Jụọ Ndigbo

Nke a bụ ilu ma bụrụkwa okwu n'ala Igbo. Ihe ọpụtara riri nne. Ị nwer'ike sụgharịa ya n'ụz'ọlemọle. Ọmụm'atụ ụfọdụ bụ: 'Nkwụcha abụrọ ụjọ.' 'Mberede nyịrị dike.' 'Eme ngwangwa emeghara ọdachi.' Okwu ndịa n'egosi ka ndi-Igbo si eche echiche. Nwoke m'ọbụ nwanyị bụ onye-Igbo ñụzụrụ ara anaghị eme ihe ọ bụla m'ọbụrụ n'ocheghi ya eche. Ya ga'eji asị n'ụmụ Igbo n'eji anya agb'ogige ebe ọ bụla ha nọ, ihe ọ bụla ha n'eme, nkata ọ bụla ha n'akpa. Makana onye n'ekwughi k'ọha, e buru ya bufee obi nna ya. Ọzọ dịka ibe ya wee bụrụ na-ijiji n'enweghi onye ndụmọdụ n'eso ozu aba n'ili. Iji kwu eziokwu, onwekwazịrị ndị enyere ezi ndụmọdụ ma ha jụrụ ịnara ya. Ajụjụ ị g'ajụ onwe gị taa bụ: abụ m ụkpana, k'abụ m ijiji? Lezienu anya, ka m kọrọ gị ihe ụkpana na ijiji mere. Ụkpana na Ijiji tiri n'aka k'amata onye nkpakpa ọga akpa g'aka emetụta ndị mmad...

“ Ebela m akwa ụwa ” (I have cried about my world (situation or condition)), is a poignant song by the  Oriental Brothers , a renowned Nigerian highlife band. The lyrics delve into the emotional struggles and reflections on life’s challenges, emphasizing the transient nature of existence and the importance of spiritual accountability. Through their soulful music, the Oriental Brothers encourage listeners to contemplate their actions and maintain a connection with their faith amidst life’s ups and downs. It goes this way: Ebela m akwa ụwa, Ụwa m lee, ụwa m lee. Ebela m akwa ụwa, Ụwa m lee, ụwa m lee. Ebela m akwa ụwa, Ụwa m lee, ụwa m lee. Ebela m akwa ụwa, Ụwa m lee, ụwa m lee. Akwa ụwa, akwa b’onye n’ebere Chi ya, Onye bema, onye bemara Chi ya, akwa ụwa bi ya Elu ụwa bụ ahịa, onye zujuru nke y’apara gaba. N’iru k’ona-eje? Ọ bụ n’iru Chukwu Nna. Ihe onye n’eme n’elu uwa cheta Chukwu Nna. Aka otu, Ike k’otu, Chi kere anyị oo.   Ebela m akwa ụwa, Ụwa m lee, ụwa m lee. Ebela m a...

The  Oriental Brothers International Band , otherwise known as the Oriental Brothers, is a legendary highlife band from Eastern Nigeria. They began in the early 1970s, shortly after the Nigerian-Biafran War. The band epitomized Igbo culture’s resilience and pride. The band was made up of Sir Warrior (Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna), Dan Sack Opara, Nathaniel Ejiogu, Godwin Kabaka Opara, and Prince Ichita. The genre of their music was deeply Igbo highlife, mixing Igbo tunes with jazz and swing. The music reflected Igbo worldview, struggles, hopes, and aspirations. Their music portrayed Igbo life situation after the civil war. Igbo “Ajambene”  (a chorus always associated with the tortoise), which is a strand of Musesophy can be derived from all the Oriental Brothers songs. Iheọma adịghị onye ọsọ epitomizes Igbo understanding of the world, the value of goodness, the opportunities of life, the reality of destiny, and the need for God and prayers. Iheọma adịghị onye ọsọ – Igbo Lyric...

One late night during the planting season, known as  oge unwu  in Igbo land, a widow sent her only son to fetch some fire embers from a neighbor. The boy set off and decided to take a shortcut, passing under a massive breadfruit ( Ụkwa ) tree. As he walked beneath it, a heavy breadfruit suddenly fell from a branch, striking him on the head. The impact was fatal, and he was killed instantly. When his mother was alerted, she was overcome with sorrow and began to wail and lament. Gịnị g’emere m Ụkwa nooooo! O nwa’ele ele! Gịnị g’emere m Ụkwa nooooo! O nwa’ele ele! Ụkwa mere gịnị? Ụkwa dagburu nwa-Aka n’ụkpọrọ k’ọgara ngụtara nne ya ọkụ! Then, the Pestle divided the breadfruit. The widow started to wail and lament again: Gịnị g’emere m Obi nooooo! O nwa’ele ele! Gịnị g’emere m Obi nooooo! O nwa’ele ele! Obi mere gịnị? Obi mawara ụkwa. Ụkwa mere gịnị? Ụkwa dagburu nwa-Aka n’ụkpọrọ k’ọgara ngụtara nne ya ọkụ! Then, the termites ate the Pestle. She started to wail and lament again: G...

I remember again the stories told us by my grandmother about an orphan whose father’s wife (or stepmother) refused to give a piece of Ụdara fruit when she was sharing the same Ụdara fruit with her stepsiblings. Her stepmother separated the children between hers and the orphan. This story depicts an orphan as a child who had lost a mother. We know that an orphan is someone who has lost one or both parents. We will maintain an understanding of the usage of the word ‘orphan’ in the story to signify a child who has lost a parent (mother) in this context. Quietly, the orphan collected the seeds of the Ụdara fruit her stepsiblings had thrown away and planted them in a corner of their garden. Every day, she watered the seeds as she sang: Ụdara m tobe. Nda! Ụdara m tobe. Nda! Tobe! Tobe! Tobe! Nda! Nwunye nna m. Nda! Zụta ụdara n'ahịa. Nda! Rachanwo nwa enwe nne. Nda! Nwa enwe nna, nwa enwe nne. Nda! El'ụwa bụ ọrịrị. Nda! Onye nọsịa ọ naba. Nda! Bere kwukwukwu kọmsịa Bere otu nwa k...