Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Scholarly interest in Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's Selected Fuji Music Performances has remained strong, reflecting its continued relevance to discussions of Nigerian and African literary identity.

Despite the volume of criticism devoted to Selected Fuji Music Performances, its use of call-and-response technique in relation to social commentary has not been exhaustively examined, leaving room for closer textual analysis.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's Selected Fuji Music Performances is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its call-and-response technique functions specifically in relation to social commentary. 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 Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's Selected Fuji Music Performances.
2. To analyze how call-and-response technique contributes to the portrayal of social commentary.
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 Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's Selected Fuji Music Performances?
2. In what ways does call-and-response technique contribute to the portrayal of social commentary?
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 Sikiru Ayinde Barrister's Selected Fuji Music Performances 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 Fuji Music Performances, reflecting a clearly defined scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.