The Nigerian politician, poet and journalist Dennis Chukude Osadebay translated this Ibo poem for the journal African Affairs in 1949. The lighthearted tale of an orphan boy is described by D.C. Osadebay as being several centuries old.
O Lamb give me my salt,
Salt the market folks gave me;
The market folk ate my fruits,
Fruits the farmer gave me;
The farmer broke my hoe,
Hoe the smith gave me;
The smith ate my yam,
Yam the old woman gave me;
The old woman ate my bird,
The bird my trap gave me,
My faithful, useful trap.
Here is the poem in Ibo.
Atulu nye kwa mu Nnu mu,
Nnu igudu afia Nyela mu,
Igudu afia lacha utu mu,
Utu owo utu nyelu mu
Owo utu woji ngu mu
Ngu Osu ani sunyelu mu
Osu ani suji ago mu
Ago okpuzu kpunyelu mu
Okpuzu li nkpilikpiji mu
Nkpilikpi ji Nnem agadi nyelu mu
Nnem agadi talu anunu mu
Anunu nwonya nyelum
Nwonya zezele muze.
From “West African Voices” (pp. 152)
D. C. Osadebay, E. L. Lasebikan and J. H. Nketia
African Affairs Vol.48 (1949)
