[UNVERIFIED CONTENT] The Kakaki is a long metal musical instrument and can measure up to five meters long. It is used across Hausaland as a traditional ceremonial musical instrument announcing the coming of the Kings and royals. The name Kakaki is used in Chad, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. Exclusively are played by men.
Nigerian Indigenous music is the music originating from the various tribes of Nigeria. It involves all the traditional music from the different cultures and the use of traditional musical instruments. Nigerians are creative group of people who have toured the world with their music.
Our local music has travelled far as the Far East, Europe, and Latin America to the uttermost part of the world. Each tribe of Nigeria has their distinct style thereby creating a wide range of music from the east, west, north and south of the country. The three major ethnic groups in Nigeria are Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Each has its unique music which is a language on its own.
Hausa music has played important role in the development of Nigerian music. Hausas contributes elements such as Goje, a one-stringed fiddle which is an important musical instrument in their music. Hausa music is either rural folk music or urban court music. The people introduced the African pop culture genre that is still popular today.
The rural music folk involve styles that accompany the young girls’ asauwura dance and the boorii or Bori religion both well known for their music. The boorii cult features trance music played by calabash, lute or fiddle. The urban court music is courtly praises devoted to singing the virtues of a patron, such as a sultan or emir. Such praise songs are accompanied by kettledrums and kalangu talking drums, along with the kakaki (a long trumpet).
People from the Southeastern part of Nigeria, Igbos are also well versed in music. Odumodu is a style of music that originates among the Ohuhu people of the Igbo ethnic group. Odumodu is sung among mature men. The style involves the use of many traditional musical instruments such as the udu and ekwe. It features vocals from a single male who leads a group of backup vocalists, most of the times these are also instrumentalists.
Another popular music style of the Igbos is the Ogene. It takes its name from the ogene instrument, which is a large metal bell. The iron body of the ogene is usually struck with a soft wooden stick to produce sound. Contemporary music of Igbo origin includes Igbo Highlife and Igbo rap. Igbo highlife acts include Oliver De Couque, Chief Osita Osadebe, and Bright Chimezie and so on. The Igbo rap acts include Mr. Raw, Illbliss, Phyno, Zoro and so on.
Yorubas are the originators of music styles such as Apala, Fuji and Juju. Apala is a percussion-based style that developed in the late 1930s. It was used then to wake worshippers after fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Instruments used are agidigbo (thumb piano), agogo (bell), sekere (rattle) and talking drum. This style is made popular by Haruna Ishola and Ayinla Omowura. Fuji is another popular musical genre.
Like the Apala, it is also performed during Ramadan to wake worshippers. It arose from the improvisational Ajisari/were music tradition. This style is made popular by Alhaji Ayinde Barrister. Juju is a Yoruba musical genre derived from Yoruba percussion. The lead and predominant instrument of juju is the talking drum. Juju is believed to be created by AbdulRafiu Babatunde King popularly called Tunde King. Other Yoruba genres which have incorporated external influences are Afro-beat, Afro-juju, Waka and Yoruba rap. Fela-Ransome Kuti, Shina Peters, Queen Salawa Abeni and DaGrin are creators of these styles.