Since the beginning of time, music has always been the best way to Communicate. Today music is the most powerful tool used to influence, educate, enhance, and advocate for various causes. “Deep down, at the back of your mind you know there is a desire that you want to change some thing, to express your self and the only way you can probably do this is through the use of music,” says Intore Masamba, a Rwandan singer of the traditional blues. Music is all about creativity, if someone can put something together and pass on information to the public. The people he is addressing get affected by the message, that person has therefore communicated. Information passed through music cuts across barriers no matter the nationality. Music is a universal language to communicate. Music is an art that needs to have an expression because if some one heard in a song that children are being sacrificed or abused, women are being battered he can not fail to feel sorry; he is therefore affected by the massage. In his song ‘Nyeganyega’Masamba calls upon people to give up sleep, stop relaxing and join hands to work hard towards a better future of the Rwandans. For ages, music has been used as a tool to advocate for change. Eric Senderi a Rwandan musician sung about the heart disease. In his song, he showed the pain people with heart problems go through, and thus soliciting for help from concerned authorities to do some thing to make the situation better. A number of musical compositions were sung in a bid to fight against the spread of AIDS, Philly Lutaya, Ugandan musician was the first person to declare publicly that he was HIV positive. Lutaya did it through his songs like ‘today it’s me, tomorrow some one else’. Up to date, Lutaya’s music still has a strong impact on people living with HIV/AIDS.Lutaya left behind a legacy of having sensitized people against HIV/AIDS. In South Africa during the time of apartheid, Lucky Duby, Brenda Fussy used music as a way to advocate for change. Music was the only voice for the people to fight against segregation of the Africans during that time instead of guns and protests. The universality of music has rendered it the only way people can communicate to society about where there is need for due change, what troubles them and in the long run they anticipate for change and hence development. Laura2jos@yahoo.com
