Issues and Challenges of Language in Contemporary Nigerian Music: A Study of Selected Musical Videos

Abstract

Music is among the ancient art form that has been in existence since the creation of man. Through the medium of music, cultures and  belief system of a people have been nurtured, preserved, sustained and transferred from one generation to another. Many young people  in Nigeria today tend to be cut off from their traditional roots, due to urban life styles and new ways of socialization; occasioned  by social media network platforms. This idea has affected the social lives of this millennium, as western life styles are richly propagated in  most contemporary music in Nigeria. At the same time, some musical artistes have pushed the boundaries of this western ideology  beyond the frontiers of mere entertainment. These artistes aesthetically combine local dialects with other languages in their lyrical  composures to produce worthwhile songs. This paper discusses the social relevance of selected contemporary music in Nigeria and their  effects on indigenous language culture. It is approached through a content analysis of the musical videos from selected songs. Findings  of the work show that most children are developing high level of interest in learning and socializing with such songs, owing to their local  embellishments. Hence, it is the conclusion of this paper that this sudden interest could help in rejuvenating, promoting and  consolidating indigenous languages in Nigeria, among other utilitarian experiences. It recommends that, considering the essentialities of  music to cultures, music should be used as a paradigmatic approach to enliven the interest in local languages in Nigeria.