Christy Essien Igbokwe - Seun Rere (videos, comments, & lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases examples and lyrics of the 1981 hit Nigerian song "Seun Rere" ("Omo Mi Seun Rere") by Christy Essien Igbokwe.

Information about Christy Essien Igbkwe is also provided in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Note: I have been unable to find a full English translation of the Yoruba words for this song. Please add that translation to the comment section of this post. Thanks!

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INFORMATION ABOUT CHRISTY ESSIEN IGBOKWE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christy_Essien-Igbokwe
"Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe (11 November 1960 – 30 June 2011), also known as Nigeria's Lady of Songs, put Nigeria's name on the world music map with her evergreen "Seun Rere" track. She was the first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). Born on 11 November 1960, this singer and actress is the chairman and managing director of Soul Train entertainment limited.

Although she is not Yoruba, most of her hits were sung in the western Nigerian language, and drew heavily on the culture and tradition. Essien's fluency in Yoruba, English, Igbo and her native Ibibio earned her an appeal which cut across tribal lines."

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From http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/07/05/reminiscing-about-christy-essien-igbokwe-the-cultural-ambassador%E2%80%A6/
"Reminiscing About Christy-Essien Igbokwe, The Cultural Ambassador" by Busayo Sotunde, 5 July, 2011
..."Christy came to us as a gift and she was taken that we may value her more...

Her most successful album till date is her 1981 album “Ever liked my person?” produced by Lemmy Jackson. The album featured her most popular song “Seun rere.”

Most of her songs are in English, Yoruba, Ibibo, Igbo, and Hausa language. Indeed, as Anambra State Governor stated, “We have lost a cultural Ambassador.”

Christy Uduak Essien Igbowkwe will be fondly remembered for some of her contribution to the music industry and the society at large. She is credited to have:
Put Nigeria’s name on the world music map with her evergreed track- “Seun rere”

Initiated the first meeting that brought about the formation of Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in 1981. A year later, PMAN was officially launched with her serving as the first National Treasurer.

Became the first PMAN female President between 1996- 1999
...
Some of her awards include:
As the grand dame of Nigeria Pop music, she was popularly called “First Lady of Songs”

Received Africa Music Mother Award- 1984

International Special Achievement Award- 1983 (World Song Festival award, Los Angeles)

Outstanding achievement in female uplifting- Lagos 1996 Association of Theatre arts practitioners.
...

Enjoy this remix of the lyrics of her popular song “Seun rere” written from my reminiscence:
Omo mi seun rere
Nigeria e seun rere
Africa e seun rere
Ti yin a dara o

Meaning:
My child do good
Nigeria do good
Africa do good
And yours will be better (or well).

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LYRICS: OMO MI SEUN RERE (My Child Do Good Deeds)
Omo mi seun rere, ti e a dara o
Omo mi gbo te mi, ti e a dara o
Omo mi seun rere, ti e a dara o
Omo mi gbo te mi, ti e a dara o
Iya mi ma seun rere, gbadura fun mi
Baba mi ma seun rere, gbadura fun mi
T’omode ba wu wa buruku, wa ni iya re lo ko
T’omode ba wu wa buruku, wa ni baba re lo ko
Iya mi fi ona toh da han mi laiye
Baba mi fi iwa toh da han mi laiye
Aiye ti mo wa yi ko ma ye mi o
Laiye mi, lorun keji mi, Olorun ni ma ye

Iya wa e seun rere, ti wa a dara o
Baba wa e seun rere, ti wa a dara o

Ah…

Iya mi ma seun rere, gbadura fun mi
Baba mi ma seun rere, gbadura fun mi
T’omode ba wu wa buruku, wa ni iya re lo ko
T’omode ba wu wa buruku, wa ni baba re lo ko
Iya mi fi ona toh da han mi laiye
Baba mi fi iwa toh da han mi laiye
Aiye ti mo wa yi ko ma ye mi o
Laiye mi, lorun keji mi, Olorun ni ma ye

Iya wa e seun rere
Baba wa e seun rere
Iya wa e seun rere, ti wa a dara o

Baba wa e seun rere
Iya wa e seun rere
Baba wa e seun rere, ti wa a dara o

Iya wa e seun rere
Baba mi e seun rere

Copied from FreeNaijaLyrics.com: http://www.freenaijalyrics.com/lyrics-christy-essien-igbokwe-seun-rere/#ixzz2eOOwBsBp

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
Example #1: Christy Essien Igbokwe - Seun Rere (Audio)



planetolusola, Uploaded on Jan 8, 2009

Artist: Christy Essien Igbokwe ( 11/11/1960 - 06/30/2011)
Rest in peace Christy. You will be forever in our hearts. Thanks for the memories. God's speed and travel safe to the great beyond.

Album: Ever Liked My Person?
Year: 1981
format: mp3
-snip-
Here's a comment from that sound file's comment thread:
"this goes as my best song ever from Nigeria, yes many great songs have come and gone, but this will always stand out fresh. RIP Christy Essien. Ama seun rere Iya, tiwa ma dara."
-Henry Ohize, 2013

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Example #2: Christy Essien Igbokwe - omo mi seun rere 


Christy Essien Igbokwe - omo mi seun rere by timmynaija

By www.timmynaija.com
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RELATED VIDEO
This video of Christy Essien Igbokwe's funeral also contains visual clips of several performances by that Lady of Song. It is provided with all due respect. Rest in Peace [RIP]

Nigerians bid farewell to Christy Essien Igbokwe.flv



Channels Television, Uploaded on Sep 21, 2011
-snip-
A brief clip of Christy Essieen Igbokwe singing "Seun Rere" can be found at 4:40-5:11 of this video.

Here are two comments from that video's viewer comment thread:
"A CALABAR woman that grew up in IGBO land, and could pass for a "typical" YORUBA woman...,what a TALENT!!!.

Sis, pls pray 4 the country u left behind!!."
-emecca123, 2012
**
"Christy is one of the singer in Nigeria whose song reminds us why we should remain together as one in Nigeria...may her soul RIP...my heart goes out to the Igbokwe's family"
-lucky ogbonda, 2012

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RELATED LINKS
I learned the English translation for the song title "Seun Rere" from this excerpt of the article that is found at http://www.gloworld.com/nigeria/news/glo-x-factor-contestants-rekindle-memories-of-african-legends/ Glo X Factor contestants rekindle memories of African legends
September 2, 2013 [seventh gala show]

"Princess Pat opened the night’s performances by singing “Omo mi seun rere,” by late Christy Essien Igbokwe. Clearing the way for her, some children came on stage to add colour to her performance and lend credence to the song title. Decked in the Yoruba ‘owanbe’ style attire, she sat in the midst of the children as she crooned on. Just like a school teacher, she dispensed timeless messages, including the names of her children and the judges in the song as she admonished them to “seun rere” (do good deeds)."

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Click http://www.360nobs.com/2010/10/nigerias-top-50-songs1960-2010-the-complete-music-countdown/ for a listing of 50 top Nigerian songs (1960-2010). The song "Seun Rere" is posted as #4 on that list.

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Thanks to Christy Essien Igbokwe for her musical legacy and her social activism. Thanks also to all who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos.

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