Akobe Eghian: The Portrait and Thematic Stature of an Oral Artist

Abstract

The Bini oral minstrel, Osasumwen Ehigiator, whose portrait forms the basis of this paper, clearly represents a creative phenomenon which is of immense rele-vance to both the past and the present, with striking implications for the future. His songs, most of which are embellished by proverbial and philosophical ex-pressions, continuously strike the reflective and critical consciousness of not only the lovers of Benin music, but indeed the entire country and even beyond the shores of the great Benin kingdom where his music is highly appreciated. This paper examines the artistic personality of Wilson Osasumwen Ehigiator, within the conceptual frame-work of oral literature and cultural studies, and submits that the poet, in all ramifications is indicative of a certain level of crea-tive uniqueness - in relevance and intensity- that makes him truly influential and iconoclastic.

Keywords

• orality
• music
• proverbs