State-Minded Praise Music Culture Through Electoral Nigeria

Abstract

State-mindedness refers to the relationship between a text and the state. It is an intervention on the unaddressed dynamic within the commonplace phrase of ‘political communication’. There are three ways through which state-mindedness occurs, namely state-minded protest, state-minded unity, and state-minded praise. In the first instance, an artiste communicates dissent to oppose certain actions or inactions by the state. In state-minded unity, the artiste advocates nationhood and/or a nationalist philosophy. State-minded praise music transpires when the music is in solidarity with the constituted state. This implies that an artiste, through covert or overt means, deploys music in supporting or endorsing a politician. This study engages with state-minded music by blurring the unexplored vacuum between oral poetic forms and musically accompanied praise. Whereas much has been written on oral traditions and praise music in Africa, few studies have considered the practice of praising politicians as a distinct genus. In so doing, therefore, the focus of the analysis is on Nigeria where political leaders have procured popular musicians since independence through military rule, and now. A synthesis of the origins of the state-minded praise music species precedes a discussion of contemporary practices etched on insights from interviews with Nigerians in music and in politics.