Yoruba Folk Tale-Songs as Indigenous Moral Pedagogy: Reimagining Anti-Corruption Discourses in Contemporary Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines a Yoruba fictional tale-song associated with Agbalumo (African star apple) as an indigenous framework for interrogating corruption, abuse of power and social justice in contemporary Nigeria. Drawing on ethnomusicology and the moral functions of oral literature, and using qualitative textual analysis, it shows that the tale-song functions as a moral allegory condemning greed, exploitation, abuse of authority and unlawful accumulation of wealth, and reflecting Yoruba conceptions of accountability where communal welfare and justice supersede individual privilege. Indigenous moral philosophies can complement institutional anti-corruption mechanisms through moral education and value reorientation.