THE LIFE AND WORKS OF A GREAT NIGERIAN MUSIC EDUCATOR

Abstract

Prof. Richard Chijioke Okafor has touched the lives of many scholars in music. The paper is a survey of the life and works of Prof. Richard Chijioke Okafor, a Professor of Music Education and Ethnomusicology. The methodology employed in his work is Case Study Research Design which according to Nworgu (2006: 80) is an intensive study geared towards a thorough understanding of a given social unit. The social unit may be an individual, a group of individuals, a community or an institution. The study highlights the background information on Prof. Richard Chijioke in terms of his date of birth, his formal educational career, his musical training, his working and or practicing experience, his contributions/achievements in terms of performances and publications. Through a critical survey of some of his books the findings reveal that he made immense contributions to music education and ethnomusicology. The books critically surveyed include: (i) The Life and works of Celestine Ukwu. (ii) Wisdoms of my Elders: 1001 Imezi-Ọwa proverbs. (iii) Music in Nigerian Society. His area of specialization was also discussed. Recommendations were made among which is the beautiful 1001 Imezi-Ọwa proverbs should be translated to Central Igbo dialect based on Ọnwu autography, to be used for West African School Certificate Examinations, NECO or NABTEB in schools where Igbo language is taught.