You might not know this, but Nigeria
has many fascinating local musical
instruments. Each of them played
important roles in the history of
Nigerian music, and we want to tell you
more about them. Find out about 13
unique musical instruments and their
names, so that you can feel closer to the
heritage of your country.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Musical instruments in Nigeria
Of course, there are more than just 13
musical instruments that have been used
in Nigeria over the years, but we have
decided to limit our selection in order to
tell you a little bit about each of them.
Otherwise, you would just be able to learn
their names, and that would be it.
Moreover, quite a lot of them actually
look very similar.
That said, here is our Nigerian musical
instruments list that should certainly
satisfy your curiosity. You will definitely
learn something new today!
Sekere/shekere
Photo: youtube.com
This peculiar percussion instrument is of
Yoruba origin. It is made out of dried out
vine gourds, which is why each
instrument looks different. The gourd has
to dry for a few months, and then the
pulp and seeds are removed. After it is
scrubbed clean, it is covered with a net
with cowries or beads woven into it. It is
interesting to note that similar instrument
is also common in Latin American
countries.
Sakara
Photo: ufumbuzinow.com
Not to be confused with the
aforementioned instrument, this one is a
shallow circular drum made out of clay
and animal skin (goat, antelope, cow,
etc.). That said, it is also one of the
musical instruments used by the Yoruba
people.
Djembe
Photo: jamtown.com
Another drum you can hear in Nigeria is
djembe. Its goblet-shaped shell is made
out of wood, and it features a drumhead
out of untreated rawhide and ropes that
are now made out of synthetic materials.
Djembe is one of the most versatile
drums, as it produces a wide variety of
sounds. Its name actually means
‘everyone gather together in peace’. This
instrument has gained international
popularity, so do not be surprised when
you see it being played abroad.
Gangan
Photo: youtube.com
Known by many names, depending on
whom you ask, this instrument is often
regarded as the ‘talking drum’ thanks to
the sounds it can produce that resemble
human speech. It is usually hourglass in
shape, but you can meet other variations.
Unlike many other drums of the region,
this one has two drumheads that are
connected by tension cords made of
leather.
Ekwe
Photo: bailesadw.com
READ ALSO: Short Nigerian music history
Now, even though it is technically a
drum, ekwe looks like nothing you would
expect. It is made out of a hollowed out
wooden log; it has two rectangular
openings and a handle. Musicians usually
use small sticks to beat out a rhythm.
Ekwe was once used for communication,
as its sounds can be heard from quite far
away. These days, you can hear it at
traditional events.
Udu
Photo: rinato-martins.com
This is a very interesting instrument of
the Igbo people. In technical terms, it is
an idiophone and implosive aerophone. If
you think that it looks like a clay water
jug, that is because it is, only it has and
additional hole in it. Udu actually means
‘vessel’ in Igbo. This instrument is played
by hand, and it was usually played by
women in the olden times during various
ceremonies.
Agidigbo
Photo: redwoodrestorations.tumblr.com
Agidigbo belongs to the family of
instruments known as lamellophones. It
looks like a wooden box with a hole and
metal tongues, but it can also be made out
of other materials, such as gourds or
turtle shells. You might recognise it, as it
is the great-grandfather of the modern
kalimba and a close relative of mbira. In
order to play it, one has to pluck the
metal tongues with the fingers and tap on
the sides of the box to create rhythm.
Bata drum
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
As you might have noticed, Nigeria sure
loves its drums, as we want to tell you
about yet another one. Bata drums are
somewhat similar in shape to djembe
drums, only they have much fairer
curves. Moreover, they have two
drumheads, and you can play both of
them. They are mostly used for religious
purposes by the Yoruba people and,
incidentally, people of Latin America and
United States.
Kakaki
Photo: flickr.com
READ ALSO: Hausa musical instruments
and their names
Let’s take a little break from the drums
and talk about a long metal trumpet
known as kakaki. When we say ‘long’, we
mean it, as this instrument can reach up
to four metres in length. Kakaki are only
played by men at king’s palace. It is
mostly used by the Hausa people in
Nigeria.
Kontigi
Photo: nairaland.com
While we are on the topic of Hausa
instruments, let us tell you about kontigi.
It is a lute with one or two strings and a
long handle that could be considered a
very distant relative of a banjo. Kontigi
are rarely played nowadays, so if you get
to hear and see it played, cherish that
moment.
Ogene
Photo: africandrumming.com.au
READ ALSO: Igbo musical instruments
and their names
Another fascinating musical instrument
from Nigeria is the ogene. It is a
traditional Igbo instrument, and it usually
consists of two conical iron bells
connected to one another at the top like
cherries (big long metal cherries). You
need to use a wooden stick to play it. The
sound of the ogene comes from vibration
of the hollow bells when they are struck
with the stick.
Xalam
Photo: @StyleArtFashion
Similar to the kontigi, this is a string
instrument that comes from West Africa.
It has 1-5 nylon strings connected to the
wooden neck and soundbox with a
membrane made from cattle hide. It is
interesting to note that xalam players
usually construct their instruments
themselves.
Gbedu
Photo: lempertz.com
Let’s end this overview with something
that literally translates as ‘big drum’. This
type of drum is the largest among the
aforementioned drums; it is made out of
wood and ornately carved. One of the
most popular carvings is the face of the
goddess of the sea Olokun. This
instrument is frequently used alongside
talking drums, as well as Bata and sakara
drums. Back in the day, it was only played
in king’s service, and if anyone else dared
to use it for other purposes, they could be
arrested for sedition.
Now you know more about traditional
Nigerian music from our article about
Nigerian musical instruments, with
names, descriptions and pictures. Have
you ever played any of them? Were you
any good? :) Is your favourite instrument
on the list? Let us know!
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