Amen

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

2 Corinthians 1:20, King James Version

Ise, Ashe, Amen: one answer in three tongues

Every prayer needs an answer from the people. In Igbo we say Ise. In Yoruba they say Ashe. And across the whole church, in every language, we say Amen.

This song puts all three side by side. It is a chant, so there are only three words in it. But each word carries a whole people's way of agreeing with God.

What does Ise mean in Igbo?

Ise means so be it. It is the answer a congregation gives to a prayer. If you have ever sat in an Igbo gathering when an elder blesses the kola, you know the moment. He prays, and everyone answers together. Isee.

Many young Igbo people say Amen in church and Ise at home without realising they are saying the same thing. They are. Ise is our own Amen. It did not need to be borrowed.

What does Ashe mean in Yoruba?

Ashe, written Àṣẹ in Yoruba, also means so be it. But it carries something extra. It speaks of power and authority, the power that makes a spoken word come to pass. When a Yoruba congregation answers Ashe, they are not only agreeing. They are declaring that the prayer has weight.

You will hear Ashe in Yoruba churches, in mosques and in traditional settings. It belongs to the language, and the language carries it everywhere.

What does Amen mean?

Amen comes from Hebrew. Its root means firm, sure, something you can stand on. When we say Amen, we are saying this is true, and I am standing on it.

The Bible gives the word an even bigger meaning. In 2 Corinthians 1:20, Paul says that all the promises of God find their yes in Christ, and through Him we say Amen. And in Revelation 3:14, Jesus Himself is called the Amen. He is the final yes to every promise.

What the song is about

Amen is a chant of agreement. There is no story to follow, only an answer repeated until the whole room is saying it together. Igbo, Yoruba and the language of the wider church, one word after another, all meaning the same thing. Let it be so.

It is built for the end of a prayer, the close of a service, or the moment in a crusade when the preacher stops and the people take over. Amen closes the album, the final word after 23 songs, and it is one of the easiest to teach a congregation. Daalu by Michael CU is out on 3 November 2026.

A prayer of agreement

Listen

Amen lyrics

Ise sounds like ee SEH. Ashe sounds like ah SHEH. Amén sounds like ah MEN, with the weight on the second part.