Ekwerem N'Otu Chineke (Martin)

When the homily concludes and the whole church stands to profess the faith, a sung Creed brings a special kind of unity to the Mass. "Ekwerem N'Otu Chineke" is a vibrant Igbo setting of the Nicene Creed that turns this ancient, profound text into an engaging dialogue between the choir and the congregation.

Composer Ugochukwu structures the long profession of faith into a steady, rhythmic call-and-response. Instead of singing the entire text straight through, the choir takes the lead on the narrative verses—recounting the mysteries of creation, Christ's incarnation, his passion under Pontius Pilate, and his glorious resurrection. After each truth is proclaimed, the assembly answers with the steadfast refrain, "Ekwerem n'otu Chineke" (I believe in one God).

This arrangement is particularly effective for Sunday Masses and solemnities. By breaking the Creed into manageable, melodic phrases, it keeps the congregation actively involved in the prayer. The steady momentum builds all the way to the final anticipation of the world to come, culminating in a joyful, harmonised "Amen."