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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

MORALISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL THEMES IN ÌJÁLÁ (ORAL POETRY) OF ÀLÀBÍ 

ÒGÚNDÉPÒ 

 

Olaolu Emmanuel ADEKOLA, Ph.D 

Institute of African Studies, 

University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria 

adekolaolaolu@yahoo.com, 

+2348032073004 

& 

Olumoroti Olaniyi AWOLERE, Ph.D. 

Olumorotiawolere@gmail.com 

Department of Educational Foundations and Early Childhood Education 

Faculty of Specialized Education, 

Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Nigeria 

 

 

Abstract 

Ìjálá, a form of oral poetry, is a ceremonial song for the hunters’ guild and people in traditional Yorùbá 

society. It is used for different ceremonies such as yearly celebrations to commemorate Ògún, 

naming ceremonies among the hunters, housewarming, preparation for hunting expeditions, and 

celebration after hunting activities using different musical ensembles such as Àgẹ̀rẹ̀. Earlier studies 

have given attention to its literary narratives and description but silent about how the didactic import 

generated from some of its themes. This study was therefore designed to examine selected themes 

in Ìjálá music with a view to identifying its didactic import thereby advancing the earlier position 

with a new meaning for contemporary exigency. The study adopted ethnographic research design 

using qualitative method of data collection. The two major approaches commonly associated with 

musicological research were employed: field work and deskwork. Information and musical repertories 

emanating from sessions of interview the authors personally conducted with Pa Alabi Ogundepo, one 

of the surviving exponents of Ìjálá in Yorùbá society, formed the data for the study. Observation 

and key informant interview were utilised as data were recorded on audio and video media. The data 

were contextually analysed. The findings revealed that themes in Ìjálá music, as performed by Alabi 

Ogundepo include educational, moralistic and philosophical themes. Analysis of these selected themes 

shows that Ìjálá music has some didactic imports which are beneficiary to the contemporary usages 

especially for the younger generation. 

 

Introduction 

Various  professional guilds have different musical ensemble associated with them in traditional 

African society; Ìjálá is a ceremonial song for hunters’ guild and for people in traditional Yorùbá 

society. It is used for different ceremonies such as yearly celebration to comemorate Ògún; aside 

this it is used for naming ceremony among the hunters, house warming, preparation for hunting 

expedition and celebration after hunting activities using different musical ensenble such as Àgẹ̀rẹ̀. 

Ìjálá and Ìrèmọ̀jé are both musical performances by the hunters’guild which have similaties but also 

differ in performance context. Scholars such as Belcher, (1999), Charry, (2000), Omojola, (2006) 

and Adekola (2017 & 2018) have noted the role of the traditional musicians in preserving the cultural 

memory and historiography of African societies for many centuries. Since music-making is an integral 

mailto:adekolaolaolu@yahoo.com
mailto:Olumorotiawolere@gmail.com


 

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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

part of Yorùbá ceremonial and ritual events, Ìjálá music performs great functions among the hunters’ 

guild in Yorùbá land. Nketia (1974) earlier noted the significance of music among African people and 

posited that: 

 On ceremonial and ritual occasions, music making may similarly go hand 

in hand with set sequences of symbolic actions, performed with or 

without props by specified people playing given roles. These actions, 

which are dramatic in character, take place in the presence of some 

participants or spectators. Music may be integrated with the events, 

either to set the mood for the actions or to provide an outlet for 

expression of feelings they generate. It may also be used to continue or 

heighten the dramatic action; hence, it may punctuate statements or 

prayers, or provide a continuous background of ordered sounds (p. 29). 

 

Deduction can be made from the above statement that music contributes essential to day to day 

activities of any African society; music may be vocal, instrumental or vocal with instrumental. Ìjálá is 

one of the poetic or vocal forms which were given prominence among the Yorùbá of Southwestern 

Nigeria and it belongs to the older indigenous Yorùbá genres usually refered to as “Ewì àdáyébá - 

indigenous poetry” (Adeduntan, 2024). Other poetic forms among the Yorùbá include Ìyẹ̀rẹ̀ Ifá (a 

form of Ifá poetry,), Ẹ̀sà or Iwì Egúngún (ancestor worship cult poetry), Oríkì (panegyrics poetry), 

Ẹkún ìyàwó, (short bridal lament found among the Oyo Yorùbá), Ewì, Olele, Rárà (Olátúnjí, 1972; 

Olajubu, 1974; Babalola, 1973; Vidal, 2012; Adeduntan, 2024). Musicians, as master storytellers, have 

served as living archives, chronicling communal histories, genealogies and oral tradition through 

ingenuity in their composition and poetic recitations over the years. They maintain a large repertoire 

of epic narrative songs which describe major historical events in African traditional society. Alabi 

Ogundepo, an exponent of Ìjálá who utilises both old and new thematic forms in his poetic rendition 

provides certain didactic imports as this study analyses some of the themes. 

 

Academic work on African music is inexhaustible and increasingly growing. However, there are still 

gaps in knowledge in many areas as far as music is concerned. For instance, Yorùbá traditional popular 

music such as Ìjálá provides avenue through which the Yorùbá philosophy is expressed and also serves 

as a repository of knowledge from where contemporary musicians draw their repertoires. However, 

little has been done on Ìjálá music in relation to its didactic import especially for contemporary 

usages. Music and language scholars (such as Babalola, 1966; Ajuwon, 2018 among others) have 

centred more on its description and classificatory modes. Although recent work by Adeduntan (2024) 

on Ìjálá, titled “performative agency and transition in Àlàbí Ògúndépò’s Ìjála and Yemí Ẹlébuìbon’s 

Ifá chants” provides an insight into how Ìjála practice of Àlàbí Ògúndépò “instantiates one pattern 

of transition in which performance gradually yields ground from affirming conservative patriarchal 

and communal values to sometimes admitting the ascendancy of the modern or often affirming it 

outright”, the work did not engage didactic themes which this study examined. Omolasoye (1998) had 

even suggested that there was need to extend or broaden the scope of Ìjálá and that the University 

of Ibadan should take it as a duty to involve artistes like Àlàbí Ògúndépò for a performance of which 

its audio-visual recording of such occasion or performance could be kept in the institute of African 

studies or archives for culture preservation and development. This clarion call is one of the 

motivations for this study so as to contribute in preserving an aspect of African culture 

complementing the efforts of archives and sound- a new vision of the Institute of African Studies, 



 

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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

University of Ibadan thereby collecting recent recorded audio and audio-visual materials used in 

different context by Alabi Ogundepo. 

Tradition and Culture of the Yorùbá people as encoded in their Performance Arts 

Study of the musical tradition of a people serves as a material for educational purpose. A lot of folk 

music practices among the Yorùbá and other African cultures have gone into extinction as a result of 

many factors such as religion and urbanization as Wstern values and modern forms of leisure have 

eroded the educational, social, and recreational roles of practices with its attendant impact on socio-

cultural lifestyle of the people. One of the reasons for extinction is the death of the older members 

of the society who used to be versatile and skillful in the traditional musical practices usually without 

successors (Adekola, 2018). There is therefore a need to engage in study of some of the performance 

art such as Ìjálá to especially with the aim of examining their new context and materials; this will 

enhance survival and promotion.  

 

There are various performances among the Yorùbá of Southwester Nigeria which include Oríkì, Ewì, 

Rárà, Olele, Ìrèmọ̀jè, and Ìjálá. Oríkì are one the popular performance forms in Yorùbá oral tradition 

and they are composed for subject of all types including human being, animals, and family lineage. 

They are performed “to evoke historical and essential qualities of the subject and they are central 

to memorializing the significant events” in the life of an individual “with the purpose of eulogizing the 

subject or providing moral view in an educational and entertainment setting” (Adeyemi, 2017:250). 

Ewì are poems based on history, political and social observations on a particular person or issue. Iwì 

is usually a poem linked to Egúngún (spirit manifest) and is used to extol the virtues of the particular 

Egúngún and the related ancestors. Rárà is used to praise the reigning monarch and the past kings. 

Onírárà is a griot who uses his/her medium of chanting to proclaim the historical exploits and to 

chronicle the achievements and errors on the throne for the benefits and admonition of the reigning 

king. Both Ìjálá and Ìrèmọ̀jé are hunters’ guild musical practices but their contexts differ. Ajuwon 

(2018) explains Ìrèmọ̀jé- eré ìsípà ọdẹ as a funeral dirge of the hunters, Yorùbá lament poetry for 

deceased hunters. Funeral rites are post-death ceremonial activities meant to mark the passage and 

celebrate the life of the deceased which is usually in form of music-making, dancing and other non-

musical activities. The activities are believed to assist the spirit of the deceased in its after-life 

existence either in heaven, as an ancestor, or with the ancestors. Type of music performed at funerals 

is determined by age, sex, status and religion of the deceased as funeral music serves both the living 

and the dead. For the living, funeral music serves as entertainment, consolation, sympathy, admonition 

and solidarity; while to the dead, it serves both the celebration of life well lived as pre-requisite rite 

critical for well-being in the after-life of which music is of a great significant (Ogli, 2010). 

 

Ìrèmọ̀jé is a rite of passage and poetry, an open rite or music performance for the deceased hunter 

by the hunters which usually takes place form the night to the morning. Ìrèmọ̀jé is a compulsory rite 

that must be performed for a departed hunter as it is believed that until a funeral dirge is performed, 

there cannot be peace of mind for such a departed soul and not rest of mind for the children of the 

deceased. Difference between Ìjálá and Ìrèmọ̀jé is emphasised by  Ajuwon (2018) when he states 

that: 

Ìrèmọ̀jé is not a song for anytime, it is not a song you stay in 

your home and sing. It is also not a song you can sing whenever 

you feel like singing. It a song for hunters’ difficult times. It is 



 

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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

not a song for anytime, not a song fr the day but a song for the 

middle of the night (p. 4).  

 

Performance of Ìrèmọ̀jé after the death of a hunter grants access to such deceased to be with 

Ògun and other hunters in heaven. It confers on the deceased children boldness to call their fathers 

on any issue they seek his intervention and until then the family could go to the burial ground to settle 

any quarrel among them with assurance that whatever judgment they give to anyone is final. There is 

no time one cannot perform Ìjálá, it is suitable any time of the day- morning, afternoon or the evening  

and it is suitable for all ocassions pertaining to hunters unlike the Ìrèmọ̀jé that cannot be sung 

anytime of the day, not just any event and by just anybody. Ìjálá is flexible in nature, content and 

context, it is this flexibility that contemporary Ìjálá chanters such as Àlàbí Ògúndépò capitalises and 

leverages on to form their new form of Ìjálá whereby various events, ceremonies and electronic media 

are avenues through which Ìjálá is performed and promoted in post colonial era.  

 

Formerly, the themes of Ìjálá music centered on oríkì (praise poem) which included the singing of 

the praises of Ogun, animals, birds, food, and personalities in the society. However, as a result of 

changes, the dominant themes in new Ìjálá music transcend singing praises of people but have 

included jingles for advertisement for political campaign, advertisement of herbal products, and 

publicity for religious organisations, public enlightenment, correction, counseling, and 

condemnation of anti-social behaviours among others. Ìjálá music is performed within a wide-range 

of social, economic, political and secular contexts among the Yorùbá. Therefore, new themes can 

be grouped under the following themes: social-economic, philosophical, socio-religious, political, 

moralistic, and educational themes. This current endeavour examined three major themes as 

identified in Alabi Ogundepo’s Ìjálá music.  

 

Moralistic theme: robbery and other vices condemned 

Ìjálá music performs social roles in which the societal core values, norms, traditions and beliefs are 

well articulated in the performance. Societal values and beliefs such as quality education, hardwork, 

chastity, loyalty and hospitality are usually adumbrated by the chanters and vices such as robbery, 

untidiness and immoral acts are vilified as unacceptable practices in Yorùbá society. Many of these 

vices were criticized and condemned by Àlàbí Ògúndépò in some of his performances. Society’s 

displeasure and stands on them were well elucidated and articulated. For instance, in one of his 

performances, he condemned robbery and reiterated untimely death as a sure judgment for robbers: 

 Ògún ní ń dájọ̀ fọ̀mọ olè,    Ògún  is pronouncing judgment for the robbers 

Ògún ní ń dájọ̀ fọ̀mọ olè   Ògún  is pronouncing judgment for the thieves 

Bẹ̀ ẹ bá ń gbọ̀ tẹrẹ kí tẹ̀kí l’étí Òkun if you hear gunshot beside the river 

Ògún ní ń dájọ̀    Ògún  is pronouncing judgment 

 

The song above was composed by Alabi Ogundepo in 1980s to condemn robbery activities that were 

rampant in Ibadan, Oyo state during that time. Ogundepo, with the company of others that were 

working with radio station, Nigerian Broadcasting Service Ibadan, was asked to capture the incidence 

of killing of robbers at that time. The arrested robbers were killed at the bank of ẹlẹ̀yẹlé Rivers in 

Ibadan in 1980s and he used his song to discourage people form robbery as a result of untimely death. 

The song was later recorded and produced by Alawada Records, Ibadan titled Jàgùdà sòfò l’ẹ̀lẹ̀yẹlẹ̀ 

vol 1. The song was used to dissuade younger generation from vices such as rubbery that are capable 



 

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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

of terminating life untimely. Musicians are saddled with the responsibility of social prophet to warn 

people of behaviours that injurious to their well-being and inimical to the society.  This is 

corroborated by Omojola (2017) that music in Yorùbá culture has a wide and inclusive participation 

of the norms and this is usually guided by the crucial roles of professional musicians as performance 

leaders. Alibi Ogundepo did not only discourage people from vices but also encouraged them on good 

behaviour as contained in the excerpt below- Ìwà rere which is one of the major attributes of 

Omolúàbí (see Samuel and Adekola, 2018 on music and concept of Omolúàbí) in Yorùbá worldview:   

Ìwà rere ní á jọ má a hù   good behaviour/character is the best 

Ìwà rere ní á jọ má a hù   let us embrace good behaviour 

 

Education and its imperativeness: “read far, go far without fear” 

Musical content in Àlàbí Ògúndépò’s Ìjálá music reveals importance and imperatives of education in 

contemporary world. It is believed that a person who “reads far is bound to go far in life and will 

leave without fear” as deduced in his music. According to him, a literate individual will become a great 

person in the society while illiterate will eventually become a slave to the educated fellow. The 

excerpt below explains this further: 

Èèyàn tó kàwé jìnnà   a man who is vast in education  

Bó bá yá a ní pò, a d’ọ̀gá   will later be a leader and hold an important position 

Bó bá yá a d’olórí oko   and later become a leader and successful person 

Ọ̀mọ̀wé lẹgbẹ̀ rẹ̀ o mà mà sìn  an educated person would be served by his peers 

 

The excerpts below also confirm that education is a sin qua non to upward mobility in social reality 

especially in contemporary world. The educated fellows are accorded respect and honour as the 

youths are encouraged to get education so as to become someone to reckon with in the society.  

Ìgbé a gb’álákọ̀wé gẹ̀gẹ̀   the way an educated person is held in honour 

Alákọrí ò gbọdọ̀ mí   iliterate must not  breath (talk) 

Ayé ń yẹra f’álákọra   everyone is avoiding iliterate  

Ẹ̀wù tó ya t’álákọ̀wé ò lè wọ̀  a cloth that an educated cannot wear 

Lalákọrí ń wọ̀ yan kángbán kán gbán it’s the one an iliterate wear and parade himself 

 

Ẹ̀kọ̀ ló layé, ẹ̀kọ̀ làgbà   education is imprtant, it is the in thing 

Ẹ̀yin ọ̀dọ̀ ẹ dábọ̀ ẹ kàwé   youths, please be educated  

A fẹ̀ kẹ̀ẹ d’olóríire    we want you be suceesful 

Ìfà ń bẹ f’álákọ̀wé tààrà   fortune are sure for the educated person 

Ọ̀mọ̀wé l’ọ̀gá àwọn ló káyé já  educated are the leaders and are al in all 

 

The above excerpts were rendered in prose-like manner while the music below was sung with 

instrumental accompaniment. The song text below reiterates the importance of education in African 

society. The music encourages every child to go to school but also learn one skill or the other through 

apprenticeship because those who learn through apprenticeship are vast in the skills they acquired 

which points to the fact that the instructorship system of teaching should be encouraged in schools. 

It must be noted that every form of education is important; both formal education and apprenticeship 

system have been known to be effective, accurate, financially rewarding and technologically relevant 

to contemporary time. 

 



 

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Another music excerpt that discusses the role and significance of education is given below: 

Taló sọ wípe t’ẹ̀kọ̀ kò sòro/2x  who says education does not matter? 

Taló sọ wípe t’ẹ̀kọ̀ kò sòro/2x  who says education is not important? 

Ẹ̀kọ̀ l’ọ̀nà t’ó ń gbé ni dé pò ńlá education is a sure way to greatness 

Béèyàn ò k’àwé yí o s’ẹ̀rú ọ̀mọ̀wé an illitrate will be a servant to an intellectual 

Wèrè èyàn ló ń pe t’ẹ̀kọ̀ ò mà sí o only the fool will undermine the importance of education 

Taló sọ wípe t’ẹ̀kọ̀ kò sòro  who says education does not matter 

 

The song above emphasizes the importance and indispensability of quality education in human 

development and status upgrading in life. The song, having started with a rhetorical question- “who 

says education does not matter” reiterates the fact that education is a must for upward movement 

in human status especially in post-colonial era. The repetition of the phrase- Taló sọ wípe t’ẹ̀kọ̀ kò 

sòro (who says education does not matter) in lines 1 and 2 and the last line of the song testifies to 

the emphasis the statement requires. The body of the song explains the fact that education is a sure 



 

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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol 17 June 2024 

path to success and a sure way to a greater height in life as uneducated will later become a servant 

to an intellectual; as a result of this, only the fool trivializes the necesity of education in post-colonial 

era. Although the exalted position is a common desire for both men and women but it is reserved for 

only the intellectuals. No one really wants to be a servant to other, everybody in the society usually 

aspires to belong to upper echelon but this can only be through hard work and going through the 

required training. Therefore, education which is the sure path to greatness is usually advocated for 

among the people. It must be clearly stated that though the type of education the musician was 

referring to in this song is essentially a Western education type in which various discoveries are made 

and solution are brought to human problems through the aid of technology, however, it must also be 

noted here that education in Yoruba traditional setting is more comprehensive than Western 

education. Holistic education is usually canvassed for especially for a better future of the youths. 

The issue of holistic education has been extensively discussed by scholars such as Awoniyi, (1975), 

Samuel and Adekola, (2018). The main point here is that education is the best legacy a man can give 

to his or her child for future achievement and rest of mind.  

 

Conclusion  

Ìjálá music by Alabi Ogundepo has a lot of didactic imports especially for the younger generation as 

revealed by the analysis of his selected themes. The thematic analysis of the song indicates the 

underlying idea of the song is the power of good counsel and expository capacity of the musician. The 

song explains the crucial role of moral values and education in traditional Yoruba setting which is still 

valid in modern era as it emphasis the fact that it is either you get educated and be exalted or you 

despise it and get lost in the society. Every form of education is important, especially education that 

contributes to moral development of a child is said to be effective, accurate, financially rewarding 

and technologically relevant to our time. The study provides a broad application of traditional songs 

and language in Yoruba cultural and historical contexts and their didactic imports. More is expected 

from researchers in the area of music and language so as to create special interest of African music 

and language in younger generation. 

 

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