By
Michelle Momoh
I’m a southern girl,
An Edo child,
Born in the land where the river runs wild,
Where the Imiegba Hills kiss the sky,
And ancient roots stretch deep, reaching high.
Beneath the iroko, spirits whisper the past,
The Imiegba Hills guard secrets steadfast.
From the royal courts to the market’s songs,
We carry the wisdom of ages long.
We speak our tongues, rich and wide,
Oba ghato kpere, ise!—our pride, our guide.
From Benin’s walls to Etsako grace,
Our people’s unity is a living embrace.
“Esan oye!”—the greeting rings,
In Esan’s heart, where the joy springs.
Together we feast, together we mourn,
From cradle to crown, our bonds are born.
In Afemai, where the winds are sweet,
“Afemai wa moo!” we greet.
With hands held high in a dance of pride,
In every stride, we stand with the tide.
The pulse of our land, strong and bold,
A story of strength that must be told.
From great Benin, where royalty reigns,
The Oba our sovereign, where power remains.
His wisdom guides us; his rule is just.
In the palaces of Benin, we place our trust.
We wear our heritage like a crown,
In the heartbeat of the land, we never drown.
Our beads, our clothes, our colors so bright,
Our okuku reflects history, spirit, and light.
From city lights to village lore,
Our stories thrive, forever more.
Our cuisines bold, from pepper soup to Black soup to the enchanting taste of the groundnut soup ,
The Imiegba Hills, where my ancestors stood,
Guards the land with quiet strength and wood.
Our art tells stories, bold and clear,
Stories heard far and near.
Bronzes that spoke of a mighty reign,
Symbols of power they couldn’t contain.
The colonials came, in awe and dread,
Scared of the greatness my ancestors bred.
We rise from the soil, and we rise from the past,
With modern strides, but our roots hold fast.
We dance to the rhythm of the drum’s deep call;
In every heart, we feel the ancestral thrall.
Come, see the land where my roots reside,
Where history and hope forever collide.
I’m a southern girl,
An Edo child,
A royal blood, fierce and wild.
With the Imiegba Hills and the Oba’s reign,
In my veins flows pride, strength, and gain.
From Akoko Edo’s plains to Esan’s skies,
In our hearts, the Edo spirit never dies.
In every step, in every word, we sing,
The joy of being southern, the joy we bring.
Edo no de carry last!
I am Edo ! I am eternal!
