My Mother! My Mother!
Speaking biologically, it is a no brainer that fathers make it possible for mothers to become mothers. Likewise, mothers are the ones who make it possible for fathers to become fathers. One cannot be without the other. That should humble all of us.
In the human experience, the existence of every male and female is tied to a mother, even with the cutting of the umbilical cord.
Under nature, one cannot be a male mother or a female father. These do not exist in human nature. If you are not a female at birth, you are a “brother!” Some people may feel differently, but the natural potential of a male is to become a father, not a mother. It is what agrees with nature, the physiology of the human and his experience toward the transmission of life.
Nevertheless, motherhood goes beyond the, important and impossible to diminish processes of receiving seed, conception, gestation and the birthing of a child. The nuance of being a mother transcends the physical. Even nurture is far much more transcendent than the physical.
Pushing the envelope a little further, it is motherhood that makes a Mother Theresa and other distinctions of motherhood possible. Consequently, the distinctions of the biological mother, step-mother, foster-mother, mother-in-law, mother-superior, god mother, surrogate mother, and etcetera do exist.
Hey! Solomon, leave all that dogon turenchi (big English, Hausa) alone. My mother is my mother. Period! I can never trade her for anything. I share your feelings. But, not everyone can say that of their biological mothers or other mother figures in their lives. But, without the risk of sounding insensitive, their experience does not diminish motherhood as God intended it.
Motherhood is more than a concept. It is life. It is an experience that has its roots in the depths of the heart and soul of a mother. It is the life a mother experiences and shares with those she mothers. It is a life she lays down in unreserved sacrifice. So we love our mothers because they first loved us and nurtured us.
We can and do feel the motherhood of a mother. That is why a nostalgic Prince Nico Mbaga would sing, “Sweet mother, I no go forget you.”
Motherhood transcends socio-cultural and economic stratification. Rich or poor, a mother is a mother. She might even be physically, mentally or traditionally challenged in one form or the other, she remains a “mother.”
A society only goes as far as it respects, celebrates or diminishes motherhood. So when the scripture admonishes children to obey and honour parents, it places father and mother on an equal footing to be honoured and obeyed. Why? Because it is the right thing to do and it is well-pleasing to the Lord. It is also that the days of children may be prolonged, and that things will go well with them (Deuteronomy 5:6; Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20).
There is an African proverb that says, “No matter how wealthy or great a person may become, his father can never refer to him as ‘my father.’” “A child can never outgrow the mother,” another proverb reiterates.
Finally, I would like to share Nnemo – Nnemo, the soundtrack in the Igbo language, from the Super Story TV drama series Nnena, in honour of motherhood, which featured Shan George and Yinka Olukunga:
Nne mu nne mu oo
Ezigbo nne m eh
Nne mu nne mu oh
Ezigbo oyoyo nne m mama
Nne mu nne mu oh
Ezigbo nne mama eh
Chukwu biko ododo gozie nne mu nne amaka
Nne mu maa n maa obukwa nne mu eh
Nne mu jo n jo obukwa nne mu eh
Aya kpo nnem obukwa nne mu eh
Chukwu biko biko gozie nne mu oh ye ya oganiru
Chukwu biko gozie ochie dike mama eh
Nna gozie nne m nne mu oh ochie dike nne m
Chukwu biko gozie ochie dike mama eh
Nna gozie nne mu oh oyoyo nne mu oh ochie dike nne m.
Nne mu nne mu oo
Ezigbo nne m eh
Nne mu nne mu oh
Ezigbo oyoyo mama
Nne mu nne m oh omalicha mama
Chukwu biko daddy gozie nne mu ye ya oganiru
Nne m a ma n ma, obukwa nne mu eh
Nne m a jonjo obukwa ezigbo nne m mama
Ukwu ejie nnem obukwa nne mu eh
Chukwu biko daddy gozie nne mu na nna amaka
Chukwu biko gozie ochie dike mama eh
Nna gozie nne m, gozie nne m oh
Ochie dike nne m
Chukwu biko gozie ochie dike mama
Nna gozie nne m oh, gozie mummy
Ochie dike nne m
Translated in English:
My mother my mother
My very good mother
My mother my mother
My very good sweet mother
My mother my mother
My beautiful mother
God please bless my sweet mother
Because mother is beautiful
If my mother is beautiful she’s my mother
If my mother is ugly she’s still my mother
If my mother is blind she’s still my mother
God! God! Please bless my mother and enlarge her coast
God please bless my old strong mother (my ancient warrior)
Father bless my old strong mother (my ancient warrior)
My mother my mother
My sweet mother
My beautiful mother
If my mother is beautiful she’s still my mother
If my mother is ugly she’s still my mother
If my mother is crippled she’s still my mother
God please bless my mother
My old strong mother (my ancient warrior)
Father bless my mother
My sweet strong mother
Every mother and I mean EVERY MOTHER, is worthy of honour. I hope you are honouring yours?
My Mother is My Mother! What more can I say.
Thank you. Do not forget to keep living, loving and learning.
References:
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Dogon turenchi: Hausa language for big English.
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Nnemo, Nnemo: sound track in Igbo language from the Super Story TV drama series Nnena. Super Story is produced by Wale Adenuga of Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP).
- Nnemo, Nnemo lyrics in this blog: Transcribed and translated for this blog with assistance from Mrs Ebolyne Oluchi Ovie-Edemeroh.