Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides a definition of the word "tumbum" in Nigeria's Igbo language and provides explanations for the term "tumbum" in Yemi Alade's hit Afropop (Afrobeats) song with that title.
This post also showcases the official YouTube video "Tumbum" and the Just Dance official track game for "Tumbum".
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The content of this post is presented for linguistics, cultural, and entertainment purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Yemi Alade for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemi_Alade for information about Yemi Alade.
Click the Yemi Alade tag below for more pancocojams posts about this Afropop superstar.
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WHAT "TUMBUM" MEANS IN THE IGBO LANGUAGE
"Tumbum Tumbum" is an Igbo language (Nigeria, West Africa) phrase whose English translation is "this or that" (according to a YouTube commenter- see below) or "one by one" (according to https://nigeriandictionary.com/tumbum1 "Nigerian dictionary". Both of these definitions refer to an Igbo children's game that is similar to the English language children's counting out or choosing it game "Eenie Meenie Miny Moe".
Here are two responses to a question about the meaning of "tumbum":
"It's something kids sing to make random picks when asked to make a choice or during a game. In this case, she doesn't want to be someone he plays the "random" game with"
-Eva Odum (2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr6DKUylvCk
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"yes, it is something like this "tumbum tumbum base lembe sisi alaba kpom. alaba laba kai kai sisi bum bum" ( or tom tom, no idea what we said there, lol). you say that while going from one thing to the other. whichever your finger land on when the saying ends, that's the one you pick.
-abbyaou1 (2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr6DKUylvCk
Read other comments about "tumbum" below.
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WHAT TUMBUM MEANS IN YEMI ALADE'S SONG WITH THAT TITLE
In Yemi Alade's hit Afropop song/video with that title, "Tumbum" means choosing between two equal options. In the context of this song, the man is saying that he has to choose between two women- Yemi and Nkechi.
In the beginning of the video, rather than choosing between these two women, the man wishes he could combine them into one woman: ""Yemi... Nkechi... Should I combine the 2... Nkemi?"
["Yemi" is a Yoruba language given name and Nkechi is an Igbo language given name. "Nkemi" isn't a real name- which adds to this scene's humor.
Information about the names "Yemi" and "Nkechi" is given in the comment section below.]
Here's another comment about the meaning of "tumbum tumbum" in Yemi Alade's song "Tumbum":
... "Tumbum tubum, is an Igbo word meaning 'this or that'. she is saying she doesn't want to be considered as a second option. the guy was lost in choosing between the two ladies."
-Joseph Eke (2017),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr6DKUylvCk
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I believe that it would be more accurate to say that Yemi is saying that she doesn't want to be part of a relationship where a man has to play a this or that children's game to decide whether he wants to be with her.
Read other comments below about the meaning of the word "tumbum" in the context of Yemi Alade's song.
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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THE TERM "TUMBUM" FROM THE OFFICIAL YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR THAT VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr6DKUylvCk
Numbers have been assigned for referencing purposes only.
Several of these comments include Nigerian Pidgin English.
Click http://www.naijalingo.com/ for a dictionary of Nigerian Pidgin English.
There are a number of online sources for information about Nigerian Pidgin English and for lists of Nigerian Pidgin English words such as "abeg" = please and the word "abi" = right (Yes).
2016
1. Okorobia Isinweke
"tum bum Is the music we sing in our childhood days when we have choosing dilemma"
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2. Stephanie Robinson
"Fortune Naija is it like a nursery rhyme? I am trying to understand it"
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3. Eva Odum
"Stephanie Robinson not really. It's something kids sing to make random picks when asked to make a choice or during a game. In this case, she doesn't want to be someone he plays the "random" game with"
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4. abbyaou1
"yes, it is something like this "tumbum tumbum base lembe sisi alaba kpom. alaba laba kai kai sisi bum bum" ( or tom tom, no idea what we said there, lol). you say that while going from one thing to the other. whichever your finger land on when the saying ends, that's the one you pick."
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5. Nonhlanhla Mkwanazi
"lol, we have a similar nonesensical game in south africa. It goes: "Piki piki mabelane, sala sala gentel mane, abili bock abili bili bock, ince ince ince...". Carries on after that but I can't really remember the whole thing :D"
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2017
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6. IPAT45
"eenie meenie miny moe in English or iene miene mutte in dutch"
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7. superAweber
"Ah, so it's the same as "eenie meenie minie moe, catch a goblin by his toe, if he squeals let him go, eenie meenie minie moe"."
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8. Nonhlanhla Mkwanazi
"Absolutely"
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9. THE VICTOR
"superAweber yes..100% correct."
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10. Kalyssa Elizabeth (2016)
"What's the meaning of tumbum?"
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11. Cynthia Okafor (2016)
"Kalyssa Elizabeth it's like something we recite when we are confused about something, just like the he loves me, he loves me not stuff"
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2017
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12. Mo A
"tum, bum, tum, bum = eenie meenie miny moe
a rhyme children recite to help them choose when spoilt for choice"
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13. KizzyVEVO
"Yemi at first, Johnny played you wayo. Now, this man is using you to do tumbum tumbum but me I'm here for you and ready to be faithful. Abeg Holla at me quick before I fall in love with someone else 😂😂😉"
-snip-
"Johnny" in this comment refers to Yemi Alade's super hit entitled "Johnny". In that song, Yemi found out that Johnny cheated on her with at least three other women.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/johnny-comments-from-four-yemi-alade.html for the pancocojams post "Johnny" Comments From Four Yemi Alade Afropop YouTube Video Discussion Threads".
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14. some one
"Saint Kizito what is Tumbum means bro?"
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15. Crystal Mimi
"tumbum is when ur trying to decide 1 thing from 2 or more options"
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16. THE VICTOR
"el el lol! Abi!! concentrate on one. Lol!"
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17. Anthony Kakie
"Yemi you understand Igbo well well. Tumbum Tumbum is game we played as kids growing up. When we had to choose usually tumbum tumbum is the way out. Usually the outcome decision is final."
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18. Van Sin
"but what is tumbum? What does it meeeaaan - I love Yemi songs go woman"
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19. Joseph Eke
"Van Sin Tumbum tubum, is an Igbo word meaning 'this or that'. she is saying she doesn't want to be considered as a second option. the guy was lost in choosing between the two ladies."
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20. THE VICTOR
"Van Sin "Tumbum, Tumbum" is not a food. its game of random choice Igbo kids play at the village square when they are in a dilemma and they have to make a choice between two similar options."
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21. Bobby sokkatua
"Yemi Alade i'm your man,i swear to not do you like Johnny and this one wey dey use you do tumbum."
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22. Angelica kweku
"Tumbom, Tumbom " means guessing in Igbo ( a tribe in Nigeria ).
She asking the guy not use her as a guess because that's not what she is here for.
She wants him to choose between her and Nkechi."...
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Video #1: Yemi Alade - Tumbum (Official Video)
YemiAladeVEVO, Published on Nov 9, 2016
#MTVMAMA2016 and #MTVMAMA2015 "Best Female" winner Yemi Alade releases a humorous music video for the Selebobo produced "Tumbum", off her acclaimed sophomore album "Mama Africa: The Diary of an African Woman".
The Paul Gambit directed clip stars Nollywood superstars Ime Bishop Umoh and Beverly Osu....
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Statistics as of November 9, 2017 (6:12 AM)
total number of views -13,107,139
total number of likes (thumbs up) - 69K
total number of dislikes (thumbs down) -2K
total number of comments- 2,692 Comments
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Click https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Yemi-Alade/Tumbum for the lyrics for this song.
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Video #2: Just Dance 2018: Tumbum by Yemi Alade | Official Track Gameplay [US]
Just Dance, Published on Sep 20, 2017
Tumbum by Yemi Alade is coming to Just Dance 2018!
ABOUT JUST DANCE 2018 :
Just Dance 2018 comes out on October 24, 2017 on all consoles, including PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U & Nintendo Switch....
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Here' information about the name "Yemi" and "Nkechi"- the names of the two women in Yemi Alade's Afropop (Afrobeats) song "Tumbum":
ReplyDeleteInformation about the name "Yemi"*
"Yemi" is a Yoruba name element which means "benefits me" (is good for me)
Nigerian Afropop singer Yemi Alade's first name may be the name element itself, or a shortened form of a longer name that includes that name element. "Oluyemi" is an example of such a name. That name is formed by combining the name element "Olu" (God) and the element "yemi" (benefits me, is good for me). That name therefore means "God benefits me", meaning "God is good for me".
*This is a summary of some information that is found on https://www.behindthename.com/name/oluyemi/submitted.
Also, note that many Yoruba and Igbo names are given to males and feamles. Although that website says that "Oluyemi" is a male name, it might also be a female name.
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Information about the name "Nkechi" from https://www.behindthename.com/name/nkechi/comments
"My daughter's name is Nkechinyere which means "What God has given". Nkechi is actually the short form of Nkechinyere so you know I love this name. The meaning of this name is not right on this website. It means "God's own". The meaning of Nkechi is different from the meaning of Nkechinyere. [noted -ed]
― Adaobi 12/7/2004
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"Nke - means 'belongs to'
Chi - God
Nkechi - God's property"
― chigba 1/3/2005
[...]
Mostly such igbo names are given due to what the parent pass through before having a child, Nkechinyere or Nkechi in short are given when a parent conceive when they less expected, it is said to be God who gave or gift from God.
― Chinweikpe 10/26/2016