Musical ethos in (Bini) Olokun worship and its derivatives in some African indigenous churches (AIC)

Abstract

Olokun worship occupies a significant aspect of Bini traditional religious cosmos, but in spite of the socio-religious profundity of Olokun in Bini tradition, a large proportion of contemporary Edo people are ignorant of Olokun’s religious value; their ignorance is slanted by Christianity, Islam and atheistic orientations that perceive the religions of Africa including Olokun as fetish, and satanic. Moreover, there are discernible semblances in music, modes of worship and clothing shared by Olokun worshippers and members of some Christian denominations in Nigeria, especially amongst the African Indigenous Churches that are undocumented. This paper employs a theoretical framework based on the theory of ‘persuasion or rhetorical appeal’ to enunciate the ethos in Olokun worship, whilst adopting a qualitative methodology premised on historical research. The study reveals that some of the ethos and spirituality embedded in Olokun worship, including musical genres amongst the Bini, were transformed and transplanted by African Christian converts into their new faith, particularly amongst members of White Garment Churches, whose membership Christian spirituality are expressed through their African traditional religious ethos.