The effect of Ayinde Barrister’s music on political consciousness of his fans: a socio-political exploration

Abstract

Politics is an integral part of any society and for the society to thrive, governance is a vital aspect of it. Music is a language as well as an art. The role of music in educating the populace about governance cannot be overemphasized. The music of Sikiru Ayinde Barrister (SAB) has in no small measure contributed to the discourse on politics and governance in Nigeria; this he has done through the instrumentality of indigenous Fuji music. However, little has been done on the effect of his music on the political consciousness of his fans in Kwara state. There is still a vacuum of knowledge on how the political songs of Sikiru Ayinde Barrister have been a major factor in the disposition of his fans towards politics and political issues in the country. This study therefore examined the perceived effect of the music of SAB on the political consciousness of his fans in llorin. An in-depth interview was conducted for 12 members of the Ayinde Barrister Legacy Club (ABLE) who were selected through the snow-ball sampling method. The study found out that the music of SAB - addresses the leaders and followers about governance; increased the fans knowledge of the political history of Nigeria, influenced the political awareness of the people and spurred them to action. Since some of the virtues expounded by Sikiru Ayinde Barrister in his music impacted positively on the population used for this study, it is recommend that the virtues should be imbibed by the Nigerian political leaders and that the study of traditional music be intensified at all levels of education.