Ga Onukpa(i) (With text and additional stanza on Tema)

A poem on leadership and accountability in Ga ethnic society.

By Gabriel Nii Obodai Torgbor-Ashong


Gbatsu naa mi ba jwa yɛ.


Nyɔŋ krɔŋkrɔŋŋ yɛ nyɔŋtsere shishi.


Mi hiɛ yaafo kɛ mi de daa.


Mi, Ga abifao, mi ba masama.





Gamɛi ashikpɔŋ nɛ.


Mi, Ganyobi, shikpɔŋ ni.


Gboshinii - shi mi bɛ kpaa kome po.


Moŋ, aabule fɛɛ; aahɔɔ fɛɛ, aaye fɛɛ.


Aaye lɛ nyɛmɛnyɛmɛ, aaye lɛ tsokotsoko.


Aaye lɛ yɔɔ, ni aaye lɛ nyaa.


Noji, aaye ni edɔ mi, edɔ mi koni mi fo.


Mi fo koni mi gbo, mi gbo koni afu mi.


Yiŋwaa sane, moŋ, amɛ sɛɛ sane.


Nɔni baaba aba!


Apele sɛi he kulɛ, oya.


Shikpɔŋ he lɛ, kɛ tu.


Asaa maŋ lɛ, pui! Alaaje.


Ga Onukpai lɛ nɛ!


Aashwie hiɛashi dani agbo.


Abaa gboi hu!


Ni kɛ agbo lɛ, tsɛmɛi, nyɛ bia amɛ sane.





Latsɛ, mii sama bo.


Tɛiko Tsuru, mii sama bo e!


Obli, mii sama bo.


Tsuinaa saji yeli sɔŋŋ, Ga ekpoo enaa shi.


Ale ajɔ. Batafoi!


Mi kɛɛ, mii sama nyɛ.





[Hiao! Hiao!!]





Oto-Ga, mii sama bo.


Tɛtɛ-Kwei, mii sama bo e!


Akropong, mii sama bo.





[Hiao]





Sakumɔ Ogbaame oo!


Osane ji ‘ofite osaa’.


Amrɔ nɛɛ, etsɔ ‘otswa biɛ, otswa biɛ’.


Okɛ Latsɛ tee lɛ, okɛ Teiko Tsuru eba.


Maŋ jwaa sane.


Mii sama bo.





[Hiao! Hiao!!]





Akwaa, mii sama bo.


Aduawushie, mii sama bo e!


Gbelenfo, mii-sama bo.





[Hiao]





Doodu Otublohum ee!!


Kulɛ mɛni too nane kɔɔ yɛ ntsiŋ mli?


“Ohe yɛ biɛ, ohe yɛ biɛ”, akɛɛ.


Belɛ okɛ yitsei ŋshilɛ.


Baakwɛ sɛɛ fioo lɛ nɛ?


Mɛni? Agbɛnɛ lɛ, ooye kɛ gbo?


Mii sama bo.





[Hiao! Hiao!!]





Okai, mii sama bo.


Okaijaa, mii sama bo e!


Ayite Kɔbla, mii sama bo.





[Hiao!]





Gbese Bonte, mɛni otsu?


Bɛ jeee mɔko kɛɛ oyishi?


Bo’kɛɛ “mayishi”.


Bei lɛ shɛ lɛ, oshi sɛɛsɛɛ kɛ gbe Ga he guɔ.


Odaa nɛ,


Mii sama bo.





[Hiao!]





Amashi, miisama bo.


Amaakai, mii sama bo.


Ayikai, mii sama bo e!


Ahɛnɛ, mii sama bo!





[Hiao!]





Mankata Asafoiatsɛ!


Nuu-mli-nuu.


Hei! Nuu gojoo kakalɔ.


Bo’gbeɔ hiɛ moomo kɛ faa Ga he.


Shi oya damɔɔ asafo mli ni owieɔ gbɔi awiemɔ.


Hiɛgbele sane.


Mii sama bo.





[Hiao! Hiao!!]





Osu Kinka, Owuo, Nɔɔtɛi, Adumua, kɛ sapatei.


Lilɛi folɔi.


kɛ yashi mɛɛbe?


Miji, miji.


Tsɛbelɛ kikinkoi eyi Osu.


Ni sraloi moŋ tara akpaŋai amli.


Mii sama nyɛ.





[Hiao! Hiao!!]





Shikiteele Koofɛ,


Bo’woɔ, bo’kpaa?


Belɛ tsɔɔmɔ wɔ shia ni yeɔ La maŋtsɛ sɛɛ lɛ, owamɔ oyiteŋ.


Yitsoŋ duŋ, ejwaa maŋ.


Mii sama bo.





[Hiao! Hiao!!]





Akɔmfra, Kamoa, Tuaka, Kwaobotswe kɛ mɛi ni eshwɛ.


Tɛshi maŋ jwaa lɛ, nyɛ pampam keŋŋ.


Mɛni nɔŋŋ?


Daa ni shweɔ shi nɛɛ nyɛ nɔni.


Mii sama nyɛ.





[Hiao]





Odai, Odaifio, kɛ Lawɛ.


Yitsei etɛ, maŋ kome.


Nungua sɛi lɛ efee kakadaŋŋ, ta afa ma ta afa.


Walɛ sane.


Mii sama nyɛ





Hiao!





Nuumo Akwete Gbɔbu


Boji shitsɛ lɛ, boji nɔtsɛ lɛ.


Kɛ oho lɛ, moko hooo.


GaDaŋme’ɛ fɛɛ ka okɔkɔ mli.


Nakai ni? Nuumo, okoishi mii tso o!


Sane lɛ mii tamɔ yoo ni esaa ehe jeee shwɛ-bi yɛ maŋ-teŋ,


Tsɛbelɛ, ebii ahe ewo muji kɛ nyiɛ.


Mii sama bo.





[Hiao]





Nii Tema...


Oha mi le akɛ “onyɛmi agbo lɛ, ehi fe bo diɛŋtsɛ”.


“Ema onyɛmi he lɛ, ema tso he”.


Hewɔ lɛ, ofee diŋŋ belɛ ookwɛ.


Shi, “nɔni baa yɛ wuɔi atsu mli lɛ, ebaa hu yɛ toi atsu mli”.


No mli oona opioto mli kpaa kɛlɛ kɔme.


Mii sama bo.





[Hiao]





Osɔfo Taki-Yaabɔi.


Odaa mli wiemɔ ŋmajee haa asafoŋ feɔ tinkoŋŋ.


Shi, Maŋtse nabi mua,


Owieɔ gbɔi awiemɔ fe ywiliokpo.


Ohenɔ Ga Osɔfoi krokomɛi lɛ boboo!


Yɛ Ga yeyeeye feemɔ mli lɛ, nyɛ mushi kɔi.


Ga nɔŋŋ ni ebii nyageɔ nɛkɛ?


No nɔŋŋ ni akpoɔ nɛkɛ?


Nyɛ daa nɛ.


Mii sama nyɛ.





[Hiao! Hiao!!]





Kɔme NDC ee


Kɔme NPP,


Lante NDC,


Ashite NPP,


Blankson,


Okwei,


Ayɔkɔ,


Trɛbi Oleenu,


Maŋsajiantaolɔi kɛ woloŋkwɛtsɛmɛi ni eshwɛ blublu.


Nyɛ kɛɛa mi, namɔ kɛ enine abɛku tsɔɔ etsɛmɛi awe?


Naa, kɛ onyɛ naa egba tsiɛtɛɛ po lɛ, onyɛ ni!


“Ogbokui amli olɛmɔɔ” ni na ole akɛ “kɛ oshia ayɛ ye oloo lɛ eshiɔ eko”.


Nyɛ kaia, “kɛ tso tsɛ yɛ faa mli lɛ etsɔɔɔ baa”.


Mii sama nyɛ.





[Hiao! Hiao!! Hiao!!!]





Amrɔnɛɛ, foo ohe ni okwɛ!


Osɛɛbii mii fo.


Osɛɛbii mii gbo.


Osɛɛ-nibii mii tso.


Moŋ lɛ, Ga Onukpa, ofee ohe nuumo dade.


Oti banku okpa okaje.


Hɛlemɔ shi!





Kɛ aaya lɛ, yaa eko.


Kɛ aafee lɛ, feemɔ eko.


Kpokpomɔ ohe fioo ko,


ni maŋ ana akɛ wɔ yɛ mɔko.

Tema)