An Igbo Poem and Prayer ... by
Maazi Nnaemeka Callistus Ezaka
ỌJỊ ABỊA
Chineke nna, Chukwu abiama
O bi n'elu ebube ya na-akpụ n'ala
Jeso Kristi, onye nzọpụta nke ụwa
Gi onye rigoro n'elu osisi ghọtara anyị nzọpụta
Mmụọnsọ, gị onye na-eduba mmadụ n'ozuzuoke eziokwu
Bịanụ taara anyị ọjị
O kwa unu ato nwe mmadu?
Ya ka anyi ji akpoku unu
Maka na onye e-ji ihe n'aka a-kpo oku
Nwere nke o na-eme
Oji buru: a gbanwoo dike n'izu
Agbagharia ya
Igbo chiri nze, chie ozo kwuru si
Onye wetara oji, wetara ndu
E wetala m ọjị
Ya bụ na ndụ abịala
Mana e-were uche gbaa ogige, Chukwu nna
Aghota na sọ gị na-enye ndu
Chukwu abiama nara m ọjị
Maka na nwanyi oluoma, di ya anaghị ajụrụ ya nri
Ihe ọjọọ a-bịakwasịkwala anyị
Ka anyị nwee ike maa mma, dị ka ugo
Nnunu e-ji abuba ya e-chi ọzọ
Maka na ehi maa mma, e were mpi ya ñuo mmanya
Chukwu abiama nara m ọjị
Maka na ejide oji n'aka, e-sedo ala, sedo ụmụmmụọ aka na ntị
Chukwu abiama nara m ọjị taa
Sọ gị ka anyị ga-enye tupu anyi ataa
N'etiti chi ndị ọzọ n'iile, sọ nke gi ka anyi kwere
Maka na ahịhịa juru ọhịa, ma a baa ọhia, a-kpara ọkazị
Chukwu abiama bịa taara anyị ọjị
Ndi eluigwe n'iile bia taara anyị ọjị
Anyị agaghị eri ghara inye unu
Maka na onye riwe chezọọ chi ya
Ihe ukwu bịa, o tie mkpu sị
Chi m egbue m-oo!
Ọfọ anyị bụ
Ka anyị ghara iji anya anyị hụ ihe ọjọọ
Ka anyị gharakwa i-che ya n'echiche
Maka na onye tụọ aka na nsị tụọ n'ọnụ
Onye ahụ e-riela nsị
Maka na onye tara amụ ebule, ji ibi ụgwọ
Ọbịara be anyi abịagbukwala anyị
Ọ lawa be ya, ukwu e-jila ya
Nwa mmụọ emegbukwala nwa mmadu
Ka nwa mmadu ghara imegbu nwa mmụọ
Anyị kpọọ oriri, ndi eluigwe biakwara anyị ya
Maka na ahụ ada, hụ ebe, a mara na ndi mkpụmkpụ e-zuola
Onye biri, ibe ya biri
Mmiri atala, azụ anwụla
Egbe bere, ugo bere
Nke si ibe ya ebela, nku kwaa ya
Ka ama akịdị gbaa na nsị
Ndi na-arụ ụka a-mara na ọfọ dị ire
Chukwu abiama nara m ọjị taa
Ka ọ hara m etua n'ọnụ
Maka na onye gọkarịa ọfọ
Ọ gwa ndị mmụọ ebe obi ya dị
Ọfọ ndị a, na nke ogologo ndụ ka anyị gọro, sị ya ree
Iseeee!
Maazi Nnaemeka Ezaka
Abakaliki, Nov. 2009
Editorial:
It is always a special thing - the presentation and blessing of the Kolanut ...
We ndị Igbo like the five-way auspicious Kola-nut (Isee !!!), but when we don't find it, :-)
the blessing and presentation of whatever we do find, with our gods attending, suffices ...
Let
Maazi Nnaemeka talk about his inspiration(s) for this excellent poem interspersed
in places with the precious, lovely proverbs of ndí Igbo ...
[Nnaemeka's comment] >>
Ndi Igbo kwenyere na 'Eke kere uwa'--Chukwu [okike]. Ha na-asopuru, ma na-ekpere ya. Na i-me nke a, ndi Igbo na-adabere na Chukwu, maka otutu ihe: bido n'ihe di mfe n'anya--dika ihe a ga-eri--ruo n'ihe siri oke ike--dika idi/i-nye ndu.
Na onodu a, anyi bu ndi Igbo--ndi ñujuru ara afo--anaghi eri, ma o bu jee, chezoo Chi anyi. N'ututu obula, ma o bu na mbido mmemme/ihe obula, Onye Igbo ga-/na-ekpe ekpere, kpokuo 'ahughi n'ije, ma ike agaghi' bu Chukwu [ndi Igbo nwere otutu aha ha na-etu ya]. I-kpe ekpere a, na i-go oji, maa i-go ofo [ma a si m kwuo], bu otu ihe.
Ihe itunanya, i-ma mma, na ihe omimi di na ka anyi si a-go oji a, tinyere ihe anyi na-ekwugasi--di ka ebumnobi anyi--ma anyi na-ago ofo/oji; ihe ndi a niile, bu mkpalite mmuo m, n'i-de OJI ABIA.
The photo is one of the posters making the rounds on Facebook for nd ị Igbo.
It was made by Bob Oji [Admin] IgF&T ...
Maazi's Poem is your 600th Proverb Milestone at 60% of the way.
Poem/Proverbs contributed By Maazị Nnaemeka Callistus Ezaka,
for iFaT at ifont@groups.facebook.com
e-Mail: ifont.groups.facebook@gmail.com
© ifont 2011, as it appears here
