MA FRIDA – THE MOTHER I NEVER KNEW
Intro (Spoken – rough, quiet)
Ma Frida…
Na your pikin dey talk.
From bush road reach city light,
na your blood still dey push me.
Verse 1
Ma Frida, I land for this world with cry,
Mama hand no dey, na bare ground I see first.
Village story talk say “she don go,”
As if say mama na visitor for this earth.
I grow for dust, I grow for silence,
Pikin heart heavy but mouth no talk.
Other man dem dey shout “mama!”
Me I dey swallow pain make e no block.
Ma Frida, bush life hard, city life wicked,
Both side no get mercy.
I learn sharp sharp say man must stand,
Because falling no get pity.
Pre-Chorus
How pikin go soft when mama no dey?
How heart go rest when love waka away?
Chorus
Ma Frida, I be the son wey you no raise,
But your blood still dey run all my ways.
Even if your voice no reach my ear,
Your spirit dey shout say “I still dey here.”
Ma Frida, the mother I never knew,
But everything wey I be today na you.
Na you… mama na you.
Verse 2
Ma Frida, village people talk plenty,
Story full mouth, truth small.
Some say you weak, some say you sick,
But I know say woman wey born me no small.
City come fast, city no smile,
Everybody dey hustle, nobody dey wait.
I carry mama pain for backpack,
Mix am with dream, waka straight.
Night time I dey think too much,
Ask God question e no dey answer.
Why some man waste mama love,
Me I dey beg even for corner?
Ma Frida, sometimes anger choke me,
Chest dey hot like red pepper.
But I remember say if I fall now,
na your sacrifice go waste forever.
Pre-Chorus
Dem say “man no cry,” dem lie.
Real man dey cry for inside.
Chorus
Ma Frida, I be the son wey you no hold,
But your name dey my heart like gold.
Even if grave try keep you quiet,
My mouth no lock, I go still shout am.
Ma Frida, the mother I never knew,
But everything wey I stand for na you.
Na your strength dey push me through.
Bridge
Ma Frida eh!
— Na my mama!
From village bush reach city road,
— Na your blood dey my body load!
Even if you no dey for ground,
— Your spirit no go ever go down
Verse 3
Ma Frida, I learn be man without manual,
No mama voice for guide me slow.
Life beat me, I beat life back,
Every scar na lesson I know.
I turn pain to grind, grind to name,
From nobody to person wey dem call.
If today dem see me standing tall,
Dem no see the nights wey I almost fall.
Ma Frida, when I love my own pikin,
Na you I dey see for their face.
I dey protect dem like mad man,
Because I know wetin absence taste.
So world no go bury you twice.
Woman wey suffer bring life,
Deserve respect, no be sacrifice.
Ma Frida, I be the son wey you never know,
But I turn your absence to overflow.
Your strength dey guide everything I do,
Mama I live loud because I carry you.
Ma Frida, the mother I never knew,
But everything I am…
Everything I hustle for…
Everything I survive through…
Na because of you.
Outro
Sleep fine, Ma Frida.
Village hear your name.
City hear your name.
Your pikin don find him voice
I be ya proof
