#6 Contextualizing Yoruba Socio-Cultural Principles on Inter-personal Relationships in the Nigerian Popular Music: A Case study of Asake’s Lonely at the Top
UDC:
Received: Jan 02, 2026
Reviewed: Feb 01, 2026
Accepted: Feb 16, 2026
#6 Contextualizing Yoruba Socio-Cultural Principles on Inter-personal Relationships in the Nigerian Popular Music: A Case study of Asake’s Lonely at the Top
Citation: Olusola, Kayode O. 2026. "Contextualizing Yoruba Socio-Cultural Principles on Inter-personal Relationships in the Nigerian Popular Music: A Case study of Asake’s Lonely at the Top." Accelerando: Belgrade Journal of Music and Dance 11:6
Abstract
In the field of African musicology, in Nigeria, curiosity has sprang up in the area of popular music study and hip-pop music in particular. This has been without adequate interest in the place of culture, society and language influences on the music. This study therefore, focuses on highlighting the socio-cultural principles on inter-personal relationships which has been contextualized into the text content of popular music in Nigeria, using Asake’s ‘Lonely at the Top’ as case study. This study relies on using Asake’s discography as primary sources of data collection; while the secondary method involves sourcing for relevant literature as references. The research findings reveals that, the text content of the song ‘Lonely At the Top’ by Asake, has shown that Asake’s creativity was influenced by his Yoruba cultural background and the society. This is obviously noticed through the use of Yoruba mixed with English language which is influenced by different Yoruba aphorism, axioms and proverbs which are different form of words of wisdom usually by the elders that informed the socio-cultural principles guiding inter-personal relationships within the Yoruba society. This research concludes that the composition of the song ‘Lonely at the Top’ by Asake is a reflection of Yoruba cultural identity in him, contextualized through the lyrics of his music.
popular music, hip-pop music, african musicology, yoruba
Introduction
Music is an important practice among the people of Nigeria. It is the most common form in which the people of Africa express their emotions, belief system and cultural principles within a given society. The significance of music is seen in terms of its functionality and relevance to day-to-day life activities of the people of Nigeria and Africans as a whole. Music plays an important role in ceremonies, festivals, rites, occupational recreation and sports as well as in all other forms of entertainment.
Nigerian popular music includes a wide variety of folk and popular music genres. The country's numerous ethnic groups each have their own distinctive musical styles, instruments, and songs. The country's most internationally renowned genres are Indigenous, Apala, Fuji, Jùjú, Afro-beat and Afro-juju. The music of Nigeria includes many kinds of folk and popular music. Styles of folk music are related to the multitudes of ethnic groups in the country, each with their own techniques, instruments, and songs.
Over the years, there has been increased interest in the in depth analysis of performance practice and creativity in popular music. This results from popular music transcending the realm of only being an entertainment genre. Scholarly investigation of some of the typologies of African music has to an extent revealed the significance characteristics and unique musical imports in each. With the music of young Nigerian artistes like Olamide, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Salvage, Mohbad, Teni, and Asake among others, the country has finally arrived at its own variant of hip hop, Afro hip hop which is a unique blend of African rhythms and contemporary rap mostly in Yoruba and Igbo language that has a distinct feature of multilingualism characterized by ‘code-switching‘ or ‘code-mixing‘, where the music is performed in a mixture of standard English and one or more of those two indigenous languages.
The major place of attraction and patronage of Nigeria‘s popular music is Lagos which is predominantly a Yorùbá speaking city. As Lagos has given birth to major popular music styles like Juju, Fuji, Highlife and Galala, in Nigeria, it is therefore not out of place to say that Lagos laid the foundation for the development of Nigeria‘s urban popular culture where the influence of Yorùbá language and culture is evident.
Scholars have paid attention to the study of popular music especially hip-pop but very little literature has been recorded on the use of Yoruba socio-cultural principles in hip-pop music in Nigeria, especially on the music of Asake. This study focuses on the Yoruba cultural principles for inter-personal relationships within a society in popular music in Nigeria, using Asake’s Lonely at the Top as case study. This study looks into how the use of related Yoruba aphorism and axioms on interpersonal relationships are incorporated into popular music in Nigeria with special focus on the music of Asake.
Conceptual Framework
The premise for discourse in this paper rests on Wicke’s (1997) Cultural theory. The cultural theory as first advanced by Shepherd and Wicke (1997, 230) conceived the understanding of music as a form of human expression. They argue that music is a central, rather than a peripheral activity for individuals and society. Cultural dimension posits that music is the product of people’s culture and that all music exists and is appreciated within the context of the culture in which it exists. It seeks to understand any music within a society by considering the principles governing musical practice, ideals and cultural worldview or philosophy of that society where the music exists.
Okechukwu, Ahanotu and Ekezie (2019) opine that music is a culture carrier and unifier through its communication process. They stressed that music carries culture wherever it goes and serves as an agent of oneness, solidarity and one-voice community. Therefore, music within a society is an expression, symbol and mirror of the culture and the general world-view of the people within that society which is orally transmitted from one generation to the other.
Yoruba culture consists of folk/cultural philosophy, religion and folktales. They are embodied in Ifa Divination, known as the tripartite Book of Enlightenment in Yorubaland and in Diaspora. ‘The Yoruba cultural concepts are mainly narrative in form, explicating and pointing to the knowledge of things, affecting the corporeal and the spiritual universe and its wellness.
Yoruba people have hundreds of aphorisms, folktales, and lore, and they believe that any lore that widens people's horizons and presents food for thought is the beginning of a philosophy” (Kola 2006 quoted in Kemi 2015, 19).
Ogunyemi (likely Yemi D. Prince, also known as Yemi D. Ogunyemi) posits that “ Yoruba cultural concepts form a system of knowledge production that contains folk philosophy. This means that the traditional aspects of Yoruba culture, such as oral traditions (myths, tales, proverbs, etc.), language, art, and religion, are not merely social practices but are the very mechanisms through which knowledge and philosophical thought are generated, preserved, and transmitted across generations“ (Ogunyemi 2018).
Ogunyemi observed that Yoruba cultural concepts are best understood as the system of knowledge production that contains folk philosophy which include a set of narratives and cultural practices that attempt to explain the causes and the nature of things affecting the corporeal and the spiritual universe. Yoruba philosophy can be considered antecedent to knowledge about Yoruba cultural concepts and belief system, in the same manner that every idea comes from the head before going into action. He stated further that:
‘The Yoruba people, who number more than 30 million on the African continent and many millions in their diaspora, inhabit a world of myths, allegories, poetry, and the love and wisdom of the Ifa divination system. Those are just a few of the components of Yoruba culture, the genesis of which is the holy city of Ile-Ife, Nigeria. They serve to remind the Yoruba of a past that has survived through oral tradition. From that foundation have Yoruba philosophy, religion, and literature developed, all of which blend ancient truths and divine moralities with reason.’ (Ogunyemi 2015)
Since music reflects cultural traits and background of any artiste, Asake’s music has the traces of Yoruba culture through the lyrics, rhythm and costume. Yoruba cultural philosophy constitutes most of the lyrics of his song titled ‘Lonely at the Top’ which is the main focus of this research work.
Life and Musical Background of Asake
Ahmed Ololade, better known by his stage name Asake, is a well-known Nigerian musician who was born to Yoruba ethnic parents on January 13, 1995. He is a native of Nigeria’s southwest. The gifted vocalist spent the majority of his formative years in Lagos State, where he was raised.
Millions of Afro-beats fans like this singer and songwriter for his powerful vocals and memorable song lyrics. When he released the 2020 single, ‘Lady’, he made his debut in the field. He became famous after Olamide, the head of the label, signed him to YBNL Records. ‘Mr. Money’ was another song that made him more noticeable. Ololade Asake, his first EP, was made available and became a worldwide commercial success. The Street Pop and Afro-fusion music scenes count him among their brightest stars.
His smash tune, ‘Lady’, which went viral and received positive feedback from numerous online media outlets and A-list celebrities, launched him into the spotlight. The Nigerian-born ‘Lady’ crooner was forced to repost his freestyle from artists like Broda Shaggi, Tunde Ednut, NastyBlaq, Sydney Talker, and a plethora of others.
Asake performing in a Toronto concert (2024). Source: wiki
Family background/Early Life
The Ololade family welcomed Asake into the world on January 13, 1995. His parents planned a naming ceremony to honor his birth a few days after he entered the world. Ahmed Ololade was the name given to him. He is of the Yoruba ethnic group and is from the South West of Nigeria. He and his family were both born and reared in the city of Lagos. He was raised in a Muslim home and was taught the same religion. His mother was a teacher and his father was an entrepreneur. Asake started his career in the arts as a dancer. He was an excellent dancer when he was younger and enjoyed doing it. His area of expertise was cultural dance, and he spent his free time honing his craft. He performed at school functions as a high schooler, delighting his classmates and faculty with energizing cultural dances. He acquired the moniker Asake while dancing. Asake enjoyed dancing, but he also enjoyed listening to music. He frequently delighted his close friends and classmates with original songs and renditions of well-known tunes thanks to his booming voice. He made the decision to combine singing and dancing because he wanted to be a better performer. He played drums and was a part of the school band on the side. Asake is a 20-year-old musician who is still fairly new to the Nigerian music scene. He received his degree from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he studied theater and performing arts.
Relationships
Asake owns exotic vehicles and lives in a luxurious apartment complex in Lekki, Lagos. Asake relaxes by playing tennis, football, and snooker games when he is not doing performances or writing music. He also listens to music by other artists for a significant portion of the day.
The singer is now single, and the public is unaware of the specifics of his love life. He enjoys being joyful all the time, which helps him make beautiful music. He enjoys meeting new people and exploring new places. He enjoys listening to music. Olamide’s record label, YBNL Nation, has Asake on board.
Musical Career
Asake began his musical career at a very young age and was frequently spotted posting freestyles on all of his social media accounts. In 2015, Asake made the decision to establish a career in music production. He entered the Afro-beats music scene and began specializing in Afro-fusion songs after being inspired by the success of musicians like Olamide, Davido, Wizkid, 9ice, and Wande Coal. He combines the sounds of Hip Hop, Amapiano, R&B, and Fuji to produce music that sets him apart from other musicians.
His career began as a backup vocalist for Broda Shaggi’s band, singing at concerts and other events all throughout the nation. In 2019, he and Broda Shaggi worked together to release the song ‘Star’. The song performed admirably on the charts and made him more well-known to music aficionados. He felt encouraged by this victory, therefore in January 2020, he dropped the single ‘Lady’. Because several influencers reposted the song on their pages and content producers utilized it as background music in their videos, the song quickly gained popularity on social media.
The popularity of ‘Lady' made it possible for Asake to release ‘Mr Money', a smash song that became one of the top singles of 2020. He gained another moniker as a result of the song: Mr. Money. Asake released the track ‘Omo Ope’ in 2022. The song quickly gained popularity online. And this time, Olamide, a musician and music executive, heard about it. The more experienced musician opted to record his verse for the single after falling in love with the tune.
Soon after, Olamide proposed signing Asake to the YBNL record label and summoned him to a meeting. Asake accepted the invitation and grew close to the YBNL clan. On February 8th, 2022, he was introduced as the newest member of YBNL. Thereafter, Asake issued ‘Ololade Asake’, his debut EP. Four popular songs from the music project Omo Ope, Sungba, Trabaye, and Baba God are included. In February 2022, Glitch Africa had a live performance where he gave a performance of Baba God. For the Sungba remix, he worked with Grammy Award winner Burna Boy. The song, which was released on March 28th, 2022, has been at the top of the charts for several weeks. He was a featured performer on the song Palazzo by DJ Spinal. On May 13, 2022, the song was made public. TG Omori both shot and directed the single’s video. He released the number-one single Peace Be unto You on June 16, 2022. (PBUY). The song has collected thousands of streams from fans and got favorable reviews from reviewers. Awards and Nominations
‘Mon Cheri’ won The City People Music Award for Best Collabo of the Year 2020. ‘ Mr Money’won the City People Music Award for Popular Song of the Year 2020 City People Music Awards for Street Music of the Year 2020 Nomination
Yoruba Cultural Principles in Asake’s ‘Lonely at the Top’
‘Lonely at the top’ was a track released by Asake on the 16th of June 2023 in Nigeria under the record label known as YBNL. The music lasted for a duration of two minutes and thirty eight seconds. The song was done predominantly in Yoruba language mixed with pidgin-English. The lyrics contain different statements that portray the Yoruba socio-cultural principles, and which shall be discussed subsequently under different sub-headings.
Lyrics
Ob'
Obah
It's lonely at the top
(Lonely, lonely, lonely)
Money on my mind
(Money, money, money)
Don't care what they yanning about me in particular
(Ko kan mi, kan mi, kan mi)
Out here on the road chasing my dream because I know
(No one can chase it for me)
Ọ́lọ-lọlade maa n gb'ọmọ lọ (gb'ọmọ lọ)
Bọrọkọtọ idi ṣ'ọmọ lọ (ọ'ọmọ lọ)
Ẹ fi wọn s'ilẹ jẹ kan ma lọ
No dey find anybody na money me I want (me I want)
No dey hear wetin people dey talk (people dey talk)
Wọn ti ge Aṣakẹ l'eti lọ (l'eti lọ)
See life na one no get another one
I go take am do wetin I love
Wetin you love o
No be wetin I love o
Wetin I love I go do am with all my heart o
Ogogoro no be vodka
Mr. Money ginger
But unna know I no dey waste time
Mr. Money ginger
Just carry girl baby no time (no time)
Bad boy me I dey fine
And at the same time me I dey high (high)
Mo duro tan, mo stand out calm down
You go dey fine like fine wine, no decline
Sing about it, extraordinary things
Show me love, I go show you more
O pọ lọ pọ, pọ
Wo bo ọe n ọe, wo bo ọe n ọe
Ọmọ e don tey, je a ṣ'ere kéré
Mo n fọ f'aye, mo ti fọ f'aye
Yeah, yeah
Ọ́lọ-lọlade maa n gb'ọmọ lọ (gb'ọmọ lọ)
Bọrọkọtọ idi ṣ'ọmọ lọ (ọ'ọmọ lọ)
Ẹ fi wọn s'ilẹ jẹ kan ma lọ
No dey find anybody na money me I want (me I want)
No dey hear wetin people dey talk (people dey talk)
Wọn ti ge Aṣakẹ l'eti lọ (l'eti lọ)
See life na one no get another one
I go take am do wetin I love
Wetin you love o
No be wetin I love o
Wetin I love I go do am with all my heart o
Ogogoro no be vodka
Mr. Money ginger
But unna know I no dey waste time
Mr. Money ginger
Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Ahmed Olalade / Olamide Adedeji
Lonely at the Top lyrics ©Empire Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.,
Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Yoruba’s Principle of Oriki (Pet or Praise Name)
According to Vidal (1983), the concept of commemoration and panegyrizing has its roots in the Yoruba cultural matrix and reflects the value system operating in any Yoruba community. The Yoruba people have a special inclination for celebrating or commemorating important events of the life cycles, from birth and naming ceremonies through marriage in the praise institution known as Oriki.
Asake (Ololade Ahmed) adopted the name Asake, a personal pet or praise name known as Oriki among the Yoruba people as his stage name. The name ‘Ololade mi Asake’ is usually pronounced at the beginning or at intervals of every song track he produced. The use of Asake as his stage name conforms to the Yoruba’s socio-cultural principle of naming of a child. This is because when a newly-born child is given names, most Yoruba societies will also include Oriki, which will be a unique pet or praise name for the child. To make a child happy or encouraged, the Yoruba people will sing or chant the Oriki of the child to pet him or her whenever the child is angry or to praise him or her for good deed done. As soon as the song ‘Lonely At The Top’ started with an instrumental introduction, the phrase ‘Ololade mi Asake’ is said by a female voice before the main singing commenced. Ololade
Yoruba’s Principle of Ajumose (Social Communism)
Akiwowo (1986) posited that ‘Ajumose’ is the internalized norms and values encoded within social expectation which guide social relations for the sustenance of social order among the comity of individuals even when they do not seemingly ‘coexist’ for a purpose. And so, when they do not seem to ‘coexist’ for a purpose, they actually do so, whether consciously or unconsciously, because they interact in a way that will not have a negative impact on either social interaction or social order, so as not to threaten social survival.
The Yoruba concept of ‘Ajumose’ implies having the spirit of social collectivism by each individual or group. They believe in the well-being of all citizens within their community and that is why they co-operate with other people within their society to achieve a common goal which positively affects everyone. The Yoruba culturally believe that ‘a problem to one is a problem to all’. The concept of ‘Ajumose’ could be drawn from the popular Yoruba saying that:
‘Olowo kan laarin otosi mefa, otosi loun naa’
Meaning: A rich person out of six poor people is also a poor person
The word ‘Lonely at the Top’ implies that Asake feels that he is musically and financially successful and outstanding artiste in his category because of his adopted principles on interpersonal relationships with people, thereby notifying other artistes to be more focused and work harder and join him at the top because he is feeling lonely there. This suggests in the same song why people started gossiping about his success as indicated in the song subsequently.
Yoruba’s Principle of Eyi Owu Ewi (Let them Say)
The Yoruba philosophy of Eyi Owu Ewi also known as the principle of ‘Let them Say’ or Ignoring the gossip and critics is a very important principle that any wise Yoruba person believes must be adopted by anyone who wants to achieve his or her goal or desired things in life. Yoruba people believe that no matter what you are trying to achieve, some people will still either commend or criticize it. That was what brought about a popular wise saying in Yoruba language that:
‘Oun to ba wo elenu lole f’enu e so’
Meaning: I care less about whatever anyone says about me or what I’m doing because I remain focused. That was why Asake sang further in the song thus:
[Pidgin English]
‘I Don’t care what they’re yarning about me in particular
(Ko kan mi, kan mi, kan mi)
Out here on the road I’m chasing my dream because I know
(No one can chase it for me)
In this song, Asake ignores the gossip and focuses on the reason why he has chosen to be a musician, which is because he wants to be financially successful and have fame like other great musicians in the world. Asake sang further thus:
[Pidgin English/ Yoruba language]
Won l’ọlade maa n gb’ọmọ lọ (Gb’ọmọ lọ)
Bọrọkọtọ idi ṣ’ọmọ lọ (Ṣ’ọmọ lọ)
Ẹ fi wọn s’ilẹ jẹ kan ma lọ
I No dey find anybody na money I want (Me I want)
I No dey hear wetin people dey talk (People dey talk)
Wọn te ge Aṣakẹ l’eti lọ (L’eti lọ)
This life na one no get another one
I go take am do wetin I love
Translation:
They gossips that I womanizes with different ladies with big butts at all times
Leave them, let them say whatever because I am not bothered about them
I don’t listen to gossips because I have lost my listening ears to such
I have only one life to live, and I will live it well
The song lyrical phrase above also corroborates the Yoruba Principle of ‘Ariwo-Oja Lasan’ (Meaningless and irrelevant market noise). The Yoruba socio-cultural principle on interpersonal relationships is expressed with an axiom which says:
‘Eni ti a ba mba na oja lama nkoju si, a kii wo ariwo oja’
Meaning: One should focus on his purposes in life and should ignore criticisms and distractions.
The Yoruba’s Principle of ‘Eyi o Wunmi Ko Wu o’ (Variance in Desires and Aspirations)
There is a Yoruba philosophical saying that what a person loves or desires, may not be what someone else loves or desires. This reflects in a Yoruba Axiom which says:
‘Eyi wunmi ko wu o, ni kii jeki omo iya meji pawo po fe obinrin kan’
Meaning: What you love may be different from what I love, that is why two brothers don’t put resources together to marry one wife together.
This principle of variance in desires and aspiration in life is similar to the principle of ‘One man’s meat is another man’s poison’. This principle was also expressed in the lyrics of Asake’s song (‘Lonely at the Top.’). Where he sang thus:
[Pidgin English]
Wetin you love o, No be wetin I love o
Wetin I love I go do am with all my heart o
Ogogoro no be vodka, Mr. Money ginger
But una know I no dey waste time, Mr. Money ginger
Translation:
What you love is different from what I love
I will do whatever I love with all my heart
You can’t compare yourself with me
I’m known to be principled man
Here, in this song, he expressed love and satisfaction for whatever he is doing or his decision; while at the same time, expressing belief that others have the right to their desires and ways of lives too. Therefore, he should be left alone to focus on his own ways of life.
Findings And Conclusion
The analysis of the text content of the song ‘Lonely At the Top’ by Asake, has revealed that Asake’s creativity was influenced by his Yoruba cultural background and the society. This is obviously noticed through the use of Yoruba mixed with English language which is influenced by different Yoruba aphorism, axioms and proverbs, which are different form of words of wisdom usually by the elders that informed the socio-cultural principles guiding inter-personal relationships within the Yoruba society.
The other Yoruba cultural elements in the song include the basic chord progression observed in the music is tonic chord moving to sub-mediant, then to supertonic and ends with dominant chord (Chord I-VI-II-V) repeatedly. Others include the use of Yoruba’s Palongo timeline rhythm in 4/4 time as the basic ostinato beat used in the music. This is a borrowed timeline rhythm from highlife music and makes the music familiar and easy to dance by everyone irrespective of age or ethnic background. From the foregoing, it could be concluded that the composition of the song ‘Lonely at the Top’ by Asake is a reflection of Yoruba cultural identity in him, contextualized through the lyrics of his music. Therefore, it is recommended that more studies should be carried out on other popular musicians in Nigeria to find out how their cultural background has influenced their music creativity.
Palongo. Source: author.
Asake’s music ‘Lonely at the Top’, also identifies with Yoruba musical culture, especially in its use of responsorial structure of performance in which the chorus singers sings in response to every phrase sung by the lead-vocalist during performance, as well as chorus phrase singing by both the lead and the chorus singers simultaneously.
This research concludes that the composition of the song ‘Lonely At the Top’ by Asake is a reflection of Yoruba cultural identity in him, propagated through his music. The Yoruba traditional society and culture have contributed to Asake’s thematic source and inspiration towards the choice of texts of the songs. His socio-cultural background and real-life experiences as well as the current personal issues surrounding him have been contextualized into the lyrics of this song.
References
- Abati, Reuben. 2009. ‘A Nation‘s Identity Crisis.‘ Nigerian Guardian. groups.google.com Accessed 17th August, 2009.
- Adedeji, Adewale. 2000. ‘A New Direction in Nigerian Music Arts: The Emergence of Afrocenticism, Lagbaja! As a Case Study.‘ M.A. Thesis, The University of Ibadan. Nigeria.
- Adewale Adedeji 2010. ‘Yoruba Culture and Its Influence on the Development of Modern Popular music in Nigeria.’ An unpublished PhD Thesis. The University of Sheffield.
- Alariwo. 2008. ‘I‘m a Creative Noise Maker.‘ modernghana.com Accessed 10th February 2010.
- Agbo, Maduabuchi. 2009. ‘Language Alternation Strategies in Nigerian Hip Hop Rap Texts.‘. Language in India (9): 35-61.
- Akiwowo, A. A. 1986. “Asuwada-Eniyan.” Ife: Annals of the Institute of Cultural Studies (1): 113-123.
- Alim, Salim. H. 2006. Rock The Mic Right: The Language of Hip Hop Culture. New York: Routledge.
- Ards, Angela. 2004. ‘Organizing The Hip Hop Generation.‘ In That’s The Joint: The Hip Hop Studies Reader, 311-323. Edited by Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal. New York: Routledge.
- Arugha, Aboyowa. O. 2006 ‘Nigerian Composers and the Search for National Identity.’ An Encyclopaedia of the Arts 8(1): 76-17.
- Asante, Molefi. K. 2008. ‘Afrocentricity.‘ Retrieved from: ebsco.com, Accessed on 1st January, 2009.
- Ayeomoni. M. O. 2006. ‘Code-Switching and Code-Mixing: Style of Language Use in Childhood in Yorùbá Speech Community.‘ Nordic Journal of African Studies 15 (1): 90-99. doi
- Babalola, Taiwo and Rotimi Taiwo. 2009. ‘Code-Switching in Contemporary Nigerian Hip hop.‘ Itupale Online Journal of African Studies (1): 1-26. researchgate.net
- Ekweme, Lucy. 1981. A basic Guide to Music Appreciation. Lagos Nigeria. Apex Books Limited.
- Euba, Akin. 1989. ‘Essay on Music in Africa’ African studies. Volume 2. Bayreuth: The Bayreuth University.
- _____. 2006. Yorùbá Drumming: The Dundun Tradition. Bayreuth: The Bayreuth University.
- Franknel, Andrew 1990. ‘Nigeria, Africa‘s Stumbling Giant.’ In The Rough Guide To World Music Vol 1, edited by Broughton, Simon, 287-303. London, Rough Guides Ltd.
- Igboin, E.B 2010. "Is Olodumare, God in Yoruba belief, God? " Kanz Philosophia A Journal for Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism 4(2):189, doi
- Kemi, M. F. 2015. “Aesthetics of Yoruba Culture and Religion: An Examination of the Cultural and Religious Conflicts in the Plays of Wole Soyinka.” Master Thesis. Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of the University of Fort Hare East London, 2015.
- Kola, A. 2006. Yoruba Culture: A Philosophical Account. Iroko: Academic Publishers.
- Odunuga, and Ogunrinade. 2015. ‘Bequests and Veracities of African Indigenous KnowledgeSystem as a Means of Improving Music Education’ International Journal of African Society, Cultures and Traditions 3(4): 11-22. European Centre for Research Training and Development UK. eajournals.org
- Ogundokun, Sikiru A. 2013. “From ‘Noise’ to Performance: A study of Sikiru Àyìndé Ọláyínká (Barrister)’s Current Affairs and the Truth.” Online International Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2(1): 22-27. ISSN 2277-0852
- Ogunyemi, Yemi D. 2015. "The Philosophy of the Yoruba". britannica.com, 3 Feb. 2015. Accessed 14 December 2025.
- ______. 2018. Yoruba Philosophy and the Seeds of Enlightenment: Advancing Yoruba Philosophy. Vernon Press.
- Okafor, R. C . 2005. Music in Nigerian Society. Enugu, Nigeria. Apex Generation Books.
- Omoniyi, Tope. 2006. ‘Hip hop Through The English Lens: A Response to Globalization‘. World Englishes 25 (2): 195-208.
- Olumuyiwa, T. 2015. “Indigenous Knowledge in Àbẹ̀ní Alágbo-Òru (a Yorùbá Video Film): Panacea for Social and Political Disharmony in Nigeria.” Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. No. 9.
- Olusola, Kayode. 2018a. ‘Yoruba Cultural Concepts and Creativity in Orlando Owoh’s Juju Music.’ Ph.D Thesis. Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife.
- ______. 2018b. ‘Orlando Owoh’s Juju Music and the Application of Femi Adedeji’s Transformative Musicological Theory.’ Festschrift for Prof. S.O Adedeji, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife.
- Omibiyi, M. A. 1989. ’Popular Music in Nigeria.‘ Jazzforschung 13: 151-172.
- Rice, Timothy. 2010. ‘Disciplining Ethnomusicology: A Call for a New Approach.‘ Ethnomusicology 54(2): 318-325. jstor.org
- Shepherd, John and Peter Wicke. 1997. Music and Cultural Theory. Cambridge Polity Press.
- UNESCO 2005 “Education and Culture in Africa’s Quest for Development”, a UNESCO’S Preliminary Contribution to the Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union, Algiers, Algeria. PDF
Discography
- Asake (2023) ‘Lonely at the Top’ in the Album Work of Art, under YBNL Nation Label. youtube.com
