Human existence is hinged on culture which is people’s way of life and their cultural value. Life has witnessed progressive changes in every area a human mind can think of; starting from the earliest stage which is the first stage of human existence tradition played a very vital role towards the development of man. Man as a social animal was able to hand over well-stated rules or guiding principles from one generation to another as a means or tool to sustainable peace between various communities. These guiding principles were handed down in different ways either through folklores which were told to the younger generations by the elders and music which most times cannot be traced to a particular composer. This type of music has a very flexible model in that it can be changed in parts or in whole whilst its meaning or message is held and preserved very strongly.
In the early stage of man's existence and development, music was seen as a very vital tool for socialization and cultural development but as the world evolved, music began to lose its value thereby losing the message it was meant to pass across.
In our world, today, technology has gradually become mans closest
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friend ranging from mobile phones to other artificial intelligence which was built to serve man but has gradually turned man into its servant. Man as a social being is all-inclusive in that man cannot and should not exist outside his community or man should not live alone as an island. This has become the order of the day. A man can comfortably stay indoors without feeling bored because of these techs which he has surrounded himself with. He can be in just one corner of his house while he is touring around the world and chatting with millions of online friends through his mobile phone or pc.
This way of life has strongly dealt a heavy blow on our social existence when it comes to cultural integration and development. As the man gradually removes himself from his immediate community, this makes it hard for a sustainable culture through handing down the core values inherent in culture to the younger generation because they live and learn other people’s way of life without any recourse to their ancestral value or way of life.
In all of these, Africa has received her fair share of cultural neglect because her youths now believe and live their life following the Western world and their cultural value and style. This is seen in their style of dressing, kind of music they listen and dance to, their mode of dancing, the kind of food they eat etc. These things have hindered the smooth transition of our cultural heritage to the next generation leaving the African culture on the brink of extinction.
People’s way of life can be wiped out completely if proper care is not taken and at the rate at which technological advancement is going African culture may not last the next century. We must remember that culture is a way of people and if they should lose their way of life it means that they never existed.
What is the way out?
Music as we all know is the soul of the spirit and it permeates the strongest of hearts once the right music is played.
· Therefore it is of great importance that the revitalization of traditional music must be seen as a top priority. Africa being the most affected continent in the world must wake up to fight this impending doom which may wipe our cultural heritage away from the face of the earth.
· There should be a well-planned curriculum for schools where traditional music and culture will be carefully taught and handed down to the younger generation because our future lies in their ability to sustain our cultural heritage in all levels of life.
· There must be a conscious arrangement to increase the presence of African cultural displays and music on the internet since it is the reigning thing so that the youths can also learn right in the comfort of their houses.
· Parents must wake up from their slumber by making sure that their indigenous languages are handed down to their wards and children because a child who cannot command his indigenous language or mother tongue can easily be deceived into believing that his culture is of less importance.
· The government of Africa must create a synergy between all the African countries in that way cultural exhibition can be organized and even cultural games or traditional music competition amongst African countries thereby fostering Africa’s cultural heritage.
African leaders and the entire continents must understand that people without a cultural heritage is lost and may not be able to find themselves again if adequate care is not taken. Therefore Africa must rise to the task in other to restore its cultural and societal values through traditional music as a tool for cultural development.
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