Decolonising sociology through popular culture-music research: Nigeria’s liberal democracy in focus

Abstract

The discipline of sociology digs out the empirical reality of societies based on affirmed epistemological frameworks. Sociological theory, methodology and research in Nigeria are deeply encapsulated in dominant Western-oriented epistemes and objectivity designs aimed at value-free assumptions, yet they are non-universally applicable to ascertaining nuanced realities with impacting outcomes. Guided by Justin Labinjoh’s 1982 Metaphor of Change to engage the objectivity versus subjectivity debates in the sociological practice, this paper argues that sociology is a colonising epistemology that requires a decolonising strategy through popular culture-music research to unearth the nuanced and subterranean reality of the subaltern classes in Nigeria’s liberal democratisation process. The paper also uncovers the taken-for-granted nuances of everyday life in the areas of power and governance, poverty and development in Nigeria’s democratisation process. Data were sourced from popular music of Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (Burna Boy) and Folarin Falana (Falz), which highlighted power, politics and development contradictions in Nigeria’s liberal democracy.

Keywords:

• Hegemonic universalism
• decolonial theory
• subjective approach
• popular culture-music
• metaphor of change
• democratisation in Nigeria

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ayokunle Olumuyiwa Omobowale

Ayokunle Olumuyiwa Omobowale (PhD) is Professor of Sociology at the University of Ibadan. Dr Omobowale studies development in context. He has won the University of Ibadan Postgraduate School Award for scholarly publication, 2007, Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique Research Fellowship 2009, American Council of Learned Societies-African Humanities Program Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2010 and African Studies Association (USA) Presidential Award 2014. Dr Omobowale was also Visiting Scholar at the Centre for African Studies, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA in November 2014. His works have appeared in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes locally and internationally. He served on the Board of Editors of International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest (2009) and he is the author of The Tokunbo Phenomenon and the Second-hand Economy in Nigeria (2013). Dr Omobowale is Editor of Ibadan Journal of Sociology and he is also an International Partner and Participant in the International Network on Women on the Move COST Action (CA19112) 2020-2022 https://www.cost.eu/cost-action/women-on-the-move.

Olugbenga Samuel Falase

Olugbenga Samuel Falase holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Ibadan. He is a recipient of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) Doctoral Fellowships (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2020) respectively, and Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Doctoral Research Support Grant, 2015. He is a specialist in development and rural sociology and the sociology of forests. He is a lecturer at the Department of Sociology, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. He is also an International Partner and Participant in the International Network on Women on the Move COST Action (CA19112) 2020-2022 https://www.cost.eu/cost-action/women-on-the-move.

Mofeyisara Oluwatoyin Omobowale

Mofeyisara Oluwatoyin Omobowale holds a PhD in anthropology. Her doctoral research was on space, sexuality and power at Bodija Market, Ibadan, Nigeria She is a recipient of the American Council of Learned Societies-African Humanities Program (ACLS-AHP) Doctoral Fellowship 2012, the Cadbury Fellowship (Department of Anthropology and African Studies, Birmingham University) 2014 and ACLS-AHP Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2016. Her interests lie in medical anthropology, cultural studies, sexuality issues and maternal, child and adolescent studies. Mofeyisara is Research Fellow/Lecturer at the Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Dr Mofeyisara Omobowale is a co-investigator on Global Grand Challenges (Round 23) project on Immunisation Strategies for Working Mothers 2019-2021 https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/grant/immunisation-strategies-working-mothers.

Adebimpe Oluwabukade Adefila

Adebimpe Oluwabukade Adefila is a PhD candidate at the Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan. She has a background in economics, a master’s in sociology (development) and her doctoral research is on the palm oil industry in Southwestern Nigeria. Adebimpe has a special interest in the economic sociology of the informal sector, gender relations in the workplace and the globalisation process.