Olayemi Afees Akanni has a strong Muslim background so the possibility of being immersed in music was quite slim, his background in music is one from learning lots of songs by listening to the radio. The radio and his school assembly ground was a major influence in his music life, then when he eventually went to church.
He shared how he felt cheated being the last born of the family for over 10 years until he was displaced😅, he always felt unloved because he wasn’t pampered. He started having thoughts of death in such moments, he’d somehow begin to hum a tune when those thoughts surged in, it helped him bounce back from such state. He didn’t understand how music was helping him walk through dark questioning seasons until he got into the Tertiary institution.
In His words ‘I used to fear calls from home’, things weren’t okay at home and he tried to avoid receiving calls except if it came from his Father and this was because he knew that his Father had the ability to manage conveying a critical situation in speech.
His sister and Father were challenged health wise, His father had issues at work and his sister’s marriage was close to falling apart. Everything came falling like a pack of cards, he had to skip tests, was thinking of committing suicide at the thought of everything happening but thankfully he didn’t.
It was first his elder sister who died on New Year’s day and it felt like everything came crashing, he was numb and just couldn’t understand what was happening. You’d think that was just it, his father was ill and his leg was about to be amputated, his father didn’t want it, he backed his Father who once carried him, such painful sight to behold and that was the last he saw him. He died! Olayemi had to walk through the season of losing two loved ones, he grieved with hope with music that reassured him and made him see the bigger picture.
He also shared with us how Songwriting helped him through tough seasons.
I think his story is one worth listening especially if you are walking through grief. Kindly click the link below to listen 👇👇
Three years ago I had a patient, in fact the first patient I administered music to as an undergraduate which I think was wishy-washy because I had just little knowledge on the guitar. This patient was a beautiful woman from the south western part of Nigeria who was already a grandmother at the time I think, she had Diabetes and other ailments I can’t remember now. I somehow took special interest in this woman because she was friendly and welcoming despite the pain. At first sight you would tag her happy woman with less worries, at the time her leg was to be amputated due to the ailment. That’s not even where I’m headed to, lots of persons who look happy, post stuffs on their status and other social media handles encouraging others are 80% of the time dealing with one fear or the other yet putting up a façade.
Back to my story, I visited this hospital weekly, encouraging her with music that gave her hope and helped her faith in God because she was Christian and somehow I saw her loosen up, she began to confide in me with tears in her eyes. I mean this is a woman you would tag strong because she seemed so welcoming but from conversations with her I realized it isn’t what it is. She had lots of fears especially the fear of her leg being amputated; the money that had been spent and would still be spent was also a major fear. All these happened in an atmosphere of music, as we sang short spontaneous songs together, she would loosen up and tell me very personal things that I didn’t feel worthy to be privy to but I noticed one thing, it freed her from all her fears as she spoke while I sang or after I sang whilst communing with her creator, she realized she was better, hopeful and guess what in a couple of weeks she was well and about to be discharged. Greater news was that her leg wasn’t amputated, call it a miracle! Fear kills faster than the ailment or issue a person might be experiencing. It is said from research that music has the ability to alleviate pain, anxiety and free anyone from fears. Call it a miracle again!
Fear weakens the immune system. When a person is happy it makes their immune system strengthened to function better. If fear weakens the immune system faster than the ailment or issues, that means we probably should not be hosting a pity party around it. I believe that one of the major things that has killed so many persons who were diagnosed with Coronavirus is the fear that they’ve been told that it kills or probably they have read that its a deadly virus, it simply means If we get fear out of the way we would have more recoveries.
I believe that Fear can be cured with music. When a person isn’t fearful, his spirit can still sustain his infirmity till he jerks back to life and wellness.
Have you ever been fearful? Did Music help you? Kindly share with me how music was of help to you.
This past week was eventful for me, it challenged my mental capacity and ability to be creative on the spot.
I was in the Paediatric ward again with my musical instruments and I met what I didn’t prepare for. I had just stepped into the ward only to find that a nurse whom I had promised to do music for some weeks back was on duty. When she spotted me, she reminded me of my promise to share the joy of music with her, this time around adding that I share with everyone in the ward, she said to me “You know they didn’t have valentine with their family”.
I thought through this and decided I was going to do it, I have been so used to bedside music that this was sort of a challenge that I needed to surmount. When administering Bedside Music I could engage a patient in a conversation while trying to figure out his or her interest or the ailment thereby creating music of hope, joy and love but this was a lot different, it meant that I had to address every parent in the ward.
For some minutes, I was just running through chords on my guitar and thinking of Music that will suite the atmosphere, how to address them and so on. I finally got my balance and stood up to address them like a Choir Director (lol), told them of the song we were going to sing and of course taught them. They learnt so fast and in few minutes, I was on my guitar accompanying the music. For me this was so beautiful because initially the ward was echoing with cries from the babies but I noticed that as we sang together there was this calm from the babies.
We were soon done with the first song, Yes you saw that right, first song! They requested for another song because they felt it really lifted their spirits, so I taught them another song and boom! they were singing it so well. I again accompanied the singing with the guitar, it was everything refreshing.
In that moment, it became more real to me that the families of patients need the therapeutic effect of Music also, many of them are walking through very depressing season watching someone dear to them fade away due to an illness, It would interest you to know that some have seen their loved ones die in the space of 1 year, few months and weeks, I mean in succession yet they still spend their earnings and income to make sure this very one’s life is battled for.
I dedicate this post to them and I hope for opportunities to bring soothing relief to what they feel via Music.
This is the #DiaryofAnAspiringMusicTherapist Episode 5. Kindly drop your comments and feedback, I always love reading from you!
Death has always been proud for it seems like no one is
capable of overcoming it. Many are scared of it.
Mrs Chinwe, an important personality in the Federal Ministry
of Works who just rose to the position of the Minister of Works in Nigeria had
just returned from an official trip in the United States.
Having figured that it was already late in the night when
they arrived, she decided she was just going to rest in her home. She told her
Personal Assistant to let her entourage know that she was headed to the house.
The information got to everyone of them and excitement filled the air as many had not seen their family members in 2 months due to series of meetings, trainings and dinners.
As Madam Chinwe headed home, she was having a chit-chat with her Personal Assistant. As she discussed her vision for the Ministry of Works, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest region and before Jack, she collapsed.
For some seconds, everyone was confused. They did not know what to do. Someone among them then screamed “HOSPITAL!!!”.
As they journeyed to the Hospital, everyone had different
thoughts going on in their heads. While some thought it was because of the
stress, others thought she had offended someone in the government who had sworn
to deal with her.
In the midst of all that, they were interrupted by the security man at Alpha Clinic – “Why una plenty laidis? Who una dey find for this kind time of the night?” which simply meant “Why are you guys plenty like this and who are you looking for at this time of the night?” (for my non-Nigerian followers).
Immediately someone responded from the car saying it’s the
Minister of Works, they were eagerly allowed to go through.
When they got into the clinic, a series of test was conducted and it was discovered that she had cancer of the colon which had eaten deep into her body.
The Doctor further mentioned that there was little to which chemotherapy could do as she had about 2 months to live.It was a devastating moment. At least for people amongst them who truly cared about her.
Mrs Chinwe’s family was later contacted and informed. It was
a painful, sober and tearful moment for them.
For the first few weeks, it was a pool of tears and pain in the hospital until this very day the Music Therapist, Fiona Akinwunmi walked into the hospital after returning from her leave of absence. She was moved with so much empathy and then decided to begin taking sessions with Mrs Chinwe and her entire family.
She engaged them actively in music as they sang many songs laced with hope.
Day after day, the family got better and Mrs Chinwe’s death
got nearer. On the final week before her death, they sang the song “When
Peace like a river attendeth thy way, when sorrow like sea billows roar,
whatever my lot thou art taught me to say It is well with my soul”.
As they sang this song, there was still pain.
However, with much hope they began talking about their favourite memories. There was this glow on Mrs Chinwe’s face as they sang and listened to music.
There was peace all over her.
The Music Therapist had helped the family deal with the
painful thought of Death by echoing songs of hope over and over again while
helping them bond. She had also helped Mrs Chinwe approach death with
tranquility.
The Choral of death was sang and it healed their hearts, bringing peace as they approached the death occurrence.
While writing this story, it occurred more to me that a lot of patients with terminal illness will have probably been able to come to terms with their present state with tranquility if music therapy was introduced. I understand that Death is terrible and no one wants to watch their loved ones pass on especially when pain torments them.
Here is what I discovered; Music becomes therapeutic for dying patients and families of dying patients as they approach their last days. It also helps them relive memories that have be long forgotten and if recorded can bring the family succor when the person passes on.
Music Therapy might sometimes not improve a dying patient’s prognosis but it could distract them from the pain, the boredom, fear, frustration, anxiety they feel thereby helping them relax.
You will agree with me that the news of death coming soon for a patient is enough to cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, this is where Music Therapy comes in, it lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Patients become less agitated when Music Therapy is administered.
All of these is not to insinuate that Music Therapy does not help terminally ill or dying patients recuperate but to let you know that it can also be administered in a way that it makes them meet death with peace.
Whether Live or recorded music or engaging a patient with song writing, improvisations on a musical instrument, singing, lyrics analysis, guided imagery and so on, Music Therapy works perfectly for dying patients.
I would have loved to keep typing on the benefits of Music to dying patients but I’d not want to make this lengthy, so here is a video and an article below this post that can give a practical side or feel to this subject.
Let me know what you think about this post. I love reading from you.
ESCAPE GLOBAL 