ONYE MERE NWA N’EBE AKWA? (WHO MADE MY BABY CRY?)

Product Description 

Category: Guitar Ensemble 

Level: Intermediate 

Page: 24

ISMN: 979-0-807300-04-5

TE: 15

Music Description 

IGBO TRIBE 

Igbo, also called Ibo, people living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria who speak Igbo, a language of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family. 

The Igbo people have many interesting customs and tradititions. With a population of around 40 million throughout Nigeria, they are one of the biggest and most influential tribes.

ONYE MERE NWA N’EBE AKWA (Who Made My Baby Cry?)

This a traditional folk lullaby from the Igbo tribe of Nigeria. This music is sung by nursing mothers to pacify their babies from crying.

The lyrics:

Onye mere nwa n’ebe akwa?

Egbe mere nwa n’ebe akwa?

Wete uziza wete ose

Wete omara nguru ofe

Ka umu nnunnu racha ya

K’okpodudu kpogbuo ha

Egbe oo, Egbe oo

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Who made my baby cry?

Eagle made my little baby cry?

Bring spices, bring pepper

Bring salt, bring soup

So that the birds can lick

So that the killer of tsetse fly kills them

Oh eagle, oh eagle.