Yes. Sure there are traces of loan words borrowed from Edo due to close proximity, but the language by all means is a Yoruba tongue. It's the same way an Ilaje can understand Itsekiri far better than an Edo speaker can. If you speak Yoruba, you can have at the very least a basic understanding of any Yoruba dialect or Yoruboid language for that matter. You can understand Usen or Siluko speech better if you speak an archaic Yoruba, or a nearby dialect, like those in Ondo. Now I'm going to direct the same question to you. Can you understand the native Usen speech as an Edo speaker?
When you say "Edo speaker" you are referring to the different languages spoken in Edo all together including that very Usen and Siluko. I guess you are trying to mean a Bini speaker who of course understands Usen. Do Usen and Siluko people claim they are Yorubas or Edos? For example the people of Ika speak a language which is an admixture of Igbo and Bini. But the Ika person would tell you and substantiate it that his origin is rooted in Benin and not in Igbo land. Do you question his knowledge of his own self just because his language is not purely Bini?
I said i wasnt going to explain more on this but before this deliberate slander continues ....
Oni - means owner or possessor And it is typical of Yoruba language to reconstruct the word "oni" to fit the first vowel of the word that is being possessed E.g.. oni Akara is reconstructed to fit as "alakara" Oni Owo "owner of money" or rich man = Olowo This law of Yoruba language is used to style kings as well e.g.. Oni Oyo = Oloyo or Oni Afin = Alafin Oni Okpe = Olokpe
However, in the language spoken in Okpe, ownership is not denoted by either Oni or Olo. So your explanation does not cut it still. The King of Ososo is also called Olososo. Just like that of Okpe is called Olokpe. But Ososo and Okpe don't speak the same language, and neither language uses Oni or Olo to mean ownership. The use of Olo by these two towns therefore does not connote any affinity with Yoruba semantics but just a convergence. In fact the other 54 settlements in Akoko-Edo don't use Olo as prefix for their monarchs.
Even if they come out through a committee to make the necessary clarifications will your expansionist drive allow you see such for what it is? Only expansionist Yorubas will continue describing Akoko-Edo people as descendants of Akokos of Ondo. No other tribe in Nigeria does that and will ever do. You lack honesty and comprehension combined to assume that a Bini person could be so knowledgeable of the finest details about Akoko-Edo individual towns and villages. It is indeed shameful that rather than try to counter or acknowledge the details I have provided you about your posers, you decided to take the escapist route by claiming you suspect I am Bini. If I were Bini and my submissions about Akoko-Edo are false, then why has no other Akoko-Edo person here come out to refute my claims all this while? A brother of mine here has actually said it all here that it is more useful debating with a donkey than with a Yoruba.
I am done arguing with you. you said you are leading an initiative to cast out the 'akoko' name... please lead on correct the 'false' established demographic description
However, in the language spoken in Okpe, ownership is not denoted by either Oni or Olo. So your explanation does not cut it still. The King of Ososo is also called Olososo. Just like that of Okpe is called Olokpe. But Ososo and Okpe don't speak the same language, and neither language uses Oni or Olo to mean ownership. The use of Olo by these two towns therefore does not connote any affinity with Yoruba semantics but just a convergence. In fact the other 54 settlements in Akoko-Edo don't use Olo as prefix for their monarchs.
That is the point, the Edoid languages do not follow that protocol therefore 'Olokpe' and 'Olososo' are as a result of yoruba influence in the area
Hahaha, Ijaw claims in Ovia SW is only the begining of Bini peoples’ problems. lol
Unlike Yorubas, Binis are not claiming that those Ijaws are Binis. Binis are not in any way trying to tell Ijaws who they are. They know and acknowledge that Ijaws are Ijaws and not Binis. The issue in focus is that the Ijaws, much as they are not Binis, are however living on a Bini land. They have so far been able to adduce evidence to convince the courts which gave them victory. Yorubas on the other hand are claiming Edo lands and some of her people through online arguments. If you are sure of your claims then why not go to court as the Binis have done?
When you say "Edo speaker" you are referring to the different languages spoken in Edo all together including that very Usen and Siluko. I guess you are trying to mean a Bini speaker who of course understands Usen. Do Usen and Siluko people claim they are Yorubas or Edos? For example the people of Ika speak a language which is an admixture of Igbo and Bini. But the Ika person would tell you and substantiate it that his origin is rooted in Benin and not in Igbo land. Do you question his knowledge of his own self just because his language is not purely Bini?
By Edo speaker, I'm referring to the language spoken in Benin and its environs (AKA the language spoken in most of Edo South Senatorial zone) or Bini language as you put it. You are just trying to make the question more confusing than it needs to be. The native tongue spoken in Usen or Siluko is not mutually intelligible with Bini language. The Usen's throne is of Ife origin. The king wears the Yoruba crown and has a Yoruba title. I don't need to say more. Maybe you are referring to the fact that Bini is a common lingua franca among the people, but it's not their historic/native language.
macof: That is the point, the Edoid languages do not follow that protocol therefore 'Olokpe' and 'Olososo' are as a result of yoruba influence in the area
Goodnight!
And how does that now connote Yoruba origin of Ososo and Okpe people as according to you? How does it establish your claim that being Akoko-Edo town Ososo and Okpe were founded by Yorubas?
Well, the use of "Olo" by these two monarchs in their names is not in the sense of ownership of any kind. So no Yoruba influence. Sleep well.
And how does that now connote Yoruba origin of Ososo and Okpe people as according to you? How does it establish your claim that being Akoko-Edo town Ososo and Okpe were founded by Yorubas?
Well, the use of "Olo" by these two monarchs in their names is not in the sense of ownership of any kind. So no Yoruba influence. Sleep well.
smh. read again , where did i say yorubas founded okpe or ososo? is something wrong with this one?
By Edo speaker, I'm referring to the language spoken in Benin and its environs (AKA the language spoken in most of Edo South Senatorial zone) or Bini language as you put it. You are just trying to make the question more confusing than it needs to be. The native tongue spoken in Usen or Siluko is not mutually intelligible with Bini language. The Usen's throne is of Ife origin. The king wears the Yoruba crown and has a Yoruba title. I don't need to say more. Maybe you are referring to the fact that Bini is a common lingua franca among the people, but it's not their historic/native language.
All these are immaterial. There is cross-cultural influence. Siluko is just by the boundary between Edo and Ondo and thus its culture is more likely to have undergone hybridization with those of her Yoruba neighbours. Do the Siluko person himself agrees he is Yoruba? Have they ever agitated that they be joined with their "kit and kin" just across the boundary in Ondo State? The Iyara, Kaba, and other truly Yoruba people in Kogi State have at one time or the other expressed dissatisfaction with being placed in Kogi State and have been demanding to join Ondo. Can same be said of Siluko people? What does the name "Siluko" mean in Yoruba?
Unlike Yorubas, Binis are not claiming that those Ijaws are Binis. Binis are not in any way trying to tell Ijaws who they are. They know and acknowledge that Ijaws are Ijaws and not Binis. The issue in focus is that the Ijaws, much as they are not Binis, are however living on a Bini land. They have so far been able to adduce evidence to convince the courts which gave them victory. Yorubas on the other hand are claiming Edo lands and some of her people through online arguments. If you are sure of your claims then why not go to court as the Binis have done?
Biniland ke? Bini get land? You probably meant Edoland.
All these are immaterial. There is cross-cultural influence. Siluko is just by the boundary between Edo and Ondo and thus its culture is more likely to have undergone hybridization with those of her Yoruba neighbours. Do the Siluko person himself agrees he is Yoruba? Have they ever agitated that they be joined with their "kit and kin" just across the boundary in Ondo State? The Iyara, Kaba, and other truly Yoruba people in Kogi State have at one time or the other expressed dissatisfaction with being placed in Kogi State and have been demanding to join Ondo. Can same be said of Siluko people? What does the name "Siluko" mean in Yoruba?
Please tell me that the old woman interviewed at 1:13 in the video is speaking Edo. I have to hear it from your mouth. I rest my case.
Unlike Yorubas, Binis are not claiming that those Ijaws are Binis. Binis are not in any way trying to tell Ijaws who they are. They know and acknowledge that Ijaws are Ijaws and not Binis. The issue in focus is that the Ijaws, much as they are not Binis, are however living on a Bini land. They have so far been able to adduce evidence to convince the courts which gave them victory. Yorubas on the other hand are claiming Edo lands and some of her people through online arguments. If you are sure of your claims then why not go to court as the Binis have done?
Ohh so the land is Benin land? The Ijaws will TELL YOU otherwise
I guess it kinda depends on who is doing the talking, doesn’t it?
All I know is that the Ijaws have existed on those so called Benin lands for Centuries.
All I know is that there are two sides to the story, the Bini version of imperialistic fashion and the Ijaw version of subsistent existence on the land.
It is left for bystanders to decide. Not you as an Edo man or the Ijaws who live there.
Small time now, you will say the Usens, Silukos, Illushis and Ikakumos are also on Benin land because they are in Edo state.
However, in the language spoken in Okpe, ownership is not denoted by either Oni or Olo. So your explanation does not cut it still. The King of Ososo is also called Olososo. Just like that of Okpe is called Olokpe. But Ososo and Okpe don't speak the same language, and neither language uses Oni or Olo to mean ownership. The use of Olo by these two towns therefore does not connote any affinity with Yoruba semantics but just a convergence. In fact the other 54 settlements in Akoko-Edo don't use Olo as prefix for their monarchs.
This guy can evade truth ehhn! Lol
The ruler of Ibillo is also called the Onibillo is that also convergence? Abi Ibilll isn’t in Akoko Edo again?
Stop your expansionist drive. They are not Yorubas. They don't speak Yoruba but Bini. How does the mere title of a king determine a people's tribe? Binis have substantially proven wrong the theory that they originated from Ife. If Yorubas themselves could claim that their progenitor dropped from the sky then which sensible person should believe whatever other account they give about themselves let alone others? Yorubas can twist any foreign lands title to make it sound like it's origin is rooted in Yoruba Language. So who takes them seriously on the Elawure twist to Olu-Awure? Didn't a fellow expansionist of yours just attempt to twist Olokpe to Ooni-Okpe? When did Yoruba start having 'kp' in their spelling system?
Yes, Edo State is complex, but an alien will definitely not understand it better than the native.
How many times do you want to hear it? They speak yoruba there, not Benin.
Elawure is just a contraction of Olu Awure like is done in most African languages. It is the same way all Edo peope with the surname Edigin are Yorubas who followed Oranmiyan to rule Benin and stayed behind. They were porters who helped cut and tie firewood for the travelling people “Adigi” in Yoruba. With time the word mutated
They are today settled in Use, Egor LGA whoch is where all new Obas of Benin get named.
I know All these because they had a community union in my alma mata university.
Rather than admit your lack of information about this area of Edo state, you are here forming Rambo mr Know it all.
Ultimately, your goal is to categorically deny the existence of any figment or fragment of Yoruba culture, people or traditions no matter how tiny, in the entire Edo State- even in the front of evidence.
I think the best is to ignore these yoruba trolls who are obsessed with the Edo. I don't have their time, I would rather do something usefull with my life than spend it here repeating myself countless times to some yoruba fools who believe they know us EDO better than we know ourselves. I don't get the very concept of this discussion with the yoruba who don't seem to have any sense of minding one's own business.
historyworld031: Fool, a court of law has already decided. So walk away, there is nothing here for you. How many times do I have to tell you fools that Edo state is a subterritory of the Benin Kingdom. The people you are talking about are EDO. The Edo language doesn't recognize any "bini", it only recognizes EDO. Perharps you need to go and talk about your yoruba things and live the Edo alone. I am wondering why you guys have nothing better to do than talk about us all day.
Edo state is a subterritory of Benin Kingdom, lol do you even know how silly you sound?
I guess you Benin people have better things to do, that is why you lot are on the Ilaje Yoruba thread in this same culture section, uninvited but constituting the nuisance that y'all are very well known for in the field of historical intellectual discourse.
You are obviously a typical uneducated Yoruba bigot on an expansionism mission that has already failed. The guy schooled you. Live with that.
Much as you don't have to be Edo before you can know about Edo, you however can't know Edo more than the Edos themselves. I may have a lot of literature about Yorubas at my disposal online but that will and can never make me more knowledgeable about Yorubas than a Yoruba person born and bred in Yoruba land. So when an Edo person born and bred in Edo State speaks you listen and learn from his first hand knowledge rather than insist on the incomplete and inaccurate knowledge you gleaned from online articles and books written by non-native scholars like you. You don't claim you know me more than I know myself. That is absurd and moronic.
So you went all that length to resist the Izoduwa story which appears to you as a Binis' attempt to impose their own version of your identity on you yet you are here at the same time trying to impose your own concocted idea of Akoko-Edo people's Identify and history on them even when an Akoko-Edo person is here refuting it all and telling you the fact as a native? Is that not hypocritic? See your life?
Sorry for you. I am an Akoko-Edo person born and brought up there and still live there. You are hallucinating. Almost all Akoko-Edo towns and villages are inhabited by ancient Bini Migrants. Most of their languages and dialects share a lot of words with Bini Language. Ibillo people are part of the ethnic group called Okpameri which is the largest in Akoko-Edo. Other Okpameri towns are Lampese, Bekuma, Imoga, Kakumo, Somorika, Ekor, Ilepi, Ugboshi Afe, Ugboshi Ele, Makeke, Anyauza, Ogbe, etc. None of them was founded by any Yoruba historical figure. They all migrated from Benin at different times. The next largest tribe is the Uneme tribe which has towns and villages like Uneme-Nekhua, Uneme Erhurhu, Uneme-Akpama, Uneme-Osu, Ekpedo, etc. None of them was founded by any Yoruba. Unemes are metal smiths till today - a skill they carried from their ancestral Benin home. Their language is almost purely Benin. Igarra is just the largest town but not the largest tribe. In fact Igarra is the third largest tribe in Akoko-Edo. So your assumption that the largest size of Igarra automatically translates to largest tribe status for them showcases your stark ignorance about Akoko-Edo and further proves that you are on an expansionism mission which will surely fail. Other Akoko-Edo settlements are Okpe, Ijaja, Enwan, Akuku, Ososo, Egbigere, Sasaro, Ushi, Anyaran, Ojirami, Ojah, Atteh, Ikpeshi, etc.They are all together fifty six in number. None of them has any history of being founded by Yorubas. Akoko-Edo is in Edo State while Akoko-Ondo is in Ondo State. So I am left wondering what you mean by your claim that they are together. Akoko-Edo was cut into Midwest along with other Edoid tribes because they were clearly not Yorubas and had nothing in common with them otherwise they would have been left in the Western Region during the creation of Midwest. As for the Yoruba factor about which you exposed immense ignorance, here is the truth, kiss it for once:
The geographical area currently known as Akoko-Edo was initially known as and called Igarra-Edo by the colonial authorities which observed that nearly all the inhabitants are Edoid in language and traditions. The inclusion of Igarra root in the name was on account of the level of primacy which Igarra exhibited among the other settlements even though Igarra was not the largest tribe nor the second largest. However with time and more enlightenment the other tribes began to agitate that the name Igarra-Edo was not truly representative of the actual diversity of the area. But neither did any other single tribe have a simple majority to confer on it the status of overwhelming majority. This led to a logjam which in an attempt to resolve the different tribes, including the Igarrans themselves, had to agree to pick a neutral name to replace Igarra in the name. Owing to historical familiarity with their Akoko neighbors through trade interactions over centuries coupled with the fact that they were already placed in the newly created Western Region, they thought it strategic to adopt the Akoko root and moreso to gain political relevance within the Western Region given the fact that qualification for entitlement from the Regional government was not much by merit as was by real or apparent majority membership. That was how the people came to use Akoko and not that they we're Yorubas. However with the creation of Midwest, the Yoruba factor became unnecessary and began to die a natural death. For the teaching of Local Language, schools reverted to teaching the mother tongues of the villages in which they were located and the use of Yoruba language in communication became progressively discouraged and resented. In the end the only Yoruboid village that ever existed in Akoko-Edo and was actually founded by Yorubas was encouraged to get themselves carved into Ondo State. And this was done in IBB's 1991 States creation and boundary adjustment as the village in question called Imeri located on the Northwestern end of Akoko-Edo was carved into Ondo State. Thereafter Akoko-Edo has become devoid of all traces of Yoruba.
If you claim Yoruba didn't found any settlement there, how come did Fred Agbaje Bl, Ll.M. M.Phil(Deseased) ,who was a popular Akoko Edo indigene claimed that their own town was founded by Yoruba people? Since, you are vast about Akoko Edo, I am sure you know where the late lawyer came from.
is something wrong with this one?