The Church, as the ecclesial community of Jesus Christ, holds the divine mandate of evangelism - a commission rooted in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) - where gospel music plays an important role. Gospel music serves as both a theological and cultural expression capable of fulfilling this mandate. However, in South-Western Nigeria, the practice of gospel music has witnessed significant deviations: performers with questionable moral and spiritual integrity exploit the art form for fame, wealth, and influence.
south-western Nigeria
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.
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