Yaa Pono – “Obia [everyone] Wone [has their] Master” in Twi means everyone has someone they respect, irrespective of how fearless they are. “Master” is a term which is used in Ghana mostly by the Akans to describe a wealthy and respected individual in the society. In this song, Yaa Pono takes a swipe at Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a Ghanaian politician and businessman who represents Assin Central in parliament for the New Patriotic Party since 2000. Over the years he has proven to be fearless, whether in government or opposition. He criticizes his own party when they make wrong decisions, and has thus won the heart of many Ghanaians for being truthful, despite often times using vulgar words in his criticism.

In the song, Yaa Pono refers to Kennedy Agyapong to suggest that no matter how fearless, we all have a master – in Agyapong’s case, the president of Ghana.

Verse 1:

Ogya nshio babylonfuo

Wo nua k) su a na 3y3 wo ya

Fire burn Babylon who hates to see people progress 

Beyifo baa di3 wonda

Witches don’t sleep

Hw3 me dei m3 ni agye tis3 it’s holiday

I’m happy like it’s a holiday

We dey do am everyday wey dem dey insane

CHORUS

Wease yi mu obia wone master, master

Obiaa ne ne master, master

Everyone on earth has a master

Beyifuo kraa w) master, master

Witches have their master

Kennedy Egyapon w) master, aoo master

Kennedy Ayapong has his master

Me y3 wo master, master

Am your master

Y3 fri ashaiman nti y3n loosy guard

Me y3 wo master, master

3ny3 match na y3 loosy cup wo master

This isn’t a football match, there’s no trophy at stake

Fiti Canada k)si Trinidad, Master

Oluwa is the only God

Stonebwoy

Ayigbe mafia, yaron zongo(its a term in Hausa which means a little boy from the slums) me i dey do they dey follow

Devia foi azamu, aza fuin to, ama mabu mabu e(In Ew3 language it means he want to show dupe me but he can’t and that it is disrespectful)

Malava nao katafio agba gyiko, ama mabu mabu e(In Ew3 means I will hold all of them by their necks so they feel thirsty for disrespecting me)

Verse 2

Secetry General kraa w) master na Bill Gate

3shi)mu s3 y3 ndwom nu ahity ab3y3 hot cake

Adwen bone nti mo hu converse a mo si 3y3 corn cave

Yeah Nyame tumi hyera nipa nsu na w’gyeme

Na afeyi)num Cocain kraa)bu

Wo ba Kumasi a obiaa ne ne master

Dwadifuo y3 sika sie di k) ma pastor

The U.N secretary General and Bill Gate have their masters, cos of evil mindset people are jealous to see this song hit, it’s just like calling a Converse sneaker a corn cob. Sometimes God’s blessing makes people go insane even cocaine does nothing to them. In Kumasi everyone has a master even market women save monies and give it out to pastors.

Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.

Every week, we will shed some light on the meaning of current hits in and out of Ghana: many bangers have an underlying message or social commentary, carried out using sophisticated and ever evolving wordplay – an aspect that is vastly lost in translation. The music videos don’t always unlock the true meaning or intricacies of hit songs, and lyrics alone are not always enough to understand the numerous double entendre and wordplays, so… here we go!

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