Osita Osadebe was one of the best-known Igbo highlife musicians and songwriters, who hailed from Atani in Anambra state, Nigeria. He wrote over 500 songs of which his musical style was a summary of Igbo culture, traditions, idioms, proverbs, and way of life.
His music was known to last longer than other Igbo highlife musicians and his voice often made the listeners relax and follow the tempo or rhythm of the beats. His songs often exude some healing powers that were characteristics of how the songs indulged the listeners.
Among his many songs, ‘Agadi Nwanyị na Inine’ comes to mind and can be used to describe the Musesophy of his (Onye bili ibeya ebili) ‘Live and Let Live.’ I will give the lyrics of the song in the Igbo language and the English translation. Also, we shall attempt to bring to the fore the morals, wisdom, and the golden rule principle.
Ije agadi Nwanyị na Inine
Agadi nwanyị chọlụ k'ori inine, Mana ọmazị na inine n'elokwara ya ililo. Makana inine kwuzilinu: ebe agadi nwanyị achọzị ka ya dịnụ; n'orisịa ya gbaba ya n'afọ. Mana agadị nwanyị amarọzị wee ribenu. Ọ bụ agadi nwanyị k'ikpe mazịrinụ? K'ọbụ inine k'ikpe maranụ? Ya bụ 'Onye bili ibeya bilikwanụ o.' Agadi nwanyị n'achọ ihe o g'eri n'ụwa. Ihe n'agụ agadi nwanyị a bụrụnụ inine. Agadi nwanyị abanyezịanụ n'ọfịa. Inine k'ọ n'achọ, ọfụzịnụ inine. Mana inine nọrụ zienu onwe ya.
Agadi nwanyị afuzienu inine, agadi nwanyị amụrịa. Obi ọcha jụrụ ya afọ: 'Inine anya gị dizi ife a?' Inine agbanụ nkịtị. Agadi nwanyị akpabazienu inine, Agadi nwanyị akpakọrịsịanụ inine, O buruzienu naba, O ruzienu osibe.
Agadi nwanyị a n'amụrị n'obi ọcha n'ihe ọga eri adịgo. Mana ọmaghị na inine n'elolu ya ihe ọzọ. Agadi nwanyị esibenu inine sisịanụ. Agadi nwanyị eribenu inine. Agadi nwanyị eribenu risisịa. Ọ nọdịzịa n'añụrị. Mana Ọmaghị na inine nọ n'elonu ihe ọga eme ya n'afọ. Agadi nwanyị nọ n'amụrị.
Inine wee kwadozienu ọlụ: 'Agadi nwanyị gị ka mụ n'anụ. Agadi nwanyị Chukwu keru gị na ya keru m! Ịchọzie ka m bụ inine nazie na nkịtị, ma ngị bili. Inine abịazienu ọlụ.
Agadi nwanyị akpọba: 'Afọ m oo! Afọ m oo! Inine emenu m alụ!' Inine ebidonu ọlụ. Inine ebidozienu mụrịba. 'Agadi nwanyị oge in'ekwom ịn'amụrị. Na m nwezi amụrị.'
English Translation
The Old Lady and Green Vegetables
The journey of an old lady and green vegetables An old lady wanted to eat green vegetables, However, she did not know that green vegetables had different ideas about her. Because green vegetables said: since the old lady does not want them to live; after consuming them as a meal, they would upset her stomach.
But the old lady did not know and ate the green vegetables. The old lady was gladly smiling because she had found food to eat. But she did not know that the green vegetables had different ideas about her. The old lady started to cook the green vegetables and the food was ready. The old lady started to eat the green vegetables and was satisfied. She was relaxed and happy. But she did not know that the green vegetables had different ideas about the things they would do to her stomach. The old lady was rejoicing.
The green vegetables prepared to work: ‘Old lady you I’m hearing. Old lady! God who created you, created me! But you preferred that the green vegetable be dead so that you live. The green vegetables started to work.’
The old lady started to cry: ‘My stomach! My stomach! Green vegetables are killing me!’ Green vegetables started to work. Green vegetables started to laugh: ‘Old lady when you were cutting me, you were laughing, it is my turn now to laugh.’
The Morals or Wisdom of the Song
The wisdom in the above song is simple: ‘Live and Let Live.’ It follows from the golden rule or if you like the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant.
The Igbos believes in the principle of ‘bili ka m bili’, meaning ‘if you live, let me live.’ The world is large enough to contain everyone.
The song emphasizes the need for tolerance, accommodation, and peaceful co-existence. It speaks truth to heart to this stone age where materialism has become the order of the day. As a result, people can do anything to get rich, even to the point of killing, cheating, defrauding people, state, and nations.
The singer used common and worthless things like the green Vegetables to demonstrate how low humans can sink to satisfy themselves. It portrays that humans can take the last penny or cent or kobo of someone to enrich themselves.
But one thing is also clear in the song: ‘do not underestimate anyone, anything or anyplace. There is power in everything or person or place. Therefore, the song advises that we shall respect everyone, everything and everyplace.