SYNCRETIC MOTIFS IN IYAYI SOCIETY OF THE ESAN, EDO STATE OF NIGERIA

*¹Aluede, Esther Omone and ²Aluede, C. O.

*Department of Music, Esan Model Boys’ College, Uromi, Edo State,

Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State

ABSTRACT

Quite often, it has been said that the authentic mores of a people can be extracted from their traditional religious beliefs. This is so because a great number of scholars have the assumption that traditional religious societies do not yield so easily to forces of acculturation occasioned by western education, Christianity and effects of urbanization. This statement is proved wrong in this setting as this study reveals that as a deliberate attempt to upgrade this one-time traditional religious society, frantic efforts have been made to merge practices of adjacent beliefs so as to tilt more towards Christianity. This paper explores the use of music in the achievement of their intentions. This is evident in the texts of the songs examined in this study. In it one could see the attempt to collapse the divide between the Christian and traditional worship in a bid to attract more members.  It is therefore suggested that in this modern epoch, some of these religio-musical fields should be periodically reappraised so as to be able to palpate the trends in practice from time to time.