THEME AND STYLE OF IGBO BIRTH SONGS

This study analysis the theme and style of Igbo birth songs. Presenttly, with the introduction of Christianity and civilization in the forms of cinemas, televisions, videos, computers, phones and even Igbo written literature, many Igbo people hardly practice the oral aspect of the Igbo language like birth songs, funeral and nuptial poetries which are mostly context based. This study examines the structure of Igbo birth songs. It analyses the themes of Igbo birth songs in relation to their functions in the Igbo socio-cultural life. It examines the linguistic and paralinguistic features used in expressing birth song performances and also identifies similarities and differences (if any) between birth songs in the the five core Igbo speaking states of Nigeria : Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states. The major source of data collection for this study is fieldwork. The study adopts two different theories for its framework namely: the functionalist and the contextual theories. The findings show that birth songs being in solo-response form, feature three types of responses based on lyrics. The first is in word perfect form of both solo and chorus, the second is in the form where the solo exist in the non-fixed form and the chorus in fixed form. The third type is in the form where both the solo and the chorus are in the non-fixed forms. The study also identifies three interrogation styles in birth songs as follows: The type in which the answer(s) precede the question(s).The second type is the type where, the answers to the questions are supplied immediately after the questions have been asked and lastly, we have the rhetorical questions. Furthermore, the study concludes that in recent times most women especially the Christians, dissociate themselves from birth song performances. It, therefore, recommends that since there is nothing fetish in the performance of birth songs, Christian women should participate and help in its promotion because its promotion invariably means the promotionand celebration of Igbo women in particular and Igbo cultural heritage in general.