Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Scholarly interest in Fela Anikulapo-Kuti's Selected Afrobeat Compositions has remained strong, reflecting its continued relevance to discussions of Nigerian and African literary identity.

Existing criticism of Selected Afrobeat Compositions tends to focus on its broader thematic concerns, with call-and-response technique as a stylistic device in service of political protest receiving comparatively less sustained attention.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Fela Anikulapo-Kuti's Selected Afrobeat Compositions is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its call-and-response technique functions specifically in relation to political protest. This study undertakes a close textual analysis to address that gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the use of call-and-response technique in Fela Anikulapo-Kuti's Selected Afrobeat Compositions.
2. To analyze how call-and-response technique contributes to the portrayal of political protest.
3. To assess the effectiveness of call-and-response technique as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text.
4. To situate the findings within the broader context of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How is call-and-response technique used in Fela Anikulapo-Kuti's Selected Afrobeat Compositions?
2. In what ways does call-and-response technique contribute to the portrayal of political protest?
3. How effective is call-and-response technique as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text?
4. How does this reading relate to the broader body of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to students and teachers of music, offering a close reading of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti's Selected Afrobeat Compositions that can support classroom discussion and further critical work. It also contributes to the broader body of scholarship on Nigerian literary and linguistic studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to a close textual analysis of call-and-response technique within Selected Afrobeat Compositions, reflecting a clearly defined scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.