ABSTRACT
Throughout the ages, the primary objectives of education has been the transmission of a society’s modes of heritage – its heritage of ideas, beliefs, thoughts, values, forms of knowledge and skills as well as its work of art in the plastic, visual and sound media. Custodians of musical knowledge in traditional societies have tendedto emphasize this objective, while their modern counterparts, with a much more refined philosophy of educational, seek the development of potentials in teaching programmes. This research project examines the worth of Igbo traditional music, with emphasison the folk songs of Ibagwa-Aka. It explores the general awareness of the customs and institutions of Ibagwa-Aka people, as well as their uses as a medium of instruction in the formal system of education. The work also reflects on the general objectives of education and finally makes recommendations for the expansion of music education through the normal school curriculum and extra-curricular activities, for the benefit of the Nigerian youths.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
To the African, music is not just an art for enjoyment; rather, it is a way of life. Africans see music as an activity that must come into any aspect of life without which that aspect of life is not complete. A typical African has musical experiences from birth to death, and the same is true of Ibagwa-Aka in Igbo-Eze South Local Government area of Enugu State. Such activities like working, child-birth, festivals, farming, funeral, marriage, initiation, naming ceremonies, and all other social occasions and religious workshop are associated with one type of cultural music or another. The objective of this research project is to assess the educational values of Igbo traditional music, with emphasis on the folk songs of Ibagwa-Aka in Igbo-Eze South Local Government area of Enugu State.
The Igbo are always recognized by their culture, this can be seen through material things which includes their arts, crafts, the furniture in homes and in other activities such as religious, beliefs, family life, ways of spending leisure, dialects of the Igbo languages spoken, dress, social life, political organization, music and dance.