Folk Music as Cultural Memory
Across generations, Nigerian artists have reimagined folk music through distinct interpretive lenses—each shaped by time, place, and personal vision. Some have translated folk into breezy, sunlit melodies that evoke the unhurried rhythms of countryside existence. Others have sharpened it into a blade of sociopolitical commentary, reminding listeners of the struggles and contradictions that define the nation’s reality. Still others have used folk as a vessel for cultural reverence—a way of bowing to ancestral roots while walking confidently into the future. Whatever the approach, folk music in Nigeria refuses to fade. It endures because it reminds us of something essential: our ties to cultural history, the invisible threads that bind the present to the past.
Adekunbee: An Artist Rooted in Tradition
Among the contemporary voices carrying this torch is singer, vocalist, and chanter Adekunbee—an artist who has found her artistic identity not in the pursuit of trends, but in the deep soil of folk tradition. Vastly skilled in the intricate art of Yoruba praise singing, Adekunbee brings both technical mastery and emotional intelligence to her craft. Her latest single, Marikotikoko, serves as a radiant example of what happens when tradition meets sincerity.
The song celebrates one of life’s most universal joys: parenthood. But more than that, it honors the cheer that children bring to families and communities alike. It acknowledges the quiet wonder that children hold—not as possessions, but as gifts. Using a seamless blend of Yoruba praise singing and English, Adekunbee creates a rhythm that feels ancient and immediate all at once. To listen to Marikotikoko is to be transported beneath a bright night sky where African mothers gather children close and sing them into dreams.
The Sonic Architecture of Wonder
What makes Marikotikoko a genuinely fine piece of music is its restraint. The song does not shout for attention; it whispers, giggles, and dances. The melodies are soothing without being saccharine, carrying within them the joy and playfulness that soundtrack childhood wonder. The structure is refreshingly simple, allowing each element room to breathe. The gan gan drums—those talking drums that have echoed through Yoruba history for centuries—move at a measured, unhurried pace. They do not compete with the voice; they accompany it. Together with Adekunbee’s rich praise singing, these elements coalesce into a song that captures the premium placed on children in Yoruba culture—a culture where a child is never merely an individual, but a thread in the communal fabric.
Practical Utility and Accessible Length
Beyond its artistic merits, Marikotikoko possesses a grounded utility that speaks to Adekunbee’s understanding of music as lived experience. The song is perfectly suited for bedtime stories, where its gentle rhythms can lull a restless child toward sleep. It belongs at naming ceremonies, where new lives are welcomed with song. It would find a natural home at birthday parties and other social functions where children are celebrated as the heart of the community.
At nearly fifteen seconds short of two minutes, the track is deliberately brief. This is not a flaw but a feature. The length is just right for both children and adults to commit the melody and message to memory after only a few listens. However, this brevity does come with a trade-off: the song does not serve as a robust display of Adekunbee’s full vocal range or artistic depth. It is a taste, not a feast. Listeners seeking more evidence of her vocal dexterity would do well to explore Agbanilagbatan, a single where she leans into gospel music while retaining core folk influences. There, her voice stretches further, revealing layers of power and control that Marikotikoko only hints at.
The Making of a Folk Voice
Adekunbee’s artistic identity did not emerge from a vacuum. It was shaped by two powerful forces: lived experience and academic rigor. Growing up with her grandmother, she was raised within a rich appreciation for Yoruba culture that most children in modern urban settings rarely experience. Her grandmother’s influence manifests in every aspect of Adekunbee’s work—in her love for Yoruba oral tradition, in her respect for elders, in the confident embrace of heritage that colors her singing, chanting, and colorful Orikis (praise singing).
But heritage alone does not make an artist. Technical training refines natural gift. Adekunbee holds a BA in Music from Lagos State University and a Master’s in Music & Performing Arts from the University of West London. This combination of traditional upbringing and formal education is rare and potent. It allows her to honor the past without being imprisoned by it, and to engage with contemporary forms without losing her core identity.
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