DECODING THE TIME LINE OF NIGERIAN FOLK MUSIC THROUGH THE VIRAL GWOGWOGWO NGWO DANCE CHALLENGE

Abstract

Time line is an indispensable part that constitutes the Africanness of a piece of African music or music inspired by African cultural practices. It has been described several times among the music scholars' circle. Yet, the description of the time line of African music has not reached a satiable extent. For this reason, this study is set to join the inquiry by decoding the time line of Nigerian folk music through the viral Gwogwogwo Ngwo Dance Challenge. This research is supported by Kwabena Nketia's description of the African music time line. Considering this, the analytical method was adopted for this study. Consequently, special attention was paid to the snippet of Nigerian folk music entitled Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche as performed by Gentleman Mike Ejeagha and His Trio. Data were gathered by watching and listening to TikTok, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube performances. Relevant previous studies are also instrumental to this research. It was discovered that the dance steps are more closely linked to the time line than the beat-class set of Gwogwogwo Ngwo chant. Also, inference from the high beat cluster at the 10th beat-class set shows the dance's climax and an exhibition of comic disposition from the dancers' gestures. It was proposed that Nigerian folk music should be explored similarly as a tool for relief and global entertainment through social media.