INTRODUCTIONLocal songs are also known as folk songs. They are songs that show people’s history and their way of life. These songs have passed through several generations. Overtime, the names if those who composed these songs have been forgotten.Folk music is a term for musical folklore. It is music passed down from generation to generation. Folk music is used to teach the norms and history of a people.CHARACTERISTICS OF FOLK MUSICFolk music has different characteristics depending on the locality or community it comes from. The characteristics are:1. Folk music is passed down from one generation to another through word of mouth.2. Songs are memorized by children and youths. Unlike today where we have songbooks and CDs (Compact Disks).3. Folk songs pass across messages that are significant.4. Folk songs are always about about a particular history, event and culture of a community. It could also be about folk heroes and religious festivals.5. Some folk songs could be lullabies sung to little children to make them sleep or stop crying.6. Folk songs are also meant for sports and labour.7. They are used for celebrations such as marriage, naming ceremonies, new yam festivals and so on.INSTRUMENTS USED FOR FOLK SONGSDifferent ethnic groups in Nigeria for example use different kinds of instruments while singing folk songs. The most important instruments are:

I. DRUMSThe drums especially the talking drum.

POTSPots drums which are shaped in a dumb bell form with an opening at the top.

iii FLUTES other instruments include un-pitched raft zithers (made from corn stalks); flutes made out of pawpaw stem.

Gong: this is known as ogene in Ibo part of Nigeria.

iv CANS

Some children use cans where drums can’t be found.

NIGERIAN POPULAR FOLK TALES

YORUBA FOLK TALE SONG

Oni ka lu Ku nje je ewure,

ewure, ewure,

Oni ka luku nje je agunitan,

agunitan balala,

Olurombi nje he ama re,

Oma re ap an bi epo

Ourombi o, jayin jayin

Iroko, jayin jayin.Now in English

Everyone pledges goat,

goat, goat

everyone pledges sheep,

sheep in abundance,

Olurombi pledges her only daughter,

A fair and beautiful daughter

Olurombi o, jayin jayin

Iroko, jayin jayin.

IGBO GAME SONG

Okereke, Okereke,

Du du du ya, ya,

Okor’ afo, Okor’ afo,

Du du du ya, ya,

Kwenu Oga na aga,

Oga na Oga Ngwo.

Oga na oga.

Oga na Oga Ngwo.Now English Version

Okereke, Okereke, (name)

Du du du ya, ya

Okorafo, Okorafo, (name)

Du du du ya, ya,

Sing, it is moving,

It is moving to Ngwo (a town).

It is moving

.It is moving to Ngwo.

HAUSA ALL GIRLS GAME SONG

A ya ya le,

,In do so ma la,

Ya ya le,

,In do so ma la,

Me du ka ma za

,In do so ma la,

Sai ndu sa mata,

In do so ma la,

‘Gidan babanta,

In do so ma la,

‘Ya ya ma su,

,In do so ma la.

English version

A ya ya le,

In do so ma la,

‘Ya ya le,

In do so ma la

,A girl who beats up men,

In do so ma la,

Must be punished,

In do so ma la,

In her father’s house,

In do so ma la,

Be nice and peaceful,

In do so ma la,

Nice and peaceful,

In do so ma la.

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