|
Ta
lo Dabi Re: The
Story Behind the Song
|
 Hosanna!
This song which is also known as Ta lo da bire
is certainly one of Nigeria’s most loved worship songs.
Written by Bimpe Afolabi, one of the worship leaders in
Fountain of Praise, this song is nothing but Holy Spirit
inspired.
The word Hosanna is an expression of praise which
simply means “God save us!” When Bimpe wrote
this song in 1996, she was at a low moment in her life and
she desperately needed the Lord to save her. “I had
been having some challenges with my academics in school.
Things weren’t just working out.” She recounts.
So
one day she went to the Redemption Camp (of The Redeemed
Christian Church of God) during one of their monthly all
night prayer meetings. “I got on my knees and prayed
that God will meet me at my point of need. At that time,
I already had an extra year. I just didn’t want to
fail again. My exams were going to be in a few weeks.”
Bimpe says.
After prayers, Bimpe started to thank God for answered prayers.
Just then, she started to hear this melody in her heart
and thereafter some words came too. “I quickly wrote
them down and recorded the song on tape”. She says.
Originally Bimpe had Hosanna had been composed as an up-beat
highlife song. But when she taught the song during one of
the rehearsals in Fountain of Praise, Dehumo Bickersteth
and Wale Adenuga agreed it will be better if we slowed the
tempo down. Hosanna was recorded on Fountain of Praise’s
second album and is also the title track with Bimpe doing
a duet on the song with Wale. The song also features Kunle
Ajayi playing saxophone and flute. It also has a reprise
on the same album with a reading from the scriptures telling
of how people cried “Hosanna, Hosanna to the Son of
David”
Bimpe did pass her exams and graduated and she works as
an executive in a top Lagos based travel agency. She is
married to Deji with two wonderful boys. She is grateful
to God that Hosanna has become a song of hope and assurance
for lots of Christians in Nigeria and beyond. Click
here to listen to Hosanna
|
|
