Music, Memory, and Displacement: A Study of Igbo Musical Practices in Diaspora Communities in Abuja

This study examines how internally displaced Igbo communities in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, employ music as a resource for preserving cultural memory, maintaining ethnic identity, and managing the psychological effects of displacement from their South East homeland. Nigeria's internal migration, driven by economic factors and periodic conflict, has produced significant Igbo diaspora communities in northern and central cities, including Abuja. This research investigates the musical practices of five organised Igbo cultural associations in Abuja, examining how traditional Igbo songs, instruments, and performance traditions are sustained, adapted, or transformed in the diaspora context. An ethnographic design is employed, incorporating participant observation of cultural association events, in-depth interviews with 20 community members of varying ages, and comparative analysis of reported home and diaspora musical repertoires. The study draws on diaspora theory, memory studies, music and identity scholarship, and recent research on urban internal migration in Nigeria. Findings will illuminate the role of music as a technology of cultural memory and emotional resilience among displaced Igbo communities, contributing to broader understanding of how music sustains ethnic belonging across geographical boundaries. Keywords: Music and diaspora, Igbo identity, cultural memory, Abuja, internal migration.