Umxoshi – Ufuna Ng’thini

In Zulu, the phrase asks what the other person wants from me. It is the kind of question you ask when a relationship has become confusing, when someone keeps demanding things and you cannot tell what would ever be enough. Anyone who has been in a tiring argument, with a partner, a relative or even a boss, will recognise that moment of throwing up your hands and asking plainly.

The wording is what makes it feel real. It is not a polite enquiry. It is the tone of someone who has given a lot and is now tired of guessing. In Nigeria we have our own version, usually said with a long sigh and a look at the ceiling, “so what exactly do you want from me?” The emotion carries across languages without any help.

The track is on the album Trust Me, and that placement is interesting. An album named after trust, with a song that questions what another person expects, creates a nice tension. Ufuna Ng’thini could be the moment when trust is being tested, when the speaker is asking for honesty and clarity at the same time.

It is a record for those nights when a conversation has gone in circles and you just want someone to say what they really mean.

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