THE USE OF PIDGIN ENGLISH IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN MUSIC: A NEW APPROACH TOWARDS NATIONAL IDENTITY

Abstract

Pidgin English is the label for the jargon, consisting chiefly of English words, often corrupted in pronunciation, which is used for inter-communication between different ethnic groups in Nigeria. Pidgin has been with us since the colonial era. Pidgin has always been regarded as the unofficial language of the `uneducated'. The pluralistic nature of Nigeria, consisting as it does of hundreds of ethnic groups with different languages has aided the development of Pidgin English as a popular language in Nigeria. Many popular musicians have used it in their composition and performances to be able to reach a wide audience. Examples of such musicians whose works are examined in this study include Onyeka Onwenu, Sunny Ade and Nico Mbaga. This paper states that in the search for a common identity, musical compositions in Pidgin English might be the answer to giving Nigerians a sense of shared heritage.


(Humanities Review: 2001 1(1): 41-46)