Prayer of the faithful

When we lead the congregation in the Prayer of the Faithful, the sung response is what binds our individual petitions into one united voice. This special setting by Rev. Fr. Joshua Achir gives choirs a warm, reverent way to carry those intercessions across three of Nigeria's major languages. Instead of a single repeated chant, the score offers three distinct short responses—one in Hausa, one in Igbo, and one in Yoruba—each carrying the same spirit of humble supplication.

The first response, "Kuka Ni Ke Yin," lifts our cry to the Lord in Hausa, asking for His help. We then move to the Igbo response, "Chineke Nna Mo Zam Ekpere," a gentle and earnest plea for God our Father to answer our prayers. Finally, the Yoruba setting, "Oluwa Jesu Kristi," calls on Christ to accept our petitions.

Having these three short, harmonious responses on one sheet is incredibly useful for the choir loft, especially during major feast days, national celebrations, or multicultural parish Masses where we want everyone in the pews to feel represented. The melodies are simple enough for the congregation to catch quickly, yet beautifully harmonized to add a sense of solemnity to the intercessions.