EKWE (A HIGHLIFE MEDLEY)

There is a special joy that erupts in the choir loft when a highlife rhythm takes over, and "Ekwe" captures that exact feeling. Arranged by Paschal Anokwu for the Golden Voices Choir, this piece weaves together two classic Nigerian highlife melodies—Celestine Obiakor's "Onye Yo Na Nwanne Yo No" and Onyeka Onwenu's iconic "Ekwe"—into a single, vibrant choral celebration. It is a song built for movement, driven by the unmistakable pulse of traditional Igbo highlife.

Singing this piece feels like stepping into a community celebration. The lyrics playfully ask "Ejim gi ugwo?" (Do I owe you?) and call out to "Ekwe," bringing a conversational, almost theatrical energy to the music. The arrangement gives the choir plenty of room to lean into the syncopation, with the voices bouncing off one another in a lively exchange that naturally invites the congregation to sway and clap along.

While it draws from popular highlife roots rather than strict liturgical texts, choirs often use this kind of spirited arrangement during festive occasions, cultural Sundays, or as a joyful special anthem. It brings the familiar, comforting sounds of home right into the church, reminding everyone that praise can be as rhythmic, loud, and culturally grounded as the lives of the people singing it.