How did Nigerian juju music use call-and-response singing and percussion?

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African music Man playing traditional *mangolongondo* instrument, Malawi.

Juju music, a popular Nigerian genre, integrates call-and-response singing and percussion as foundational elements of its Yoruba heritage.1

Call-and-Response: Introduced to the genre in the late 1940s, call-and-response choruses serve as a key structural feature. This technique reflects traditional West African musical practices, creating an interactive dynamic between the lead vocalist and the ensemble.1
Percussion: The addition of the talking drum in 1948 was transformative. Because the drum can imitate the tones and rhythms of the Yoruba language, it is used to "talk" during performances. It inserts traditional proverbs and praise-names—short descriptions of a person's honorable characteristics—into the music, often acting as a commentary on the song's lyrics. As the genre evolved, artists like King Sunny Ade further expanded the percussion section to support larger, more complex ensembles.1

These elements were part of a broader re-Africanization of the music, which strengthened its ties to traditional culture even as the genre incorporated electric instruments and modern production techniques.1