ALADE OGO GB'OPE WA

This score brings together two distinct pieces of joyful worship, each carrying its own cultural expression of praise. The primary song, "Alade Ogo Gb'ope Wa" by Odum Edward, is a vibrant Yoruba thanksgiving chorus. The lyrics are an outpouring of gratitude, asking the King of Glory to accept our thanks. As the choir sings through the verses, they call upon God with powerful titles—Olodumare (the Almighty), Oba mimo (Holy King), and Awi mayehun (He who speaks and does not fail). It is a natural fit for the Offertory, carrying the congregation's gifts and appreciation to the altar with rhythmic energy.

Following it is "Añụrịrị m Ọñụ" by Stephen Odumodu, a lively Igbo setting of Psalm 122. The words declare, "I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us go to the house of the Lord." With its bright, marching tempo, it captures the exact feeling of an Entrance procession. The voices sing of standing at the gates of Jerusalem, inviting the entire church to step into God's presence with gladness.

Having both pieces on hand gives a choir director wonderful options for a Sunday Mass. You can open the liturgy with the welcoming call of the Igbo processional, and later raise the roof during the thanksgiving procession with the Yoruba praise. They both remind us that coming into the church and offering our thanks are acts of pure joy.