EQUALITY IN AFRICAN ORAL POETRY: MORALIZING THE HAUGHTY WEALTHY IN ƊAN MARAYA’S WAƘAR MAI AKWAI

Abstract

This article analyses Waƙar Mai Akwai da Babu, one of the songs of
the oral poet and traditional singer: Ɗan Maraya Jos from Nigeria.
Waƙar Mai Akwai da Babu can be translated as “The Song of the Wealthy
and the Poor.” It aims at moralizing and reminding humanity,
especially the haughty wealthy, about the equal nature of all men
without exception and regardless of their social conditions or
positions. The paper adopts data presentation and analysis as a
theoretical underpinning. To do so, we collected, transcribed,
translated and analyzed the above-mentioned song. The article
concludes that whatever the knowledge, power or wealth an
individual possesses in the society, it is only a privilege from God that
He bestows on His servants to test them to see whether or not they
will stay human; help and sustain each other for the well-being of
humanity.