THE SOCIO-CULTURAL ROLES OF ÃŒREGUN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AMONG YAGBA-YORUBA PEOPLE OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Several studies have considered the place of musical instruments in various cultural settings. However, little scholarly work on iregun musical instruments and their usage in impacting culture among Yagba-Yoruba [1] people is still largely lacking. This paper examines the role of Iregun musical instruments as sources for inculcating socio-cultural ideas among the Yoruba people of Kogi State. Data were sourced through interviews, participant observation, and non-participant observation during various performances of iregun musicians at Mopa and Isanlu communities in Mopa-Muro and Yagba-East local government areas of Kogi State. Based on culturalism theory, I argue that iregun musical instruments have the potential to chronicle the uniqueness of the Yagba Yoruba people and to globalise their cultural heritage, preventing it from going into oblivion and extinction. Moreso, musical instruments in conjunction with the singing could help build morality, virtue, language, dressing, and belief systems, among others.