A Yorùbá dance song, very popular in the 1950s when Abu Bakry Olorun Nimbe, a medical doctor turned politician, was Mayor of Lagos.
I am greeting you, Mayor of Lagos,
Mayor of Lagos, Olorun Nimbe…
A Widow’s Lament
An Igbo lament from eastern Nigeria, listing six very pragmatic reasons for mourning a dead husband.
Six times the widow recalls her husband’s death.
When the yam-planting season sets in early…
In Adela’s Time
A short satire recorded in Yorùbá in the early 1950s by Ulli Beier, the German-Jewish scholar who went on to make distinguished contributions to Nigerian literature.
In Onalu’s reign we changed our dress frequently
In Kurumi’s time we used cloth on the finest material…
Independence
An Udje song, or satirical song from the Urhobo people of the northwestern part of the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria. Udje were sung during the festivals held irregularly, but usually in December, in honour of local deities, who are here named at Djudu and Ogode.
Fortitude, indeed we need it,
a wrong step warns us not to be careless in repeating it…
A Salute to Fabunmi
Another Ìjálá or hunter’s poem from the Yorùbá of Nigeria (see also the poems Elephant, Buffalo, Five Creatures and Hunters’ Salutes). This one is a salute to Fabunmi, celebrating both his skills as a hunter and his generosity towards others.
Oolo of Iware Forest,
why is it we no longer see Fabunmi…
Ancient Hausa Praises
For over five centuries, Hausa has been one of Africa’s written languages. But a strong tradition of oral poetry exists alongside the written forms, and at times the two have been in competition. These ancient praises are of former rulers (see also Rano).
Yaji, snarer of rocks,
Confounder of knavish tricks…
