ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on one of the oldest expressive oral arts of African drama—minstrelsy—in traditional Igbo society. Igbo minstrels were itinerant musicians (single vocalists or a group) who entertained audiences at set places such as village squares or town/city halls. Minstrelsy was known for its dexterous word manipulation, configuration of messages of a sublime order, and captivatingly magical charm in performance, and it was therefore a reflection of the quintessence of Igbo oral art and cultural aesthetics. The songs described various aspects (mostly unsavory) of life in the community and intended to serve as critical checks and balances on moral behavior and discipline. Satire, lampoon, ridicule, and undisguised exposure of aberrant and criminal behavior featured prominently. This chapter examines the dynamics of creativity, reception, and legacies of minstrelsy in general in Igbo culture and society, culminating in the analysis of life, music, and fate of a pioneer legend, Israel Nwaọba Njemanze (alias Israel Nwaọba), a supreme artist who paid the supreme price for his unwavering candor and indefatigable courage.
