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Religious Music in Migrant African Churches: A Case Study of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in North America
Aderibibge Ibigbolade Simon, Department of Religions, Lagos State University, Ojo, Nigeria
Migration discourse has continued to
attract scholars attention in increasingly vibrant subject of globalization.
Migration may be considered as both ingredient of globalization and
a consequence of it (Adogame and Weiss Kopped, 2005). What ever there
has always been economical, political and social implications.
There has been different reasons and occasions for migration. Particularly
in the case of African migrations, the countries or continents of destination,
have to a large extent shaped such reasons and occasions.
Perhaps a factor of migration that has not been credited with its due
recognition is Religion. This is in spite of the fact that in recent
years, within the scope of globalization, there has been the sporadic
extension and proliferation of African immigrant religiosity. Indeed
African oriented churches are currently engaged in not only sending
missionaries, but also establishing African mental churches in Europe,
America and other parts of the world. These churches go a long way
to provide migrants support and religious identity in the host nations.
Religious content of migration is in diverse forms. However we are
primarily concerned in this paper with Religious Music in migration.
Our focus is on the Redeemed Christian Church of God established in
Nigeria in 1952 and which now has an extensive spread in North America.
The religious Music, which is essentially Nigerian in composition,
rendition and utilization has become very significant in the religious
activities and cultural identifications of Nigerian and other African
migrants in North America. This African Church has so to say become
the save havens where not only religious but other social and economic
needs of the immigrants are articulated and met..
The interesting and pivotal dimension of what constituted the religious
music migration in the R.C.C.G. are that these imported religious music
are made to serve the same ecstatics, values and social structure as
in the original “home”. Also its functionality of being
linked to every day activities congregational communication among members
and between members and God is essentially sustained. It is instructive
to note that in spite of the Church’s attempt of assimilation
of other America ways of life, its music during worship services, the
choir renditions and general church members music performances has
remained “puritan” and retained its Nigerian identity.
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