Ayub Ogada was also an actor landing major roles in films including the Academy Award Winning Out of Africa (1985) and Kitchen Toto (1987).
Ogada arrived in the United Kingdom in 1986, and in 1993 recorded the album En Mana Kuoyo on Peter Gabriel's Real World label. His music has also been heard on the soundtrack of the 2005 film The Constant Gardener and collaborates with Susheela Raman on several tracks on her "Salt Rain" album, such as "O Rama" . In addition, Ayub Ogada has collaborated with the Afro Celt Sound System on their first and fourth releases.
In 2012 UK guitarist/producer Trevor Warren visited Ayub in Kenya and recorded the album Kodhi:Trevor Warren's Adventures with Ayub Ogada, released on Long Tale Recordings 2015.
Obiero
Ayub Ogada Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Oooh mam' uwinja
Koth biro
Keluru dhok e dala
Oooh mam' uwinja
Koth biro
Keluru dhok e dala
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Oooh mam' uwinja
Koth biro
Keluru dhok e dala
Oooh mam' uwinja
Koth biro
Keluru dhok e dala
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye (Yaye nyithindogi
Un koro un utimoru nade? Koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye (Yaye nyithindogi
Un koro un utimoru nade? Koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Oooh mam' (yaye nyithindogi) uwinja (un koro un utimoru nade?)
Koth biro, Keluru dhok e dala (koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
Oooh mam' (yaye nyithindogi) uwinja (un koro un utimoru nade?)
Koth biro, Keluru dhok e dala (koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
The lyrics of Ayub Ogada's Obiero may seem simple at first glance, but there's a deeper meaning behind it. In this song, Ayub Ogada sings about his hometown, Ugenya, a place located in western Kenya. The lines "Oooh mam' uwinja, Koth biro, Keluru dhok e dala" refer to the different parts of Ugenya. Mam' uwinja refers to the town center, Koth biro is a village on the outskirts of town, and Keluru dhok e dala means "going down to the village."
Through the lyrics, Ayub Ogada is expressing his love and nostalgia for his hometown. He misses the simple life, the natural beauty and the people there. He reminisces about the time he spent with family and friends, and how different everything was compared to the city. The repetition of "hay hay hay" serves to emphasize the longing and emotion that Ayub Ogada feels towards his hometown.
Overall, Obiero is a song that speaks to the universality of longing for home and the roots that come with it. It talks about the sounds, smells and sights that make up Ugenya, and how these small things have a profound impact on us.
Line by Line Meaning
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Expression of emotion, does not have a specific meaning
Oooh mam' uwinja
Oh mother in Uwinja (a location in Kenya)
Koth biro
At midnight
Keluru dhok e dala
I was awakened by a sound in my house
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Expression of emotion, does not have a specific meaning
Oooh mam' uwinja
Oh mother in Uwinja (a location in Kenya)
Koth biro
At midnight
Keluru dhok e dala
I was awakened by a sound in my house
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Expression of emotion, does not have a specific meaning
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye (Yaye nyithindogi
Un koro un utimoru nade? Koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
Expression of emotion while asking a question 'Mother, why did you wake me up? At midnight I was awakened by a sound in my house'
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye (Yaye nyithindogi
Un koro un utimoru nade? Koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
Expression of emotion while asking a question 'Mother, why did you wake me up? At midnight I was awakened by a sound in my house'
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Expression of emotion, does not have a specific meaning
Oooh mam' (yaye nyithindogi) uwinja (un koro un utimoru nade?)
Oh mother (why did you wake me up?) in Uwinja (a location in Kenya)
Koth biro, Keluru dhok e dala (koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
At midnight, I was awakened by a sound in my house
Oooh mam' (yaye nyithindogi) uwinja (un koro un utimoru nade?)
Oh mother (why did you wake me up?) in Uwinja (a location in Kenya)
Koth biro, Keluru dhok e dala (koth biro keluru dhok e dala)
At midnight, I was awakened by a sound in my house
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Expression of emotion, does not have a specific meaning
Aaaah haye haye haye haye haye haye
Expression of emotion, does not have a specific meaning
Writer(s): Ayub Ogada
Contributed by Austin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.