Released in 2010, Ababio was one of the tracks in the Otoolege album by the legendary Mr. All 4 Real as he goes by, in the Ghanaian music industry. The album was made up of four great tracks. From Lady, Otoolege, Otoo-Dubx to Ababio.
Gaining entry into the Ghanaian music industry in 1999 when he collaborated with the Legendary Daddy Lumba to release the “Wo Ho Kyere album”, Ofori Amponsah got his real music breakthrough in 2001 when he released his first album titled “Asew” by Owusek production.
Hailing from Agogo, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Samuel Ofori Amponsah was born on march 2, 1974. His success in singing and songwriting came into the limelight after his first album was released in 2001. The singer-songwriter has then made his way into the hearts of Ghanaians when it comes to hiplife and highlife music in the country.
With hit songs like Emmanuella (2007), Atweetan (2004), Cinderella, Rakia (2004), and Koforidua flowers among others, the singer-songwriter is a legend having won seven awards in one night at the 2006 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, and 2005 artist of the year. Ofori Amponsah is known as one of the highest-nominated artists in Ghana when he got together a total of 17 Ghana Music Awards nominations.
I remember hearing Ababio very well when I was washing my clothes a few days back. This is not a new song by the way. I have heard it severally but I really paid attention to the lyrics this time when I listened. I asked myself how did I miss this every time I listened.
Ababio
The first time I heard the name Ababio was when I was in primary six. I had a classmate called Ababio. Ababio is a name mostly used in Ghanaian society for a child that comes after the death of a previous child in the family. In simple Ghanaian language, Ababio means coming back again. This is what interests me most when I began interpreting the lyrics of the song Ababio.
Ofori Amponsah is known for his songs about love. It is no doubt that the singer-songwriter has a lot of love songs in his name.
The song Ababio focuses more on returning to an old or former lover. The singer-songwriter made emphasis on this when he mentioned in the first line of the first verse translated into English “The new lover I have now hates me. She brought my stuff out of our house and told me to leave. I wanted more, I should have stayed with the one who loved me. my old love, I am back again.”
Getting betrayed by a new lover that you left an old lover for is no new thing in our society today. Many people have left old wives and girlfriends or boyfriends for new ones because they are mostly seen to be prettier than the old ones. This is just like forgetting old friendship and replacing it with new ones. The singer-songwriter made us aware that not all that glitter is gold. We should stop ending old relationships because of new ones we just entered into because we have no idea what we are going in for.
Another interesting theme the singer-songwriter mentioned is the courage to go back to something good. In the song, he talked about going back to his older lover. He is doing so because the old one is way better than the new one. This cuts across every area of our daily life. Sometimes we leave good old behaviors behind and pick up bad new ones. The song tells us to have the courage to go back and pick up those good behaviors. It informs us of the fact that there is nothing wrong with going back to take something you want. He made mention of this when he said, translated in English as “there is nothing wrong with going back for something.”
The singer-songwriter places emphasis on marital problems in his Ababio song. He brought up this when he said, translated in English “we have turned our home into a boxing ring, she is killing me with her bad cooking.” This aspect of the song raises issues of physical assaults in marriages from both sides and also the disgrace of a wife not being able to cook for her husband. This is a debate that will last a lifetime. Most people believe that the fact that your wife cannot cook does not mean she is of no use.
Lastly, the singer-songwriter talked about the need for forgiveness. This is known when he pleads with the old lover to take him back. In order for him to be accepted by his old lover, he had to be forgiven. Forgiveness is an important part of our daily life. Even the Bible speaks to Christians about the need to forgive others in order for God to also forgive them.
Indeed, to err is human, but to forgive is divine.
