The Endangered Musical Genre: The Case of Akwunechenyi Music of Ukpo

The Igbo musical aesthetic concept, as is typical in African musical aesthetic practice, is concerned with the capability of musical sounds to appeal to and, more importantly, to fulfill expected aesthetic functions in the culture. African music is a treasure trove of indigenous resources that can be harnessed for human development. Unfortunately, this wealth has not been adequately approached, recognized, and utilized. Since insufficient attention is paid to indigenous African music and its practices in contemporary society, many of its various forms have disappeared. One such genre, Akwunechenyi, stands the risk of possible extinction, in addition to others. The disappearance of indigenous music brings about irretrievable loss of indigenous developmental resources enshrined within it. (2) Using the descriptive and analytical method, this research examines the aesthetics, or philosophy of beauty, enshrined in the Akwunechenyi music of Ukpo, the capital of Dunukofia Local Government Area of the Anambra State of Nigeria, as a tool for human development. Human development, which is not only a physical reality but also a state of mind, is a multifaceted process that entails an indefinite enhancement of the socioeconomic structures and general attitude of the populace (Todaro and Smith 2009, 25). This study, therefore, highlights the perception of musical aesthetics enshrined in Akwunechenyi music as practiced in Ukpo in the 1980s that promoted sustainable human development. This will be examined at two levels: (1) through the description of the structural features of the music and (2) through the aesthetic functions of the structural features at the time the music existed in Ukpo society. Akwunechenyi music is performed by the Akwunechenyi dance ensemble in a few Igbo-speaking communities. The Igbo ethnic group, with an estimated population of more than sixteen million (NPC, 2006), is one of more than three hundred ethnic groups indigenous to Nigeria. The Igbo people are found in southeastern Nigeria, occupying an area of about 40,000 square kilometers. The Igbo engage in trading, craftsmanship, subsistence farming, and civil service. They are highly enterprising; consequently, many live outside Igboland and Nigeria, engaged in various ventures. Prior to contact with the Western world in the fifteenth century, the Igbo had no identity as one people. A politically fragmented independent people lacking centralized allegiance, the Igbo have slight variations in culture, dialects, and social organization, with various subgroups being organized along the line of clan, village affiliation, and lineage. The traditional Igbo practiced a quasi-democratic and republican system of government founded on a patrilineal system of descent known as umunna. Umunna, which is made up of groups of related and extended families who trace their relationships to a commonly known ancestor, is headed by the eldest male member. It is the most powerful societal pillar and maintains law and order (Ndukaihe 2006,206). Villages (ogbe) are formed by a collection of umunna. As a result of the transatlantic slave trade and later migration, the Igbo and their descendants are found in other African countries, Europe, America, and, in fact, all over the world. The majority of Igbo are Christians, while a few are confessed adherents of traditional religion. Traditional religious beliefs and practices still thrive, albeit clandestinely, among many Christians. These practices include reverence to one Supreme Being, Ana/Ala (the earth goddess), ancestral spirits, and numerous male and female deities and spirits as well as observance of rituals and practices related to them in pursuit of the welfare of individuals and the society as a whole (Elechi 2006,32). According to the national population census report, the population of the Dunukofia Local Government Area is 96,517 (NPC 2006). A few residents are employed as civil servants in the schools and local government. …