Echoes of Ecological Activism: Yoruba Spoken Word 'Omi Yaya' and Musical Narratives on Flood Disaster

Abstract:

Flood disasters are one of the most prevalent disasters in Africa, America, and some other parts of the world, with recently some of the worst flood disasters in history. According to ‘Floods in the WHO region’, during the past 30 years, flooding has killed more than 200,000 people and affected more than 2.8 billion others worldwide. Some of the biggest are the hurricane-related floods in New Orleans and the Omiyale flood disaster in Ibadan, to mention a few. Globally, it is increasingly becoming difficult to tell the difference between natural disasters and human-made disasters, as both the causes and impacts of climate change and environmental disasters are exacerbated by human actions and inactions. It is therefore imperative that musicians and composers use their arts to educate humans about social responsibility and advocacy towards nature and environmental sustainability, even in the face of technological development, commercialization, and industrialization. As a onetime victim of flood disasters (twice while growing up) and now a vocalist and music composer, my presentation will explore the intersection of Yoruba spoken word and an original musical composition (with English translation displayed) that addresses flood disasters in Yoruba land. Utilizing the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people, my performance will seamlessly blend live poetic vocal narration in Yoruba language with a snippet of my originally composed music, titled Omi yaya (Flood), in the background, creating a multisensory experience that captures the conference’s discussion on environmental concerns. The presentation will invite all the conference participants and future recipients of the conference to engage with the rich cultural nuances that shape responses to environmental crises in Yorubaland and how they align with similar experiences globally.

Bio:

Gbenga Falana is a musicologist, vocalist, and versatile music composer, currently pursuing his Master of Music in Composition at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. He holds his bachelor’s degree in music (with a specialization in theory and musical composition) from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria (2018). Gbenga has worked with various educational institutions in different regions of Nigeria as a music instructor and educator. He is also a junior research fellow at IFRA-NIGERIA, the French Institute for Research in Africa. Gbenga’s research interests encompass a broad range of topics, including musical composition, orchestration, church music, ecomusicology (music and environmental studies), and African art music. He is currently a graduate assistant in the composition area at the School of Music, University of Alabama.”