- – Ama’s retelling of a traditional Igbo story about a clever tortoise tricking an elephant has inspired the viral “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” challenge.
- – The story has generated diverse reactions on social media, from praise for preserving cultural tales to skepticism regarding the story’s accuracy.
- – The narrative, originally composed into a song by Mike Ejeagha, serves as a cautionary reminder to be wary of deceptive individuals
Ama recently shared a fascinating story that has given life to the “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” challenge, which captured the attention and hearts of numerous netizens. Her narrative provides a backdrop for this trending challenge, drawing connections to cultural tales and songs from Igbo land.
The King’s daughter’s request
The story begins in a kingdom of animals, where the king’s daughter set a near-impossible condition for her suitors: anyone who wished to marry her must bring an elephant. This daunting task seemed insurmountable to many, but not to the clever tortoise.
The tortoise’s clever plan
Determined to win the hand of the princess, the tortoise devised a cunning plan to trick his friend, the elephant, into visiting the palace. He told the elephant that the king had personally invited him to the prestigious Ofala festival, a significant cultural event in Igbo land.
Excited by this apparent honor, the elephant gladly joined the tortoise on the journey, unaware of his true intentions. As they traveled, the tortoise requested to ride on the elephant’s back, to which the elephant kindly agreed. The tortoise further asked to tie a rope around the elephant’s neck, claiming it was part of the festival’s customs.
Upon arriving at the palace, the tortoise dramatically declared that he had captured the elephant. Though the elephant felt uneasy with this statement, he trusted the tortoise. Unfortunately, the tortoise handed over the elephant to the king, and due to the rope around his neck, it was clear that, in Igbo tradition, the elephant was now owned by the king.
This tale, shared by Ama and originally composed into a song by Mike Ejeagha, serves as a cautionary motto. The song ‘Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo’ advises people to be wary of whom they trust and follow, highlighting the deceptive nature of the tortoise.
Netizens react to Ama’s retelling
Ama’s recounting of this story has sparked various reactions on TikTok and other social media platforms.
One user, @binajack7, humorously commented, “Nothing wey tortoise never see for story tellers hand.” This suggests the tortoise has seen it all in the hands of storytellers.
Another user, @Daniel-Mary, praised Ama’s efforts: “You did well in explaining what many people don’t know. Proudly Igbo!” This shows appreciation for bringing cultural tales to the forefront.
However, not all comments were in favor of the story’s accuracy. @Mõnå Lisã skeptically asked, “Elephant wasn’t among the animals in the kingdom, abi?” while @azamanexpensive79 confidently proclaimed, “Na lie. My papa tell me the full story before playing the songs.”
These varied reactions demonstrate how deeply intertwined and significant cultural stories can be, even as they evolve and generate discussions in modern contexts. Ama’s retelling has successfully revived interest in traditional tales and their embedded lessons.
Watch Ama’s VIDEO HERE
