Nigerian Gospel Singer Eben - "Victory" (video, lyrics, & selected comments that include Nigerian Pidgin English)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a video of Eben's 2016 hit Nigerian religious song "Victory".

Lyrics to this song are included in this post along with some examples of comments from this video's YouTube discussion thread. Each of these comments includes words that are used in Nigerian Pidgin English.

Information about Eben is also included in this post as is information about the Nigerian Pidgin English words "na", "dey", and "shakara. This post also includes information about the meaning of the letter "o" In the Yoruba language and West African Pidgin English of the letter "o" after a word or at the end of sentence.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, linguistic, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Eben for this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT EBEN
From https://gospellyricsng.com/eben/
"Born on the 9th of September named Emmanuel Benjamin, popularly known as EBEN and the 5th of six children of a family where christian values were instilled and nurtured. He started out a rapper in his early teens mentored by his elder brother but later discovered he could sing and never stopped singing since then.

While finding himself musically, he worked as a studio background vocal artiste,recorded an album (Spirit,Soul and Body)as a duo(E-double)..and also featured in several album projects.

In 2007 he released his solo album”ON THE ROCK” which features hit tracks like “Imaranma”,”God Dey”,”Iwo Nikan” and others..with a unique genre he pioneered and calls Afrocentric rock, he has graced platforms both locally and internationally..nominated for ‘best male artiste’ Africa gospel music awards UK, best male artiste ‘National gospel awards Nigeria, best gospel video ‘NMVA’…featured on major projects with veteran artistes like Sammie Okposo, Onyeka Nwenu, Sonny Nneji, MI, Keffi just to mention a few.

[...]

Source: https://johnsonmadichie.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/gospel-artiste-eben-goes-all-the-way-with-collosal-concert-and-album-launch/"

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Eben - Victory [Official Video]



OfficialEben, Published on Apr 27, 2016

total # of viewer hits [as October 11, 2017 at 2:05 PM) - 8,352,030 views

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LYRICS: "VICTORY"
(as sung by Eben)*

https://africangospellyrics.com/2016/10/10/victory-lyrics-by-eben/
(Languages: English, Pidgin, Igbo)

He has given me victory
All of you, God has given me victory
He has given me victory

All the days of my life I’ll praise You
Everything that I have na You gave to me Baba
Lord I say for your Love I’m grateful
Jesu You love me plenty, you came to die for me

Jehovah Rapha Jehovah Nissi
I Am that I Am, The Great provider
I searched around, there’s no one else like You
Lion of Judah: You’re the mighty Man in battle

Refrain:
Aiyee! God has given me victory
Aiyee! He has given me victory
(Repeat)
Hallelujah eh (Halle) (Repeat)

Come and see what the Lord has done for me
He has taken away my sorrows and now I’m free!
Agam e buru hallelujah e buru (I will carry hallelujah)
Agam a para hallelujah para o (I will carry my praise)

Refrain #2:
Because of Jesus everyday na shakara I dey do
(Because of Jesus everyday I have a life worth showing off)
Double double heavenly blessings na him I dey receive (from Him I receive)
God Your Grace and mercies always dey follow me

(Refrain)

If Jesus has given you victory,
Come let’s dance, let’s give Him praises now
(Repeat)

(Refrain #2)
-snip-
*I don't know if Eben is the composer of this song.

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INFORMATION ABOUT CERTAIN NIGERIAN PIDGIN ENGLISH WORDS*
1. "Dey"
From http://www.naijalingo.com/words/dey
"Dey

Definition:
1. to be, or to be alive
2. in the process of doing something

Example:
1. I dey
2. Where una dey go?"
-snip-
From
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Pidgin
..."Use of the word "deh" or "dey" is found in both Caribbean Creole and Nigerian Pidgin English, and is used in place of the English word "is" or "are"."
-snip-
Note that "dey" doesn't mean "they" which is its vernacular African American English and in Jamaican Patois.
-snip-
Added October 13, 2017: additional meanings for "dey":
From http://www.ngex.com/personalities/babawilly/dictionary/pidgind.htm
"Dey: 1. Is e.g. wetin dey happun 2. Location e.g. where you dey 3. Stance in the matter e.g. which one you dey sef. 4. In existence 5. Spectacular e.g. dat car dey well-well.
-snip-
Here are definitions for "sef" from http://www.ngex.com/personalities/babawilly/dictionary/pidgins.htm
"Sef: 1. In particular e.g. You sef. 2. Placed at end of question when irritated or impatient e.g. Wetin sef?

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2. "Na"
From http://www.naijalingo.com/words/na
"Na

Definition: (It) is. Used to describe something being something else. Depending on tone, can also be used in an interrogative sort of way. Example: -Dis one na gobe! (This is trouble!) - Na you wey wan come start wahala for my domot yesterday abi? (So, you're the one who wanted to start trouble in my area yesterday right?)

Synonyms: Be, To Be, It Is"
-snip-
*These words are also found in Ghanaian Pidgin English and may be also found in other forms of West African Pidgin English.

Note "na" doesn't mean "no" which is its informal American English meaning.

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3. shakara
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shakara
"Shakara
To show off. Word derived from a popular Fela Kuti song titled "Shakara Olu Oje". Commonly used amongst Nigerian youth.
-sucks teeth- Ibeyemi waitin de shakara for now.

trans from pidgin English: Ibeyemi, why are you showing off?
by Naija girl June 17, 2005"

**
From http://www.naijalingo.com/words/shakara
Shakara
"Definition: This word means when someone is posing or showing off
Example: 1. See dis boy, you just dey shakara"
-snip-
Revised October 13, 2017:
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/10/various-examples-of-nigerian-pidgin.html for a pancoocjams post entitled "Various Examples Of The Nigerian Pidgin English Terms "Shakara" & "Do Shakara" ".

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE USE OF THE LETTER "O" AFTER A WORD OR AT THE END OF A SENTENCE IN WEST AFRICAN PIDGIN ENGLISH
"o" is written "o", "oh", or multiple "o's" (such as "ooooo").

“O” is an intensifier. Its use increases the intensity of what was said or written before it. Adding letters to "o" [for example "ooooo"] further increases that intensity.

“o” at the end of a word or words mean/s that I really meant what I said or wrote. More than one "o" means that I really really mean[t] what I've said or wrote.

"O" is used these ways in Nigerian Pidgin English and in Ghanaian Pidgin English. It may also be used these ways in other forms of West African Pidgin English.

Here's a comment about "o" in the definition for "na wa o" ("nawa oh") that is found in https://theculturetrip.com/africa/nigeria/articles/15-nigerian-pidgin-english-phrases-you-need-to-know/
"Nawa oh!

This is an expression of surprise, similar to ‘wow’. The ‘oh’ ending is a kind of conversational tick that gets added to lots of words and phrases to add emphasis."
-snip-
Note that in West African Pidgin the word "oh" doesn't have the same meaning as it has in American English or some other forms of English.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
(Examples Of some of the comments that include Nigerian Pidgin English)
Numbers have been assigned to these comments for referencing purposes only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylFR9VqLMYg

2016
1. Don CoraggioMaria O. Peters Usunobun
"@Eben keep releasing the bomb of Praise. Yahweh is His name. Shakara for Jesus my brother."

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2017
2. Agnes Agyiri
"HE HAS GIVEN ME VICTORY OHHHH"

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3. Oyinkansola Yusuf
"because of Jesus everyday na shakara I dey do"
-snip-
One translation of this comment is "because of Jesus is a day that I shakara (dance for the Lord)."

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3. Devine ministries
"Eben beko! give us more music like this I can't stop doing shakara I think that's my new name"

**
4. Abimbola Ejire TV
"I love this song ooo"

**
5. enowgbe george
"AMEN OH. Indeed he has given me too.Led his mighty name be praised."

**
6. patricia auxas
"God Bless you more and more, Because of Jesus everyday na shakara I dey do"

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7. Klassic Beauti
"God is your grace and mercy.. Dey always dey follow mi!🙋👑🌈🙏🎉"
-snip-
I wonder if this commenter is from the Caribbean. If so, the first word "dey" in this comment might mean "they" and the sentence could be translated to standard English as "God's grace and mercy always follow me" [God's grace and mercy (they) are always following me].

**
8. morning smile
"Loving this guy sorry if u 're married o".
-snip-
Loving this guy. [I'm] Sorry if you're married.

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ADDENDUM: TWO OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT WORDS IN EBEN'S "VICTORY" SONG
"Baba" is the Yoruba word for "father". However, in the context of this song, "Father" means God.

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"Double Double"
The phrase "double double" in Eben's religious song "Victory" probably at least indirectly refers to the West African religious song "Double Double".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/two-versions-of-african-gospel-song.html for a pancocojams post about the song "Double Double"

That post showcases two videos of that song- the original version by Nigerian vocalist Uche Agu and a Ghanaian cover of that song by Atta Boafo.

In the context of these Gospel songs, "double double" means that God gives twice the amount of blessings that people pray for.

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