COME LET’S DO THE SING-ALONG #5

Niyi Osundare

Tere pampa tere pampa

Tere minnan minnan tere

I long to stride through those streets

Where people call me by my proper name

My proper name

My proper name

I long for those streets

Where people call me by my proper name

Tere minnan minnan tere

Streets where my name provokes

No war between tongue and teeth

Tongue and teeth

Tongue and teeth

Streets where my name provokes

No war between tongue and teeth

Tere minnan minnan tere

Mobile music of bold consonants

And fluid, majestic vowels

Majestic vowels

Majestic vowels

Mobile music of consonants

And fluid, majestic vowels

Tere minnan minnan tere

Call me the name I call myself

Wale not “Wally”, Folu not “Folly”

Wale not “Wally”

Folu not “Folly”

Call me the name I call myself

Not easy approximation for your customary convenience.

Tere minnan minnan tere

*Title of Isidore Okpewho’s highly instructive novel