Social Media Platforms and their contributions to Gbenjo's Alujo Gospel Music in Nigeria

Abstract

Gospel music is essential in the music business, particularly in Southwest Nigeria. The musician's vocal and instrumental prowess is reflected in his cultural background and societal values, encompassing Western and African musical techniques. Despite the popularity of gospel music performances, it has been written about the role of social media platforms in promoting gospel music artists in Nigeria. Thus, the main aim of this study is to explore Laolu Gbenjo's musical works and highlight his uniqueness on social media handles such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Tracing his movement from church to social media space, Gbenjo music brought about a heavy arrangement of percussion instruments in the form of Alujo. Using ethnographic research design, this study relies on data generated from Gbenjo's Laolu social media handle. Findings revealed that, beyond the youth's harmful use of social media platforms, gospel artists use the platform for evangelism and socio-economic benefit. In conclusion, Nigerian Gospel musicians should use social media to promote and contribute to Gospel music.