[size=14pt]48 hours in Benin Republic Reporter's odyssey of race, smuggling, history plus, Ketou: The French-Yoruba of Benin Republic[/size]
Written by EMMANUEL ADENIYI
Sunday, August 21, 2011

Nigeria and Benin are two neighbouring countries. The border of the two countries has always been in the news due to incessant smuggling activities there. EMMANUEL ADENIYI, who travelled to Benin Republic, recently, writes about his encounter with smugglers, the Ketu-speaking Yorubas in Benin Republic as well as the neglect of towns along Nigeria-Benin border by the Nigerian government.







TO refer to them as Yoruba in Diaspora may not be apposite. Yes, they are, but the expression to them appears discriminatory and they would have none of it. It offends their collective sensibilities and denigrates their age-long belief that their Yorubaness is not in anyway inferior to other tribes of Yoruba, especially those in Nigeria.


With pele and abaja tribal marks adorning their cheeks, good Yoruba dialect, though influenced by French, rich lore of their existence and arrays of cultural artefacts, the Beninese Yoruba are just like other Yoruba persons.

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2011/aug/21/tribune/images/benin1_48[1].jpg[/img]

Acting from the mindset that some Yoruba nations are scattered across the globe and may have lost their Yorubaness, this reporter went to Ketou in Benin Republic to engage the Ketu-speaking Yoruba people in the country in a cultural test thinking that the result of such an engagement would further fuel his belief that cultural gaps existed between the mainstream and "Diasporic" Yoruba.


What he got was more than what he bargained for.


Though the 1884/85 Berlin conference and the subsequent colonisation of Africa, where the entire continent was partitioned by the European super powers, still leaves a sour taste in the mouth, the Beninese believe that it was rather advantageous to them as it carves an identity for them as Yoruba in a different socio-political space. Rather than talking about a uniquely homogenous ethnic group of people within a geographical enclave, they believe the invasion of African states by Europeans has created sub groups of the same tribe that are scattered across the globe.


"What would have happened if all Yoruba-speaking people are all found in a country? Would that not affect them as a people and possibly limit their outlook? I think it is a beautiful thing that we have Yoruba around the world who speak French, English, Spanish and Portuguese alongside their mother tongue. The beauty of Yoruba is largely preserved and the sanctity of our religion and belief system remains untainted, despite our spatial or geographical separation," said Ahmed Olatounji, a middle-aged Beninese businessman.


Ahmed's Yoruba is flawless. His experience of the Yoruba people is vast and his dexterity in the use of Yoruba proverbs is phenomenal. He led this reporter to a shop in Ketou where a group of young men were seen watching a Yoruba Nollywood movie. All of them had tribal marks on their cheeks and their sense of humour was great. One of them, Abijo Babatunde, said he was proud to be a citizen of Ketou, adding that his dream was to see the town become one of the best developed in the country. Though a school drop out and presently rides okada to earn a living, the 28 years old Beninese said he had never cherished the idea of leaving the country, noting that life was comfortable for him in Benin Republic.

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2011/aug/21/tribune/images/benin2_48[1].jpg[/img]

Ketou town is really beautiful. With well-constructed trunk roads, neat environment and stable electricity supply, the town is in sharp contrast with Ilara, the Nigerian border town, that is home to some Ketu-speaking Yoruba people in Nigeria. Roads in Ilara are eyesores. Infrastructural facilities are non-existent there. Government presence is unrecognisable and life in the town appears to be at a standstill. Comparing the two Ketu-speaking towns, which are less than 32 miles apart from each other, is a difficult task as one is bound to heap mountains of blames on the Nigerian government that cares less about its towns and people whereas the Beninese government at least, does something about its own.

In Ketou, Nigeria's life appears to interface with the daily living of the people. They accept naira alongside their local currency. This reporter was baffled when one of the guides cornered him and asked for money before he could be taken round the historical sites in the town. Having told him he only had naira on him, his joy knew no bounds as he heard naira. Most of the people are on the network of glo Benin. Bill boards of the telecommunication network with pictures of Nollywood actors and actresses adorn strategic places in the town, giving one an impression that Ketou is an extension of Nigeria. The people hold on to their cultural belief as religious houses were hardly seen on the road. Though the FM radio in the town was busy blaring Islamic songs, Ketou people appeared impenetrable and did not allow alien religions to take over their indigenous religious beliefs from them.


Ketou Yoruba is slightly different from others spoken by many Yoruba tribes. Dialectical differences should be expected due to geographical distance between the speakers and other Yoruba speakers both in Benin Republic, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and parts of South America. Ketou Yoruba is interspersed with French words, the same way Yoruba spoken in Nigeria and South America is heavily influenced by English, Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese respectively. Of much interest is the orthography of some names in the dialect. The standard Yoruba, for instance, frowns at the use of double consonants in words while at the same time discourages the use of certain vowels together in words. Sounds like (u) and (o) are never combined in standard Yoruba language, but in Ketou Yoruba it is allowed.


Names like (Olatounji, Segoun, Oulou, Adetoutou) and many more are common. You could also come across names having a cluster of consonants like (Akpmampa) and others.In Ketou, Nigeria's life appears to interface with the daily living of the people. They accept naira alongside their local currency. This reporter was baffled when one of the guides cornered him and asked for money before he could be taken round the historical sites in the town. Having told him he only had naira on him, his joy knew no bounds as he heard naira. Most of the people are on the network of glo Benin. Bill boards of the telecommunication network with pictures of Nollywood actors and actresses adorn strategic places in the town, giving one an impression that Ketou is an extension of Nigeria. The people hold on to their cultural belief as religious houses were hardly seen on the road. Though the FM radio in the town was busy blaring Islamic songs, Ketou people appeared impenetrable and did not allow alien religions to take over their indigenous religious beliefs from them.


Ketou Yoruba is slightly different from others spoken by many Yoruba tribes. Dialectical differences should be expected due to geographical distance between the speakers and other Yoruba speakers both in Benin Republic, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and parts of South America. Ketou Yoruba is interspersed with French words, the same way Yoruba spoken in Nigeria and South America is heavily influenced by English, Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese respectively. Of much interest is the orthography of some names in the dialect. The standard Yoruba, for instance, frowns at the use of double consonants in words while at the same time discourages the use of certain vowels together in words. Sounds like (u) and (o) are never combined in standard Yoruba language, but in Ketou Yoruba it is allowed.


Names like (Olatounji, Segoun, Oulou, Adetoutou) and many more are common. You could also come across names having a cluster of consonants like (Akpmampa) and others.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/features/4837-48-hours-in-benin-republic-reporters-odyssey-of-race-smuggling-history-plus-ketou-the-french-yoruba-of-benin-republic

https://www.jesusfilm.org/watch/jesus.html/ede-cabe.html

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