Nupe Traditional Music and Its Ceremonial Functions in Niger State Communities

This study examines the traditional music of the Nupe people of Niger State, North Central Nigeria, with a focus on its ceremonial functions within community life. The Nupe, one of the major ethnic groups of the Middle Belt region, possess a musical heritage that encompasses royal court music, agricultural songs, healing chants, and festival performances. Music among the Nupe is not merely entertainment but functions as a structured communicative system encoding history, authority, and spiritual values. This research employs an ethnomusicological descriptive design, gathering data through fieldwork in Bida and Gbako local government areas. Primary data are collected through structured and unstructured interviews with Nupe musicians, cultural custodians, and community leaders, supplemented by audio-visual documentation of performances during community ceremonies. Identified music types are classified according to ceremonial context and functional category. Musical structures, including rhythmic patterns, melodic ranges, and vocal techniques, are transcribed and analysed. The study also examines generational transmission practices and the challenges posed by religious and social change in the Middle Belt. Findings will contribute to the documentation of Nupe cultural heritage and to the broader ethnomusicological literature on North Central Nigerian musical traditions. Keywords: Nupe music, Niger State, ceremonial functions, traditional heritage, ethnomusicology.