There are some songs that are best described as Christmas anthems, which always elicit the Christmas feeling the Nigerian way. These songs hold nostalgia, memories and a longing for a future better and brighter than the good times you had in the past. In that vein, let us check out 5 popular Nigerian Christmas anthems to listen to this season!
- Teni – Christmas Is Here (2018)
Popular Nigerian musician and signee to Dr dollar entertainment released this Yuletide special in 2018 one year after signing onto the label.
In this musical piece, Teni begs Santa to bring her gifts in a jet. She must have been very nice the year she released the song
In her song, she says Santa is calling her name. You can only have that when you have been nice all year.
The song is a subtle Afrobeats tune, great for those low-key moments when you want to easily enjoy the Christmas season with no hassle; enjoying the chicken and rice she talked about in the song.
The album art shows Teni as a child sitting on the lap of a Santa that looks more Chewbacca than Santa. All in all, it’s great to understand that the memory of Christmas still sticks with all even from Childhood. It’s a time of enjoyment and bliss and no one knows this more than Teni.
She brings the popular Yoruba Christmas greeting: “Kérésìmesì o, odún dé odún olówó, Kérésìmesì o, odún dé o” which translates to mean: “Christmas, the holidays are here, Christmas, the holidays for spending money.”
- Mike Abdul – Fuji Christmas (2017)
Funky Gospel music artiste, Mike Abdul is known for fusing contemporary Yoruba Nigerian tunes into the Gospel genre. He released his Fuji Christmas single in 2017, bringing the lessons of Christmas message and the cheer of the season to, not just the Yoruba people, but the streets, especially in places like Mushin, Agege and other slums of Lagos.
These slums are the birthplace of the Fuji music genre. Talk about preaching peace and good tidings to the Alayes and Omo Iyas of the ghettos in a language they can relate with.
His lyrics makes the experience memorable, showing the whole nativity in just a few words::
“Angel talk to mary
Mary talk to joseph
Angeli talk to joseph
Emi mimo wole (the Holy Spirit enters)
Olugbala ti de (the saviour has come)
Silent night oh the night
Ale ojo ti abi olugbala kan fun wa (the night we birthed our saviour)
Mike Abdul brings the Fuji vibes to gospel music which is predominantly influenced by American style gospel music.
- Ric Hassani – I’ll Give You Love This Christmas
Some sort of lover’s groove to put lovers in the mood this Christmas. This Ric Hassani Masterpiece brings the cool energy of jazz and Boys 2 men into the bedroom on a Christmas night.
Talk about the perfect romantic Christmas gift you can give to your spouse. The song further brings on the love energy with the combination of the drums, piano, bass and electric guitars.
His words resonate the energy:
“Baby, baby, it’s the time
To relax and unwind, unwind
You’ve been steady on your grind, hustler
You work all the time, that’s fine
You been working all year
You need some time off, time off
See, you’ve been holding me down
And now it’s my turn, my turn…”
- Daystar Choir – Gbo Ohun
The Daystar Choir brings the cheer of the season live in the auditorium in their wonderful rendition of Gbo Ohun (listen to the voice).
They then plunge you into a mixture of instruments including the traditional gangan (talking drum), trumpets, violins and others.
The song is a rendition of the popular “Gbo Ohun” Christmas hymn, with powerful words of faith asking you to:
“Gbo ohun, awon angeli ti’n ko’rin (listen to the voice, the angels are singing)
Won ko’rin ogo, ogo (they’re singing glory glory)
Won k’orin eye, eye (they’re singing celebration, celebration)”
The song further morphs into the popular “Angels from the realms of glory” hymn and others.
The lead singer does a wonderful job of controlling and eliciting the joys from the choir.
- Tunde Ednut – Jingle Bell (2015)
Tunde Ednut brings the best of the Nigerian Entertainment industry including MI, Orezi and Falz. The song has MI on the rap, Orezi bringing in vocals and Falz raining forth his funny-type heavily-yoruba-accented rap.
The song paints the average Nigerian Christmas feeling of jollof rice and chicken or turkey; funfair and celebration with firecrackers rending the air.
It also shows Tunde Ednut’s flair as not just a public commentator/social media personality/influencer, but a Nigerian musician.
Lyrics like:
“Daddy mummy aunty hey
Let us begin with the dancing hey
Christmas is close
Bring out the Christmas clothes
And straight to the party hey
All I want is chicken
Music that is sweeting
Martel bottles give me fifty
Dance as if my body’s itching singing”.
These words brings forth memories of childhood and the awe and joy of Christmas
Now that we have checked out these popular Nigerian Christmas anthems to listen to this season, we at Trickle Media encourage you to download and listen to these Christmas hits as you go through the season!
