Akekho Ofana NoJesu
Southern African chorus tradition · isiZulu
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“Akekho ofana noJesu…”
An oral-tradition chorus with no author on record and no single authorised text — every congregation shapes its own verses, in its own language. There is nothing standard to print, so give the title and its meaning and let the singers carry it. Specific recorded arrangements remain the property of their artists.
The story of this hymn
A chorus rather than a hymnal hymn: one line declares there is no one like Jesus, and the verses answer it — the singers have walked everywhere, turned in every direction, searched and searched, and found no one like Him. It is sung across Africa, in Shona as 'Hakuna wakaita saJesu' and in English as 'There's no one like Jesus', and nobody can say where it began; it spread the way choruses spread, voice to voice.
Where it sits in the service
The chorus that lifts a heavy service: it often rises unannounced after a tribute, and again at the graveside once the committal is done, when the singing is allowed to turn from mourning to praise. There is no fixed text — a leader calls and everyone answers — so print only the title and its English meaning; the congregation will not need words.
In the programme, list it in the order of service as “Hymn — Akekho Ofana NoJesu” with the leader or choir named beside it.
How it is actually sung
A chorus rather than a hymn, repeated and built rather than sung through, and it belongs at a vigil more than at the formal service. It gathers volume as more people join, which is the point of it. Church groups start it themselves; it is not something the programme director calls.
Printing the words
A chorus in wide traditional use, though a specific published arrangement may still be licensed. Print the first line at most — the whole form is repetition, and a printed text misrepresents how it is actually sung. If you want more than that, the church office is the place to ask.
This is practical guidance rather than legal advice. Reproduction rights vary by territory, by hymnal edition and by the licence your church holds — the church office is the right place to ask, and they answer this question often.
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