The Poetic Attributes of Àpàlà and Sákárà Music of South Western Nigeria

Abstract

Àpàlà and Sákárà are Yorùbá musical genres whose origin has been traced to many sources by scholars. Some of these suggested that they are traditional folksongs while others claimed that they evolved from Islamic practice. In contemporary times, the genres have assumed socio-cultural and entertainment status. Aside from their intricate and danceable rhythms, Àpàlà and Sákárà are revered for their well-couched philosophical lyrics and their composers are regarded as wordsmith imbued with native wisdom. The paper examined the poetic content, the structure, derivation of themes, construction of poetic lines and their literary interpretation. It suggests that contemporary popular musicians should take a cue from the exponents of these genres in the organization of their lyrics and that lewd bawdy and derisive texts should be avoided.