BÍ Ẹ BÁ Ń’GBỌ́ PE’KÉLÉ PE’KÉLÉ – A Yoruba Cultural Song

Bi e ba n’gbo pe’kele pe’kele,

Bi e ba n’gbo pe’kele pe’kele;

E ma ya s’otun, e ma ya s’osi,

Ile ol’oro l’oro n’gba lo.

Ogun Adubi t’oju re ja,

Ogun Adubi le l’opol’opo;

Iwo ni’kan da pa soja m’efa,

Oro o wo mo, o pada s’ehin,

O pada s’ehin, o wa f’ewe bo’ra.

Baba re n’be lo bi ewure,

Iya re n’be lo bi ewure,

Iwo na n’be lo bi igala.

Omi ireke le n’bu se’be,

Le n’bu se’be, le tun fi nr’omo;

O ya o-o-o, eni omo wu, o ya ka lo o.

O ya o-o-o!

Eni omo wu, o ya ka lo o,

O ya o-o-o!

Eni omo wu, o ya ka lo o.

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY DELE AJAJA)

When you hear the rolling war drums,

When you hear the rolling war drums;

Do not turn right or left,

The mystical one is on his way home.

You witnessed Adubi War,

Adubi War was too bloody;

You slayed six soldiers single-handedly,

You turned back when the conflict became rough,

You turned back, and cloaked yourself with leaves.

Your father galloped like a goat,

Your mother galloped like a goat,

You, too, galloped like a deer.

You broiled broth with sugar-cane water,

You broiled broth, and nurtured babies with it;

Get ready, those who appreciate children, let’s go.

Get ready!

Those who appreciate children, let’s go,

Get ready!

Those who appreciate children, let’s go.