It’s with a broken heart that I write about us
Sitting under our favourite ukwu ụdara thinking about us
The same ukwu ụdara that we carved our names on
Saying nothing can separate us … not Money, not fame
I’ve been gradually dying day by day
Since the day you went away
With tears in my eyes, I’m looking at the sky above
How do I start to tell the story of our Ije love?
Olamma, you told me that you’d never leave me
That we would be together no matter what may be
That’s what you told me under this ukwu ụdara
I remember we held our hands and kissed each other
I followed you to the river … that popular Mmiri Nkịsị
I can remember helping you carry your big udu mmiri
Playing, laughing on the way yet talking about things we don’t know of
That was the begining of our ije love
Olamma, obi m, I remember walking by your house, doing our whistle sign
And you whistled back … Oh … it sent shivers down my spine
You told me to wait for you at this Ukwu ụdara with palm wine
Minutes later you came to meet me … Looking so fine
I sat down and you’d lie on my chest
And I placed my arms on your breast
We would crack jokes and laugh till we coughed
That was the peak of our ije love
Weeks later, you started to avoid me
So many excuses why you couldn’t see me, you became too busy for me
One Nkwọ Market day, I heard drums and singing for so long
I ran to our ukwu ụdara, climbed it and I saw people dancing to marriage songs
Olamma, I saw you, in your father’s house, giving out your hand in marriage
My heart broke in disbelief as I saw you marry that man twice your age
Days later, when I saw you, you looked me in the eye and said, “Ego bụ mma nwoke … not love.”
I was shattered and all I could say was “Ọ bụ ka m si je ije love?”
Olamma, my love, was it not two Eke market days ago
That Ugomma your best friend ran to me wailing like a crow
While I was sitting at our ukwu ụdara looking at the sky
Thinking “It’s been six months already … oh how time flies,”
And she told me that your husband beat you with your pregnancy and you died?
I couldn’t believe it, my heart stopped, my mouth dried
She gave me your favorite jigida … The one you always wore … oh my love!
Olamma … Lee nụ ihe ị jetara na ije love!
I can’t live this life without you
It’s been three days now since they buried you
I really don’t know why you abandoned the love I have for you
I guess it’s cos of the wealth and fame he promised you
I’ve written this for everyone in Ụmụagụ village to see
And I’ll leave it here with your favorite jigida, the one you love
And then I’ll hang myself on this our favorite ụdara tree
Yes, this one that started and marks our ije love.