CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA: THE RENEWAL OF INDIGENOUS MUSIC: A CASE STUDY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NIGERIA

Abstract

For many ethnic groups in Africa, music is a part of everyday life. Celebrations begin with an exultant songfest of praise before transiting to other activities tsuch as birth, thanksgiving, marriage, fishing, hunting, farming, warfare and funerals. Songs reflect the passion and fire of spirituality that is intrinsic in the African character. Therefore knowing the music is an important way of knowing the culture and philosophy of people. Music unlocks the valuable anthropological data which is often inaccessible for foreigners. The Scottish Missionaries that brought the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria unconsciously neglected this aspect of the African culture and introduced a kind of worship, hymns and liturgy that was totally foreign, making it difficult for the local people to worship and express themselves in the African way. However, the growing awareness that Christianity inherited from the Western countries no longer fits into the cultural situation in Africa that has led to concerns to present the gospel in a way that is meaningful and sensible.

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