The Leadership Role of a Musicologist in the 21st Century Africa

Abstract

In this 21st Century Africa, most music of today –the hip hop, rap, dub-step etc are inappropriate and have foul language. They are not leading people to the right parts. Critical evaluations of such music show that they are pointless (music without meaning- bad songs, bad vocal, poor message and so on). Our perception of music and appreciation today is not based upon real musical worth but rather upon heavy commercial marketing which often mislead critical evaluation of music in print, radio, and television media sources. Definitely bad music is produced not by musicologists that are competent both in theory and practice but rather by untrained/quack musicians. This paper examines the leadership role of musicologist in the 21st century Africa and was discovered that musicologist (composer, historian, music theorist, performer and so on) as a valid member of a society, a societal conscience and watchdog performs tremendous leadership role in all sphere of life including political system (in government). He functions as a social critic, a historian, a social witness and recorder of events. He functions in social mobilization, in social stability, in social control, and in external affairs. As an oracle of the society, he directs and redirects the mind of people, leading people aright. It is hoped that this paper would open people’s minds and souls to follow the right parts through right music which when evaluated, will be music that have immense worth for our African society. It recommends that the untrained musicians should use their musical power in the right context and not passing jargons and pointless music across.

Key words: Musicologist, Leadership, Role, Music