Some areas are flooding right now. It happens seasonally in our locale. As water seems to be chased, it surely returns. Well, call it water flows. Yes, it flows as it rains. The lagoon and the Atlantic take great delight in a rebound!
“But the rains are not disturbing wedding ceremonies and reception parties here.” “They are happening all over this place.”
“Do you know of one this weekend?”
“Don’t ask.”
“As usual not just one but many.”
“Those who want the be guests enjoy treatment to local music and Makosa improvisations.”
“These parties hint that Africans both in social and other settings like heavy percussion music. It is unmistakeable.”
At various locations, you will see finely dressed ladies showcase well sown fabrics. In their numbers are voluptuously looking ladies twerking, talking and cat walking. Like masquerades showing new colours,they try to break new grounds in style. Air of an award in chase seems to be like it. Then, at dancing time, the stage and everything is on fire! We like our people. We are different from other parts of the world in unique ways of enjoyment.In the west the weather is fine too. Out door activities are on the rise in summer. Festivals of all kinds are making a showing. Musical groups, open theaters, dances halls, open domes, arenas, public squares are enjoying new status.
Thanks to the weather. Thanks to youths and women. Thanks to tradition sustained by succeeding generations.
Music and tradition are interesting partners. In the same way they share commonalities with language. Music they say speaks a universal language. Like a language, when you hear your kind, it gives a feel.. You’re sure to say by heart like a singer ‘this girl is mine’. It is our own music. It surely delivers a kick. That kick in the brain that is difficult to express clearly.
Youths and women seem to have more share of this touch. The statement is not based on any current figures or “NAFDAC approved!”
However, were you in a gathering where music is played lately. What do you observe? At a glance who dominates nodding to rhythms, taps on the floor, intuitively or openly dance to the music being played. Without being dogmatic, check out the youths and women. Older men may do the same but as usual they are late comers in this profile.
So what is the link in women, love, weather, music and the youths?
Women and youths are exciting people. They are easily touched by the moments. It is spontaneous. The thrills and frills of music quickly hit them The yori yori linings in music makes easy in road to their hearts. Some say it is their nature. 
The easiest show of it is their nods, taps on the floor and response to dance to the music. Watch our old mothers in their 80s how they dance to music at happy occasions. Do you need another confirmation? Do our dads respond the same way?
There was a time foreign music dominates local minds. But present world has altered and brought changes. The chants of Asia and Middle East are now fused with local percussion dominant rhythm. Liturgical even jazzy sprinklings of the west are now intense in local music. They all blend. Somehow, they swell the nature of music, thereby giving classifications a harder job. But the beauty is the new enrichment of pockets.
Where does this take us?
Youths and women take music farther. The idiom in use and history give it a long lasting life. When the two are lost, leftovers are chaffy – dignified scarecrow.
Classical music of Handel, Bach, Strauss, and some contemporary ones derive from history and tradition. Original lyrics derive from experience. The musician Yanni tells of his Grecian roots. Phyno’s Igbo musical lyrics and rhythms up-scale his language to new high and touches the soul. Asa blends hers with Yoruba idioms, recalls Oriki genealogies. How could all these have come without the base, knowledge of ones history and culture.
Next time you think of music imaife.com says think about weather, women, youths, idiom, history, and festivals. Music and festivals are therapies and medicine to souls. They could provide you a new CRUDE. How many of this crude do you know?
The crude is different from the one that its prospecting and sharing tears people apart.
What is it?
Watch out.
Interesting write-up .
A wonderful narrative as usual. Vividly captures the world of music and the relevance of women, youth, history and tradition to it. As a great lover of music myself, I could relate with every word of the article.
A wonderful narrative as usual. Vividly captures the world of music and the relevance of women, youth, history and tradition to it. As a great lover of music myself, I could relate with every word of the article. Nice one sir.
Great word smith and speaker. We are eager to read your debut novel.
Music and Festival are great and life-long partners. I enjoyed your write-ups on the subject. Very good.
Thank you my sister.