



































Tonemic Substitution


 

 

156 Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts Vol.15 (2021) 

 
156 

 IGBA-EZE INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE OF ANAKU:  

A CRITICAL REVIEW OF DOCUMENTATION STYLE 

 

Stella N. Nwobu, Ph.D. & Emmanuel C. Umezinwa, Ph.D. 

 

Abstract 

here is something wrong with the ways some scholars in 

Ethnomusicology have conceived archiving and documentation of 

musical materials among cultures. Some of these come as 

prejudice or bias regarding the very essence of traditional music. This 

paper is an attempt to review the common approach to documentation 

of traditional music which makes a reduction in the vital value of a 

people’s music. The music, thus reduced to artefact, satisfies only the 

whims of academic scholarship. Here the musical data gathered from 

the living music of Anaku people are carefully transcribed as is common 

practice. This however, raises issues bothering on the essence of 

musical notation for traditional music. This notation is often of little 

or no use to the culture or music owners except to academics. Is this 

a form of cultural superiority to impose this form of notational 

documentation on local music? This descriptive survey employs 

musicological tools which include participant observation, field 

recordings and interview of “informants”. The usual explanations which 

claim to project local music to the world, to protect them from going 

extinct, or to preserve them for future generations are all found in 

the study to be off the mark for overlooking the inner workings of 

traditional music and its transmission medium from time immemorial. 

 

Introduction 

T 

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Music is found in every known culture, past and present, varying widely 

between times and places. Music notation has been adopted to many 

kinds of music, including traditional music and ways of writing music 

developed independently in various times and places. Types and 

methods of notating music varied between cultures and throughout 

history, even different styles of music and different cultures use 

different music notations which have been discussed by different 

scholars. Ekwueme (2004) detailed several attempts made at notating 

African music in a unique and supposedly more satisfactory ways. A 

tabulature system for the notation of Ewe drumming; Time Unit Box 

System (TUBS), African VOWO, Western music notation (standard 

notation) among others were in use. Ekwueme pointed out that western 

music notation attempts to notate African music more accurately but 

is not completely satisfactory for transcribing African music. 

Umezinwa (2008) stipulates one of the obvious advantages of Western 

notation system which is that it universalizes music making it 

understandable beyond the confines of its narrow culture.  

 

Some music scholars pointed out that music notation is devised for the 

purpose of preserving and documenting music and the essence of it is 

to have a preserved music tradition. Ekwueme (2004) observes that a 

system of music preservation is through documentation in some form 

of paper, what might be called notation. Nwobu (2017) opines that 

music as a language is by nature transient with what is present instantly 

becoming past, leaving perhaps but nothing tangible. For Nwobu, music 

as a perishable medium depends for its preservation on adequate 

system of musical notation and lack of adequate preservation will result 

to most of the valuable music fading away so fast. Ibekwe (2006) 

states that nothing is as dynamic as change, and it has a great impact 

on the societal values, beliefs and in fact culture in it’s entirely. She 

pointed out that some communities have lost what made them unique. 

They have embraced change at the expense of tradition. As a result, 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

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if studies are not made, and documented, posterity will experience the 

vacuum of neglected culture. 

 

Music was often written out as a means of preserving and 

communicating it. The idea to preserve music which many scholars have 

expressed out of fear of total extinction of  traditional music was 

made obvious by what Blum (1993) says: 

One of the things that have been uppermost in the mind of 
ethnomusicologist is “to encourage and assist in the 
preservation and renewal of musical knowledge for the fear that 
certain practices and even whole communities of musicians 
might not survive (p. 1). 

Nwobu (2017:189) elucidates that “the entity of notation is nothing 

other than communication to some other people who understand the 

language in use even if they are from other parts of the globe’’ The 

issue  here is that the method of our music writing is beautiful and 

ornate, complex and  hard for some people to process mentally .  Some 

music scholars have conceived the idea that without putting music on 

paper as scores, that such music is not valuable.  Nettl (1983) discloses 

that “the academics among us can hardly conceive of discussing music 

without knowledge of a single, authoritative, visible version. Mimicking 

what the critic may say upon a new score “I can’t say a thing until I’ve 

seen the score” and it is surprising that he does not normally say about 

a score, “I can’t say a thing unless I’ve heard it” (p. 65). Most people 

from the point of view of this style of notation and documentation 

articulate that the reason of such notation is for our music not to be 

extinct, for such music to be memorable and not fade away.  

 

Considering the music in question ‘Igba-eze music of Anaku’ which is 

one of the traditional music of the Igbo people; of what benefit is this 

style of documentation for them?  What is the eventual essence of 

such documentation to the music owners, people who eventually rely on 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

 Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts Vol.15 (2021) 159 

oral transmission? What is the advantage of this documentation style 

when the owners of such music cannot understand it? What does this 

type of existing documentation achieve for the culture, for the music 

owners, for the future generation of the owners of Igba-eze music? 

The point is that this documentation style we are using now is not of 

essence to the music owners only for the academics. But of what 

benefit is this music for the scholars and what has the music scholars 

to do with such Igba-eze music? Some will say presenting it to the 

world, is the world really interested in such music? Is the white man 

interested in coming to learn how to play Igba-eze music? The rule of 

the university is to assess creative works of people with this form of 

documentation style during appraisal exercises why? Every time, you 

will hear where is the score as if that score is the end of all essences. 

 

From the point of view of this style of documentation/archiving, which 

seeks to find a visual equivalent to an oral phenomenon widely 

interpreted to mean the reduction of sound to standard western 

notation and which Nettle (1983) pointing up the major characteristic 

of western academic musical culture because of its impact on 

ethnomusicology avers:  

Dealing with the written music is the classical musician’s ideal. 
They are so tied to notation. It equates composing with writing 
and accepts the creation of music on paper even when the 
composer can barely imagine its sound until he has heard it 
(p.65). 

Nettl further explains that the culture of Western classical music 

seems to represent a serious departure from the norm of all the 

societies in which music is created and transmitted entirely or largely 

aurally. This documentation style which encourages people to think that 

a piece of music only exists in its truest form only when written on a 

piece of paper have succeeded in reducing our music to mere artifact, 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

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written and stored in archives, stored away from people who want to 

practice the music. Umezinwa (2008) rightly puts it that:  

African music is hardly a permanently fixed piece of music 
which is kept away somewhere waiting for another performance 
someday. It is music that lives in the lives of both the people 
and their culture. It is free from its conception to its 
performance and so cannot be chained within the narrow 
confines of a notation on paper (p.191) 

 

This present style of documentation/ archiving is of no use to the 

owners of traditional music who might see it and will not know or 

understand that it is a real living music. Such documentation style is 

perhaps just for academic purposes; it is not directly influencing the 

culture even the future generation will not know that such music is 

scored and stored somewhere. This is to show that there is problem 

with the practice in which we are all involved with hence this critical 

review. 

 

Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble 

Igba-eze music as the name implies is popularly associated with the 

kings or the Igwe in Igbo society. It is music specifically attached to 

tradition. It is a type of music reserved for a stratified group in 

society. Igba-eze music is most common among the Igbo tribe. It is the 

music associated with the king and not meant to be heard every day 

but for specific events within and outside the king’s palace. It has 

similar traditions (common) in many communities in Igbo tribe.  

 

According to Ibekwe ( 2006), “Igba-eze is the most popular music that 

can be found in Igwe’s palace, thus Igba-eze is a special music. Special 

in the sense that it is meant for a special group of people such as the 

Igwe and titled men (ndi nze na ozo)” (p. 58). Ibekwe further listed 

some of the important occasions when Igbaeze music played within and 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

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outside Igwe’s palace to include coronation or installation ceremony, 

the ofala festival iguaro or iwaji, etc. The music group accompanies the 

king when attending ofala festival of another king or funeral ceremony 

of fellow king. It is also performed when the Igwe has visitors.  

 

Igba-eze of Anaku is music traditionally recognized and reserved for 

king, connected with serious activities such as coronations of a king- 

ofala festival, burial of a king, iwa ji or igu aro festival and outing or 

the like. Igba-eze is a royal music of Anaku, a town made up of three 

villages- Umuria, Ikenga and Umueragu in Ayamelum Local Government 

of Anambra State. This music symbolizes dignity, royalty, class and is 

reserved for the stratified group in the society. Igba-eze music of 

Anaku is also known as Okanga Eze, a music organized by Igwe Udo 1 

(Ezeudo of Anaku a.k.a omena cash). 

 

Igba-eze music is used to give due regards to the king (Eze).According 

to Nze Nwokeno: 

Igba-eze has been a long traditional music played only for titled 
men (Igwe). The music is played for and used by some of the 
Igwes of Anambra State such as Igwe Okagbuo, Igwe Nwokedi, 
Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, Eze Nri, Igwe Neni, Eze Uzu Awka 
among others. Igba-eze is a special music for the Igwes not for 
all or commoners. It is not played always unless for coronation 
and ofala ceremonies. Igba-eze is not a large ensemble or music 
group. The music group is made up of nine people of which four 
persons play flutes, four persons play drums and one person 
plays bell. Three drums provide strict and steady rhythms while 
the master drummer improvises. Three flutes response in unison 
the call of the master flutists (Personal communication, April, 
2019). 

 

 



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This music group has four (4) styles of music. The titles of tracks are 

“Eze na-Abia”, Obi Eze, Ijomme and Ife Eze Gwara Anyi. The first 

music is used to indicate that the king is about to enter the coronation 

or ofala arena. The second one shows that the king has entered the 

arena. The third track is for (Igba ofala). The Igwe dances to the music 

proudly, slowly, gaily, and meaningfully. Every bit of his movements 

portrays dignity as he has to follow the rhythmic rendition of the Igba-

eze music. The king dances to the drums beat and listens to information 

the oja is giving (when to appear, dance, speaks and when to leave). He 

normally appears in royal attire when dancing to give it the desired 

meaning.  The last track indicates the returning of the king (leaving the 

arena). The music plays an informatory or communicative role. It 

directs and informs people when the king is about to appear or leave 

the arena  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

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The Igba-eze of Anaku is an instrumental music, though in some 

communities, it is a combination of vocal and instrumental ensemble. 

Ibekwe (2006:59) discussing Igba-eze of Achina avers that:    

Igba-eze is not a very large ensemble. It is a combination of 
vocal and instrumental ensemble. Through the songs, the singers 
recite the history of their present and past generations. The 
songs find its highest expression at the court of the Igwe, the 
chiefs’ praise names are recited through songs. The singers use 
the songs to strengthen the position as well as legitimize the 
authority of the reigning chief. The texts of the songs are full 
of proverbs and idioms which the chief understands and which 
are peculiar to only the insiders, the songs also portray the 
achievements, bravery, victory and highlight of both past and 
present dynasty.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In instrumental music, instruments are selected in relation to their 

effectiveness in performing certain established musical roles or for 

filling specific musical purposes. The choice of instrumental selection 

of Igba-eze group coincides with what Nketia (2005) discussing the 

choice and combination of instruments that are meaningful in terms of 

aesthetics of African music said. He categorized these selections into 

three: ensemble that consist exclusively of melodies instrument 

(instrument of definite pitch), ensemble that consist exclusively of 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

 Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts Vol.15 (2021) 164 

percussive instruments (instrument of indefinite pitch) such as bell, 

rattle, clappers e.t.c and ensemble with the combination of both 

melodic and percussive instrument. Of these three categories, Igba-

eze music ensemble falls under the third category that combined both 

melodic and rhythm instruments. This music group has four membrane 

drums, four flutes (flute choir) and a bell which performs 

communication function. The bell is used in cueing the music, changing 

tracks as a cue signal and as a cadential call. 

 

The Theory of Deconstruction 

Deconstruction arose in France in 1967(late1960’s) as a reaction to 

structuralism and existentialism. It has been attributed to Jacques 

Derrida, Paul de Man and other thinkers. It relates to the activity of 

reading to address the concerns raised in the way that texts are 

interpreted. Its application is, however not limited to literary texts. 

It is good to understand the principle on which the theory operates. 

This theory states that “texts, institutions, traditions, societies, 

beliefs and practices do not have unambiguously definite meanings, as 

they do not have very strict and rigid boundaries”. 

 

It is good to understand that structuralism sought to explain how a 

system works. It was roundly criticized for been static and lacking 

dynamism. That is why some writers describe deconstruction as a post- 

structuralism theory. Deconstructionists hold that written words are 

in adequate to express meaning fully. It seems that their maxim is 

David Rehman’s statement: “there are no truths, only rival 

interpretation’’ The theory has been criticized for leading to 

uncertainty. 

 

Justification for Applying Deconstruction Theory 

The tradition of scholarship and research has always grown and often 

overgrown the practitioners. In the field of Ethnomisicology, it is not 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

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entirely different. The fact of sciencing about music is a given. A living, 

cultural heritage like music and or dance could very easily but 

unwittingly reduced to mere artifact by research processes. The very 

methodical information gathering, interviews, open and structured, 

recording of sound bytes, replays and transcriptions are all 

professional means of reaching an understanding about the particular 

research objectives. The analyses that usually follow these painstaking 

approaches have often been viewed by some scholars with a certain 

kind of suspicion. 

 

This suspicion arises from some reasons. To whose advantage is such 

research? Is it for the advancement of the dance or music, or the 

group or the community? Or is it for the growth of the researcher? 

Even when it is claimed that such a research serves as a launch pad for 

the culture to start orbiting the firmament of scholars, it is still taken 

with a pinch of salt. This type of research has gone on well for a time, 

often as a one off thing where nothing is heard again from the 

researcher once the information for the research is deemed complete. 

There has been no feedback mechanism for the music/ dance, or 

troupe or community. In some cases, effort is made to resurrect a dead 

dance for the purposes of research after which the music/dance dies 

a second time. It appears rare that such cultural music would receive 

any form of boost from these researches. Of course it is not the 

primary concern of the researcher to embark on a revival trip for a 

dance that is moribund. But even beyond this, the finished product in 

the staff notation shows that the audience for the research has 

changed. In that form, it cannot be recognized by the music/dance 

owners. Many empirical studies like this have been shelved away in many 

libraries after serving their purpose. The question now is, is that all? 

Must researches follow this trend in an attempt to showcase meaning? 

Is it out of place to start looking at a new possibility in the approach 

to ethnomusicological researches? 



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Analysis of Anaku Instrumental Music 

The Scale Mode and Melodic Range 

1. Eze n’abia 

 

 

 

 

 

The track “Eze n’abia” is within the pentatonic scalic mode while the 

range is within the interval of an octave of E to E. 

 

2. Obi Eze 

 

 

 

 

 

Obi Eze is within the tetratonic scalic mode while the range is within 

the interval of a perfect 5th of C to G. 

 

3. Ijomme  

 

 

 

 

 

The track “Ijomme” is within the pentatonic scalic structure while the 

range is within the interval of a Major 6th of G to E. 

 

 



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4. Ife Eze Gwara Anyi 

 

 

 

 
 
Ife eze gwara anyi is within the diatonic mode of the major scale while 

the range is a compound interval of a 9th, the interval of D to E. 

 

Looking at the four tracks of Igba-eze music of Anaku (see appendix 

I-IV), one discovers there is parallel form and equally unisons 

performance between flute 2, flute 3 and flute 4. On the part of drums 

of Igba-eze music, the production of independent rhythms by the 

drums of the Igba-eze music showcases polyrhythm which is one of the 

features of African music. Igba-eze music ensemble serves as speech 

surrogate resulting from the instruments imitating human speech. 

What the instrument is saying may not be obvious to a non-local or who 

is not in the community; it has a restricted sense of meaning. This 

notational system cannot show the psychological connection which 

Anaku people have with this music. This is always an aspect of record 

that has a question mark. There is certain history, affection and 

attachment which develop between the people and their music; it is 

elusive as researchers’ don’t capture that psychological aspect.  

 

Igba-eze music of Anaku has its own language and every member 

including Igwes, nzes and ozos among others are expected to 

understand the language and respond accordingly. Drums as well as 

flutes function in encoding messages in tonal imitation or native 

language. They could be used to reproduce tonal speeches as well as 

play melodies within the scope of the drums, flutes and skills of the 

performer. 



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Eze n’abia is like entrance hymn for the king. The ensemble ushers in 

the king to the arena for any ceremony with this track. It informs the 

audience that the rich king is coming or entering the arena.  

 

Ex. 1: Eze n’abia 

 

 
 

The players gave this interpretation to the above transcription: 

 

Igbo Text English Text 

Ogaranya nwere ego  

Eze na-abia  

Eze niri oto eze 

Ijele niri oto eze 

Rich and wealthy king 

The king is coming 

Stand on your feet king 

Big masquerade step out 

 

Ex. 2: Obi Eze 

 
Obi eze and Eze na-abia are both used for ushering of the King into 

the arena  

Igbo Text English Text 

Obi eze na eze na- abia King’s palace, be attentive, the 

king is coming 



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Ex. 3: Ijomme 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Igbo Text English Text 

Ijomme Eze na awa Ijomme the king is dancing 

 

Ijomme is used to communicate to people that the king is dancing. 

 

 

Ex. 4: Ife Eze Gwara Anyi 

 
 

Igbo Text English Text 

Ife eze gwara anyi anyi emee 

Eze ikago ubochi I ga agba ofala 

ka anyi bia 

Ife eze gwara anyi anyi emee 

Whatever the king says, we will do 

The king, have scheduled for your 

ofala so that we can come 

 

 

Critical Review of Elitism and Imperialism in Research 

The sort of thinking expressed in this work has been around. Every 

research sets out to explore, unravel or solve a perceived problem in 

an attempt to gain a deeper insight into reality. To do this, several 



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methods of research are employed. Conversations among scholars have 

almost often taken different forms as rivalry, debates, criticism, 

disagreement or even rejection. These battles have raged concerning 

the content, context, methodology, scope, significance, purpose, 

impact, responsibility and even the future of researches. While this is 

going on, there are scholars whose contributions compel agreement 

more than other. Then, there is a large band of somewhat passive 

professionals who accept the scholarly opinions or theories of other. 

Sometimes the discussions have so gone out hand that one forgets that 

the subject matter is still music and musical experiences of people. 

High sounding theories like PC set theory are employed and musical 

notes and intervals begin to assume the status of statistical symbols. 

One wonders about the real audience of these writings. Are scholars 

unwittingly entertaining themselves? This has resulted in too much 

elitism, a subtle form of imperialism (an imposition of assumed superior 

opinion). This is not new. 

 

There was a time when classical music was associated with high class, 

other ‘’lower’’ music genres were supposed to belong to the lower class. 

In ethnomusicology, however, there seems to be a different kind of 

issue not the relationship of musical taste to social strata. It is the 

issue of the perceived research style associated with data collection 

and analysis. It is an improvement that the owners of the local music 

who used to be known as informants are now more appropriately called 

teachers. Indeed, they teach the researcher what he or she seeks to 

know. For what is the difference between the teacher and student 

except in the amount of information each has? 

 

It seems that the relevance of these teachers end once the 

information is released. From then, the researcher transcribes, 

notates and injects series of interpretation to the melodies, 

harmonies, rhythms, ululations and, indeed, every component of the 



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music for this elitist audience. These subsequent analyses are not 

often known or shown to the dance owners. The language of analysis is 

above them. So there is the danger of sliding into elitism in music 

research. This elitism may have even happened and is being sustained 

inadvertently.  

 

Is it possible to explore other ways of conducting researches in 

ethnomusicology without seeming to be caught up in the quasi-

imperialist attitude of tradition? How can researchers enhance the 

music they have studied? Is there a possibility of evolving a feedback 

mechanism so as to inject varied form of value and dynamism to the 

music or dance studied? Is it possible to allow a free approach that 

does not give off a scent of limited freedom, a sense of regimentation 

and confinement? This free approach is not a yet defined or clear cut 

path but fact is that in the atmosphere of freedom, great strides have 

been recorded; breakthroughs have been made.  

 

Problem of the Dance Ensemble  

Igba-eze music ensemble members pointed out some of the problems 

that they are having as a group. The problems include: 

1. Lack of interest by the youths of the town, those who will 

sustain the tradition.. 

2. Inadequacy of finance 

3. Insufficient events to attend and patronage 

4. Lack of sponsors among others 

Looking at the problems of the Igba-eze group, one can wonder how 

this research relates to the problems or address these problems of 

this group. How can the documentation style we are using solve the 

problem of this dance group? It is obvious that our researches cannot 

address any of these problems, proving that what the researchers are 

doing are just looking at the artists and their music, scoring and 



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keeping them in shelves or library/archives and the music will be there 

without direct benefit on the society. This type of documentation has 

become part and parcel of the academics and rather than appearing to 

be solution to any problem, it is done as routine.  

 

Saving of music materials in archives is not going to solve the problems 

of different traditional music groups. It is pertinent to find out the 

problems of each group and seek for solutions. As regards to Igba-eze 

of Anaku, the solution to lack of interest of the youths is to motivate 

them by sponsoring their trips to different places and by organizing 

festivals and competitions which will motivate them. For instance, if all 

royal music groups in Igbo society should be holding competition 

regularly and the winner rewarded handsomely, what will stop music 

groups from engaging in serious and constant rehearsals? Organizing 

of music events regularly will be of immense help, and equally seeing 

that same music type should be performed by people of different ages 

– adult, adolescence and children. If many wealthy people should turn 

into motivators for different music groups, why then should there be 

fear for extinction of such music? 

 

Conclusion  

Presently in the field of ethnomusicology, the way in which music 

scholars have conceived archiving and documentation of traditional 

music materials among cultures, in which music is created and 

transmitted entirely or largely aurally seem erroneous. The 

abandonment of the earlier system of music transmission and 

preservation by rote which existed for centuries is specious. The issue 

of preserving African music was intensively dealt with by Ekwueme 

(2004). He stresses on the need to preserve the African music and he 

is of the opinion that the system of preservation should be one that 

keeps African music alive and continuously growing and developing. He 

adds that in seeking for ways of preserving the African music that it 



Nwobu, S. N. & Umezinwa, C. U.: Igba-Eze Instrumental Ensemble of Anaku: A …. 

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should not be done in such a way that participation in it will not be 

restricted. We are practicing and enjoying the indigenous music we 

have at our disposal in this contemporary time because our forefathers 

preserved it traditionally, they made sure it was practiced and handed 

over from one generation to another. We should equally benefit from 

such inheritance, the knowledge to continuously reproduce our 

traditional music as musicians and other participants in musical life. 

Blum (1993) avers that “reproduction of musical knowledge is one of 

the many human activities that foster and are sustained by various 

types of historical consciousness” (p. 1). It is clear that solution to our 

problem of seeking ways of preserving our traditional music genre from 

total extinction is not just documenting or notating and storing the 

music materials in archives. The concerns of the ethnomusicologists 

should not with the study of music that lives largely in oral tradition, 

they should stop spending great deal of their energy finding ways of 

reducing audio music to visual form which definitely is the classical 

musician’s ideal and beneficial to the academics. 

 

References  

Blum, S. (1993). Ethnomusicology and modern music history. Ed. By 

Stephen Blum, Philip V. Bohlman    and Daniel M. Neuman. Illinois: 

University of Illinois Press 

Ekweme, L. (2004). Essays on the theory of African music. Lagos: 

Lenaus Publishing Ltd, Yaba 

Ibekwe E. (2006). Royal music in Igbo culture: The socio-cultural roles 

of Igbaeze music in Achina traditional society. An unpublished 

M.A. thesis of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka  

Nawaz, H. (n.d). The theory of deconstruction www.slideshare.net 

deconstruction retrieved 7/8/19 

Nettl, B. (1983). The study of ethnomusicology- twenty-nine issues and 
concepts. Illinois: University of Illinois Press. 

http://www.slideshare/


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Nketia, J.H.K. (2005). The Study of Africa. Ghana: Afram Publications 

Ltd. 

Nwobu S. N. (2017). The challenges of notating traditional music of the 

Igbo people of Nigeria. (WAJMAE) West African Journal of 

Musical Arts Education 4 (1), 189-204.  Pan African Society for 

Musical Arts Education, (PASMAE) West Africa Sub-Region 

Umezinwa, E. C. (2008). The idea of the metagraphic in the 

transcription of African songs.  Awka Journal of Research in 
Music and the Arts, 5, 189-195. Awka: Department of Music, 

Nnamdi Axikiwe University. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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Appendix 1 

 



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Appendix II 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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Appendix III 

 
 



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Appendix IV    IFE EZE GWARA ANYI 

 



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