OLATUNJI Michael Olutayo
Email address(es): olaolu@oauife.edu.ng
Office Address: Room 312, Department of Music Building
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7814-8345
Academic Qualifications: B.A. (Music); M.A. (Music); Ph.D. (Music)
Areas of Specialization: Performance, Composition, Military Music
Title of M.A. Thesis: T.K.E. Phillips and the Evolution of Pentatonicism in Nigerian Art Music
Title of Ph.D. Thesis: Evolution of Military Music in Nigeria
Ongoing Current Research:
Composing Contemporary African Instrumental Music: Problems and Prospects
Performing African Melodies on Western Musical Instruments: A Dilemma of an African Musician
Aesthetic Guiding Principles in Orchestrating Military Music in Nigeria
Publications:
OLATUNJI, M.O. (2014a) We Sing and Play: A Legacy of Music for Choral and Instrumental Ensembles. Ile-Ife: Obafemi Awolowo University Press.
OLATUNJI, M.O., (2011). European Styled Military Music in Nigeria: Its Theme, Style and Patronage System. Germany: V.D.M. Verlag, Dr. Muller GmbH.
ADEOTI, OLATUNJI, AKANDE & OGUNYEMI (Eds.) (2016) Poverty and the Humanities. Ile-Ife: Obafemi Awolowo University Press.
ABIODUN, ADEOGUN, NWAMARA, OLATUNJI, IDAMOYINBO & ALUEDE (Eds.) (2018) Music, Musicology and the Gospel in Nigeria Music. A Festschrift for Femi Adedeji. Ile-Ife: Association of Nigerian Musicologists.
OLATUNJI, M.O. Foreword to AMUAH, J. A (2021) Theory of Music the simplest approach. Accra. Hagan Printing Press.
OLATUNJI, M.O., OGOLA, G.O. & SCHUMANN, S. (2009) “Popular Music, New Media and the Digital Public Sphere in Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria”. African Media and Digital Sphere, Okoth Fred Mundhai, F. (ed.), New York: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 295 – 318.
OLATUNJI, M.O. (2012) “Tunji Vidal: An Enigmatic Orchestral/Band Director” in Music and Theatre Arts in Africa. A Festschrift for Olatunji.A. Vidal. Femi Shaka & M.A. Omibiyi-Obidike (eds.). Lagos: Department of Theatre Arts and Music, Lagos State University. pp. 50 – 62.
OLATUNJI, M.O. (2013) “Indigenized Military Music in Nigeria in African Musicology: Past, Present and Future. A Festschrift for M.A. Omibiyi-Obidike Aluede C.O. Samuel, K.M. & Adedeji, S.O. (eds.) Ife: Association of Nigerian Musicologists. pp. 335 – 375.
OLATUNJI, M.O. & OJELABI, C.O. (2017) “A Historiographical Study of Gudugudu Drum – A Member of Dundun Drum Ensemble in Yorubaland” in Musical Horizons in Africa: Essays and Perspectives. A Festschrift for Dan C.C. Agu. Adedeji, Onyeji & Onuora-Ogunro (eds.) Ile-Ife: Association of Nigerian Musicologists. pp 247 – 253.
OLATUNJI, M.O. & OJELABI, C.O. (2017) “Making Sense out of Nonsense: A Musicological Study of Saint Janet’s Kind of Music” in Music, Musicology and the Gospel in Nigeria Music. A Fetschrift for Femi Adedeji. Abiodun, Adeogun, Nwamara, Olatunji, Idamoyinbo & Aluede (eds.) Ile-Ife: Association of Nigerian Musicologists. pp 76 – 83. 3 b. Published Articles in Journals
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2000. “T.K.E. Phillips’ Theory of Pentatonicism in Yoruba Music” in Journal of the Nigerian Anthropological & Sociological Association. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Vol. 1, No.1: 112 – 119.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2001. “The Use of Pidgin English in Contemporary Nigerian Music: A New Approach to National Identity” in Humanities Review Journal, Humanities Research Forum, Ibadan, Vol. 1, No. 1: 41– 46.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2001. “Mastering the Art of Saxophone Playing” in Journal of Nigerian Music Education. University of Ilorin, Ilorin, No. 4: 133 – 139.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2002. “Music and Military Psychology in Nigeria: Some Reflections” in African Journal of Social and Policy Studies. Development Africa Consortium Port Harcourt, Vol. 2, Nos. 1&2: 8 – 12.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2002. “Special Techniques in Saxophone Playing” in Journal of Nigerian Music Education. University of Ilorin, Ilorin. No. 3: 112 – 124.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2002. “A Critique Review of T.K.E. Phillips’ Theory of Development of Melody in Yoruba Music” in Nigerian Music Review. Department of Music, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, No. 3: 29 –40.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2005. “The Biography of T.K.E. Phillips: Nigerian Foremost Contemporary Art Music Composer” in Research Review, University of Ghana, Legon, Vol. 21 No. 2: 11-16.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2007. “The Biography of Col. J.A. Olubobokun: A Foremost Nigerian Military Musician” in Research Review, University of Ghana, Legon, Vol. 23, No. 1: 27-36.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2007. “The Influence of Indigenization on Military Music in Nigeria” in African Musicology On-line. Maseno University, Kenya, Vol.1, No.1: 14 – 29. http//:www.africanmusicology.org
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2007. “Yabis: A Phenomenon in the Contemporary Music” in The Journal of Pan African Studies. Los Angeles, California, Vol. 1, No. 9: 26 – 46. http//:www.jpanafrican.com
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2008. “Yoruba Proverbs and Musicality’ in African Musicology On-line. Maseno University, Kenya, Vol. 2, No.1: 32-45. http//:www.africanmusicology.org
OLATUNJI M.O. & ADEDEJI S.O. 2008 “Reassessing the Significance of the Performing Arts in Africa” in LASU Journal of Humanities. Lagos State University, Lagos. Vol. 5: 20 – 34.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2009. “The Institutionalization of Military Music in Nigeria” in Nigerian Music Review. Department of Music, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nos. 9 & 10: 35 – 48.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2009. “Yabis Music: An Instrument of Change in Nigeria” in Journal of African Media Studies (Intellect Publishing, United Kingdom). Vol. 1, No. 2: 34 – 46.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2010. “A Re-examination of T.K.E. Phillips’ Theories of Yoruba Rhythm and Tones” in African Musicology On-line. (Maseno University, Kenya), Vol.3. No. 2: 31 – 38. http//:www.africanmusicology.org
OLATUNJI, M.O., DARAMOLA, O.M.A, & BABALOLA E.T. 2011. “Bi and Tri-Lingualism: A Reflection of Code-Mixing & Switching in Contemporary Yoruba Christian Gospel, Islamic & Islamized Music” in Journal of Performing Arts. School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. Vol. 4, No. 2: 148 – 166.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2012. “The Indigenization of Military Music in Nigeria: Issues and Perspectives” in Matatu: Journal for African Society and Culture. Rodopi, Amsterdam & New York, NY. Vol. 40: 427 – 446.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2012. “Modern Trends in the Islamized Music of the Traditional Yoruba: Concept, Origin and Development” in Matatu: Journal for African Society and Culture. Rodopi, Amsterdam & New York, NY. Vol. 40: 447 – 455.
OLATUNJI, M.O. 2013. “The Structural Elements of Indigenized Military Music in Nigeria” in Journal of African Studies. Ghana: University of Education, Winneba. Vol. 2, No. 2: 11 – 23.
OLATUNJI, M.O. & Olaniyan, C.O. 2014. “Mentoring in Music Career: Issues and Perspectives in Oral and Written Traditions” in Ife Psychologia: An International Journal of Psychology in Africa. Vol. 22. No. 4: 10 – 20.
OLATUNJI, M.O. (2016) “Ma Gbagbe Ile: Repositioning African Identity in Contemporary Nigerian Art Music” in Journal of Association of Nigerian Musicologists. No. 10: 23 – 41.
Staff Profile
My contributions to research and scholarship in Music and Musicology have been mainly in the areas of Theory and Composition as well as Performance. My research work on T.K.E. Phillips’ theory on the Evolution of Pentatonicism in Contemporary Art Music in Nigeria remains the pioneering detailed scholarly work in that direction. The study has, among other things, espoused the relationship between the territorial inflexions and the choice of scale as well as the technicalities involved in the process of developing the music of any ethnic group in Africa, using Yoruba as a case study. This approach is considered applicable to other cultures on the Continent – especially those with tonal languages.