DRINKING SONGS AMONG THE ANNANG PEOPLE OF AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper sets out to examine drinking songs among the Annang people of Akwa Ibom State, in order to show their meaning, general aesthetics and the conditions that necessitated the composition of some of the songs. In order to carry out this objective, the researcher with the help of an assistant, went to some villages in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area and recorded several drinking songs. The analysis of eleven of these songs using Ethnopoetics as the theoretical approach, is what forms the fulcrum of this paper. The result of the findings of this paper are generalized to cover the entire Annang nation, since the culture is homogeneous. Justification for the use of ten drinking songs is that each of the songs portrays a different and unique situation that cannot be substituted for any other. The findings of this paper are that firstly, Annang drinking songs lift the mood of heaviness of the drinkers and makes them jovial. Secondly, the songs create humour, are educative, and are not only interesting and full of aesthetics, but that they are drawn from the people’s ancient oral heritage. Equally, the research shows that the Annang adult males captured in these songs are responsible men, who would not hesitate to caution an irresponsible young drinker to mend his ways. The researcher concludes by recommending that these songs should be collected, collated and preserved as being an aspect of the authentic index of the people’s cultural heritage.