'Aboru Aboye purely Yoruba language, not for Ifa priests' - Tope Alabi says

Nigerian gospel singer, Tope Alabi, has responded to the controversy following her viral video where she was heard singing in Yoruba language using the word ‘Aboru Aboye’, a form of greeting among Ifa initiates.

In the video, Alabi called herself ‘ebo’ literally meaning sacrifice, while also singing the words, “Abiye ni mi, Oruko mi ni yen. Mo de bo, mo ru, mo ye,” (I am a sacrifice, that’s my name. I am a sacrifice accepted by God, that’s my name).

The lyrics had since triggered so many reactions as her fans and some Christian leaders took sides over her choice of words.

Reacting, the singer said, “Aboru Aboye” is a pure Yoruba language and not an exclusive preserve of traditionalists.

She said: “It was recorded that David made a sacrifice of faithfulness to God. Why was the word sacrifice not written as the same English word in the Yoruba version of the Bible? It is a Yoruba language. There is no special language for traditionalists. We are all speaking the Yoruba language.

“If some people say they want to use the language in their own style, it is not bad. We have also decided to use it in our own style. Was Abraham’s sacrifice accepted or not? Was it not the same with Isaac?”

She also established her point with specific reference to a bible passage which is Romans 12:1, and said, “Brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. The word ‘acceptable’ is the ‘Aboru’ while ‘living sacrifice’ is Aboye.”