Flavour - Golibe (A Translation)

   

Flavour N'Abania has indisputably become one of the iconic African musicians of our time. His music transcends national barriers and language, and is being played all over the African continent and beyond. As a matter of fact, he has global appeal and Africans in every corner of the globe cannot be any more prouder of such an illustrious son. Indeed, without question, he is living true to his chosen name in bringing melodious flavor to whatever musical masterpieces he features in. It is not surprising therefore to note the increasing number of musical collaborations he has been graciously invited to participate in.

Perhaps, the remarkable and laudable thing about Flavour—one which never ceases to impress me—is that despite his success, he has never forgotten his roots or his closest fan base (his Igbo audience). Many artists in his shoes (i.e who are enjoying phenomenal global success) would have long yielded to strategic business or financial pressure to modify or rebrand themselves (especially their music) to cater specifically to the needs of a global audience. Not Flavour. Yes, he might tinker around every now and then and drop a song that might be universally understood and appreciated. However, it seems his stroke of awe-inspiring genius comes shining through most brilliantly when he creates songs that seemingly cater just to his Igbo audience. Yes, those songs he renders in Igbo (interspersed with some English/Pidgin English) are his chartbusters, his crème dela crème, his magnum opus.

Here's another powerful song Golibe, from his latest album (Thankful)—a song that appears to have been carefully created by Flavour for one beautiful woman that he wants to marry (and by extension, all his female Igbo fans who could understand what he is saying). Indeed, it is a musical kiss blown by Flavour to all womenfolk worldwide. Men can enjoy it only in so far as they identify with Flavour's passion and wish to appreciate their own women with the same loving candor.

The words of the song will be rendered in bold font after which I’ll give an underlined direct or literal translation where necessary. Then, in brackets, I’ll explain in its proper context.

(Intro) Ebeii….Ahaaa….The Don…

Verse 1:

Otego m chobalu nwa di mma m ga-anu = For a long time I have been looking for a good girl to marry.

E don tey I've been searching for you = It has been a while I've been searching for you

Otego m chobalu asa di mma oyoko = For a long time I have been looking for a gorgeous babe.

E don tey I've been searching for you = It has been a while I've been searching for you

Fortunately, m wee fu nwata di mma = Fortunately, I eventually found a good/gorgeous girl

Anwunta atabeghi ya, baby na sweet pawpaw = Who has never once been bitten by mosquitoes, this babe is sweet pawpaw {here Flavour wants to really emphasize the overall pulchritude of this babe he found. So he rhapsodizes about her superlative beauty by stating that this babe was extraordinarily comely and well-formed that it appears she is altogether without any blemish—without as much as a single mosquito bite bump on her entire body—a seemingly impossible state of affairs judging by how prevalent mosquitoes are in this part of the world. This babe, he maintains, is sweet and fresh-looking like ripe papaya/pawpaw}

Baby get something, nekenu nwata nwelu something = This babe has something, just observe that this babe has something

Achalaugo nwanyi, nwa bu ugegbe oyibo =Aquiline beauty, this babe is an exquisite imported mirror. {Here, Flavour once again digs deep into the language for expressions that convey the magnitude of the lady's elegance. Achalaugo or Achalaugo Nwanyi is a title/honorific conferred on the most deserving women. It literally means "the Glory of the Eagle". You see, in Igboland, the eagle is considered the most regal, most rare and most admired of birds. A woman is bestowed with the title Achalaugo if the pervading sentiment concerning that woman is that she is of such rare, stunning physical elegance and appeal. Flavour concludes that the babe in question is comparable to a shiny, imported mirror}

Chorus:

Nwata makata mma lele…….makata makata = Look, this babe is thoroughly ravishing…..completely gorgeous {Flavour could have just said "nwata mara mma" meaning "this babe is beautiful" and left it at that. But check out what he does: in saying and repeating "makata makata mma", he uses a present continuous form of "to be beautiful" suggesting that her beauty and radiance continues. That is, the lady is abidingly and continuously captivating; she is completely and steadfastly glamorous}

Iyeeeeeeeeeeeeee…………makata makata = Awwwww……..completely and continuously beautiful

Makata mma……………..makata makata = continuously beautiful……overwhelmingly  beautiful

Iyeyeyeee……………….. nwata di mma = Awwwwww………gorgeous babe

I say, nwata makata mma lele…..makata makata = I say, this babe is perpetually alluring…..continuously beautiful

Iyeeeeee…………………makata makata =Awwwww…..overwhelmingly beautiful

Wololooooo……………..makata makata =Whoaaaaa….. overwhelmingly/continuously beautiful

loloooo………………....nwata di mma = lolololo………gorgeous babe

Nwata makata mma…….makata makata (she is so beautiful)=This babe is completely beautiful………continuously beautful

Makata mma…………….makata makata (she is so beautiful)=continuously beautiful……..continuously beautiful

Iyeeeeeee (baby m eee)……..makata makata, nwata di mma = Awww (my baby)…..completely gorgeous, this babe is gorgeous.

I say nwata makata mma……makata makata = I say, this babe is perpetually alluring…..continuously beautiful

Iyeeeeeeeee…………………..makata makata = Awwwww…..overwhelmingly beautiful

Nwata makata mma…………makata makata = continuously beautiful ...overwhelmingly  beautiful

Lololooo……………………..nwata di mma = lolololo………gorgeous babe

(Chorus repeats)

Verse 2:

Golibe ……….Golibe = Luxuriate……..Luxuriate {Golibe means to enjoy oneself without stint; to revel; to relish one's good fortunes without reservation. Here, Flavour is telling the lady in question to bask in the glow of her superlative beauty and good fortune; to luxuriate because of her exceptionally favorable circumstance}

Your mama born you well= your mother birthed you into good fortune {this is to be understood as being born with a silver spoon in one's mouth. Flavour is saying that the girl in question was born into favor and good fortune [presumably because she was a ravishing beauty]}

Golibeyoyoyoi, nwata golibe =Luxuriateeeeeee, babe luxuriate

Ugegbe m oo,  golibe na mama yi musili yi ike =Oh my Mirror, revel because your mother birthed you well.

Golibeyoyoyoi, mma si na Chi = Luxuriateeeeee for beauty comes from God

Baby get something, nekenu nwata nwelu something = This babe has something, just observe that this babe has something

Anwunta atabeghi ya, baby na sweet pawpaw = Who has never once been bitten by mosquitoes, this babe is sweet pawpaw

Baby get something, nekenu nwata nwelu something = This babe has something, just observe that this babe has something

Achalaugo nwanyi, nwa bu ugegbe oyibo = Aquiline beauty, this babe is an exquisite imported mirror

Transition:

{Now, the gorgeous damsel that is the inspiration for this song could realistically have had any name. Her asset was her beauty and charm and not necessarily her name. Not wanting to limit himself by mentioning just one Igbo name, Flavour decides to throw in a few names to stand in for the thousands of beautiful female names out there—a masterful way of dedicating this song not just to one woman but to womankind everywhere.}

So mma = simply beautiful

Ugegbe makata….. so mma = Ugegbe (Mirror) is beautiful…..simply beautiful.

Adaugo makata……so mma = Adaugo (Eagle Daughter) is beautiful….simply beautiful.

Iyawo makata………so mma = Iyawo (Wife) is beautiful…..simply beautiful

Nneka makata……so mma = Nneka (Mother is the Greatest) is beautiful….simply beautiful.

Ogechi makata……...so mma = Ogechi (God's Time Is the Best) is beautiful…simply beautiful

Njideka makata…….so mma =Njideka (What I have Is The Greatest) is beautiful…simply beautiful.

Adaolisa imakata……so mma =Adaolisa (Daughter of God) is beautiful…simply beautiful

Nkeiru makata……...so mma = Nkeiru (The future is better) is beautiful…simply beautiful

Chinaelo makata…….so mma = Chinaelo (God Thinks of me) is beautiful..simply beautiful

Chinenye makata……so mma = Chinenye (God gives) is beautiful….simply beautiful.

Chikaodili imakata…..so mma = Chikaodili (Set aside for God) is beautiful…simply beautiful

Uh-huh………….so mma (5 times) {Here, Flavour does not mention a name but either fortuitously or by design, anyone (especially his female fans) can insert their own names—if they can get it to harmonize with the song—and in so doing, personalize this beautiful song.}

Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh yeah

Did this help you understand the song better? Please feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comment box below. Thanks.

**Related Translations: 

1. Flavour - Nwababy

2. Flavour - Iwe