In the vibrant tapestry of Nigerian daily devotion, music often serves as a bridge between personal experience and divine encounter. Folabi Nuel’s song “Mo Wa Dupe” (“I Have Come to Give You Thanks”) encapsulates this bridge, inviting believers to reflect on God’s goodness through testimony, worship, and gratitude. Grounded in biblical truth, its lyrics resonate with passages that exhort us to recount God’s deeds, lift our hands in praise, and continually offer thanksgiving. By examining key phrases in “Mo Wa Dupe” alongside verses from Scripture, we can appreciate how the song fosters faith, hope, faithfulness, and spiritual growth.
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“Mo Wa Dupe” by Folabi Nuel
The opening lines – “I am a living testimony of your goodness / I can tell a million stories of how you came and turned my life around” – echo the psalmist’s call to share personal encounters with God: “Tell everyone how amazing he is. Sing the praises of his name” (Psalm 66:8). By framing our lives as testimonies, the song encourages believers to anchor their faith in concrete memories of divine intervention. This practice reinforces trust in God’s continuing work, strengthening faith as we remember past victories (Psalm 77:11–12).
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Throughout the song, phrases like “Mo wa dupe” (“I have come to give you thanks”) and “E ma se o Baba” (“Thank you, Abba”) highlight a posture of constant gratitude. Scripture similarly commands believers to “give thanks in everything – for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In a culture often marked by uncertainty, daily expressions of thanks cultivate hope, reminding worshippers that God’s faithfulness transcends seasons. The refrain “Owo mi loke yaya” (“My hands are lifted high”) further mirrors Psalm 134:2: “Lift your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord.”
By asking “Kini ma fi san ore re Jesu?” (“How can I repay you, Jesus?”), the songwriter aligns with Romans 12:1 appeal: “Give your bodies to him because of all he has done for you.” This rhetorical question propels believers from passive gratitude into active faithfulness. Similarly, the repeated call to worship – “Mo wa Ju ba re o baba rere” (“I have come to worship you, good Father”) – reflects John 4:23–24, which emphasizes worship “in spirit and in truth.” As worshippers engage this song devotionally, they are invited to respond bodily and spiritually to God’s enduring kindness.
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The song’s progression from general thanksgiving to specific notes of “help yearly” and “help monthly” (“Mowa dupe ore at’odun…at’osu…”) parallels the biblical practice of regular remembrance festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16). Such rhythms of acknowledgment cultivate spiritual maturity, encouraging believers to look back over weeks and years to see God’s hand at work. The act of prostrating (“Idobale mi re o baba baba”) finds its biblical counterpart in Psalm 95:6: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” These embodied expressions deepen devotion and foster a holistic faith journey.
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Conclusion
Folabi Nuel’s “Mo Wa Dupe” serves as more than a melody; it is a devotional tool that intertwines testimony, thanksgiving, worship, and embodied faithfulness. By echoing scriptural mandates to recount God’s deeds, lift hands in praise, and offer our bodies as living sacrifices, the song empowers Nigerian believers to cultivate hope and spiritual growth in daily devotion. As we meditate on its lyrics alongside the Bible, we find a rich resource for deepening our relationship with God through consistent worship and gratitude.