Basic musical instruments found across Nigerian churches that feature in worship musical performances are electronic keyboards of various capacities and quality, but a few big churches and Cathedral still have a big organ or pipe organ which they use for congregational singing or choir anthems. Other musical instruments are drum-set, guitars (bass and lead), saxophone, trumpet, konga-drum, talking-drum, put-drum, gong, maracas, and a few others that are peculiar to regions. 

The application or use of these sets of instruments in worship for performance could vary from one region to another according to the availability, and the level of competency of instrumentalists present to accompany the singing, irrespective of musical genre and style being performed.   

Indigenous Musical Instruments

Beside the Western instruments used in Nigerian churches are indigenous musical instruments. The church once rejected these instruments due to the influence of missionaries on the use of music and instruments in worship. However, with scholarship and a better understanding, most of these instruments have now been accepted for worship. Such instruments include the bata, gangan, agidigbo, agogo, rattles, and many others. These locally made instruments make more meaning to the worshipper, for music in Nigeria is largely connected with instrumentation and dance. Below are pictures of some of the instruments mentioned above.

(pictures coming soon.)

Contributed by Chesirri Talla Emmanuella.

Talking Drum

Several musical instruments are used during worship services to glorify God in Nigerian churches. Among them is the Talking Drum a Membranophone classification of African instruments found among the Yorubas. It is a lovely instrument that could talk because it makes three tones (doh me soh) and as a result, communicates, and also makes rhythm. Worshipers do enjoy it in that it makes them dance a lot. It communicates and people respond with dance or talking.

It is noticed that some worshipers are not fulfilled or satisfied until they hear the sound of talking drums during worship. That invariably suggests that some prefer it to western musical instruments such as the keyboard, guitar, etc. It requires good training to be able to play it well. Talking drum is used to accompany praises, hymns, choir renditions, and thanksgiving. This means, if the song is in a danceable beat or rhythm, then a Talking Drum is used.

Contributed by Emmanuel Olabisi.

The Agogo (The African Bell)

The Agogo is an important African traditional musical instrument of the idiophone family. It comes in various sizes and shapes, which thus translates to the type of tone quality and pitch that would be achieved on the musical instrument. The sizes and shapes also vary across regions and locations and are being used in different modes. The Agogo has diverse names across cultures and ethnicities and is attributed to different deities like Ifa, Osun, and Igbe. It is being used during traditional marriages, burial proceedings, and local band performances. It is also used by the king’s emissaries, known as “Town Crier,” to call the attention of villagers to disseminate the king’s information.

In recent times, it has been adapted for use in Christian worship, especially in churches located in rural areas and churches known as the African Church. The Igbo of the Eastern part of Nigeria use a bigger size of the Yoruba Agogo, which is called Alo. In the South-South region of Nigeria, the Urhobo people group use it in worship during traditional and cultural worship and song presentations, and it is also called The Agogo. Findings reveal that the size and shape of the mouth part of the Agogo go a long way in determining the pitch and tone quality of the musical instrument.

Sources:
Oluwole A. Adeyeye, “The Instrumental Technology of Agogo in Ibadan as a Way to Foster Technical Knowledge.,” A Paper Presented to Department of Music Technology, The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State, 2020:2.

Contributed by Chamberlain Eguono Oyibo.