Peace Sunday and the Sacred Beauty of Ibibio Praise

By Emmanuel Daraloye

Cultural diversity does really bring disparities in language and a lot of other ways. However, at some points it is again a blessing. It is beauty wrapped with linens so costly. Also, when it comes to the worship of God, its creator, Peace Sunday gently unravels mysteries with it. 

Peace Sunday is a Nigerian singer, vocalist, and music leader with her charm in her vocal strength and how it evokes emotions in her listeners. As a 2023 Nigerian Idol star, born in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, has been a treasure chest of the Nigerian music space since her spotlight. 

On the 16th of January 2026, the African Praise with Peace Sunday was held at Vita Music Studio, Lagos, Peace again showed herself with a performance deeply immersed in her Ibibio cultural grace. With a memorable performance of diverse songs like “Ibike,” a Kalabari praise; “K’ini Ukpong Etide” (When My Soul Remembers), a soul-stirring Ibiobio/Efik hymnal; and her worship masterpiece, “Ami Nyetoro Abasi’mi” (I’ll Praise My Maker While I Have Breath). 

The song, “Ibike” means praise, appreciation, and worship of God. It starts with some soft piano chords with a hummed intro from the singer, then backed up by her choral members. This calms her nerves and also relaxes the spirit of her backups. The raising of the cymbal during this activity intensifies the mood of all, including the lead singer, Peace, her backups, and the listeners. 

As the song swirls from hummings to vocals, the piano chords play on, joined by the drum set with the introduction of the cymbals and, notably, the flute (at the 00:22 mark of the recorded video) and later the saxophone (at 00:45), which adds to the depth of the song and causes too much emotional weight on the listener. 

The use of the flute adds cultural beauty to the song as it laces it with a traditional essence, giving the song more meaning, and this aligns also with the use of an Ibibio dialect in the song. Peace Sunday gives praises to God in one of his beautiful creative arts, which is this local dialect. 

While it is a praise song, the solemnity of this song gives a different kind of celestial reverence that is reflective and marrow-rending. The order of vocal arrangement of the backup singers and the calm but energetic lead of Peace Sunday make the listeners not only listen but also learn about the essence of worthy-to-listen-to songs and the splendor of God’s magnificence. 

The repetition of the chorus in styles and the creativity of the instrumentalists stick the song to listeners’ hearts. It makes the listener have a longer feel of the song, embody it, and give a reverence that sees off all other emotional tumults at the moment. Other vocal parts from other backup singers sound perfect, but the bass from the male backup sounds celestial. It is effortless, calm, and addictive. 

But Peace Sunday’s soprano and vocal strength, even while she sits to sing, speak lots more about how phenomenal she is in music. On “Ibike,” Peace places all her listeners’ ears near the heart of her voice and keeps them still to the end. Her performance with the accompaniment of a wonderful choir enables a flow of great performance and God’s magnificence.