The Ecumenical King Sunny Ade 34, Kay Ode M
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ISSN 0002 - 0087 Volume 40 Number 3, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY AFRICAN NOTES JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF AFRICAN STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN, NIGERIA African Notes Journal of the Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Ibadan Special edition on King Sunny Ade at 70 © IAS African Notes, Volume 40 Number 3 (December, 2016) EDITORIAL BOARD GUEST EDITORS: Sola Olorunyomi Kayode Samuel JOURNAL EDITOR: Senayon Olaoluwa SALES COORDINATORS: Jeremiah 0. Arowosegbe Mrs. M. 0. 0. Adeboye ADVISORY BOARD Dele Layiwola Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan Bolanle Awe MacArthur Foundation, Ibadan A lex Iwara University of Calabar Tim Cribb Churchhill College, University of Chicago Olufemi Taiwo Loyola University, Chicago Dan Izevbaye Bowen University, Iwo UNIVERSITYBiodun Jeyifo OFHarvard IBADAN University LIBRARY EDITORIAL INTERNS Diekara Oloruntoba-Oju FOR THE SPECIAL EDITION: Omotayo Omitola Contents Editorial Note ix Sunny Ade's Creativity in “Aiye Ogun; Aiye Ote " 1 Isaac Olawale Albert Performance Aesthetics and Narrative Strategies in the Music of King Sunny Ade 11 Bode Omojola and Bolanle Sogunro The Ecumenical King Sunny Ade 34, Kay ode M. Samuel Locutions and Cultural Ideology in the Language of King Sunny Ade's Juju Music 47 Akin Odebunmi King Sunny Ade: Liberal Sexuality, Reproductive Health and the Paramour 64 Mofeyisara Oluwatoyin Omobowale, Olayinka Akanle, Abel Akintoye Akintunde, Ayokunle Olumuyiwa Omobowale A Moral and Gender Analysis of King Sunny Ade's Juju Music 79 Sharon A. Omotoso Semiotics of Theatre Design in Sunny Ade's Musical Video “The Way Forward” 94 Adereml Michael Adeoye Oogun o Ran wa: An Afrocentric Analysis of the Meaning and Efficacy of Oogun in 106 Traditional African Medicine 1 CharlesUNIVERSITY O. Jegede OF IBADAN LIBRARY Sunny Ade Performs Sacred-profane in the Ogun Mythosphere 117 Sola Olorunyomi | 4-frican Notes Vol. 40 No. 3, 2016, pp. 34 - 46 | The Ecumenical King Sunny Ade Kayode M. SAMUEL Institute o f African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Introduction knowledge is non-investigation of the artiste* The name King Sunny Ade is readily associated using the ecumenical lens. with and indeed, evokes music within and My main objective in this article is to explore without the African scundscape; This is the ecumenical stance of KSA by raising the essentially because he is an accomplished following salient questions: songwriter, poet and vocalist, and singer all a) What is meant by ecumenism? wrapped into one. Besides these, his proficiency in his instrument—the b) Are its boundaries strictly defined, or is the term shifting in any way? guitar—exquisite dance steps and versatile stagecraftmanship earned him the titles 'Master c) What elements determine the ecumenical Guitarist' and undisputed 'King' ofjuju music. state of an institution or individual? King Sunny Ade, popularly referred to as KSA, d) How do KSA's life, activities and music is a man of many parts who represents many combine to confirm his ecumenical status? thipgs to many people. It will not be out of place to state that KSA is a distinguished personality who needs no formal introduction. As a result, it Consequently, I argue that King Sunny Ade can be considered rhetorical to ask: who is is indeed ecumenical. KSA? Indeed, several works exist on the person In answering the first question, it is of KSA and his works, including his mastery of imperative to attempt a conceptual clarification music, instrumentsUNIVERSITY and stagecraftmanship. OF IBADANof the term ecumenism. LIBRARY It comes from the Greek While it is common to find studies on Sunny word 'oikoumenikos', or 'oikoumene' (the Ade's biography, his social credentials and the inhabited world); the root being "oikos', which social relevance of his music (Palmer, 1982; means house. According to Kelly (1979), the Vanderknyff, 1994; Waterman, 1990; Decker, term "ecumenism" refers to the religious 1997; Adegbite 1995; Omojola, 2006; Mitter changes of some historical and theological 2009; Shahriari 2011), a major gap in complexity; a searching by religious traditions The Ecumenical KSA 35 for a greater measure of cooperation on social Movement (SCM), Sunday School issues and, on a theological level, a deeper Associations and Bible Societies rose to mutual understanding and respect. It connotes challenge the segregationist denominational tending to support and encourage unity among theology of that period. Consequently, by 1910, the various divisions, particularly of the the missionaries began a movement marked by Christian religion. the Edinburgh Conference which became the base of ecumenical co-operation in foreign missions by the churches and missionary Genesis of Ecumenism societies of Europe and North America. The The ecumenical movement is a twentieth- assembly was held in Amsterdam in 1948, with century phenomenon which challenged leaders the adoption of the motto: 'ONE WORLD - (pastors, priests and ministers) and ONE CHURCH'. congregational members of all Christian churches to examine the extent to which their The Vatican however remained adamant lives, faith, witness and worship conform to the against the movement for about three decades, doctrine of a unified assembly. The movement although many priests and theologians within is aimed at promoting as well as encouraging the Roman Catholic Church setting, various stakeholders connected with the particularly in Northern Europe, were Christian faith to build bridges (real and unrelenting in working for unity across what artificial) among themselves as enunciated by could be considered the deepest and most the teachings of Jesus Christ as recorded in the difficult division of Western Christianity. After synoptic gospels in the light of a rapidly an initial delay lasting about a decade changing world. Prior to this transformative occasioned by World War II, the ecumenical move within the first decade of the 20th century, movements in Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christians were taught and apparently Churches were organized into the World encouraged to believe that the full Christian Council of Churches (WCC) in 1948. The truth was exclusively found in their own assembly had the mission, set as its primal denomination or confessional family. To this objective, of tackling relations between the end, it was an era theologically characterised by churches and organizations of other religions polemical standpoints. It witnessed a situation and ideologies. It was reported that during the where many church leaders practised war itself, the WCC, in process of formation, absolutism (a stance which attacked the beliefs had already begun its work of reconciliation and of other churches/denominations and was full providing humanitarian service to refugees. of admirationUNIVERSITY for its own theology OF and IBADAN A few years LIBRARY later, specifically on June 10, tradition). However, two groups involved in 1969, an historic event took place. The head of Christian service and the propagation of the the Vatican, then Pope His Holiness Paul VI, gospel, namely, foreign missionaries and paid a pleasant visit to the headquarters of the laypeople such as the Young Men Christian WCC in Geneva. That singular action clearly Association (YMCA), Young Women Christian signified to all and sundry that the wall of Association (YWCA), Students Christian separation was beginning to collapse and an 36 Kayode M. Samuel ecumenical progress had gradually begun. terms, especially considering the dynamic What made the event spectacularly historic is nature of the world we live in. Thus, a term may the fact that for the first dme ever since the be expanded to include some other variables, Reformation, the head of ;he Roman Catholic which have thus far been excluded from the Church set an example to Catholic faithfuls that frame. It could also connote new meanings, he recognized the other Christian denomination especially in the light of new findings, realities as part of a single fellowship in one ecumenical and experiences. As a result, this article posits movement. Not only did the Pope pray publicly that any institution, which may not necessarily for the first time in a service which he was not be a religious organization, including himself conducting, also in his address he put on individuals and living legends, can aptly be the agenda for discussion and study the question described as ecumenical, especially if they of Roman Catholic membership. exhibit ecumenical traits and attributes one why or another. Against this backdrop, I suggest that Over the years, the term ecumenism has ecumenism may not be solely applicable to the been used in relation to the Christian faith, so Christian religion. In essence, the term coulcj, much so that each time the word pops up, it is not and should not be restrictive. associated with the movement towards ensuring the universality of one church. The First, I begin by identifying three markers main aim of the Ecumenical Movement was and (characteristic features) of ecumenism: remains to bring churches of all denominations 1) It is non-polemic. At the heart of and affiliated groups, and, ultimately, all other ecumenism is the notion of building religious organizations together as One bridges rather than walls of separation or Ecumenical Church or World Church. Thus, it promoting segregation under any guise. became a common term among Christian denominations just as it is frequently 2) There is a sense of critical balance and understood to indicate a long-term ideal of mutual