Socio-cultural functions of Sato traditional music among the Egun people of Badagry

Existing studies have focused on different aspects of traditional drum music among the people of south-western Nigeria. These include studies on bata, dundun, agere and igbin ensembles. However, little has been done on the socio-cultural functions of Sato music among the Egun people of Badagry. This study adopted the ethnographic method, with the use of primary and secondary sources of data. The primary sources include in-depth interviews, which were conducted with five each of purposively selected Sato drummers and prominent traditional chiefs in the Badagry community. Furthermore, there was participant observation of Sato music performances during which audio and video recordings were made. In addition, a key informant and two research assistants were employed in the course of this study to interpret the Egun language. The secondary source included books, journal articles, magazines, newspapers and the internet. Data collected was transcribed and analysed within the ethnomusicological framework. The study revealed that Sato music had developed from its strictly sacred and traditional essence to social and entertainment presentations. The study further revealed that the content of Sato music is determined by the context of performance. In addition, it further revealed that Sato music has a significant impact on the educational, economic, political and the socio-religious life of the people. The paper concludes that the relevance of Sato music was not premised only on the context of the music but also on the structural design and the utilitarian values of Sato music among the Egun people of Badagry.