#THE STORY BEHIND KO..KO..KA (A Yoruba Mythological story)

There is this popular song every Yoruba child would have learnt back then in their nursery or primary school days.
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The song goes thus:
"Ba ta re a dun ko ko ka x2
Bi o ba kawe re; Bata re a dun Koko ka."
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Which is translated in English as follows:
"Your shoes will make a loud sound x2
If you face your studies;your shoes will make a loud sound."

The song is aimed at encouraging Education back then and it is well known by every child from the Yoruba race.

It is even used mostly by all the schools then as a marching song whenever their Students are leaving the Assembly ground for their different classes,and also sang for different educational purpose.
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Many of us do not know how the song came about,but we are fond of singing it every single day then.

I want to tell us the story of how the song came about.

Before the late 19th century,when we got our Independence, then we were still slaves to our colonial masters(the British).

Nigeria and some particular African countries were under the colonialisation of the British.

The British during those period established lots of offices,schools, companies,factories and even oil refinery where they were working.

The mode of dressing of the British then was Corporate wears( Shirt on a back skirt or trouser with tye sometimes Suit)
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for both men and women with high heeled shoe(which is now commonly called heel shoe)

for ladies and a shoe with a big leather sole under for men

it in such a way that it makes a loud sound whenever they are walking.

This kind of dressing was the most commonly seen then in most schools and offices.
And the British then since they can't speak in our own language prefers to speak in their own native Language (English).

The sound of this shoe then is Ko..Ko..Ka and since only the educated ones are employed into all of these offices,the Yoruba's turned it to a song that if you face your studies squarely your shoes will make loud sounds like the British.
And the meaning of the song literarily is that you will find a good job and live a better life like the British if you are educated.

And that is why the song still remains today as an encouragement for everyone to embrace Education.

Bi o ba kawe re...Bata re a dun ko..ko..ka.