In this article, I will be translating the lyrics of the song ‘Umuigbo’ by Flavour featuring Biggie Igba.
The song is a wake up call or a call to action for the Igbos to unite, and it also talks about the hardworking nature of Igbos, and towards the end, Flavour reminisced of the Biafran war that led to the killing of so many Igbos.
Let’s get to the lyrics of the song.
Anywhere you go oo, anywhere you goo
If you no see Ịgbọ man, nwanne gị bòchaa
(If you don’t see an Igbo man, brother reject the place/run)
(Ayamma mma)
Bòchapu ósò na ébé ahụ l’élu ele
(Ayamma mma)
(Run, that place is spoilt/not good)
Lachapu ósò na ébé ahụ tiri eti
(Run fast, that place is a dead end)
(Ayamma mma)
Obodo sịrị ike na ndị Ịgbọ ná-abanye
(Even a land that is hard/difficult, Igbos still enter/go there)
(Ayamma mma)
Ha banye ébé ahụ hà ebulu ike wee pụta
(When they enter they come with strength) (meaning that when they come, they come with great work ethic and find success)
(Ayamma mma)
Ugochukwu nyere anyị nyawa k’anyi ji aga nụ
(The glory of God given to us, that is what we use to carry on/move forward)
(Ayamma mma)
Iyooko iyoo oko oko
Ụmụ Ịgbọ nile, ụmụ Ịgbọ nile
(All the Igbos, all the Igbos)
Let’s come together n’anyi ncha bụ ofu
(Let’s come together, we are all one)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o, chukwu bụ ike anyị o
(God is our strength, God is our strength)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o, nyawa k’anyi ji aga
(God is our strength, that is what we carry about)
Ka m’naba n’ala Ịgbọ ébé ahụ amulu mụ
(Let me go to Igbo land, where I was born)
I nee m anya n’ukwu na ife mụ yiri bụ Aba
(If you look at my leg, what I’m wearing is Aba/Aba made)
Innoson Group motor kà ọ na-aluzi
(Innoson Group is making motor)
Made in Nnewi nyanwa ka m na-achọ nụ
(Made in Nnewi, that is what I am looking for)
Abakiliki rice nyanwa ka m na-erizi
(Abakiliki rice that it was I eat)
Achorom foreign rice e ba
(I don’t want foreign rice here)
Akụ lụọ uno amalu nụ ébé o si bido
(When the wealth returns home, they will know where it started from)
Makana
(Because)
Anywhere you go o
Anywhere you go o
If you no see Ịgbọ man
(I’d you don’t see an Igbo man)
Nwanne gi bòchaa
(Brother reject it/run)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o
(God is our strength o)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o
(God is our strength o)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o nyawa k’anyi ji aga
(God is our strength, that is what we use to go on)
Ọ gịnị dị mèrè, na-anyị adị emezi nwanne
(What happened that we are not doing brothers) (meaning that, why are we not united?)
Ọ gịnị dị mèrè, asụsụ anyị ji àlà
(What happened that our language is going/fading away)
Ònye Ịgbọ mụta nwa nuu, osubalu ya oyibo
(An Igbo man will give birth to a child, he will speak English to him)
Oyibo amaka maná oburo asụsụ anyị o
(English is good but it is not our language)
Ijelе be anyị ọ ya kà i na-eme е
(Our Ijele you are saying facts)
Biggie nwanne m, Ịgbọ bụ Ịgbọ anyị ekulie
(Biggie my brother, Igbo is Igbo, we have risen)
Ụmụ Ịgbọ nile, ụmụ Ịgbọ nile
(All the Igbos, all the Igbos)
Let’s come together n’anyi ncha bụ ofu
(Let’s come together, we are all one)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o
(God is our strength o)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o
(God is our strength o)
Chukwu bụ ike anyị o, nyawa k’anyi ji aga
(God is our strength o, that is what we use to move forward)
Alili eligbuo mụ ndi be anyị e gburu n’agha a
(Sorrow has consumed me because of our people that were killed in the war)
Akpata oyi na awụ mụ nyawa ka m ji ebezi
(I am having goosebumps, that’s why I am crying)
They rape our womenu nya kà m ji etizi
(They raped our women that’s why I am shouting)
They starve our children nya ka’ m ji ebezi
(They starved out children that’s why I am crying)
Nnamdi Kalu, nwanne ji s’ike
(Nnamdi Kalu, brother well done)
Emee élú, mee àlà ná uche Chukwu ga-emelili
(No matter what they do, God’s plan will be done)
Ụmụ Ịgbọ nile, ụmụ Ịgbọ nile
(All the Igbos, all the Igbos)
Let’s come together n’anyi ncha bụ ofu
(Let’s come together for we are all one)
Maka ná anywhere you go oo
(Because anywhere you go)
Anywhere you go oo
If you no see Ịgbọ man nwanne gi bòchaa
(If you don’t see an Igbo man, brother run)
Bòchapu ósò na ébé ahụ l’élu ele
(Run fast, that place is spoilt)
Lachapu ósò na ébé ahụ tiri eti
(Run quickly that place is a dead end/locked)
Ụmụ Ịgbọ na-agba mbọ nụ nya k’anyi na-ekwu nụ
(Igbos are hardworking, that is what we are saying)
Ajọ mmụọ ná Ajọ mmadụ fa na-eme ná nkịtị
(Evil spirit and evil people are doing all they do in vain)
Ijele nwanne m Chukwu k’anyi ji aga
(Ijele my brother, God is what we are using to move forward)
Biggie Igbo nwanne Chukwu ka m ji aga
(Biggie Igbo brother God is what I am using to move forward)
Maka ná Chukwu bụ ịke anyị o
(Because God is our strength o)
Chukwu bụ ịke anyị o
(God is our strength o)
Chukwu bụ ịke anyị o nyawa k’anyi ji aga
(God is our strength that is what we use to move forward)
Genevieve nwa na ndị Ịgbọ ji gị aba
(Genevieve, the child that Igbo people boasts with)
Ijele nwanne na ndị Ịgbọ ji gị aga
(Ijele brother that the Igbo boasts with)
Ogadagidi be anyi na ndị Ịgbọ ji gị aba
(Our own Ogadagidi that the Igbo people boasts with)
Chimamanda Adichie na ndị Ịgbọ ji gị aba
(Chimamanda Adichie that the Igbos boast with)
Bangladesh ka ndị Ịgbọ na-etipado
(Bangladesh is where the Igbos are entering)
Obi na South ná ndị Ịgbọ ji gị ekwú
(Obi in South that the Igbos are using to talk)
Iyookoko iyookoko m na-akụ kwa
(Iyookoko iyookoko that is what I’m playing)
Mix Monster
Iyo m iyo m iyoo koko
Leave a Reply