I remember listening to this song on repeat growing up. I couldn't stop even though there was some part of the song that scared me. Like when he said "Rest In Peace".

I hope Sound Sultan is in a better place after he made so many beautiful songs that made our lives colorful.

In motherland, he sang to those in the diaspora who left with no trace and no message. He hoped he could connect with them and many Nigerians today feel the say way for him...we wish we could hear from him too. You know?

When I first started learning chords on the guitar this was one of the first songs I started playing. The progression is simple but the message is complex. It is to loved ones who left and never came back.

He sang about a person who was banged up abroad serving time...

"You been say na 1 year ih come turn to 2 years you don go for 7 years but you dey server 11 years"

He talked about a person who left a girl he wanted to marry and never came back.

He sang about those who the community put resources together to send abroad and never reached out.

I have reasons to believe that this was the reality for many Nigerians even though at the time of listening to the song my father was abroad and was still keeping up with his family.

I remember entering public transport to use a payphone far away from home so we could speak with him.

My mom would take me and my sister to this far away place just to put the phone on my cheek and I would have nothing to say.

I don't think it's an easy task to be in a country where you are appreciated and still come back home. Especially when the government doesn't benefit you and you're just back cause you want to be in your motherland.

Lyrics

ajo o dabile ee
no matter where u go, make u try come back area o
area o

na naija aa ah aa
ti ode ba ti le pada wale o
wale o oo uh o

how i wish... say... i fit reach u anywhere u de e
u de... eee
far away. ee e...
that one no say make u de bone area o
Motherland e oo (na your area)

Chinedu somebody borrow u ego
make u take carry go Chicago
remember nnamdi sell him car
so u go go America
all these People wey been de raise u
still de stay for face me i face u
u promise say u no go fashi them
every other month u go de tachi them

Hillary wey u been promise to marry
still de wait, o' boy she don tarry
when she go see u, na inside ovation
u marry oyinbo from another nation.
use mago mago, get dough
now your oyinbo wife don know
next thing u know, she don go report u
Wetin u know, them don deport u

how i wish... say... i fit reach u anywhere u de e
u de... eee
far away. ee e...
that one no say make u de bone area o
Motherland e oo (na your area)

ajo o dabile ee
no matter where u go, make u try come back area o
area o o

na naija aa ah aa
ti ode ba ti le pada wale o
wale o oo uh o

u been say na 1 year
e come turn to 2 years
e don go for seven years
but u de serve eleven years
even when your papa die
plus the tears your mama cry

Bayo for Chicago, them de miss u for okoko o
Biodun for Canada
your mama still de wonder
igba wo lo tơ ma pada o
remember for naija, u get iyawo

ko da bi ile, ko da bi ile, ko da bi ile e, ko da bi ile, ko da bi ile e, ko da bi ile e, ajo o ma da bi ile e

how i wish... say... i fit reach u anywhere u de e
u de... eee
far away. ee e...
that one no say make u de bone area o
Motherland e oo (na your area)

ajo o dabile ee
no matter where u go, make u try come back area o
area o o

na naija aa ah aa
ti ode ba ti le pada wale o
wale o oo uh o

u say u go call e o
every body wait tire for your call
ote o, why u go like so o
from Germany... to carry coco enter yankee
but then coco burst for your be-le
rest in peace e o
fly away, i come wonder if one day u fit to come e o
your papa land, i understand say u de so far away

u gone a long long way from home, long long way from home, long long way from home, long long way e ei

▶️ 3Speak