NDI NKEM, ZAANU M!

"Ndị Nkem, Zaanụ M!" is a profound Igbo setting of the *Improperia*, or the Reproaches, traditionally sung during the Veneration of the Cross on Good Friday. Composed by Fr. Omasika, the piece captures the solemn, heartbreaking dialogue between Christ and His people. The lyrics draw directly from the ancient Good Friday liturgy, where the Savior recounts His saving acts—leading the Israelites out of Egypt, planting them as a choice vine—and contrasts them with the bitter suffering He receives in return: the cross, the vinegar, and the lance.

For a choir, singing this piece is a deeply moving experience. The refrain, "Kedu ihe m mere unu... zaanụ mo" (What have I done to you... answer me), is a direct, sorrowful plea that cuts through the silence of the Good Friday service. The verses alternate between these poignant reproaches and the Trisagion ("O Chukwu dị nsọ" - Holy is God), creating a powerful space for reflection and repentance.

Fr. Omasika’s arrangement uses a steady, mournful harmonic progression that allows the weight of the words to take center stage. As the congregation comes forward to venerate the cross, the choir’s delivery of these ancient words in the vernacular brings the reality of the Passion intimately close to home, inviting everyone into the sorrow and immense love of Christ's sacrifice.