Artist: Lara George
Song: Ijoba Orun
Album: Forever In My Heart
Genre: Gospel
Language: Yoruba
Released: 2008
Duration: 4:54
Label: Westside Music
“Ijoba Orun” is the song that first made Lara George a solo star. It was the hit single from her debut album, Forever In My Heart, which came out through Westside Music in 2008.
Before going solo, she sang in the gospel group Kush with TY Bello, Dapo Torimiro and Emem Ema. On her own, she went on to win Voice of the Year at the Nigeria Music Awards in 2008 and Best Vocal Performance (Female) at The Headies in 2010, and she later gave us “Dansaki” from her 2012 album Higher.
Take a quiet moment with this one. Watch the official video and play “Ijoba Orun” by Lara George below.
What “Ijoba Orun” is really asking for
The title is Yoruba for the Kingdom of Heaven, and the song is a heartfelt plea not to miss heaven at the end of a believer’s journey. It pictures this world as a passing marketplace and heaven as the true home, and its central cry, “mu mi dele”, means “take me home”. Money, cars, friends and knowledge all fall short in the song, because none of them can carry a person into heaven.
