Flashback: 22 years after, Konga’s ‘Baby Konga’ in spotlight

Have you ever heard the phrases ‘E ti won bo ta’ and ‘E to won si Konga’ and wondered about their literal meaning?

You might have mistaken them for throwing someone into a well—a hole drilled or dug into the ground to access underground water—but their meaning is entirely different.

These phrases may not resonate with many today, especially Gen Z, but they hold nostalgic significance for Afrobeats, Hip-Hop, and Dancehall lovers from the early 2000s.

Originating from ‘Baby Konga’, a hit song by Lawal ‘Konga’ Olumo released in 2003, these expressions became popular and solidified Konga’s place in the Nigerian music scene.

Rather than their literal interpretation, they metaphorically mean denying access to unwanted individuals—typically those who are broke or uninvited.

This meaning is vividly illustrated in the song’s music video uploaded to YouTube in 2012.

Baby Konga

The song is an upbeat, dance-oriented track widely popular at parties and clubs when it was released.

The lyrics of ‘Baby Konga’ were filled with vulgar anecdotes, leading to its ban by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in 2008.

In 2004, Konga became the first Nigerian artiste to release a single track, ‘Baby Konga’, as a full album due to overwhelming demand.

By the end of 2005, he had released his debut 14-track album, Konga H2O, which featured collaborations with 2Baba and DJ Zeez on ‘Ja Won Si’, Morachi on ‘Holl It’, and several other hit songs.

In 2013, while promoting his song ‘Always Guiding’—which he described as a message to Nigerians about their struggles and way of life—he told Channels Television that ‘Baby Konga’ symbolised the beating of drums.

Konga collaborated with various musicians and was a significant name in the industry before fading from the scene.

Spotlight

Konga’s hit song ‘Baby Konga’ returned to the spotlight on 15 March after he accused Grammy-winning artiste Burna Boy of using his lyrics without credit.

In a video posted on his TikTok page, Konga alleged that Burna Boy borrowed his lines, ‘E ti won bo sita bi ti Konga’ in the remix of ‘Sungba’, his collaboration with Asake.

He further alleged that Burna Boy used another of his signature phrases, ‘Agbabiaka o’, in his latest release, ‘Update,’ replicating his lyrics and rhythm.

While Konga appreciated Burna Boy’s admiration of his style, he emphasised that he deserved compensation.

He also demanded that Burna Boy and Tiwa Savage appear on the remix of his song, Kabakaba.

Konga said: “I’m calling Burna Boy out. Burna Boy, this video is for you because you name-dropped me in your song with Asake, Sungba (Remix), and in your new release, I noticed that you also used some of my lines and even my rhythm.

“It’s obvious that you like my vibe and have been incorporating a lot of my flow. I appreciate that. I love your use of my craft, but I want you and Tiwa Savage on the ‘Kabakaba’ remix. I will be expecting your feedback. I call you out in peace.”

The ‘Twice as Tall’ hitmaker hasn’t responded to Konga’s allegations as of press time.