Musesophy – The Concept of Ajambene in Igbo Culture

Staff Writer

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:

  1. The Concept of Ajambene

  2. Osita Osadebe’s Agadi Nwanyị na Inine

  3. The Oriental Brothers’ The Universality of Goodness (or Iheọma adịghị onye ọsọ) and Akwa Ụwa (or Cry about my world (situation or condition))

  4. 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.

A tortoise crawling out from a pit of dirt.

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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