Praise Medley

When a choir wants to lift the roof and celebrate the sheer diversity of Nigerian worship, a piece like Festus Nkwoka's "Praise Medley" is exactly what we reach for. Arranged originally for a 2023 choir concert at St. Peter Catholic Church in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, this sweeping score takes the congregation on a joyful journey across the country. It weaves together six beloved songs of praise, each in a different language, creating a continuous flow of thanksgiving that builds in energy from the first note to the last.

The medley opens with the Urhobo praise "Wekuvwiye" before transitioning smoothly into Tope Alabi's Yoruba worship song "Iwo la wa o maa bo." From there, the choir shifts into the Esan rhythms of "Osa se naga" and the Efik call to praise in "Yak toro Obong Abasi." The tempo and mood keep evolving as the Hausa lyrics of "Shine Ubangiji" ring out, finally culminating in the high-spirited Igbo classic "Halleluya Chimle."

Singing a medley like this requires a choir to be versatile, mastering different rhythmic feels and linguistic nuances as they move from one section to the next. It is a fantastic choice for a concert finale, a harvest thanksgiving, or any major celebration where we want to express our joy in the many voices of our people. The continuous drive of the solfa notation keeps everyone on their toes, resulting in a truly uplifting experience for both the singers and the listeners.