TOWARDS DISPELLING THE PHOBIA IN NIGERIAN WOMEN FOR KEYBOARD PLAYING: THE LEARNING THEORISTS’ APPROACH

Abstract

Keyboard playing is a very significant and interesting aspect of music pedagogy. In Nigeria, only men feature as organists or pianists in churches, schools and companies, etc. Regrettably, there is no known case to the researchers, of any Nigerian female organist or pianist featuring in these capacities except the female researcher who is an Anglican Church organist and a school pianist. (See appendix) This is a challenge to all Nigerian female musicologists and those of them under training. The adage, “what a man can do, a woman can do much better†should be actualized in Nigerian female musicologists in the area of keyboard playing. In the words of Ajewole (2013) “in African culture generally and in Nigeria in particular, the place of women is in the kitchen.†(p.62) Emanevbe (2003) adds that: A woman should be seen and not heard. It is seen as something abnormal and against the culture for a woman to see herself in a position of authority which is the exclusive reserve for male. Women cannot participate in politics as this will be seen as an attempt to rub shoulder with men. A woman is seen as the property of the husband (P.4).