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Friday, June 25, 2021

Chiké - Roju (Nigerian love song with An English translation and notes about some of the Igbo & Nigerian Pidgin English words/phrases)



Official Chike, June 9, 2021

On the visual for Boo of the Booless' biggest hit "Roju", Chiké celebrates enduring love and diverse cultures with a wedding extravaganza.

Directed by Pink for Pinkline Films

[...]

"Boo of the Booless" the critically acclaimed debut album by Chiké

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Nigerian singer Chiké and showcases the official YouTube video for his song "Roju" which was released in his first album entitled "Boo of the Booless".

This post also includes an English translation of the Igbo and Nigerian Pidgin English lyrics to this song along with my notes about that translation.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Chiké for his music and thanks to all those who are associated with this video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT CHIKE
From 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chike_(singer)
"Chike-Ezekpeazu Osebuka (born January 28, 1993), popularly known by his stage name CHIKE, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for participating in the Nigerian reality competition Project Fame West Africa and finishing in second place on Season 1 of The Voice Nigeria.[1] Chike made his acting debut as Mayowa Badmus on the Africa Magic Showcase telenovela Battleground.[2]"...

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TWO COMMENTS THAT EXPLAIN THIS SONG 
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19WTWVw15n0&ab_channel=OfficialChike

1. Carine_ Joseph_, 2021
"Love the fact he incorporated the three main Nigerian cultural traditional weddings.

Igbo

Hausa &

Yoruba."

**
2. Midé, 2021
"I was smiling all through. What a wonderful representation of love/marriage across cultures in Nigeria. Thank you, Chike. You made my day."

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PANCOCOJAMS NOTE #1
The lyrics that follow are musixmatch's English translation of Chiké's song "Roju". I'm African American and don't know Igbo or Nigerian Pidgin English. However,  based on the limited amount of reading that I've done about certain Nigerian Pidgin English words, I believe that
musixmatch's translations of some of the words/phrases (or their overall meanings) don't fit the spirit of that song as well as other English translations could have. I also think that that translation could have left in certain Igbo or Nigerian Pidgin English words (such as the female's name and the phrase "Shakara for me".

I've added an asterisk/s for some of those words/phrases and I have added online explanations or my comments in the section below these lyrics that I've labeled "Pancocojams Notes #2.

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LYRICS: ROJU
(Songwriter: Chike Ezekpeazu Osebuka)

What am I looking for
Do you know that God has blessed me
He give me you
Give you me
What am I what am I looking for


I say my God has blessed me
He give you me, give you me.

Is this how sweetness taste
Is this how succulent it is
My baby you will know you will love me
Daughter of grace*
Precious egg, precious egg**
When I call you [dance shakara] for me***

Ro ro ro roma
I will be your Romeo
You will be my Juliet

Give me your heart
I won't run away
Show me your love, I won't play with you.
Carry me and go, I will follow****
Follow me go
Me and you me and you
It's me and you baby oh

Is this how sweetness tastes
Is this how succulent it is
My baby you know you will love me
Daughter of grace*
Precious egg, precious egg**
When I call your name, form for me***

Ro ro ro roma
I will be your Romeo
You will be my Juliet
Ro ro ro roma
I will be your Romeo
You will be my Juliet
Fullness, fullness, fullness *****

Ro ro ro roma
I will be your Romeo (precious egg)**
You will be my Juliet
Ro ro ro roma (daughter of grace)*
I will be your Romeo (precious egg)**
You will be my Juliet

Dance 
Leave me let me dance ******
Dance 
Leave me let me  dance
Dance 
Leave me let me dance
Dance
It's because of my baby
Dance
Calling you to form***
Dance
Calling you to form***
Dance
Do your body the way you do
Dance (My love my baby)

Daughter of grace*
Precious egg**
Daughter of grace*
Precious egg**
Daughter of grace*
Precious egg**
Daughter of grace*
Precious egg** 


Source: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Chike-2/Roju/translation/english
This page also includes the original lyrics. A Spanish translation and a French translation are also available on a musixmatch.com page.

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PACOCOJAMS NOTES #2
Here are my notes about musixmatch.com's English translation of certain words and phrases in Chiké's song "Roju". 

*"daughter of grace"* is musicmatch's translation of  the Igbo female name "Adaugo". 
Here's some information about that name from 
https://www.allbabynames.com/m/BabyName/African/Adaugo.aspx :
"Adaugo -Meaning: Daughter of the crown, esteemed daughter (Igbo, Nigeria)."

Here's some information about that name from https://www.names.org/n/adaugo/about
"A user from Canada says the name Adaugo is of Nigerian origin and means "'First daughter of an Eagle (King)' literally, but connotes 'Daughter of the crown(princess)'".

According to a user from Nigeria, the name Adaugo is of Nigerian origin and means "princess of the crown or first daughter".

According to a user from New York, U.S., the name Adaugo is of African origin and means "Princess;First born".

2 people from the United Kingdom agree the name Adaugo is of Igbo origin and means "Princess"."
-snip-
Although the name "Adaugo" isn't known in the United States, I would have preferred that that name would have been kept in that English translation or tjat "Adaugo" would have been replaced by the name "Ada" which is familiar in the USA and in other English speaking nations in Europe and elsewhere.  

** "precious egg" musixmatch's translation of  the Igbo name "Akwaugo". 
Here's information about "Akwaugo" from http://www.babynology.com/name/akwaugo-f.html 
"Akwaugo" is made up of two words Akwa which means "egg" and ugo which means "eagle". The name means the egg of an eagle literally but figuratively it means "rare", "precious", and whatever you can connect with the fact that the eagle's egg is rarely seen by humans".

Notwithstanding this literal meaning , I think the term "precious one" would fit the spirit of the song much more than the term "precious egg".   

***
*** "form for me" and "calling you to form" 
These phrases make no sense in English. They are supposedly translations of the Nigerian Pidgin English phrase "Shakara for me". 

Here's a definition of "Shakara for me" from https://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
-snip-
As it is used in Chiké's song "Roju", "Shakara for me" is a positive request for his bride to show her best dance moves. My suggestion is to leave that Nigerian Pidgin English phrase in any English translation of this song.
 

****"Carry me go"
"Carry go" is a Nigerian Pidgin English phrase whose meaning/s may have changed overtime. I think that "carry me go" in this song means something like "You lead the way".

*****"fullness" is musixmatch's translation of the Igbo word "uju".  I think that the word "completely" fits the spirit of this song better than the word "fullness".

 ******Leave me let me dance is musixmatch's "translation" of the Nigerian Pidgin English phrase "Leave me make I dance".  I think the translation "Let me show you how I dance" (with the understood meaning "Permit me to show you how I dance") better fits the spirit of that song. 

Please add your suggestions, corrections, and other comments below.

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