Lyrics/Music: Timothy Chukwudi Godfrey
Genre: African Contemporary Gospel Music
Language: Mixture of Igbo dialect and English Language
Scripture Reference: Psalm 136; Isaiah 63:7; 2 Corinthians 9:15
Liturgical Uses/Season: Thanksgiving
Themes: Nara, Nara, Testimony

The song was composed by Timothy Chukwudi Godfrey, born on August 26, 1979, in Kaduna state but hailed from the Abia state of Nigeria. The poor background of the author inspired Nara Ekele Mo on January 13, 2019. The song expresses thanks and ascribes glory to God for His excellent deed of raising the author from grass to grace and divine healing. Timothy recalled his first night in Lagos, where he slept under the famous Oshodi Bridge, battling with life challenges of poverty and sickness, but along the line, God’s mighty hand turned things around, and he experienced steady success.

The song has become a famous anthem in Nigeria Churches, especially during praise or thanksgiving service. It is used for choir particular and congregational praise songs. Regardless of Nigeria Church’s multi-ethnic and multi-generational nature, the song is warmly embraced and sung with a profound expression of thanks. Sometimes, after people share testimonies of God’s deeds in their lives, the worship leader coordinating the section may request the whole congregation to sing the song as a declaration and appreciation of the Lord’s deeds. It is one of the gospel songs that bridge the generational gap and transcends cultural barriers in Nigeria as it is highly embraced by both young and old, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa, and mainly perform in call and response pattern

Lyrics

Call: You have done so much for me, I cannot tell it all
Response: Na’rekelemo (accept my praise/thanks)
Call: If I have ten thousand tongues, it still won’t be enough
Response: Na’rekelemo (accept my praise/thanks)
Call: Chukwu na gwomar’ele (God heals my sickness); When you heals, you heal completely
Response: Na’rekelemo (accept my praise/thanks)
Call: Chukwu mar’obi mo, Isiyi ikendule (God that knows my heart, the living water), (we say),
Response: Na’rekelemo (accept my praise/thanks)

Unison:
What shall I render, to Jehovah?
For he has done so very much for me,
What shall I render to Jehovah?
For he has done so very much for me.
Nara, Nara eh, nar’ekele (accept, accept, oh! accept my praise)
Nar’ekele mo (Accept my praise)
Nar’elele njiriya (Nara nara eh)/4ce

Unison:
What shall I render, to Jehovah?
For he has done so very much for me,
What shall I render to Jehovah?
For he has done so very much for me.

Sources:
Tim Godfrey featuring Travis Green www.gmusicplus.com>tim-godfrey
https://muslyrics.com/lyrics/nara-lyrics-by-tim-godfrey-ft-travis-greene/

Contributed by Ojo, Rachael Funke.