Overview
The term ‘Musesophy’ was first
used in Osita
Osadebe’s Agadi Nwanyị na Inine to describe the Musesophy of his (Onye bili ibeya
ebili) ‘Live and Let Live.’ The author
describes Musesophy as “the art of communicating wisdom or inspiration through
songs, stories, or literary works. In
the context of Igbo highlife musicians, it is the ability to use songs to
communicate words of wisdom, guidance, or knowledge to the people.”
Etymologically, the word “Muse”
is rooted in different ancient languages: in Latin, it is Mūsa, a
derivative from the ancient Greek word Mousa. Based on various Greek
dialects of the word Mousa (for example, mōsa and moisa), it is
argued that the word Mousa might have originated from an earlier form, montwa.
As a noun, the word Muse can
be viewed as a source of inspiration, especially for creativity or intellectual
achievements. And as a verb, it can mean to think deeply or meditate about
something. It is in this context that the concept of Ajambene is used to draw
out Igbo culture’s Musesophy. To achieve this, I will make references to the
Musesophy category on Jụọ Ndigbo website.
The outline includes:
The Concept of Ajambene
Osita Osadebe’s Agadi Nwanyị na Inine
The Oriental Brothers’ The Universality of Goodness (or Iheọma adịghị onye ọsọ) and Akwa Ụwa (or Cry about my world (situation or condition))
Conclusion
The Concept of Ajambene
When the Igbo people tell
tales, if the life or experience of the tortoise is not in the story or tales,
then it is not complete. The tortoise (or Mbe) as it is known in Igbo language
is a creature known for being wise, and intelligent on one hand, and cunning and
tricky on the other. The word ‘Ajambene’ is usually a chorus associated with the
tortoise whenever it is on the move or about to display its wit or wisdom.
The life and idea of the tortoise
is often portrayed when Igbo elders want to give advice to the young. Often,
they say: “mụrụ akọ” which means “learn wisdom or get knowledge.” The reference
here is advising someone to be as wise as the tortoise. Additionally, it means
being shrewd, that is to be sharp-witted and possess the ability to make good
judgements. The tortoise is known to have those qualities; it can be perceptive
and can read various situations and use them to its advantage.
A typical example of the wisdom
of the tortoise can be drawn from this event:
“The tortoise was placed in a pit filled with faeces and
remained there for four days without uttering a complaint. However, when it was
finally being lifted out, it urged the rescuer to hurry, as the foul odor was
making it feel ill.”
It conveys a deeper understanding about endurance, perception
and human response to adversity. Let’s analyze the above experience and the
action the tortoise and link to human situation or condition:
Endurance and Resilience: The tortoise’s ability to stay in such a harsh
environment without complaint for four days highlights its resilience and
endurance. It suggests that sometimes, individuals can endure difficult
situations without outwardly expressing their discomfort.
Change in Perception: The tortoise only complains about the smell once it is
being rescued. This could imply that when we are deeply immersed in a
challenging situation, we might become desensitized to the discomfort. However,
once we see a way out or a change in our circumstances, we become more aware of
the negative aspects.
Human Nature and Complaints: The quote might also be commenting on human nature.
It suggests that people often endure hardships silently but might start to
complain when they are close to relief or when they see an opportunity for
change.
Irony and Timing: There is an element of irony in the tortoise’s reaction. It
did not complain while it was in the faeces, but once it was being rescued, it
suddenly found the situation unbearable. This could be a commentary on how
timing and context can change our reactions to adversity.
Thus, the concept of Ajambene
is one that follows the tortoise like its shell. It is about your world, your
life, your situation, or condition. It is about your destiny, success, failure,
progress, or humanity. It goes with you wherever you go. It is left for the
individual to draw inspiration from their world, life, situation, or condition
and create something better. These life situations are like someone’s portion which
they carry with them until they are changed. Whether your situation or
condition lasted for a minute, you have owned it for that minute. It was yours
and you could not loan that or push that over.
There are various lived
experiences that have been described by some great Igbo musicians, such as
Osita Osadebe and The Oriental Brothers. Let’s analyze a few.
Osita Osadebe’s Agadi Nwanyị na Inine
Here, Osadebe illustrated on
the concept of ‘Live and
Let Live,’ or if you like the “golden rule.” He illustrated the Igbos belief in
the principle of ‘bili ka m bili’, meaning ‘if you live, let me
live.’ The lyric can be loosely
translated as:
The journey of an old
lady and green vegetables
An old lady wanted to eat
green vegetables,
However, she did not know
that green vegetables had different ideas about her.
Because green vegetables
said: since the old lady does not want them to live; after consuming them as a
meal, they would upset her stomach.
Indeed! After the old lady consumed the vegetables, the
vegetables started to upset her stomach. It might be that the old lady had food
poisoning after consuming too many vegetables. But the story illustrated how
vegetables punished the old lady.
The old lady started to
cry: ‘My stomach! My stomach! Green vegetables are killing me!’
Green vegetables started
to laugh: ‘Old lady when you were cutting me, you were laughing, it is my turn
now to laugh.’
The song inspires some good lessons, such as tolerance,
co-existence and respect of nature, people, animals and so on. It also can inspire
conservationism, or even pharmacology.
The Oriental Brothers’ The Universality of Goodness (or Iheọma adịghị onye ọsọ) and Akwa Ụwa (or Cry about my world (situation or condition))
The Oriental Brothers broke records in terms of Musesophy and
the concept of Ajambene in many of their songs. But two have been selected for
this writing.
The Universality of
Goodness (or Iheọma adịghị onye ọsọ)
The themes of this song
include the value of
goodness, the opportunities of life, the reality of destiny, prayers and the
need for God. It is an emphasis on the Igbo’s strong believe in a Higher Power
who is represented in different local deities.
The song is
in Igbo language. Let’s give a loose translation of some parts of it:
Nobody refuses goodness.
Goodness is everywhere.
Let’s pray to God to save
us in this life.
If you are blessed or successful,
would you refuse them?
For example:
If you are given a Toyota
car! Would you refuse it?
If you are given a Mercedes
Benz! Would you refuse it?
If you have a Honda 175!
Would you refuse it?
If you are a wife of a
rich man! Would you not like?
If your father is a king!
Would you not like it?
If your brother has
riches! Would you not like it?
These are all goodness.
This is like the Ajambene concept as noted above. Any achievements
or successes you have are yours to reap. It is your portion. So, take it and
run. Nobody refuses goodness. But, as you cannot refuse goodness, can you
reject or refuse failures or curses when they come your way? This takes us to
the next song by the Oriental Brothers.
Akwa Ụwa (or Cry about my world (situation or condition))
“Ebela m akwa ụwa” (I have cried about my world (situation or
condition)), is another type of Ajambene concept by the Oriental Brothers imbued
with wits and calls listeners to be shrewd in their thinking especially during
life’s turmoil. The loose translation of some parts of the song include:
I have cried about my world (situation or
condition),
The world is a marketplace,
When you finish your purchases, you go home.
In front of who do you go?
You go to meet God the Father.
Whatever you do on earth,
remember God because he created you.
I cry about my world (situation or condition),
My world (situation or condition)
If your world (situation or condition) brings
you Chicana?
Who would you send it to?
If your world (situation or condition) brings
you gold!
Who would you send it to?
If your world (situation or condition) brings
you gin!
Who would you send it to?
If your world (situation or condition) breaks
the bank for you!
Who would you send it to?
If your world (situation or condition) brings
you bad luck!
Who would you send it to?
This song admits that life’s situation or condition is normal. It is a given which comes in different ways to different people. No two life situations or conditions are the same. It is your world, situation or condition. You own it. It belongs to you. You cannot pass it on to another person. Be it success or failure. It belongs to you alone.
Nevertheless, the concept of Ajambene
enables an Igbo person to be resilient in any condition they find themselves.
Such philosophy gives them the endurance to calmly navigate every situation. It
is the same philosophy that helped them live through the hardships of the aftermath
of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war; with no help from the Nigerian government as
promised to rebuild Igbo nation. Like the tortoise, the Igbo nation was put in
a pit of destruction after the war, but they gradually crawled out. From
nothing, they have created wonders. That’s Igbo’s Musesophy. It is their
AJAMBENE.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the term “Musesophy,” encapsulates the essence
of imparting wisdom and inspiration through artistic expressions such as songs,
stories, and literary works. Specifically, within the realm of Igbo highlife
music, Musesophy represents the musicians’ unique ability to convey profound
messages of wisdom, guidance, and knowledge to their audience. This concept
underscores the cultural significance of music as a powerful medium for
education and enlightenment, fostering different philosophies, such as Ajambene
that resonates deeply within the community.
The tales of the tortoise are integral to Igbo storytelling, embodying a blend of wisdom, intelligence, cunning, and trickery. The chorus “Ajambene” heralds the tortoise’s clever maneuvers, while the phrase “mụrụ akọ” serves as a timeless piece of advice, urging individuals to emulate the tortoise’s shrewdness and perceptiveness. Through these stories, Igbo musicians, elders and people impart valuable lessons on making sound judgments and navigating life’s complexities with wit and wisdom. The tortoise remains a powerful symbol of these enduring qualities, enriching the cultural heritage and moral teachings of the Igbo people.
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