IseOluwa - Traditional Yoroba spiritual

Ise Oluwa

'The work of the creator cannot be destroyed'

My video clip features Singing in the City community choir singing ISE OLUWA -  a Yoruba Spiritual, captured during their Christmas Concert 2015 in aid of War Child at the St Ethelburga’s church in Broadgate, London.

Ise Oluwa 

(The words with English translation)

SOLO

Ise Oluwa
God's work

CHORUS

Ko le baje o
Cannot be destroyed

SOLO

Ise Oluwa
God's work

CHORUS

Ko le baje o
Cannot be destroyed

SOLO

Aye fe ok baje o, K'awon ba yo
Satan wants it spoilt so they may be happy

CHORUS

Ko le baje o
Cannot be destroyed

SOLO/CHORUS

Ise Jehofa
Jehovah's work, Holy Spirit's work
Ise ti Baba Wa ti se
The work that our father has done
Aye fe ok baje o, K'awon ba vo
The worlds wants it spoilt so they may be happy
Ok le baje o
Cannot be destroyed
ase. Amin o
amen. So be it.

‘This is something I can do!‘”
Una May Olomolaiye
Una May from Yorkshire is a talented arranger, composer, vocal director and tour de force among community choirs.  She spreads the joy of singing and inspiration through her singing workshops and performances - sharing her knowledge and understanding of the African songs she has collected on her travels to Africa to local community groups such as Singing in the City choir in the City of London.
Una May Olomolaiye’s arrangement of Ise Oluwa was sung at the concert SING FOR WATER helping to raise funds for Water Aid.

The video clip features Singing in the City community choir singing her arrangement. To watch it on You Tube Click hereThis is something I can do!

Original drawing by Lesley Scoble

The Yoruba

West Nigeria is the home of the Yoruba with scattered groups in Benin and Togo.  They are a diverse people with a strong bond of a common language, and long cultural heritage. They are perhaps one of the widest spread of the ethnic groups that belong to the Diaspora.  

The wide dispersal of the Yoruba to the Americas is due to four hundred years of slavery. Their homeland coastal territory along the Gulf of Guinea West Africa was known as The Slave Coast.

Tradition

Traditional way of life is still observed, even though they are today the most urbanised of the African nations. Family rituals continue with both male and female babies being circumcised within the first month of birth.

Christianity

Ise Oluwa is a Yoruba hymn composed in the early 20^th century by a pioneering church missionary. Today, about 20% of the Yoruba peoples are Christians.

Nigerian composers

There are several music arrangements of Ise Oluwa that  have been written for instrument and voice by the established  Nigerian composers – Samuel Akpabot, Laz Ekwueme, Joshua Uzoigwe and Godwin Sadoh.

For the love of singing! Visit the Singing in the City website

Signing off for now!

it. They think, ‘This is something I can do!‘”

Till next time chums!