YORUBA FOLK SONGS AS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF TAXATION AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY IN OYO COMMUNITIES
This study examines Yoruba folk songs as historical evidence of taxation and civic responsibility in Oyo communities. In many African societies, oral traditions including songs, proverbs, and folktales serve as repositories of cultural memory, preserving social, political, and economic experiences that are often absent from written records. Focusing, primarily on Owo ori dode a Yoruba folk song, this research explores how music functioned as a medium through which communities expressed public opinion, reinforced civic obligations, and monitored the use of tax revenues during the colonial and early post-colonial periods. Using oral interviews with elderly residents and narrative analysis of song lyrics, the study reveals that folk songs served multiple roles: celebrating responsible citizens, critiquing government policies, and promoting compliance with communal norms. The findings demonstrate that Yoruba folk songs were not merely artistic expressions but also instruments of social regulation and moral education, reflecting citizens' expectations of accountability, transparency, and community development. By highlighting the intersection of music, governance, and civic responsibility, this research underscores the value of oral traditions as credible historical sources and as mechanisms for understanding social organization, cultural values, and community memory in Yoruba society.
Keywords: Yoruba Folk Songs, Historical Evidence, Taxation and Civic Responsibility