying piano and certain African instruments
prolonged the work to a definitive end of (85) bars.
Tempo
The tempo of the music Oh Plateau is allegro
ad-libitum Con spirito while the metronome mark is q 120. The music's pace has not been
changed, and there are no any dynamics markers.
However, the songs contain sad and melancholy passages, and the
performer is free to express those sections as an advocate for true
reconciliation, religious tolerance, and national togetherness.
Mood and Character
Oh Plateau tells the story of the sectarian
strife that has consumed Jos, Plateau, since Jihadist Othman Dan Fodio's unsuccessful invasion on the city in 1800. The song
was written by heartbroken female soloists who formerly lived in Jos Plateau
and observed and cherished peace. The chord progression and sound of the
accompanying instruments created additional special chord embellishments that
painted the storyline in order to truly bring out the sad feelings of the
storyline, but the sad feelings in the music were primarily achieved through
the singer's vocal manipulations.
Range and Tessitura
Oh Plateau is written in Key E flat major in
the diatonic scale for the vocal and instrumental parts. The larges spectrum of
compasses covered by the vocal part is illustrated below.
Findings
a.
Oh Plateau's music is made up of soothing
tones, a pleasant melody, harmony, and lyrics that appeal to the human psyche.
b.
Music is not as harmless as one might think.
Music is a psychological weapon that can hypnotize and manipulate the human
mind, causing him to think in unusual ways that can be beneficial or harmful.
c.
Music has been use for humans from time
immemorial as anaesthetic also as a fear remedy in times of pains especially
war, hard labour, circumcision, death of love once etc.
d.
When used
correctly, music can help to heal emotional trauma by soothing the mind during
moments of worry.
REFERENCES
Helen,
H.& Rafiki, U. (2019) Music, Violence, and
Peace-Building, Peace Review, 31:3, 279-288, DOI: 10.1080/10402659.2020.1735163
Olaleye, O. A. (2014). Analytical Probing of
ordered music for the promotion of global peace, security and ordered world. Nigerian Music review, 14, 1- 18.
Olusegun,
T. (2014).
Textual analysis of selected songs that address issue of food
security awareness in Nigeria.
Nigerian Music Review, 13, 24-36.
Zabadi,
I.S. (2001) Fundamentals of Strategy. Unpublished lecture note. Abuja National
Defense College Nigeria.
Nzewi,
M. (1997). African Music: Theoretical content and
creative continuum, The culture-exponent’s definition.
African
Studies Review 46(3):157. DOI:10.2307/1515066
Appendix
Cite this Article: Davou,
SY; Egemba, OH; Kufre, I
(2022). A Probing Order for the Promotion of National Peace in the Contextual
Analytical Structure of the Musical Piece "Oh Plateau". Greener Journal of Art and Humanities,
9(1): 5-16. |