Various Interpretations Of The Nigerian Song "Ise Oluwa"

Edited by Azizi Powell

"Ise Oluwa" (e-shay o-loo-wah) may be the most widely known African religious song among non-African people throughout the world. Here are eight renditions of and comments about that Yoruba (Nigeria, West Africa) religious song.

An English translation of lyrics to that song is included towards the end of this post.

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[Latest Update- December 30, 2018]

These examples are not given in any particular order.

Example #1: Solomon Ilori & his Afro-Drum Ensemble - Ise Oluwa (God's work is indestructible)



AbeokutA MusiC, Published on Apr 30, 2017

From "Solomon Ilori And His Afro-Drum Ensemble - African High Life"

Blue Note - BST 84136 (LP) - US , 1963


Written by Solomon Ilori -- Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder on April 25, 1963 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Vocals, Talking Drum, Guitar, Penny Whistle – Solomon Ilori
Sakara Drum, Cowbell – Josiah Ilori
Congas – Chief Bey , Montego Joe
Congas, Shekere, Cowbell – Robert Crowder
Congas, Xylophone, Cowbell – Garvin Masseaux
Alto Sax, Flute – Hosea Taylor
Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik
Directed by Coleridge Perkinson

[...]

Song: Ise Oluwa (2006 Remastered Version)
Artist: Solomon Ilori
Album: Blue Note Trip Tease Part 2

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Example #2: Ise Oluwa [The Work of the Lord] by Godwin Sadoh



Uploaded by Godwin Sadoh (gsadoh007) on Dec 31, 2008

Ise Oluwa is a Nigerian Christian Song. There are various settings of this Yoruba song. I have another version for SATB with piano accompaniment published by Wayne Leupold Editions, 2006. Godwin Sadoh--Piano accompanist.
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's viewer comment thread. The comment was written in response to another person writing that "Ise Oluwa" was a Yoruba folk song:
"Ise Oluwa" is not a folk song. It is actually a Yoruba Christian song composed by one of the pioneers of Yoruba church music, that is, choirmaster and organist, in the early 20th century. There are several arrangements of the tune for vocal and instrumental ensembles by Nigerian professionally trained composers such as Samuel Akpabot, Laz Ekwueme, Joshua Uzoigwe, and Godwin Sadoh.
-Godwin Sadoh (gsadoh007); August 2010 http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=7sidvWh2csw
-snip-
Here's some information about the impetus in the mid 19th century to translate the Yoruba language to English:
http://www.nigeriandictionary.com/language.php?lang_id=68
"Yoruba has over fifteen dialects and standard Yoruba is the written form of the language and the standard variety learnt in school. Standard Yoruba has its origin in the 1850's, when Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African Bishop, published a Yoruba grammar and started his translation of the Bible to Yoruba."
-snip-
I've added this information for the historical record. However, given Mr. Sadoh's comment that "Ise Oluwa" was composed in the early 20th century, the composer of that song couldn't have been Samuel Ajayi Crowther.

[UPDATE 9/14/2012]
Godwin Sadoh posted the following response to my query for more information about his statement quoted above:
"Thank you for your fine comments and for posting this video on your blog. This song has been arranged by several composers and arrangers that it is extremely difficult to pin down the original composer of the tune. Best information I can give you is one of the oldest settings of the song for SATB and piano/organ by Dr. Thomas Ekundayo Phillips [1884-1969], a.k.a. father of Nigerian church music. For more info on Phillips, read my book on him on iuniverse website."
-snip-
Here's a link to that book: https://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/bookdetail.aspx?bookid=SKU-000121997 Thomas Ekundayo Phillips The Doyen of Nigerian Church Music by Godwin Sadoh

[Added December 27, 2017]
Here's a quote from a summary of that book:
"The biography and music of Thomas King Ekundayo Phillips are synonymous with the history of Nigerian church music. His compositions chronicle the emergence of Nigerian church music from the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Phillips’s works demonstrate the experimental stages of musical synthesis that began in the church, and in particular, elucidate the various levels of musical development and growth in Nigeria. By writing diverse musical genres, Phillips presents an array of compositional choices that are available to indigenous sacred music composers—liturgical, hymnological, choral, and instrumental pieces...

Phillips’s compositions certainly fall within the category of intercultural musicology. His compositions represent the first attempts by native Nigerian composers in the experimental synthesis of diverse musical idioms in creating a truly hybrid composition"...

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Example #3: Good Earth Singers--Yoruba Greeting--"Ise Oluwa" Chant's History



Uploaded by RobertCReady on Nov 12, 2010

the work of God (will not be destroyed)
-snip-
The man speaking/singing introduces himself in the beginning of the video, but his name isn't written in the video summary. I believe that he said "Olele Oluwa", but I'm not certain that is correct.

Notice that he pronounces the words "Ise Oluwa" as "e-shay oh-lu-wah".

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Example #4: Ise Oluwa for the It Gets Better Project.m4v



AMASONG: Champaign-Urbana's Premier Lesbian/Feminist Chorus took a few minutes out of rehearsal in December to record a musical message for the It Gets Better Project (itgetsbetterproject.com).

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Example #5: LETTA MBULU MANY RAINS AGO [OLUWA]



SuperXavier30Uploaded on Oct 24, 2009

Deeply Emotive Song From Letta Mbulu,Who Perfomed This In Both English & In The Native Nigerian Language,Yoruba.

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Example #6: 'ISE OLUWA' by One Nation



Uploaded by TPHmedia on Jul 29, 2010

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Example #7: Lara George-Ko Le Baje



Soforte Distribution, Published on Nov 4, 2009

Official Video of 'Ko Le Baje'. An Inspirational song done by Lara George, assuring people of God's perfection and how indestructible His work is. Ise ti Oluwa se, Ko Le Baje. Simply means "What GOD has done cannot be Destroyed , is permanent, indestructible..........Directed by Gbenga Salu.

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UPDATE 2/9/2013
Example #8: Sonnie Badu - ESE OLUWA - Colours of Africa (Recorded Live in London)



Deliciouswinfred, Uploaded on Feb 7, 2012
-snip-
Notice that this spelling is "Ese Oluwa". Those words are pronounced a-shay oh-lu- wah".

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AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE SONG "ISE OLUWA"
From http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs/browse_thread/thread/79ffc64ba38572da?pli=1

Solo: Ise Oluwa

God's work (Sometimes rendered as "Ohun Oluwa se" What God has done)

Chorus: Ko le baje o

Cannot be spoilt (Could also render as It is permanent as in not changeable)

Solo: Ise Oluwa

God's work (Sometimes rendered as "Ohun Oluwa se" What God has done)

Chorus: Ko le baje o
Cannot be spoilt (Could also render as It is permanent as in not changeable)

Solo: Aye fe ko baje o, k'awon ba yo

The world wants it spoilt so they may be happy (May also be rendered as People want it spoilt so they can rejoice)

Chorus: Ko le baje o

Cannot be spoilt (Could also render as It is permanent as in not changeable)

Solo: Esu fe ko baje o, k'awon ba yo

Satan wants it spoilt so they may be happy (May also be rendered as Satan want it spoilt so people can rejoice)

Chorus: Ko le baje o

Cannot be spoilt (Could also render as It is permanent as in not changeable)

Solo: Ise Jehofa, ise Emi Mimo

Jehovah's work, holy spirit's work (Sometimes rendered as "Ohun Jehofa/Emi mimo se" What God has done)

Ise ti Baba wa ti se

The work that our father has done

Chorus: Ise Jisesi, Ise Emi Mimo

Jisesi's work, holy spirit's work

Ise ti Baba wa ti se

Work our father has done

Aye fe ko baje o, k'awon ba yo

The world wants it spoilt so they may be happy (May also be rendered as People want it spoilt so they can rejoice)

Ko le baje o

Cannot be spoilt (Could also render as It is permanent as in not changeable)

Ase. Amin o

Amen. So be it or so shall it be.

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