The Roles of Yoruba Songs among the Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Scholarly works have shown that maternal mortality reduction is based on biomedical attention, while the place of religion and motherhood in pregnancy and birth has been grossly neglected. This paper examines the place of Yoruba songs among the pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Southwestern Nigeria. Cultural history, textual and musical analysis of the songs used during such training were sourced and analyzed. Based on health belief and transformative musicology theories the paper suggests that Yoruba songs is very functional, been rooted in religious and socio-cultural life of Yoruba people. The paper argues that more than biomedical factors, the Yoruba concept of religion and motherhood is vital to motherhood and birth. The songs serve as education, caution, entertainment, encouragements psychological and therapeutic, release of fears, panic and stress among the pregnant women.

Keywords

• yoruba songs
• antenatal clinic
• motherhood
• birth
• religion
• functions
• pregnant women