Entertainment
What I Mean By “Aboru Aboye” – Tope Alabi Explains
Popular Nigerian gospel singer Tope Alabi has responded to the controversy that has surrounded her viral video in which she can be heard singing in Yoruba using the word “Aboru Aboye,” a form of greeting among Ifa initiates.
Alabi sang the line, “Abiye ni mi, Oruko mi ni yen” in the viral video, referring to herself as “ebo,” which is a word that literally means sacrifice. “I am a sacrifice, that’s my name,” said Mo de bo, “Mo ru, Mo ye. I go by the name “I am a sacrifice accepted by God.”
The lyrics had since triggered a flurry of reactions in the media space as her fans and some Christian leaders took sides over her choice of words.
In a video sighted by Biztellers, the award-winning singer who was seen ministering in a white garment church said, “Aboru Aboye” is a pure Yoruba language and not an exclusive preserve of traditionalists.
Alabi who explained with bible reference also clarified that her deft use of the language remained her peculiar style as a gospel artiste.
She said, “It was recorded that David made a sacrifice of faithfulness to God. Why was the word sacrifice not written as the same English word in the Yoruba version of the Bible? It is a Yoruba language. There is no special language for traditionalists. We are all speaking the Yoruba language.
“If some people say they want to use the language in their own style, it is not bad. We have also decided to use it in our own style.”
While reiterating that sacrifices were rendered in the bible, she further queried saying, “Was Abraham’s sacrifice accepted or not? Was it not the same with Isaac?”
In establishing her points with specific reference to a bible passage which is Romans 12:1, she said, “Brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. The word ‘acceptable’ is the ‘Aboru’ while ‘living sacrifice’ is Aboye.”
Prior to this, Ifa-priest, Oluwo Jogbodo Orunmila, had told the award-winning singer to conduct an ancestry Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) to be sure of her origin.
Orunmila who is the chief priest of Iledi Imule Agba in Oyan, Odo Otin North Local Council Development Authority in Osun State while speaking with Punch in an exclusive interview noted that Alabi has always been enmeshed in the usage of traditionalists’ lexicons.
He mentioned the singer’s use of ‘Eledumare’ and several other appraisals usually meant for Orunmila (god of wisdom) and Yoruba deities.
He maintained that whoever has come out to tag Alabi as an idol worshipper is just fuelling public opinion and is particularly not knowledgeable enough to know that Ifa only identifies those who want to be identified because it embraces secrecy.
When asked if the term was common lexicon that everyone could use, Orunmila responded, “It is not. The Ifa initiates undoubtedly use it.
He explained that Odu Ifa’s “Ogunda meji” in the Ifa corpus gave birth to the tales of three women, Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise, who provided special assistance to Orunmila, explaining how the phrase came to be used as a welcome among Ifa initiates.
Actor Femi Adebayo of Nollywood has voiced concern about the rise in film piracy incidents in the nation.
Adebayo took to his instagram profile, @femiadebayosalami, on Tuesday, to tell his journey and how he recently came out successful in his fight against piracy on one of his movies.
He pointed out that the unlawful actions of movie pirates had prevented the film industry’s payout from being maximised.
Adebayo said: “The Nigerian film industry has experienced exponential growth over the years, but we haven’t been able to maximise the true dividends of this business because of dare devil pirates who benefit where they didn’t sow.
“This is a major reason why investors find it hard to commit their funds to filmmakers. However, through persistence and the use of the legal framework covering intellectual property, we can bring their activities to a gradual halt.
“Several times, I have been a victim of movie pirates and I never spared them. I recently concluded a legal battle with a notable media company that owns a big radio station and also engages in Youtube content distribution.
“During the cinema run of “Survival of Jelili” in 2019, my movie was gathering good numbers at that time. They decided to use my movie poster and title to promote a movie on their platform, thereby deceiving fans and diverting revenue accrued to me.
“It took 3 years, but my trust in the legal and justice system remained unwavering. With the dedication of our legal team, Bola Adebowale & Co Legal Practitioners, who are seasoned professionals with wealth of experience in handling such cases.
“They presented undeniable evidence, put up a strong argument, and took the case to trial. Their promptness, efficiency, and attention to detail played a huge part in the direction of the case. We won and were awarded a total of twenty-five five million Naira.
“This isn’t just my win as a filmmaker and content producer, but a win for all of Nollywood.”
Filmmakers, in his opinion, need to be prepared to combat piracy and theft of intellectual property on all fronts.
“Every win brings us closer to protecting and getting the true economic value of our works,” he said
Popular artist and skit creator, Nasboi has disclosed that, as a result of his criticism of Wizkid for disparaging Don Jazzy, he’s been getting death threats.
Recall that Wizkid got in trouble from Nasboi for making fun of Don Jazzy during his latest social media meltdown? Wizkid was on the Bahd and Boujee podcast at the time.
The content creator claimed in an interview with Cool FM that since his appearance on the show, he has been the target of death threats.
He said, “It’s like once you’re a celebrity, you do not have an opinion. But you, who is a normal guy on the street, you have an opinion. You can decide to say you love Wizkid over Davido and that’s okay. And me, who’s a normal guy who is a celebrity, shouldn’t have the same privilege?
“Because of what I said on my recent podcast interview. It’s a simple question: Do you think Wizkid offended Don Jazzy with his statement? They asked me a direct question and I think yes. For calling him an influencer, I feel like the context wasn’t okay. I would feel bad. And because of what I said about WizKid, somebody is in my DM saying I will die like my brother.”
Actress Etinosa Idemudia of Nollywood has claimed that she received a refund from Big Brother Naija reality star Pere following her criticism of him for an outstanding bill.
The actress subsequently revealed that she had received her money back. Earlier, she had threatened to arrest a BBNaija ex-housemate for unpaid debt on her X handle.
She continued by identifying Pere as the debtor and claiming that he got paid for a film job but never showed up.
The reality star was also cautioned by Etinosa that she is not his mate in the entertainment business.
On her X handle, she wrote: “Payment received in full. Dear @PereEgbi if you know you can’t do a job you were paid for, respectfully refund without stress. It helps your integrity. P.S. I am not your mate in this industry. Cheers.
“We allow bad behaviour too much in this industry. If you can’t keep to your agreement with a producer, don’t take his or her money. Nobody plucks money from trees. Keep your bad stinking work ethics at home when you come on set. Etinosa Idemudia 2024. God bless us all.”
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