A century of rhythmic identity and global resonance
By Ojo Emmanuel Ademola
Africa’s First Professor of Cybersecurity and Information Technology Management, Chartered Manager, UK Digital Journalist, Strategic Advisor & Prophetic Mobiliser for National Transformation, and General Evangelist of CAC Nigeria and Overseas.
In today’s digitised musical landscape, Yorubaness is not a fading echo — it is a commanding force. As we mark a century of Yoruba music, we rise not to reminisce but to reignite. This is a mandate to reimagine and elevate Yoruba music as a global instrument of cultural leadership, spiritual depth, and creative innovation. The rhythms of our ancestors are not history — they are prophetic power. The world must be moved, shaped, and transformed by them.
Legacy in motion: Reclaiming the rhythmic future of Yorubaness
In the ever-evolving landscape of global music, the essence of Yorubaness emerges not as a passive relic but as a resilient and vibrant force — alive, assertive, and prophetic. As we commemorate a century of Yoruba musical heritage, we are not merely engaging in nostalgic reflection; we are activating a legacy that demands motion, relevance, and renewal. This is not a backward glance — it is a forward march.
Yoruba music, with its sacred rhythms, ancestral chants, and communal harmonies, has long served as a spiritual compass and cultural archive. From the sacred grooves of bàtá and gángan to the lyrical wisdom of ewì and oríkì, every note carries the weight of history and the fire of identity. Yet in this digital age, where algorithms shape taste and virality defines reach, the call is urgent: Yoruba music must not only survive — it must lead.
Legacy in motion means reimagining Yoruba music as a dynamic contributor to the global symphony of cultural expression. It means empowering Yoruba artists, scholars, and technologists to assert their rhythmic identity with boldness and innovation. It means leveraging digital platforms not as threats to authenticity, but as amplifiers of truth, beauty, and spiritual depth.
This clarion call is not for preservation alone — it is for prophetic expansion. Yoruba music must be curated, digitised, taught, and celebrated across borders. It must inspire new compositions, collaborations, and cultural dialogues. It must become a living curriculum for the next generation, a soundtrack of resilience for the diaspora, and a beacon of unity for a fragmented world.
To commemorate a century is to honour the past. But to activate legacy in motion is to shape the future. Yoruba music is not done — it is ascending. And the rhythm, rich with divine memory and digital possibility, is ours to lead.
The soul of sound: Yoruba music as cultural lifeline
Rooted in sacred traditions, oral storytelling, and communal celebration, Yoruba music is not entertainment — it is embodiment. It is a living archive of divine wisdom, forged in ancestral revelation. Every drumbeat declares, every chant covenants, every melody mirrors the soul of a people who refuse dilution.
Yoruba music does not perform — it proclaims. The bàtá, gángan, and sekere are not mere instruments — they are oracles. Their rhythms summon memory, provoke healing, and command reverence. These sounds awaken — they do not entertain.
Chants and melodies shape identity, transmit philosophy, and preserve history. They are the spiritual DNA of a civilisation that has endured colonisation and distortion. Yoruba music is audible theology — rooted in divine intentionality and communal resilience.
To reduce it to performance is cultural amnesia. It is not a genre — it is inheritance. Not a trend — but timeless truth. Yoruba music must be taught, digitised, and globalised as foundational knowledge for renewal and prophetic leadership. The world must not only hear it — they must reckon with it.
Digital rebirth: Tradition meets technology
In this digital age, Yoruba music is not fading — it is flourishing with prophetic momentum. The rhythms once confined to sacred groves and communal gatherings are now reverberating across global networks, amplified by technologies that were once foreign to our cultural terrain. This is not accidental — it is divine orchestration. Yoruba music is ascending, not as a novelty, but as a necessary voice in the global conversation on identity, spirituality, and resilience.
New platforms — streaming services, social media, digital archives — have become sanctified stages where ancient rhythms now dance with modern relevance. The bàtá and gángan are no longer local — they are global. The chants of Ifa, the melodies of ewì, and the cadence of oríkì are being reinterpreted, remixed, and reasserted by a new generation of artists, scholars, and technologists who refuse to let cultural memory be erased.
The viral reception of my recent column on Ifa Divinity in the Digital Age is not merely a moment of popularity — it is a signal. It reveals a growing hunger for authentic cultural narratives that pierce through the noise and speak to the world’s shared humanity.
People are not just consuming Yoruba music — they are being transformed by it. They are seeking meaning, depth, and spiritual clarity in a world saturated with superficiality.
This flourishing must be strategic. Yoruba music must not only exist online — it must dominate with intentionality. It must be curated with excellence, taught with reverence, and distributed with prophetic boldness. The digital age is not a threat — it is a throne. Yoruba music must sit upon it, not as a guest, but as a governing voice.
Innovation with intention: Reclaiming the narrative
Yorubaness in music must evolve with purpose and prophetic clarity. It must assert its identity boldly, leveraging digital innovation to enhance its emotional and narrative impact. This is not concession — it is a strategic elevation.
The global stage is not a threat but a rightful canvas for Yoruba brilliance to lead, inspire, and transform. Yoruba music must not only participate — it must pioneer.
Digital innovation must be embraced not as novelty, but as a sacred tool for cultural transmission. From AI-enhanced composition to immersive storytelling, Yoruba music must harness technology to deepen emotional resonance and expand philosophical reach. The rhythms of bàtá, the cadence of oríkì, and the chants of diversity must be encoded into formats that speak to both tradition and tomorrow.
Empowering the future: Tools for transformation
To thrive in this era of digital acceleration, Yoruba music must move beyond preservation — it must invest in power. Digital literacy is no longer optional; it is foundational. Yoruba artists, producers, scholars, and cultural custodians must be equipped to navigate and master the tools of creative technology. From AI-assisted composition to immersive soundscapes, the future demands technical fluency anchored in cultural integrity.
Platforms must be built — not borrowed — that celebrate the uniqueness of Yoruba music. These must be spaces where bàtá rhythms meet blockchain, where oríkì verses are streamed with reverence, and where Yoruba sonic identity is curated with excellence. International collaborations must be pursued not as token gestures, but as strategic alliances that amplify Yoruba music’s prophetic voice across continents.
Educational initiatives must be scaled to teach the philosophy, theology, and artistry of Yoruba music to the next generation. Digital archiving must be prioritised to preserve endangered recordings, rare compositions, and oral histories before they vanish. Yoruba music must be documented not as folklore, but as intellectual property, spiritual heritage, and global curriculum.
The next century of Yoruba music must not echo the past — it must exceed it. It must be more impactful, more resonant, and more globally embraced. The rhythm must not only continue — it must conquer.
Conclusion: The rhythm we must lead
Yorubaness in the digital age is not a fusion — it is a force. As we honour a century of rhythmic identity, we must now shape a future where Yoruba music leads with brilliance, depth, and global impact. The legacy is alive. The rhythm is ours to command.
