Its video was released just 6 days ago and has already hit almost a million views, sitting at 933,000 on YouTube. The song which turned into a viral TikTok hit threw veteran Edo musician, Pa Monday, into the spotlight.
What does the word “Obapluto” mean?
“Oba” is a word used in Nigeria for the English version of “King” while Pluto means plenty. Shallipopi is singing about many men hailing them as “top men”.
What is the song “Obapluto” all about?
Shallipoppi made Obapluto a fun track singing and hailing an ex-Oba of Benin, other “big”, “rich” men, and how roads should be cleared specially for them, including himself.
The song samples Pa Monday’s original song, Nogbaisi, initially throwing controversy that Shallipopi used his track without his consent. However, it all seems resolved as Pa Monday, one of Bini’s legendary musicians, is featured singing the chorus in Shallipopi’s music video. Bini is a language of Benin city in Edo State, Nigeria where Shallipopi is from.
Nogbaisi is the name of the Benin Kingdom’s illustrious, popular king – Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi – who was born in 1857 and died in 1914. The song, in particular the chorus, is hailing the Oba as “my great, top king”.
The song is written in English, Nigeria’s pidgin English and Bini. Listen to the song on YouTube here.
See lyrics of Shallipopi’s Oba Pluto full translations and English meaning
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie mwen o, Nogbaisi – Nogbaisi my honourable king, Nogbaisi
…Nogbaisi
Ovonramwen…Nogbaisi – Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie mwen o
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie Ovonramwen
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie, Nogbaisi
Shout out to all those squad with evian (sharp) – Shout out to those squads with lucky charms
Ehia le mwan le mwan (clear) – Don’t come and pass here to pass there
Ma ghi gual’iwinna – We are no longer looking for work
O re esagien, u ren mwen ah? (sharp) – Its in the blood, do you know me?
Shallipoppi, say
Small body big engine, say (see an)
Small boy with big money, say (clear road)
Small boy with big money, sayyy (sharp)
Mr Shalli Shalli, say (confirm)
Small body big engine, say (sharp)
Small boy with big money, see am
Small boy with big money
Clear commot for road, commot for road – Get out of the road
Comot for road na men dey come – Get out of the road men are coming
Commot for road, commot for road (see an)
Commot for road na men dey come
Commot for road, commot for road
Commot for road na men dey come, see an
Commot for road
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie mwen o, Nogbaisi
…Nogbaisi
Ovonramwen…Nogbaisi
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie mwen o
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie Ovonramwen
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie, Nogbaisi
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie mwen o, Nogbaisi
…Nogbaisi
Ovonramwen…Nogbaisi
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie mwen o
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie Ovonramwen
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie, Nogbaisi
Say, Oba Ovonramwen, na men – Oba Ovonramwen is a man
…..na men (na men)
Chief Oliha na men – Chief Oliha is a man
Ogiamien na men – Ogiamien is a man
Uzama na men (na men say) – Uzama is a man
Dapper na men
Clear road for my men
When you talk of men wey guard
Na dem (wait, wait, what?) – It is them
And me, I be one of dem – And me, I am one of them
They call me Mr Shalli Shalli
Say, small body big engine, see an
Small boy with big money, see (clear road)
Small boy with big money sayyyyy
Mr Shalli Shalli, say say
Small body big engine, say (sharp)
Small boy with big money, see an (confirm)
Small boy with big money say
Clear road for Oba, Oba Pluto
Road for Oba, Oba Pluto
Commot for road, commot for road
Comot for road na men dey come say
Commot for road, commot for road
Nogbaisi mwen n’ogie mwen o, Nogbaisi
….Nogbaisi