King Sunny Adé (Sunday Adeniyi, born 1946) is by far the most popular perfo… Read Full Bio ↴King Sunny Adé (Sunday Adeniyi, born 1946) is by far the most popular performer of Nigerian Jùjú music. With his band, King Sunny Ade and His African Beats, King Sunny Ade became an international star across Africa during the mid-1980s, touring and gaining a significant audience in the United States and Europe as well. He is known as the Minister of Enjoyment.

Born to a Nigerian royal family in Ondo, Ade left grammar school to pursue his career, which began with Moses Olaiya’s Federal Rhythm Dandies, a highlife band. He left to form The Green Spots in 1967. He formed a record label in 1974, fed up with being exploited by a major label. Beginning with Juju Music, Ade began gaining a wide following as Mango Records, a subsidiary of Island Records, released his albums. He was soon billed as the African Bob Marley, and headlined concerts in the US. Soon after, Nigerian imports (mostly pirated copies) of his massive back catalog began flooding the Western market. Island, concerned about sales and Adé’s refusal to include more English in his repertoire, cut him loose after his third LP, 1984’s Aura.

By the end of the 1980s, Ade’s star began to dim, and his albums sold less, though he continued to garner critical acclaim and widespread popularity in Africa. 1998’s Odu, a collection of traditional Yoruba songs, was nominated for a Grammy Award. He has also become one of the most powerful people in Nigeria, running multiple companies in several industries.

Oro Towo Baseti
King Sunny Ade Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ohun gbogbo t'Oluwa yo se fun wa
maa je owo gbeyin rara tori
oro towo ba seti ile lo n gbe
ewa wo n towo se, nile aye tawa yi
owo lo n se nkan ire
owo lo n se nkan gidi
Edumare funmi ni temi o
kin rowo fi jaye

bi eniyan ba mbe laye
bi o ba lowo rara
adabi r'eni to ti ku
ti won o ti gbe si koto
laye mi se
Adura wa ni pe

Ohun gbogbo t'Oluwa yo se fun wa
maa je owo gbeyin rara tori
oro towo ba seti ile lo n gbe
ewa wo n towo se, nile aye tawa yi
owo lo n se nkan ire
owo lo n se nkan gidi

Edumare funmi ni temi o
kin rowo fi jaye

Overall Meaning

The song "Oro Towo Baseti" by King Sunny Ade begins with the line "Ohun gbogbo t'Oluwa yo se fun wa" which translates to "All that God has done for us." The song praises God for his blessings and acknowledges the importance of money in our lives. The second verse talks about the concept of wealth and how it is derived from the land. The third verse is a call to prayer, a plea to God for strength, and hope in times of desperation.

The chorus repeats the first verse, emphasizing the idea of how God has blessed us with everything we need, and that we should not prioritize money over the gifts we have been given. The third time around, the line "Edumare funmi ni temi o kin rowo fi jaye" is repeated twice, which can be loosely translated to "Lord, please grant me the strength to survive without money," showing that the overall message of the song is not about wealth, but rather gratitude towards God for providing us with everything we need to succeed in life.

Overall, "Oro Towo Baseti" is a song of gratitude that recognizes the importance of wealth in our lives but reminds us to prioritize what truly matters in life and lean on our faith in times of need.

Line by Line Meaning

Ohun gbogbo t'Oluwa yo se fun wa
Everything God does for us

maa je owo gbeyin rara tori
We won't steal because of poverty

oro towo ba seti ile lo n gbe
We carry our culture wherever we go

ewa wo n towo se, nile aye tawa yi
This is the way of the world

owo lo n se nkan ire
Money can bring good things

owo lo n se nkan gidi
Money can also bring bad things

Edumare funmi ni temi o
God, please bless me

kin rowo fi jaye
So I can enjoy life

bi eniyan ba mbe laye
If one lives in this world

bi o ba lowo rara
If one is not wealthy

adabi r'eni to ti ku
The remembrance of a person who has died