ECHOES OF NATURE: REAPPRAISING THE ECO-RELEVANCE OF NIGERIAN POPULAR MUSIC IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Emmanuel Ebere Uzoji
Department of Theatre and Film Arts
University of Jos, Nigeria
E-mail: emmanuelebere@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Music today in Nigeria has become a universal phenomenon not only for the enrichment of the nation’s expressive cultural index but also a major export product. Over the years we have seen Nigerian popular music undergo several metamorphoses to regain a place of prime in the nation’s entertainment industry enjoying popularity and acceptability that cuts across almost all strata of society. Amidst these high sounding accolades is the big question of how relevant is Nigerian pop music to one of the worst human challenges of the 21st century – the global ecological crisis. This paper therefore seeks to provide answers to this question by x-raying Nigerian music artistes and their response to the growing need for sustainable development by providing ideals that will engender a safe earth. The paper identifies music as a tool of non-formal education that can be deployed in creating the much needed awareness about a safe environment in which any meaningful sustainable development can thrive.