I have an overactive imagination and it is quite useful for wishful thinking. Children are often taught to grow out of their never-ending imaginations but I grew up on the contrary to that. A usefulness of this “Overactive Imagination” is when I imagine what it will sound like for two or more awesome musicians to come together and produce a masterpiece. I want to use this medium to thank Sola Allyson and Adekunle Gold for the timeless piece; Alujanjankijan.

Alujanjankijan is the kind of music you would expect from a maestro, someone who understands the beauty and power of music at the same time and also does a great job of balancing both. Having heard Sola Allyson first on Gbeje Fori and Eji Owuro, as well as Adekunle Gold on Money and No Forget, the first time I stumbled on Alujanjankijan on radio, I knew it just had to be a product of the two of them.

News of collaboration between Wizkid and Davido was rife some months back and I am not too pleased to say I was never and will never be keen on such collaboration. A class of artiste have made music such that I am now quite selective on what to be excited about. It is safe to say that Alujanjankijan stands proudly in that class.

Alujanjankijan stems from a Yoruba folklore about how in a period of famine, all animals agreed to eat their mothers. They were all faithful about this except the sly tortoise, who sent his mother up into the heavens and used to sing the “Alujanjankijan” song to her, prompting her to send him meals from the sky, until he was found out by the rest of the animals.

Alujanjankijan takes an instructive turn, by reminding parents that giving birth to a child is only the beginning, raising the child in a godly and morally upright manner is even more important. In this day and age where everyone wants to give their children everything they feel they were denied as kids and no one wants to lay a finger on their children, it is easy to skip the line between loving and spoiling. It is important that parents just as they provide for their children, also know when to withhold from them. As much as we want to commend every good thing they do, we should also promptly correct their misbehaviors. As easy as it is to applaud them is how it should be to condemn their bad actions, lest we inadvertently create a monster out of our little darlings.

Considering how well Adekunle Gold blended with Sola Allyson on Alujanjankijan, I now look forward to seeing him work with King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Tope Alabi and other legends in the Nigerian music industry.

By the way, if there ever is a video for this music, expect me to use it as a Song For The Day all over again. I love it that much.

Listen To Alujanjankijan Here:

Alujanjankijan’s Lyrics:

Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le- Alujanjankijan
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le- Alujanjankijan
E ma f’omo s’ile fun’ya je- Alujanjankijan
Eni t’o bi’mo lo ye k’o w’omo- Alujanjankijan

(VERSE 1- Sola Allyson)
Ba mi n’omo mi, o ye k’o de’nu olomo
Oju merin lo n bi’mo, sugbon, igba oju li n w’omo
Omo t’a o ko, a gbe’le t’a ko ta
Omo t’a o to, a k’eso t’a ni ta
Omo n’igbeyin, omo l’ola, omo l’ola, omo n’iyi, omo l’ade
Omo l’ewa, omo l’eso oh ohhh
O da a, bi o da a- o le da a; o san, bi o san- a de san
Igboya at’adura ni o gba- yi o da ahhh

(Sola Allyson- CHORUS)
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le- Alujanjankijan
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le- Alujanjankijan
E ma f’omo s’ile fun’ya je- Alujanjankijan
Eni t’o bi’mo lo ye k’o w’omo e; e t’omo- Alujanjankijan

(VERSE 2- Adekunle Gold)
Ori fun wa l’omo’re bi i ti Samuel oh
Won ko Samu, o gb’eko oh, o si se’hun rere
If you spare the rod, you go spoil the child; I hope you know?
Train them with the love of God; abegi oh
Tori, alaigboran omo- asa ni
Agba o kunwo l’oju- asa ni
Agba o jo won l’oju oh- asa ni
Agba iya ni o da- asa ni
Alalugboran omo oh- omo ni
Won le d’eyan l’ola- omo ni
T’a ba to won daada o- omo ni
Won le d’eyan l’ola

(Adekunle Gold- CHORUS)
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le oh- Alujanjankijan
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le oh- Alujanjankijan
Eni t’o bi’mo lo ye k’o w’omo oh- Alujanjankijan
E ma f’omo s’ile fun’ya je oh- Alujanjankijan

(CHORUS- Sola Allyson)
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le oh ohh- Alujanjankijan
E ma f’omo s’ile fun’ya je ohh- Alujanjankijan
Eni t’o bi’mo e lo ye k’o w’omo e; e t’omo- Alujanjankijan
Iya, baba, t’akun wa’le- Alujanjankijan

(Bridge- Sola Allyson)
Kekere lati npa eka iroko
To ba dagba tan ebo ni yio ma gba
Ohun ta bi fi sile l’ewure ngbe
K’ewure aye ma ma gbe wa l’omo lo
Omo ta o ba to ekun aye a gbe lo
K’ekun aye ma ma gbe wa l’omo lo
Iya Iya ta’kun wale- Alujanjankijan
Iya Iya ta’kun wale- Alujanjankijan

(Bridge- Sola Allyson & Adekunle Gold)
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le oh ohh- Alujanjankijan
Edumare ko bawa to omo wa- Alujanjankijan
Children are the heritage of the Lord- Alujanjankijan

Omo l’ola, omo l’aye, omo l’ewa, omo l’ere
Ka fi a’ye sile ka to omo wa,
They are the future generation
Iya, Iya ta’kun wa’le- Alujanjankijan

You might be interested in these:

Ebe – Sola Allyson (Song Of The Day) I Am Not Afraid – Majek Fashek (Song Of The Day) Song Of The Day: Timaya Featuring Flavour – Money No More Sorrow – Majek Fashek and 2 Baba (Song Of The Day)