By Ike Okwuobi
Before the advent of Christianity in
Africa, the people 'broke bread' with kolanuts and had morning family prayers.
Here is one, below, by the Ibo people as culled from a book by Omenka Egwuatu
Nwa-Ikenga.
*A kpopu uzo, a kpopu onu
The dawning of a new day marks the beginning of a routine struggling for the means of human and other beings existence.
*Ubosi kpatalu nu nya likalie.
The day that fetches more benefits than others deserves to have more of those items of benefit.
*Uchu adi agba mma ekwu.
The pen kinfe routinely deployed for splitting of kolanuts because of the nature of its assignment is always assured of early morning breakfast
*O bu n’igwe , O bu n’ana, chedo anyi
God who lives in heaven and on earth, please protect our interest
*Omebia, Odokwaa
God you destroy and regenerate lives
*O sibe, O dika a ma elisi
God bestows gifts as though these benevolence would remain endless
*E lisie, o dika a ma eweta ozo
He allows or rescinds these gifts as he considers appropriate or expedient
*Taa oji a n’otu ka anyi taa ya n’ibe n’ibe
Almighty God, take this kolanut in whole, while we take it in cotyledons
*Oru mmuo na nnu mmo bianu taa oji
All classes of spirit/elementals, especially the good ones, please have your own share of this nut
*Ichie ukwu na ichi nta
Titled and non-titled ancestors to join us in this exercise
*Ndi mvu na ndi egede
The primordial and other ancestors of the spirit world also to join
*A nalu nwata ife o ji ama mma mma ya aluru
When a child is deprived of what he loves he subsequently is made miserable
*Ana, ndi afulu anya na ndi afuro anya, nke na enwero okpa ibe ya kwota ya n’azu
This land, indigines dead and alive; among the dead;the deformed and the crippled helped by others also are invited to join
*Unu ekwena ka oji dalue ana, ma o bu ka nwa-ngwele gbaa aji
(Almighty God) do not allow this kolanut to drop from my hand or subject us to any misfortune today
*Ofo nn m nyiba m alo, e welu m aka abo bulu ya
I will at all costs endeavor to protect all the heritages handed over to me by my father
*Mmuo na anoro ya, mmadu ebulu oche ya
If an oracle vacates its seat, a human being takes over
*Izuzugbe nzugbe, anunu gbe
All (spirits/ancestors) are enjoined to rally and then fully participate in these early morning prayers
*O sii nwata, jide nkakwu, ya ga-ekunye mmili o ga-eji kwo aka
Anyone who makes a child commit a crime will have to bear the consequence of his action
*Oso chuka nwata, o gbanaa ikwu nne ya
A child who has a serious disagreement with his fraternal household may op to move over and settle with his maternal relatives
*Nee ubosi taata dozie ya ka o di ka ibe ya
God bless today as you did with other days
*Ndi ilo ezuana anyi n’uzo
We earnestly pray we do not fall prey to the evil plans of our enemies
*O bialu egbu anyi gbue onwe ya
Wicked plans designed to harm the innocent are to have boomerang effect
*Ile oma ka ejuna ji agan’ogwu
We achieve much progress by being good, kind and gentile
*Ife any ga-eli bia, nke ga eli anyi abiana
We pray for the good things of life and abhor evil tendencies
*Izu gbajulugwo o kaalu nti
Secrets and malevolent plants at some point in time, may be revealed
*Ututu tutauta ife
May today be blessed with blessed with lots of good luck
*Onye welu ututu tutuba otutujue akpa
If you start early enough to toil, you will achieve a lot by the end of the day”
Ibo prayers were a combination of affirmations, praises, proverbs, and requests.
*A kpopu uzo, a kpopu onu
The dawning of a new day marks the beginning of a routine struggling for the means of human and other beings existence.
*Ubosi kpatalu nu nya likalie.
The day that fetches more benefits than others deserves to have more of those items of benefit.
*Uchu adi agba mma ekwu.
The pen kinfe routinely deployed for splitting of kolanuts because of the nature of its assignment is always assured of early morning breakfast
*O bu n’igwe , O bu n’ana, chedo anyi
God who lives in heaven and on earth, please protect our interest
*Omebia, Odokwaa
God you destroy and regenerate lives
*O sibe, O dika a ma elisi
God bestows gifts as though these benevolence would remain endless
*E lisie, o dika a ma eweta ozo
He allows or rescinds these gifts as he considers appropriate or expedient
*Taa oji a n’otu ka anyi taa ya n’ibe n’ibe
Almighty God, take this kolanut in whole, while we take it in cotyledons
*Oru mmuo na nnu mmo bianu taa oji
All classes of spirit/elementals, especially the good ones, please have your own share of this nut
*Ichie ukwu na ichi nta
Titled and non-titled ancestors to join us in this exercise
*Ndi mvu na ndi egede
The primordial and other ancestors of the spirit world also to join
*A nalu nwata ife o ji ama mma mma ya aluru
When a child is deprived of what he loves he subsequently is made miserable
*Ana, ndi afulu anya na ndi afuro anya, nke na enwero okpa ibe ya kwota ya n’azu
This land, indigines dead and alive; among the dead;the deformed and the crippled helped by others also are invited to join
*Unu ekwena ka oji dalue ana, ma o bu ka nwa-ngwele gbaa aji
(Almighty God) do not allow this kolanut to drop from my hand or subject us to any misfortune today
*Ofo nn m nyiba m alo, e welu m aka abo bulu ya
I will at all costs endeavor to protect all the heritages handed over to me by my father
*Mmuo na anoro ya, mmadu ebulu oche ya
If an oracle vacates its seat, a human being takes over
*Izuzugbe nzugbe, anunu gbe
All (spirits/ancestors) are enjoined to rally and then fully participate in these early morning prayers
*O sii nwata, jide nkakwu, ya ga-ekunye mmili o ga-eji kwo aka
Anyone who makes a child commit a crime will have to bear the consequence of his action
*Oso chuka nwata, o gbanaa ikwu nne ya
A child who has a serious disagreement with his fraternal household may op to move over and settle with his maternal relatives
*Nee ubosi taata dozie ya ka o di ka ibe ya
God bless today as you did with other days
*Ndi ilo ezuana anyi n’uzo
We earnestly pray we do not fall prey to the evil plans of our enemies
*O bialu egbu anyi gbue onwe ya
Wicked plans designed to harm the innocent are to have boomerang effect
*Ile oma ka ejuna ji agan’ogwu
We achieve much progress by being good, kind and gentile
*Ife any ga-eli bia, nke ga eli anyi abiana
We pray for the good things of life and abhor evil tendencies
*Izu gbajulugwo o kaalu nti
Secrets and malevolent plants at some point in time, may be revealed
*Ututu tutauta ife
May today be blessed with blessed with lots of good luck
*Onye welu ututu tutuba otutujue akpa
If you start early enough to toil, you will achieve a lot by the end of the day”
Ibo prayers were a combination of affirmations, praises, proverbs, and requests.
Ibo prayer was almost always never
done empty handed, and placed a good deal of responsibility on the part of the
person doing the prayer to follow it up with the right actions and deeds that
would lead to its fulfillment.
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