About

ABOUT

Chijioke Ngobili—a native of of Ihiala in Anambra State of Nigeria—is a scholar of music, history, and cultural studies. He is best known for his compositions in African contemporary music (for films, documentaries, secular and sacred performances and organizations, etc.) as well as varied works in Ìgbò history and cultural studies.

As a historian and musicologist, Chijioke is currently focused on researching the music histories of Nigeria and Africa in general with a few related publications credited to him in international journals and edited books. He is deeply interested in a more broadened and flexible approach to the research of Nigerian (and African) music history that would prioritize unlimited synergistic flows through and with cultural history, psychology, Ìgbò divination science, archaeology and anthropology studies. His background in applied ethnomusicology/musicology (creative musicology) has enabled him produce various genres of modern African musical works, including the musical-theatrical opus entitled OKONKWỌ: An African Opera of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (2016).

In addition to committing to numerous inter- and multidisciplinary research and publications on various aspects of Ìgbò history and cultural studies, Chijioke keeps a special eye on developing, leading and encouraging the writing of Ìgbò family histories (“small-scale history writing,” as he calls it) beyond the usually obtained sketchy, personal, personalized biographies and/or histories. One of his major works as a family historian includes Úgwú Nwasike: The Man, The Name, The Monument [The Authorised Biography of Warrant Chief Timothy Mụọdozie Nwasike of Ikenga-Ògídí, 1879–1970] (2022, pp.318, Lagos: Aaron & Hur Publishing).

Chijioke owns and directs a professional music performance group/enterprise known as Chijioke Ngobili Voice & Orchestra Crew (CNVOC) and teaches musical arts in the Faculty of Arts of the University of Nigeria.

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Background Art:
Batik, Ijele n’Egwu (2014) by Chijioke Ọnụọra

Music Works

MUSICAL WORKS

Explore some of the recent musical compositions done by Chijioke Ngobili. They include music written for films, documentaries, TV programs, religious and cultural organizations. There are also African piano pieces, pieces for voices and mixed orchestra, songs (singles) etc., either linked to their audio, audiovisual or pdf formats.

ECHEZONACHUKWU
An African piano music work
Audiovisual - watch below
SELENSE [let’s make merry]
An African music for a solo female voice
Audiovisual - watch below
SELENSE [Album - African Art Song]
Omo Bello · Richard Olatunde Baker · Rebeca Omordia · Chijioke Ngobili
Audiovisual - watch below
Album Review - https://www.pressreader.com/uk/bbc-music-magazine/20241029/283042649957438
TIMELINE IN THE DEN
Theme music for the documentary film on the history of higher education in Nigeria and the founding of the University of Nigeria, prod. by Chikezie Ifedobi
Audio - Listen below
U.A.I.
Theme music for a London TV cultural program hosted by Ebere Odum
Audio - Listen below
NTỌANA ÍKÈỤBA
Official Theme (Instrumental) Music
Audio - Listen below
OKONKWỌ
Opening song to Okonkwọ: An African Opera of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
Audio - Listen below
MAY YOU REMAIN
A marriage song for solo and choral voices
Audio - (Listen below), Pdf - CLICK HERE
MAY THIS LOVE GROW STRONGER
A Song
Audio - Listen below

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Publications

PUBLICATIONS

Here are some of the varied and diverse publications in music, history and cultural issues by Chijioke Ngobili following their URL links and/or formal references. They include books, academic journal articles, book chapters, news articles, critical opinion pieces, book reviews, video presentation scripts, among others.

Ngobili, C. (2016). Bloody Morning: The Ukpabi-Nimbo massacre. Ktravula.
Published by CNN African Journalism Award Nominee Kola Tuboson.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2016). The development of indigenous/African musical theatre in Nigeria for the advancement of Nigeria’s music studies.
Journal of the Association of Nigerian Musicologists; 10: 42–62.
Ngobili, C (2018). ‘Igbos and Their Names: Must I Use an Igbo Name?’
An Igbo script and content written for a China-based online TV presenter and cultural promoter, Angeloma Amara.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2018). The operatic nature of music in Mbajiorgu’s The Prime Minister’s Son;
In G. Mbajiorgu & A. Amanze (eds.) 50 Years of Solo Performing Art in Nigerian Theatre, pp. 493–503. Ibadan: Kraft Books Limited.
Ngobili, C (2019). Emerging trends, prospects and challenges for the contemporary Nigerian art musician: the professional music practice on the social media as exemplified by Godwin Sadoh.
The International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 7, 4: 97–105.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2019). In memory of Aba women mega protest: 90 years after.
Liberty Writers Global.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2019). A study of Igbo folk songs, by Richard C. Okafor.
Review. Muziki: Journal of Music Research in Africa, 16, 2: 126–129.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2020). ‘How Sunday was christened “Ụka” in Igbo language’ by Ozii Anieto: A critical re-appraisal.
Nigeria Today.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. & Agbo, B. (2021). The nuances of criminality and violence in contemporary Nigerian popular music: Implication for music production and engineering.
International Journal for Mechanical and Production Engineering Research and Development, 11, 3: 81–100.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2021). Close to a century of popular music practices and experiences in Nigeria (1922–2020) and a brief history of their socio-political background.
Muziki: Journal of Music Research in Africa, 18, 1: 34–58.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2021). University education for a Nigerian is purely an economic decision: A review of Jonah Solomon’s FIRST GENERATION.
ThisDay Live.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2022). Before Cardinal Arinze turns 90.
Nigeria Today.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2022). Agụ in Igbo culture and cosmology: A critical overview and response to the erroneous assumptions among present-day Igbo.
Nigeria Abroad.
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2022). Úgwú Nwasike: The Man, The Name, The Monument.
Lagos: Aaron & Hur Publishing.
Ngobili, C. (forthcoming, 2022). The evolution of Nigerian musical arts, culture, and expressions, 1914–2020.
In T. Falola (ed.) The Palgrave Handbook of Nigeria. Palgrave Macmillan
Ngobili, C. (2022). 100 years of popular music in Nigeria: What shaped the four eras.
The Conversation
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2022). How Ìgbò people started becoming Christians 181 years ago (1841—2022): A brief history of Christianization in Ìgbòland/among the Ìgbò (part I).
Voice of the Sun
CLICK HERE
Ngobili, C. (2024). The ‘accidental ethnomusicologist’ and his lifelong fight for studies in African popular music: a conversation with John Collins at 80
Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, vol. 21, 121–141
CLICK HERE
“Kendra Y. Hamilton, Romancing the Gullah in the Age of “Porgy and Bess”. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2024. Pp. 266. $114.95 (cloth); $29.95 (paper),”
Book Review, Journal of African American History 110, 3 (2025): 507–8.
CLICK HERE

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Gallery

GALLERY

Find photos of [and video links to] the Chijioke Ngobili Voice & Orchestra Crew (CNVOC) performances and public guest speeches

Why some Nigerians are leaving Christianity for African spiritual beliefs | Religion News | Al Jazeera
International interview
CLICK HERE
A Facebook live video recording of Chijioke Ngobili giving a public lecture on ÁGỤ (leopard) in Ìgbò cosmology and culture at the Centre for Memories, Enugwu on 25 June 2022. Language of lecture: mostly in Ìgbò language.
Facebook Live
CLICK HERE TO WATCH

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Review

Úgwú Nwasike (Reviews & Moments)

Ngobili, C. (2022). Úgwú Nwasike: The Man, The Name, The Monument. On this tab are Reviews and Moments of the above mentioned book.

Book Publication Announcement by Chuka Nduneseokwu
On Voiceofthesun.com
CLICK HERE
Book Review by Kelechi Deca
On Facebook.com
CLICK HERE
Book Review by Michael Chiedoziem Chukwudera
On Medium.com
CLICK HERE
Book Review by Goodluck Chiemelie Okechukwu
On Facebook.com
CLICK HERE
Book Review by Henry Akubuiro
On Sunnewsonline.com
CLICK HERE
Book Review by Ikechukwu Ogu
On Facebook.com
CLICK HERE
Book Review by Nze Tobe Osigwe (Ezeikolomuo)
On Facebook.com
CLICK HERE
Book Review by Olive Iweka
On Facebook.com
CLICK HERE

Photo Highlights on BOOK READING/DISCOURSE WITH CHIJIOKE NGOBILI [22ND APRIL, 2023]

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Contact

CONTACT

Facebook: Chijioke Ngobili Voice & Orchestra Crew (CNVOC)

Email: chijiokengobili@gmail.com

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