Music-Medium as a Sensitisation Tool in the Fight Against the Covid-19 in Southwest Nigeria

This paper examines the contributions of the effective use of music-medium as a tool for sensitising the people of southwest Nigeria on the fast spread of the deadly Corona Virus Disease - 2019 (COVID-19) and the precautionary measures put in place. We examine two selected campaign-music by Lagos and Èkìtì States governments respectively to create awareness. The study adopted qualitative descriptive research design with the use of textual, verbal content analysis. The study is premised on Critical Theory and Cultural Studies as adequately adopted for analysis and discussion on optimising music medium as a sensitising tool against COVID-19 within the purview of this paper. Findings revealed that the campaign-music by Lagos State is affluent in nature as handled by a popular musician, Evang. Ṣèyí Lewis (Alápáńlá), while that of Èkìtì State had more of pan-African campaigners, anchored by the Èkìtì State Troup of Arts and Culture, who through wordings and messages of the songs, cultures, pass information of sensitisation to the people on how to combat COVID-19. The selected songs were rendered in Yorùbá language of the southwest Nigeria.