Falz and Tekno really hit home with their brand new track O wa. Uploaded to YouTube around 2 months ago in February, the Fela-inspired vibe has already hit over 2.5 million views.
What does ‘O wa’ mean?
It means ‘he/she is okay’ in Yoruba. It’s used as a response when someone asks how is your friend or sibling, simply reply ‘o wa’.
What is the meaning in the song?
The tone in his voice, the video gives an idea of the message Falz is trying to put across. The frustrations, oppression, suffering in Nigeria is deepening, so he is venting. Tekno gives an example of a lady named Sikira who works tirelessly but is unable to enjoy her money.
The music video shows a chaotic Nigeria. Animals, nuns, everyone is cheating each other, the bus driver and conductor, the politicians are the worse, everything is a mess, and if you protest you get beaten by the police.
Tekno and Falz wear the same green jacket and red hat to reflect their political activism, fighting for freedom, for a better Nigeria.
Listen to the song on YouTube here.
See lyrics of Falz & Tekno’s O Wa. Full translations and English meaning
Tekno
Yea yea eh eh eh eh eh
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Kill person for there
Poverty go tell
-[Inaudible] –
Falz
Na so dem dey do – That’s how they do
Pack everybody like e sardine
We dey gallivant e up and down – They are enjoying prosperously anyhow
Forget say body no be machine
(Body no be machine)
All the tax wey we generate
Why the cash no dey circulate -Why is the cash not circulating
And when we start to calculate
Everybody come dey agitate – Everyone will be nervous
Ojota– Ojota is a place in Lagos, Nigeria
O wa, o wa o, o wa – Its okay
Agege – Agege is a place in Lagos, Nigeria
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Ojota
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Agege
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Give me mineral
Pass me the Gala – Gala is a ‘sausage roll’ snack bar
Hustle critical we no fit retire – Working is so important that we cannot retire
O jo cinema – To go to the cinema
E don turn wahala – Its turned into trouble
Many animal dey put on Agbada – This in reference to politicians, both the uneducated are all wearing agada – a respected type of garment
I get medicine wey dey cure anything – I have medication that cures anything
E dey cure poverty– It cures poverty
Bring prosperity
Many things
Many things
Everyday, we dey see many things – Everyday we see many things
Tekno
Because
It’s a critical reaction
My country no get formation – My country does not have proper governance
Olorun – To God
For your information – Just so you know
Population dey for prostitution – Many people are into prostitution
I say dem mama dem papa – I say all their mothers and fathers
Dem dey cry – They are all crying
Dem no know how pikin dey kpai – They have no idea how their child died
Money no dey e dey drink kain-kain – There is no money he is drinking
Kai, haba baba na – Wow, ha God now (he is sadly calling on God)
Falz & Tekno
Ojota
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Agege
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Ojota
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Agege
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Tekno
Give me mineral
Pass me the Gala
See I know Sikira
She don hustle tire – She has worked tirelessly
The way she dey work, suppose wear designer
But she no be baller she no know Dybala – But she cannot party
I talk my own
I don dey go – I am going
Conductor own
He stop for road o
You get money
You chop alone – You eat alone
E run belle – He then had a running stomach
You purge alone o – He had dysentery alone
Why you no give me change I para – Why did you not give me change?, I went crazy
Dem dey do us ojoro o – We are being cheated
I curse the driver I tell conductor say waka – I insulted the driver and told conductor to go away
Dem dey do us ojoro o
Stop the motor I need to come down I tire
Dem dey do us ojoro o
Patapata everything scatter – Let everything just scatter, completely
We dey face wahala
Dem dey do us ojoro o
Ojota
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Agege
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Ojota
O wa, o wa o, o wa
Agege
O wa, o wa o, o wa