Onye Daa - "Whoever fails" (Children's play song from South east of Nigeria)
Language: Igbo
This song trains the children to focus even in high-intensity activities. The children's performance takes a turn in placing one palm of their hand on top of their playmate's palm. The game's rule is that each palm must face the opposite direction of the one below it. For example, if a child places his/ her palm face up, the next child expected to place his/her palm face down (above it). The above sequence happens at a break-neck speed. Should anyone disrupts the process in failing to do the sequence as mentioned above, the 'culprit' receives some mild punishment from the entire group. Boys (usually) between the ages of 7 and 15 years old, perform this game.
Onye daa etiri m turn m' o // I will swiftly beat whoever fails the sequence
M ma emkwa ebere // I will not be kind
Igbo Text is translated into English by Mr C. Obijiaku
Mr Chidi Obijiaku transcribed this song in 2021 for Jiwe Publishers