In this article, I am going to do my best in explaining the value associated with composing music in Nigerian pidgin. My experiences are the main strike force towards making this article a success since slots of people tend to appreciate music more in pidgin than the normal western way of speaking and communicating. I also see this as mean of encouragement to composer and listeners as well, enjoy the Nigerian pidgin language,its our own. In the 20/21st century, a lot of attention have shifted to many things ranging from music to science and technology to economy etc, many ideas have emerged and so many have sorted for ways of increasing the world standard of communication. In time past, the Nigerian pidgin language was used mainly by those who were not opportuned to be in school as means of communicating with those Who have experience the four walls of western education.This transition took a while to be accepted by many, and some people who spoke pidgin then were looked down on an illiterate. In the 20th century, pidgin language in Nigeria came to limelight when composer like Fela-Kuti, Oliver d coco, etc used it in performing, and was accepted and appreciated by many. Since then, the pidgin language have traveled far and wide and it's no longer accepted by just a few but by all who come it's way.
THE VALUE ASSOCIATED WITH COMPOSING MUSIC IN NIGERIAN PIDGIN: there are wide varieties of value associated with composing music in Nigerian pidgin, and this include:(1)uplifting the national integrity of our nation Nigeria
2.gives both composers and listeners sense of belonging.
3.forsters the spirit of unity among countries speaking pidgin.
4.it promotes easy communication between people of different cultures, tribes,religion etc since its simpler compared to the English language
UPLIFTING THE NATIONAL INTEGRITY OF THE NATION NIGERIA
Nigeria as a country is made up of many different languages,(Hausa, Yoruba, igbo,ibibio,Annang Etc), and in all, English language is what we tend to operate with. There was need to create a language of our own out from the borrowed one gained through colonization
The pidgin language have proven to the outside world that NIGERIA as a person can carve out something out of nothing and anybody speaking the pidgin language will get to remember that it first originated from Nigeria
GIVES BOTH COMPOSERS AND LISTENERS SENSE OF BELONGING
A man's brother is known by his language, a man listening to Yoruba ‘s music outside the shore of Africa, knows the dialects is that of Nigeria
In composing, one chooses the language most preferred which will really explain the mind of the composer, communicating his feelings and send the message.in response,the song is heard, the feeling is self explanatory, the communication flows out responsively and the message is sent out. Both composers and listeners enjoy the sweet sensational flow of the music.
FOSTERS THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AMONGST COUNTRIES SPEAKING PIDGIN
Nowadays, one hardly distinguishes a Nigerian music from that of Ghana, South Africa, Togo etc, this is due to the fact that composers over there have chosen to make the pidgin language their first choice for music.
The spirit of unity has been fostered immensely amongst countries musically through the use of pidgin. Musicians, artiste, composers and performers see themselves as brothers just because of the fact that the are communicating in one language irrespective of where one is from, his tribe and religion.
PROMOTES EASY COMMUNICATION AMONG PEOPLE
Since pidgin is easy and acceptable by many, easy communication has been developed not just musically but in other aspects of life too. Easy communication between people of diverse culture, tribe and religion have emerged and as a result of pidgin, people no longer hide or think of ways of constructing meaningful sentences since the pidgin could be used anyhow irrespective of the rules which govern the English language.
Examples of music composed in pidgin:
Weda na my own or not (lyrics adapted from “as one general pray” by Ezenwa Ohaeto) set to music by Alvan Ikoku Nwamara, the song goes:
God abeg you
give me big pocket
make I take carry money
weda na my own or not
Allah abeg you
give me big belle
make I take eat food
weda na my own or not
God abeg you
give me big power
make I take kill enemy
weda e curse me or not
Allah abeg you
give me beta peace
make I just dey travel
weda my kontri poor or not
God abeg you
give me big gun
make I shoot enter office
weda my pupi want me or not
Analysis: Weda na my own or not is a song based on the poem titled “as one general pray” by Ezenwa Ohaeto. It is in high life form with one voice leading and being responded to by three parts. It may serve as good band music if properly studied and performed.
It consists of 47 bars, written in key G major with compound duple as time signature. The music Composer tries to accommodate all the metrical lapses of the poet by either compressing or elongating some lines or verses.
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
We all need encouragement because it boosts the spirit and gives us the desire to do more. Personally, a piece of music written in pidgin is sometimes harder to sing compared to the constructed sentences of English language.
The world appreciate creativity and so many out there appreciate music even when they don't understand the lyrics: this is the same for the composers who composed music in pidgin. The world out there is waiting to listen to your piece on how we can make Nigeria, Africa and the entire world a better place.
More compositions should be done in pidgin as it sales a lot in the labour market and the world runs towards the happening direction ie where and what everyone needs, demands and appreciate more per time.
Composers of pidgin, be proud, God is by your side on this. E no go tey wia Him go show him face make things dey straight and fantastic for una. Thank you Nancy kontri pipu.