Challenges and Successes During the Early Years of the Nsukka Music School

Nigeria’s triple music heritage of traditional, Islamic and Western music should have informed her formal music education curriculum. Instead, western music was used by the early Christian missionaries that it became difficult to integrate indigenous music traditions into the curriculum that music could not gain traction as a school subject across the country. In an effort to correct the defect a bi-musical curriculum of western and African traditional music was designed by the Nsukka Music School (NMS). Although the change was epistemologically right, the bi-musical curriculum confronted numerous challenges during implementation. This paper identifies the challenges and discusses how they were addressed. Data were obtained through interviews with key informants and a review of relevant literature. The challenge of stereotyping music and musicians was solved by students proving their mettle among their peers. Non-acceptance of music within the academia and society, was not addressed throughout the period. Difficulty of finding music lecturers was ameliorated by employing expatriates and some Nigerians but the latter undertook graduate studies abroad. Lack of scholars and traditional practitioners in the theoretical and practical aspects of African music knowledge was solved through awarding research grants for traditional African music, and hiring traditional musicians to teach indigenous instruments. Challenges arising from low student registration were ameliorated by creating alternative entry requirements for music while encouraging non-music majors to register for music ensemble courses. The challenge of poor musical background of the foundation music majors was tackled by passing them through an accelerated program and creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning. The solutions to the challenges enabled NMS to graduate students that were musically competent and socially relevant.