Ezumike Ebighiebi

When a choir gathers to sing for a funeral Mass, the music they choose carries a heavy but hopeful responsibility. "Ezumike Ebighiebi" is a gentle, solemn prayer in Igbo asking God to grant eternal rest to a departed soul. The words are a direct plea to the Father—"Onyenweanyi Chineke Nna nara ya" (Our Lord God the Father, receive him/her)—asking Him to welcome the deceased into His kingdom.

The melody moves with a quiet reverence, reflecting the sorrow of parting while holding firmly to the promise of heaven. As the choir sings the lines asking God to show mercy and forgive the departed's earthly faults, the harmony provides a comforting embrace for the grieving family in the pews.

The song builds toward a beautiful final petition, asking God to receive the soul into the new Jerusalem. It reminds everyone present of the ultimate Christian hope: that the departed will find peace where God has promised rest for His saints.