Jagun Jagun Lyrics

Mọ̀jà, mọ̀sá, ni ti akínkanjú;

akínkanjú tó bá mọ̀ọ́ jà

tí kò mọ̀ọ́ sá á bá ogun lọ

A good warrior must know when to fight and when to run

a warrior who knows when to fight but not when to run will perish in battle.

Hey soldier

Fun fact: in my language, you are called Jagun Jagun which literally means fight-fight.

I see the double use of the word fight as a deliberate emphasis

Showing the continuous nature of your fighting spirit

Only

you soldier

are fighting-fighting the wrong things

Instead of fighting-fighting everything that dares to love you

Maybe you should try to fight-fight the brokenness in you

On some days

you are both the sword and the bandaid

piercing every relationship that dares to stay

while wrapping yourself around new lovers—new friends

an endless ritual

Struggling to confront the trauma that lurks within

you force everyone to leave

you are exhausted

Your body is tired of the constant pain

You just want to be free

But freedom feels like giving up

Only Soldier,

This is not your end

You are a warrior

Not destined to die but give life to others

Tired soldier, if all you do today to defeat your struggle with living is to take one step towards life, you are healing.

So take that one step and find a new purpose for this pain inside of you.

Dare to rename all the things in your life that are hunting you.

Lesson—not failure

Freedom—not heartbreak

Healing—not broken

Cut off the sharp ends of the thoughts you recite in your head

Make them soft and kind

Switch— I have made too many mistakes to I have done too many good things too

Switch—I hate my life to I hate my current reality but it can get better.

Switch—this is who I am, take it or leave it to I am working towards becoming the best version of myself.

Do not allow your wounds to evolve into an automatic gun

blasting everything that dares to give love around you—everything that can save you.

Instead, tend to them with therapy,

with self-help,

with journaling,

with music,

with prayer,

with poetry,

with love,

lots of love

Let your wounds grow stems that grow flowers that produce the fruit of courage

to look at a raging battlefield and choose to dance

while drinking a cup of palm wine.