Random Thoughts from Asa’s “Eye Adaba”
Posted on Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 at 12:26 PMBy Gbenga Awomodu
These days, as we rise from the morning devotion, here in Makurdi, I am amazed at the beauty conferred on the clear, blue sky by the season. Six AM here feels like 8AM in Lagos, and I usually fight the temptation to buzz my Lagos-based friends and associates so early on their phones. Thanks to the Internet, living far away from home could have been more of a soul-torture. Every day, I read about wars, and rumours of war. We hear of several strange occurrences across our nation Nigeria and the world in general. In all these things, God continues to keep us.
Asa’s track, “Eye Adaba”, from her first album is a tranquillizer of sorts. Even those who do not understand the Yoruba language know this as a fact. Literally interpreted as “Dove”, it is a solemn, introspective prayer; one of hope and sincere yearning for peace. Here goes:
Oju mo ti mo/ Oju mo ti mo mi [I wake up at dawn, as it dawns upon me]
Ni le yi o, o/ Oju mo ti mo, mo ri re o [In this Land, it’s dawn, I see hope…]Eye adaba, eye adaba [Dove, dove]
Eye adaba ti n fo l’oke l’oke [Dove that flies far above the sky]
Wa ba le mi o, o [Come, descend on me]
Oju mo ti mo, mo ri re o [It’s dawn, I see hope]E wi ki m’gbo se [Please, sing for me again]
I love the symbolism; the extensive use of the dove as a metaphor for many things good. The dove represents peace and good tidings. It is also associated with innocence, gentleness, faith, marital affection, reliability, and divine guidance. After the flood in the Biblical days of Noah*, a dove returned to him with an olive branch in its beak.
It’s another working day, and the daily cycle continues, even as the year is fast coming to an end. Perhaps, turmoil is set lose in the hearts of many; unreached targets and annoying delays nib at our finger tips, and toe tips. Stings from past mistakes linger and threaten to destroy our peace.
Today, choose to see hope. I see hope. I see peace. Believe in all things good, and say a word of prayer for all that is wrong about you, your relatives, strangers you would not normally care about, and our dear nation Nigeria. May He guide our leaders right and ingrain the truth in our hearts.
Asa’s poetry brings nature close to home and points at the precious, little things, simple blessings, and moments we often overlook in the chaos that surrounds us each day. Let this song be to you a constant reminder that there is always hope, new possibilities and miracles waiting, just around the corner. Suicide is not the solution to your predicament. May we find renewal in the silence of our minds. Shallom!
*Genesis 8
Listen to Asa’s “Eye Adaba” here:
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Photo credit: Andrea Palmucci
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Gbenga Awomodu is an Editorial Assistant at Bainstone Ltd./BellaNaija.com. When he is not reading or writing, Gbenga is listening to good music or playing the piano. He believes in the inspirational power of words and pictures, which he explores in helping to make the world a better place. He blogs at Gbenga’s Notebook (www.gbengaawomodu.com).
Tags: asa, Eye Adaba, Gbenga Awomodu
I was just listening to this on my way to the library, lovely song
Marry me, Gbenga!
love this song
i love d song
Nice one!!! Peace!
asa is very talented,i luv dis song very well
hmm… inspirational and forward looking. thank God for like minded people who choose to see how it can be,not what it is at the moment.
great post. thanks for sharing about her and her thoughts.
have always loved ASA and all her songs have a deep meaning to me whether i understand the language or not, @gbenga arent you luck you don’t reside in lagos
i luv ya music…keep it up
beautiful..as always.Weldone Gbenga
Thank God for ASA! thats all i can say..with the madness of the world and noise of most naija songs, Asa’s songs take you back to a place of peace and tranquility. not many people have that gift!
i was listening to “Questions” from her new album, and the song summarizes everything that is going on in our world today..i say it again: God bless Asa!
you have spoken for me. God bless her/ her song writers(if she uses any).
well done Gbenga! very beautiful write up
well written Gbenga,Let this song be to you a constant reminder that there is always hope, new possibilities and miracles waiting, just around the corner. Suicide is not the solution to your predicament. May we find renewal in the silence of our minds. Shallom!U renew my spirit, my think once again with this EYE ADABA.
Asa is so talented! One of my fav artists, she always comes with something fresh.
http://www.emblemofbeauty.blogspot.com/
will always love the song
http://lucianochinwe.blogspot.com/
Thanks a zillion Gbenga… thanks!
i love everything about this post.God bless 9ja!
Gbenga, you know she sang the English Version too. And I honestly didn’t like it half as much as I like this one! High 5 to all we Asa fans!
Hope… that is what keeps us as humans going. PositiveMentalAttitude all day every day!
It is the dawn, it’s a new dawn for me in this land
It’s a new day and I am blessed.
Dove, oh Dove
That soars so high above
Alight on me
It is a new dawn
And I catch sight of fortune
nice article and lovely song.so on point
looove Asa to bits! Played the song at work where I exexperience frustration except during lunch and I could feel stress taking a walk
beautiful write up :*
The first Asa song I ever heard…It has always stayed with me since then…Thanks for this as usual Gbenga!! Big ups…
*sigh* Finally,smeone read my mind! I’ve been checking BN of late for another Asa song breakdwn!
You know what, I’m ayoruba woman and until I read this post I never quite knew what on earth Asa was saying in that song, I concluded she was speaking a dialect of the language I’m not familiar with.
Thanks for the translation.
My favorite Asa song, I will walk down the aisle to this song….
…amen..
D song is very serenading, despite d fact dat I can’t make out d meaning of d words. Dat confirms its obviously a nice song n dat d artiste is great.
So glad to read dis! Nice n soul soothing. N hmm gud to knoe gbenga stays in makurdi n not lagos as usual! I stay in otukpo *widegrin*
Asa is just simply amazing! Love her to pieces…God bless her!
ASA IS JUST SO FULL OF PEACE,HER VOICE AND WORDS IN MUSIC IS EQUIVALENT TO PEACE.JUST WHAT U NID WHEN UR HRT IS TROUBLED AND UR THOUGHTS NEED A BREAK.THANK ASA,MAY PEACE BE OURS EVEN AS THE YEAR RUNS OUT.
suspecting you gbenga…asa wont date sm1 less dan 5.ft 10..so quit d crush joh…nyc write up bruv
Asa fortunately is my favourite artist..i met her once in Lagos at GTB Bank Anthony…anyway she’s a diva behind her funny glasses(no mind me i get small crush too). My favourite song.. Why cant we.
http://thelawsonrunway.blogspot.com
pls,when was that
Weldone Gbenga.. Really inspririn n incredible writing skills
One word….PEACE!