Mar 4, 20212 min read

Funk, Proverbs, and Accountability: The Apostles of Aba Reflect on the Fire

Enjoy the full song here.

Igbo: English:

Enyi m lei! My dear friend!

Oriri eju m isi! I am dying of anxiety!

Amaa m ebe m ga-ala o! I do not know where to run!

Ezigbo enyi m, nye m echiche o! My good friend, please give me advice!

O ga-eyere m aka o! It will soothe me!

Oku mgbara Ekeoha lei, The fire that ravaged Ekeoha Market,

Gbara Alaba o! Also ravaged Alaba International Market!

Onye o mere, Those affected,

Ya kaa o maa o! Should take heart!

Onye mkpata akpachaghi aku lei! The gatherer cannot amass all of the world’s wealth

Onye nricha, The spender,

Erichaa yaa o! Cannot spend it all either!

Ome mgbe o ji lei! One who only helps when they have the means,

Kanu onye ohi nma! Is better than the thief who steals to help everyone!

Anyi no na nmiri, We were surrounded by water,

Ncha baa anyi anya! Yet soap entered our eyes!

Otara amu evula One who eats the ram’s scrotum,

Jinu ibi ugwo o! Will surely suffer from an enlarged penis!

Nde Iche Ngwa lei! Dear people of Iche Ngwa!

Alaka! Alaka!

Ke mere eme kwuru ike o! The disaster which happened, should disappear!

Si odo emela o! I say, let it not happen again!

Amaacha lei! Dear people of Amaacha!

Unu ka o ma o! You all should take heart!

La hwe da-ewuta otu onye The pain a person feels,

Da-ewuta nwanne ya o! Is also felt by those close to them!

Umu Ofosonso si unu, The Ofosonso people

Ka o ma o! Ask you to take heart!

Maazi Frank Owelle si unu, Maazi Frank Owelle asks you

Ka o ma o! To take heart!

Maazi CU Uwiga si unu, Maazi CU Uwiga asks you

Ka o ma o! To take heart!

I.K. Madu and Bros, I.K. Madu and Bros,

Si unu ka o ma o! Take heart!

La hwe ndi-ewuta otu onye The pain a person feels,

Da-ewuta nwanne ya o! Is also felt by those close to them!

Nde Iche Ngwa lei! Dear people of Iche Ngwa!

Alaka! Alaka!

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