A timely song for Nigeria’s 51st Independence day Anniversary

Song Title: Petepete

Album: Tradition

Artiste: 9ice ft. Asa

Sebe le ma sun….. (You shall remain in your state of self-delusion….)

Verse 1:
Ojo re bi ana ta gb'ominira, [It seems like yesterday when we won our Independence]
1960 Nigba yen things easy  (It was in 1960, in those days things were easy)

Gege b’on se wi [As we were told]
T’arugbo, t'omidan lon dunu pa ti gb'ominira [Everyone, young and old rejoiced that we were free at last]
Ominira indeed abi, e wo Naira wa [Independence indeed…see the way our Naira has depreciated]
Ilu polukurumusu [The country is upside down]
T'ewe t'agba lo n j'eyan won nisu [Both young and old are suffering untold hardship]
Ab’e o ri, ewe e ri, sugbon e o fewi [Can’t we all see it, you youths see it, but have refused to talk]
Ab’e o ri, agba e ri atenuje lo fe pa yin [Can’t we all see it, you older ones see it, but you are part of the rot]
Petepete t'ana ni popa
Eni bataba, kolo mofe ni

Chorus


Sebe l'ema sun….(You shall remain in your state of self-delusion….)
Teba sope e 'omo nkankan [If you keep pretending you don’t know what is going on]
Eyin aro lema waa  [It will all come back to haunt you all]
Mewa n'sele o (These things are happening)
Sebe l'ema sun ….(You shall remain in your state of self-delusion….)

Bi eni n wo'seju akan o (Like someone involved in a fruitless endeavor)
Eyin aro lema wa a [It will all come back to haunt you all]

(Mewa n sele o) (These things are happening)

Verse 2:

Kini suuru ti o l'ere? [What's the benefit of patience without reward?]
Kini ise ti ko s'ere? [What's the benefit of working without profit?]
Won sa l'eyan ti o l'oruko [There are many unknown people]
O kuku sise, o de'n rere e [Who do their jobs and get rewarded appropriately]
Ah! e de s'ope a siwa l'omode [Yet you say we are still young and naive]
Nkan sa l'eye n je k'agbado t'ode [ Yet we've achieved many great feats in the past.]
9ice oro gidi l'oso [9ice you've spoken well]
Oro to o ni'lari l'oso [Your words are deep and meaningful]
An'lati fi laakaye si [We must apply common sense and wisdom]
K'asoro sibi t'orowa [And say things the way they are.]

(Back to chorus)

9ice: Bod'asiko 'bo yen [When the election season approaches]
Won a wa s'adugbo [They come into our neighbourhoods]
Won a'somo jeje [Acting all nice and sweet]
E je kan wole tan gbogbo eje tan je da wo kese [Once in power, they forget all the promises they made]
Toba tun se were, la siko ibo [During the elections]
Won ani k'odo tolo bere [They make all the youths queue up.]
Won a senu menren, kalokalo gbe nkan mi senu wuye [They embezzle loads of money but pretend to be saints]
Afira aditu ti iwole, talo dibo fun? [That politician won the elections but no one voted for him]
Pasan ta fi na 'yale o nbe lori aja fun [They forget that what they have sown they shall reap].
Odo e lo tunramu, e ma je an'pagbon ni funfun [Youths shine your eyes, don't let anyone fool you anymore]
Fun yin, mowi temi  (A word is enough for the wise)

Asa: Asegbe kan kosi o [What a man sows that he shall inevitably reap]
Asepamo lowa [Even when such an act is perpetrated in the secret]
Ase sile labo waba [What goes around comes around.]
Emi oti ku, [I am not dead yet]
Mo s'ile s'ise [ I can still work]
Mo sile f'owo r'ewo [I can still use the word of my own hands]
Mo sile tule mise [To change my family, community and nation]

This song was produced by two of my generation’s best, 9ice and Asa, both award winning artistes and a source of pride for Nigeria. I pray that God will uphold them and use them for greater works.

Indeed, like the song says, it is already coming around to haunt us all, the continuous neglect of our responsibilities to our nation, both as leaders and followers. The toll of the state of our nation tells its story on us all, especially youths of my generation who have never known a steady, safe and prosperous Nigeria. Stories of a Nigeria where the railways worked across the length of the nation, where university students ate chicken almost at no cost, where there was safety on the roads and people could travel at any time of night or day without any fear, are just mere stories to us, for we have never known such a Nigeria. Sometimes they do sound unbelievable too.

I grew up listening to King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, and the many music heroes of the seventies and eighties, these men are still alive and kicking, and those of their generation who passed, did pass away at ripe old ages, Orlando Owoh, Sonny Okosuns, Osita Osadebey, Fela Kuti, etc and several others, it is sad to note this generation of Nigerians have already lost notable personalities in the entertainment industry, Dagrin, Chdinma Mbalaso, McLoaf, all young Nigerian entertainers in their twenties and early thirties were lost to road accidents caused by extremely bad roads. It is already haunting us all, the consequences of years of corrupt national life, instituted by bad leaders and maintained by a cooperative, greedy and docile followership.

Our journey to nationhood is yet to begin, however I wish Nigeria and all Nigerians a happy anniversary.  I pray that Nigeria will one day arise and conquer all her conquerors, and that the hope of a prosperous nation where peace and justice reigns shall be restored to all of us.

Happy Independence Day Nigeria.