Psychedelia as a Mechanism for Drug Abuse Endorsement: A Narrative Analysis of Wakar Gilli and Gonar Ganja Songs.

Abstract: This paper analyses the use of music to endorse drug abuse in selected Hausa music. While music is commonly utilised to convey messages or emotions, its role in endorsing drug abuse has been overlooked in efforts to address this issue in Nigeria. The study aims to analyse how drug abuse is validated through the stylisation and glamourisation of drug use in certain Hausa songs. The research explored the music of Haro’s Wakar Gilli and Maidaw’s; Gonar Ganja. Narrative analysis was employed to assess the lyrics of these songs. This paper is premised on the tenets of media framing theory. The findings indicate that these two Hausa songs serve as audio-visual platforms for endorsing and validating drug abuse. The paper concludes that the studied songs serve as platforms for endorsing and promoting drug abuse, emphasising the need for further research on the role of music in this context. By focusing on specific Hausa music, this study contributes to the existing literature on music's role in endorsing and validating drug abuse, offering valuable insights into its potential impact and shedding light on the use of music in selected Hausa songs. This paper paves the way for future studies on music's role in endorsing drug abuse and can inform policymakers in their efforts to combat this issue. This paper recommends a more strict monitoring by concerned authorities to mitigate against the proliferation of such songs that normalise and endorse drug addiction.

Keywords: Music, Drug-abuse, Validation, Wakar-Gilli, Gonan-ganja.

Published: June 2024

Issue: Vol 1 (3) 2024: PLASU JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES