The Tale of Omekagu – Chapter Six, Igbo to English translation, Mike Ejeagha’s song, Omekagu, lyrics, Igbo folk music, Opi, Omenani, folksong, Fablingverse folktales, Igbo folktale, fabling, ọfọ na ogu, free to read, read free stories from Africa
“You! Murderer!” The king lunged at his first son. He could not handle the river of hatred that swirled in him once he saw his first son and his first wife. “You have killed my…
Omekagu’s brother shoved him aside and walked towards the elders. But the king came at him again.
“I will not disrespect my elders by beating the man who birth me in their presence.” He said and shoved to king aside again.
The elders rushed to hold the king back and urge him to cam down.
“Dibia.” Omekagu’s brother greeted. “Elder.”
Once the kind had become calmer, Omekagu’s brother walked towards Omekagu. “Omekagu was always a good boy. Respectful, he cheered me up on some of my worst days. And yet I have killed him.”
Everybody but the dibia was shocked.
“I knew it!” The king shouted.
Omekagu’s brother looked at their father and laughed. “You know, I’ve always wanted your approval. But today as I stare at you, I realize that not only will I never get it, but I do not need it.”
The king scuffed.
The queen wanted to beg him but the words would not leave her mouth.
“You are incapable of remorse, nor accountability, and you think you are invincible.” He continued. “I thought killing Omekagu would make you reflect on what you have done, and realize your folly, but it didn’t. And today I realized why you hate me so much. I am a reminder of the first consequence you received for your wickedness.”
The first wife’s eyes widened.
“You raped my mother and was forced to marry her by the gods, and so you hated her, and the child she bore.” He said. Then took out the flute. “This is a flute given to me by the gods. With it, I can demand justice from the gods. With it, I killed Omekagu. With it, I will revive him, and with it, if you refuse to hand over the throne to me, I will demand Justice from the gods. And I will reclaim my name, Nkem.”
Omekagu’s brother put the flute in his mouth and blew into it again.
Opi m futeelum Omekagụ; futelu m Omekagụ
My horn, please, bring back Omekagu.
Omekagụ li ji Mmụọ; Omekagụ li ede Mmụọ
Omekagụ ate the yam of the Spirit; Omekagụ ate the cocoyam of the Spirit
Ọbụ ni i futelum Omekagụ, futelum Omekagụ
If you bring Omekagụ back, bring back Omekagu.
Ka m welu ebini guo yi aka
Let me sacrifice a cow to clap for you.
Ọbụ na I futeelum Omekagụ; futelu m Omekagụ
If you bring Omekagụ back, bring Omekagụ back
Ka m welu ebini guo yi aka
Let me sacrifice a cow to clap for you.
Ma gị jide ogu, jide ọfọ; Ma gị jide ogu, jidekwa ọfọ
But hold justice and fairness when you do this.
Oh ho ho oh ho oh ho. Oh ho ho oh ho oh ho.
Ọbụ ni i futelum Omekagụ, futelum Omekagụ
If you bring Omekagụ back, bring back Omekagu.
Ka m welu ebini guo yi aka
Let me sacrifice a cow to clap for you.
Ọbụ na I futeelum Omekagụ; futelu m Omekagụ
If you bring Omekagụ back, bring Omekagụ back
Ka m welu ebini guo yi aka
Let me sacrifice a cow to clap for you.
Ma gị jide ogu, jide ọfọ; Ma gị jide ogu, jidekwa ọfọ
But hold justice and fairness when you do this.
Oh ho ho oh ho oh ho. Oh ho ho oh ho oh ho.
Once he was done playing, and to everyone’s surprise, Omekagu rose up, unaware of the troubles around him.
His mother rushed to hug him. “Thank you!” She cried.
“Now, Father, will you do the right thing?” Omekagu’s brother asked.
The king stared in disbelief at the living Omekagu, then at the flute.
No, he would not let his first son win. He ran forward and grabbed the flute from him, and before his first son could retrieve it, he blew into it.
“You think you can threaten me with this flute?” The king laughed. “I have it now, I will be king forever!”
Just then lightning struck the palace and to everybody’s dismay, the king began to disrobe. First, he respectfully placed the flute on the floor, and then his crown, and then his other clothing followed.
He began to sing an unknown song as he walked out of the palace. Legend has it that the spirit of the king has been walking and singing till this very day, and sometimes when a person’s wickedness has become unredeemable, the gods afflict them with the king’s spirit.
After the commotion had settled, Nkem was crowned king. At first, he made his mother queen in order to make up for the years she had suffered, but when he got married, his wife became queen, and he placed his mother in his council.
Omekagu and his mother also lived a quiet life, as they were always meant to leave, peacefully in the shadows as secondary characters.