African music, long revered as the continent's dynamic archive of history, identity, and collective memory, is now at the forefront of a critical discussion centered on reforming and enhancing music education. While global fascination with African sounds continues to surge, scholars are issuing warnings that inadequate local structures pose a significant threat to the intergenerational transmission of this invaluable heritage. This makes deliberate and robust investment in indigenous music education more vital than ever.

Music across Africa transcends mere sound; it embodies memory, identity, and instruction, serving as an enduring repository of social values, political narratives, and communal life. Despite this profound cultural heritage, formal music education on the continent grapples with issues of structure, relevance, and recognition. The contemporary discourse has shifted from merely acknowledging the existence of music education to strategizing how to perfect it through intentional and far-reaching reforms.

Professor Adeoluwa Okunade, a distinguished scholar in Ethnomusicology and African Musicology, provides a nuanced perspective on the state of music education, characterizing it as a landscape of promise under threat. He notes that while colonial influences introduced Western formal education, including music, the post-colonial era has paradoxically witnessed a gradual erosion of structured music learning. In Nigeria, recent curriculum adjustments have integrated music into broader 'cultural and creative arts' subjects, a move he believes has effectively 'drowned' music, diminishing its distinct identity and importance.

Professor Okunade argues that the implications of this loss extend far beyond academic timetables. Music, he asserts, is the custodian of Africa's collective memory, preserving its political struggles, economic realities, and social values. Without adequate care, these vital histories risk being lost, as 'music preserves the soul of a people.' A pressing concern highlighted by Okunade is that formal music education often concludes prematurely at the junior secondary school level, thereby squandering the immense creative potential evident in African children from an early age.

In response to these challenges, professional organizations such as the Association of Nigerian Musicologists (ANM) and the Society of Music Educators in Nigeria (SOMEN), of which Professor Okunade is a member, have intensified their advocacy efforts. Delegations have engaged the Federal Ministry of Education, urging the reinstatement of music as a distinct and robust subject, drawing parallels to the successful reinstatement of history after public demand. Okunade emphasizes that effective music education must be 'structured, formal learning that develops talent into expertise,' akin to how agriculture progresses from subsistence farming to scientific improvement, moving beyond mere informal exposure.

Beyond governmental engagement, scholars are actively leveraging immediate community spaces, including churches, cultural institutions, and local communities, to sustain music practice. Religion, in particular, is recognized as a potent platform for musical transmission. Professor Okunade's extensive work has propelled African music onto the global stage, reaching diverse audiences in the United States, Brazil, Malaysia, and other parts of the world, where it functions as one of Africa's most compelling cultural ambassadors. He observes a global yearning for 'something different, something African,' moving away from solely Western sounds.

The evolving global perception of African music is marked by a dramatic shift in how African musical traditions are valued and presented. Okunade points to phenomena like 'African pianism' – the unique practice of playing Western instruments such as the piano using distinct African rhythmic and aesthetic principles – as a clear indicator of this transformation. Elements often disregarded in Western harmony, such as parallel movement, are fundamental to African musical expression. Sustained research into African music in the diaspora has also significantly broadened global dialogues on African identity, with festivals, academic conferences, and religious practices in countries like Brazil and Cuba demonstrating how African musical traditions have survived slavery and displacement, evolving into powerful cultural and spiritual symbols. These interactions have transformed the narrative, with global audiences now actively seeking African music at international festivals.

Religion has also played a crucial role in safeguarding African musical heritage abroad, with African-derived spiritual music in the Americas serving as a living archive of the continent's history and culture. On the home front, Nigerian universities have made commendable strides by incorporating African choruses, ensembles, orchestras, and indigenous instruments like the djembe and oja flute into their curricula. However, significant challenges persist, especially in practical training, which Professor Okunade deems essential for thoroughly grounding students in African musical traditions and performance techniques. He concludes that the renewed global interest presents an unparalleled opportunity for African institutions to deepen investment in indigenous music education, thereby amplifying Africa's voice in global cultural spaces.

Dr. Samuel Ajose, former Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigerian Musicologists (ANM), expresses optimism regarding the trajectory of music education in Africa. He notes a clear, albeit gradual, transition away from Western dominance towards indigenous knowledge systems. According to Ajose, music education on the continent is expanding, with increasing recognition of African musical traditions as valid knowledge systems. He underscores music's central role in social development, viewing it as a powerful instrument for promoting health awareness, civic responsibility, national unity, and the dignity of labor. Ajose also highlights the sector's substantial economic value, citing African music as one of the continent's most successful cultural exports, generating significant foreign exchange, particularly through Nigeria's thriving popular music industry.

Despite these advancements, Dr. Ajose issues a warning about the escalating urgency of preserving African music heritage, especially in the age of Artificial Intelligence and digital content aggregation. He strongly advocates for the systematic digitization of African music, emphasizing that 'African sounds are not sufficiently represented on global digital platforms.' He stresses the imperative to populate online databases with African music to ensure that future technologies accurately reflect the continent's identity.

Ongoing efforts to bolster music scholarship and practice in Nigeria are further advanced through institutional recognition and professional honors. The Association of Nigerian Musicologists annually bestows its highest distinction, the Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Musicologists (FANM), upon individuals who have made exceptional contributions to teaching, research, performance, leadership, and community service. Among the recent recipients is Professor Adeoluwa Okunade, honored for his decades of scholarship, leadership within Pan-African music education bodies, and groundbreaking research, including the esteemed Yoruba Art music project—a landmark study of indigenous and contemporary Yoruba music. The FANM award, granted only after a rigorous nomination and review process, is reserved for a select group of academics, chief lecturers, and accomplished music directors whose work has profoundly shaped the development of music education in Nigeria and beyond.