ONWU BU MGBAWE

"ONWU BU MGBAWE" (Death is a Transition) is a deeply reflective Igbo burial hymn that speaks directly to the reality of human mortality and the Christian hope of resurrection. Composed by Ozommadu Boniface, the piece is often sung by choirs during funeral Masses or graveside rites to comfort the grieving. The opening chorus acknowledges the pain of loss—the "cry of sorrow" (akwa arịrị)—but immediately anchors the mourners in faith, reminding them that death is not a final end, but a transition to rest in the Father's house.

Beyond offering consolation, the song serves as a powerful meditation for the living. The verses draw on the traditional Igbo proverb that the world is merely a marketplace ("n'ụwa anyị bịara bụ ahịa") where we come to trade and eventually return home. As the choir sings of our shared fate—that human beings are ultimately dust and ashes—the lyrics urge the congregation to remember their own mortality. The call-and-response in the final section asks who knows the day their own time will come, encouraging everyone to live well and trust that those who die in Christ will rise with Him.