Ebenezer by Angela Chibalonza

This morning, I heard this song and it has been ringing in my head. Without doubt, the late Angela Chibalonza Runiga, was talented. She had a mellow voice but this would have been futile if she didn’t get well written songs.

Ebenezer speak to many. The journey that we have all taken and when we often take that walk down memory lane, there are many things you see and appreciate. Many things that you feel perhaps you should have done differently. Others that went very well and if given another chance, you would not change anything. Triumphs; celebration; regrets; encouragement; success and many other things. You see things that will amaze you and when all is said and done, one can only be thankful because truly– “Sio kwa uwezo wangu,ila ni kwa uwezo wako; Mahali nimefika, acha nikushukuru.” I guess that is has really struck me with this song today.

Borrowing from her country’s everfresh beat, Angela’s songs is grounded in rumba in its storytelling nature and instrumentation. As observed, the story is capable of touching anyone who listens to it. However, it is the beat, that inspite of being a gospel song, is truly embedded in that memorable beat that Mwalimu King’ang’i a.k.a. Churchill occasionally refers to as “muziki bila jasho.”

Singing mainly in Lingala and Kiswahili and at times in French, Angel is fondly remembered in Kenya and through her music, she lives on. In this song, Ebenezer, the entire song is awesome but I love the part that she breaks into Lingala. I have no clue what she says and would be grateful if someone translated but it is great. This is what she say:

“Ebeneza lang’a, libanga nangai ya tala;

Ole kidya mape wolo papa ee kati na bomoyi nanga;

Nzambe na kumisio, mokote ko nani nayo;

Bisika nako milele o yahwe, ezali sela makasi nayo.”

Awesome. And here is the rest of the song:

Umbali tumetoka, na mahali tumefika,

Ndio maana ninatambua, kwamba wewe ni ebeneza,

Sio kwa uwezo wangu,ila ni kwa uwezo wako,

Mahali nimefika, acha nikushukuru,

EE Bwana umenisaidia, nifike mahali nimefika.

Bwana wewe ni ebeneza, maishani mwangu oo

Ninataka Ebeneza, nijenge juu yako,

Ninataka Ebeneza, uwe msingi yangu,

Jiwe langu la pembeni, nakutamani sana,

Jiwe langu la thamani, nakuhitaji sana,

Oo Ebeneza, jiwe langu.

Ninataka maisha yangu, yajengwe juu yako,

NInataka ndoa yangu, ijengwe juu yako baba,

Ndoa zilizojengwa juu yako yahwe, hazivunjiki kamwe,

Nyumba zilizojengwa juu yako yahweh hazivunjiki kamwe,

Ninataka uimbaji wangu baba, ujengwe juu yako,

Maana wewe ni sauti yangu, wewe ni uzima wangu.

Ninataka Ebeneza, nijenge juu yako,

Ninataka Ebeneza, uwe msingi yangu,

Jiwe langu la pembeni, nakutamani sana,

Jiwe langu la thamani, nakuhitaji sana,

Oo Ebeneza, jiwe langu.

Ebeneza lang’a, libanga nangai ya tala,

Ole kidya mape wolo papa ee kati na bomoyi nanga,

Nzambe na kumisio, mokote ko nani nayo,

Bisika nako milele o yahwe, ezali sela makasi nayo.

Ninataka Ebeneza, nijenge juu yako,

Ninataka Ebeneza, uwe msingi yangu,

Jiwe langu la pembeni, nakutamani sana,

Jiwe langu la thamani, nakuhitaji sana,

Oo Ebeneza, jiwe langu.

Ebenezer ni jiwe langu, jiwe langu la msingi,

Mahali nimefika leo, Ni kwa ajili yako ebeneza,

Mawe mengi yako hapa chini ya jua,

kuna dhahabu, kuna almasi Kuna mawe hata sijui majina yake,

Lakini hakutawahi kuwa jiwe kama ebeneza.