Teaching African Popular Music Studies at University

Time

5pm Thursday 17th Nov

Venue

Univ of Ghana Legon Presidential Initiative Conference Hall, Anne Jiagge Rd (near new Institute of African Studies Building, adjacent to New Law Faculty Building )

Topic

The Reasons for Teaching African Popular Music Studies at University (illustrated with slides)

Abstract

This paper will examine the various ways African and particularly Ghanaian popular music studies are important for the colleges and universities of Ghana

I have sometimes been asked why is it necessary to study African popular music at university level. Some consider it too ephemeral and short-lived, too frivolous and trivial, too low-brow and of low status. However, the first generation of great African leaders, such as Nyere of Tanzania, Sekou Toure of Guinea, President Keita of Mali and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana - all fully recognised the important role that popular music and mass entertainment played in the independence struggle. For instance, in Ghana during the late 1940's concert parties such as the Axim Trio staged plays in support of Nkrumah and his 'independence now' sentiments, whilst highlife composers such as E.K. Nyame, Squire Addo, Kwaa Mensah and E.T. Mensah wrote numerous pro Nkrumah songs or supported his Convention Peoples Party. So not only did Nkrumah and the other first generation of African leaders foster traditional African performance, but they also established state popular bands and the trade unions, national competitions and recording studios to sustain them.

Let us now turn to the current situation in the university where popular African music courses were introduced in the mid 1990's. Besides preparing Music Department students for jobs in the expanding Ghanaian music industry, popular music studies are pertinent to other departments of the university. It is relevant to the political sciences: as not only did mass entertainment play a significant role in the independence struggle, it also helps forge national and Pan African identities and sometimes, as 'protest' music, provides a socio-political critique of the status quo.

The text of popular songs (and plays) are a valuable source of information for students and staff in the social-science and history departments as they provide the views, ideals and 'history of the inarticulate' masses, whose opinions might not otherwise be documented .

Popular music studies, being largely a trans-ethnic urban phenomenon, also help sociologists examine African emergent urban identities: such as those of connected with migration patterns, class, gender and generational youth sub-cultures.

Another value of university based popular music studies is that it helps in understanding the trans-Atlantic cross-linkages between Africa and the Black Diaspora in the Americas.

Furthermore, because in Africa, traditional and popular performance styles co-exist side by side, they mutually influence each in a dynamic feed-back relationship between old and new, indigenous and foreign - which throws doubt on simplistic developmental theories of social-aesthetic change that see tradition and modernity as antagonistic.

Finally, just as the United States has it own national 'jazz' music played by literally thousands of college groups, university highlife bands are needed in Ghana to show-case world class highlife performances for local people and foreigners alike.

Full Text Manuscript

Download here