Meki Nzewi and the discourse of African musicology: a 70th birthday appreciation

Abstract

This article offers a critical appreciation of the contributions of Nigerian ethnomusicologist, composer and scholar, Meki Nzewi, to the scholarly discourse on African music. It identifies a number of recurring themes in Nzewi's work (notably the human-centredness of African music making), comments on Nzewi's language, method and manner (including the Africa-centredness of his overall stance), and points to the resonance of Nzewi's ideas and formulations within the context of postcolonial writing on Africa.