Released In 1983, Succeeds In 2024, ‘Gwo gwo gwo ngwo,’ And Everything In-Between

A part of folktale released forty one years ago in Igbo language is now on the lips of many across the world. Here, Platforms Africa presents nine things previously unknown by many about the song, “Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche,” its meaning and the story behind its new glory.

 

1. The lyrics “Gwo gwo gwo ngwo,” is from a highlife song titled; “Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche.”

2. It was released by Veteran Nigerian singer Mike Ejeagha in 1983.

3. The song was made popular thorugh a skit by a Nigerian comic art, Brain Jotter, who rediscovered and featured it in one of his videos, sparking a viral dance challenge.

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4. It was released in Igbo, one of the major languages in Nigeria, but now heard and admirred by many even beyond the shores of Nigeria.

5. Many who have now joined the viral dance challenge do not speak or even understand the meaning of its lyrics.

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6. The full meaning: The King had previously informed all the animals in his kingdom that anyone who could bring a big animal such as elephant or cow in tether to the feast would marry his daughter. Now none of the animals could bring the elephant to the feast in rope. But the tortoise had a different idea. He went to the elephant and informed him that through his (tortoise) effort, the king had approved him (the elephant) to chair the occasion and that he would like to go with him to the ceremony. On their way, the tortoise informed the elephant that he couldn’t walk because he was frail and old. So the elephant suggested the tortoise to climb on his back so he could hitch-hike him to the occasion. In the course of the journey, the tortoise suggested to elephant that he needed a rope on the neck of the elephant so that he wont fall down from the top, a request which the elephant obliged. On the approach to the feast the tortoise climbed down from the back of the elephant and handed the tethered animal to the king and married his daughter.

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7. The folktale theme is an attempt by the storyteller (Mike Ejiagha) to elevate intellectual capacity or quality over muscular capacity or quantity…

8. The gwo gwo gwo ngwo is the heavy movement of the elephant.

9. The original video on Instagram has garnered an impressive 676,000 likes, while the TikTok version amassed over 11 million views.

Platforms Africa

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