Radoillo:
Hey, I have a question. It's not really related to this topic.

What does Oke Eri mean in Yoruba?

Hmn, its related to this topic na, lol. It is the name for the very place where the Queen of Sheba was buried.

There are probable handful of meaning to the term Oke Eri, but we need trim down to two.

Oke (hill), Eri (Evidence, Credence). By this token, Oke Eri means 'the Hill of Credence'. That's profound.

A possible root meaning would be Oke-Eri: 'Upland by the River'. At one time, Eri used to be 'river'.
----
Etymologically, Eri derived from 'seen' or 'discovery'. Oluweri, (Oluwo+Eri) is the chief navigator in Yoruba maritime history.

'Wo-ri' or iwori (itori) means 'move about on the river', and another ancient idea of this is ije (moving about) bu(the sea).

The lead vouyager would be Owa, Agbo, Olufe, Oluwa or Olugbo. The quest would be Iwa, igbo, Ife, Awun.

If found, the place would be called Ori, Owa, Ife, Awunri, Igbo, Ari, Ado (we berth), Wando.

absoluteSuccess:


Hmn, its related to this topic na, lol. It is the name for the very place where the Queen of Sheba was buried.

There are probable handful of meaning to the term Oke Eri, but we need trim down to two.

Oke (hill), Eri (Evidence, Credence). By this token, Oke Eri means 'the Hill of Credence'. That's profound.

A possible root meaning would be Oke-Eri: 'Upland by the River'. At one time, Eri used to be 'river'.
----
Etymologically, Eri derived from 'seen' or 'discovery'. Oluweri, (Oluwo+Eri) is the chief navigator in Yoruba maritime history.

'Wo-ri' or iwori (itori) means 'move about on the river', and another ancient idea of this is ije (moving about) bu(the sea).

The lead vouyager would be Owa, Agbo, Olufe, Oluwa or Olugbo. The quest would be Iwa, igbo, Ife, Awun.

If found, the place would be called Ori, Owa, Ife, Awunri, Igbo, Ari, Ado (we berth), Wando.

Thank you. I actually didn't know Oke Eri was connected with Bilikisu. I was asking for a very different reason.

I'm more interested in 'eri' meaning 'river' than in 'eri' meaning 'evidence/credence'. You said that at one time 'eri' meant 'river'. Does this mean that 'eri' no longer means 'river' in modern-day Yoruba? Or is it used to mean 'river' in some Yoruba dialects, but not in others?

What about the Eastern Yoruba areas (Owo, Ekiti, Ondo, etc) and Itsekiri, which word do they use for 'river'?

Radoillo:


Thank you. I actually didn't know Oke Eri was connected with Bilikisu. I was asking for a very different reason.

I'm more interested in 'eri' meaning 'river' than in 'eri' meaning 'evidence/credence'. You said that at one time 'eri' meant 'river'. Does this mean that 'eri' no longer means 'river' in modern-day Yoruba? Or is it used to mean 'river' in some Yoruba dialects, but not in others?

What about the Eastern Yoruba areas (Owo, Ekiti, Ondo, etc) and Itsekiri, which word do they use for 'river'?

It is. I dont think many Yoruba know eri to be river, it's Odo, Ibu or Agbami that we are familiar with. I only know that much. Except others can help.

I gave the 2 options so as to demonstrate that eri stands for river, otherwise we would make do with 'credence' which the eredo intonation supports.

I got the inkling about eri meaning river by analysing Yoruba word for aloe vera (ewe-eti-eri), an ancient plant. Then an elder told me ijebus call river, eri.

I am sorry this reply is out of place. I need the contacts of the Tori news people urgently!

nwhator32:
I am sorry this reply is out of place. I need the contacts of the Tori news people urgently!

Try entertainment or music section, create thread on it. Someone might help.

Some words are at the verge of extinction in many languages, I think.

I remember reading an account where the writer add 'elena' as part of the items for a charm.

Well, elena is your regular spider, known in the mainstream as alantakun. When I asked 'what's elena?' I wonder what that nice name means.

Yet there is a meaning to it, ever present: Elena is 'the craftmaker'. 'Oga' is said to be alagemo, hmn nice for chamellion.

Sometimes we are the last holder of a word or an ageless tradition, when we go, it goes with us.

Two of the kids I learn the song of sungbo with did not made it to 30. tetede, bodunrin, my beloved cousins.

The others may never ever know if such a thing happen that I speak of. Whatever happens to the maids and the message?

As for men keeping secrets secret: 'opolo nyenyin, onfeyin pamo. Kilo fi npamo fun?' Some die in possesion of profound secrets.

Let your knowledge bloom to see the light of the day, to bless some souls. No holds barred on enlightenment.

Peace.

Why does Ije mean movement in ancient Yoruba and also mean movement/journey in Igbo?
Ok na.

Ihuomadinihu:
Why does Ije mean movement in ancient Yoruba and also mean movement/journey in Igbo?
Ok na.

Because there are words that are pertinent to our (Nigerian) common history.

There should be words that collectors of our history and tradition needs to designate as 'shared words', to enrich our history.

Growing up, I noticed my grandma usually fast every 5 days, from evening to the evening of the 6th day.

The day is called 'Je-gan-gbe' meaning 'the wayfare leader's day'. Je is 'wayfare' or 'to arrive somewhere' in Egun.

If I say fiteh a jei? (where are you going?), you might say 'njei topa' (i'm going to the well).

fiteh a'o jeh to fineh? Where have you gotten to over there?

Je is some sort of historical credential with the ancients.

@Radoillo,

Thanks for being a companion on this topic, you might not want to know or yet ready to accept that an empire long lost to the rubbles of time foster a civilization south-west Africa, and that forms the cradle crescent in Africa, comprising of cameroun, nigeria and benin.

these three countries are dispersal points of the black race from 3 thousand years ago. We owe our civilization to the explorers of this time.

They were more advance than the generations that came afterwards, hence they were worshipped. I've the impression that resounding names across nigerian culture is how far across the country these icons transverse.

The distance and connection between nigerian cultures is limited to our individual imaginations collectively.

Now let me reveal a profound secret 1: the bible writers knew how to keep secrets and get it delivered to the right recepient without much interference.

Granted, the actual relics of the romance between king solomon and Queen sheba inspired the Song of Solomon.

@Radoillo,

Thanks for being a companion on this topic, you might not be ready to accept that an empire long lost to the rubbles of time foster a civilization south-west Africa, and that forms the cradle crescent in Africa, comprising of cameroun, nigeria and benin.

these three countries are dispersal points of the black race from 3 thousand years ago. We owe our civilization to the explorers of this time.

They were more advance than the generations that came afterwards, hence they were worshipped. I've the impression that resounding names across nigerian culture is how far across the country these icons transverse.

The distance and connection between nigerian cultures is limited to our individual imaginations collectively.

Now let me reveal a profound secret 1: the bible writers knew how to keep secrets and get it delivered to the right recepient without much interference.

Granted, the actual relics of the romance between king solomon and Queen sheba inspired the Song of Solomon.

Profound Secret 2.

God has helped many individuals to profound secrets. I enjoyed what it feels like to come about profound secrets in my 20s, such discoveries made me so humble in real life.

One of such moment was reading my bible in year 2000, and it was song of solomon. Something told me, this book is in a ring form, it does not start at chapter one verse one.

Now the secret is, the Queen of Sheba was a bible character, her tale is to be drawn from the bible, not from external legends. The reason is not far fetched, without bible mention, Sheba does not exist far too long.

What story emanates from Sheba? Whoever will draw that out will be a seer. I'm such a seer by virtue of my Awori (seers' discovery) connections.

To get the true picture of things, read the song of solomon to unravel the hidden tales of Sheba. I like to give you a headstart.

When Sheba arrived at Jerusalem, she was lodged at the royal court somewhere in the city. One night, king solomon paid a Secret Visit to his guest.

There are certain phenomenon that still eludes me, though I delight in the ones I've found. A piece of analysis will do.

The ancestors are wordsmiths, no doubt. I have an uncanny way of verifying each term I pluck from plethora of words.

Elena is a typical example, that the ancestors were thinkers, and they consciously named most things in this process.

It ought to be 'Olona', ona is Yoruba for 'ornamental designs'. But Ona is also a word for road, from the idea of 'o na' meaning 'outstretched'.

The wordsmiths of old seems to avoid Olona and settles for elena, so the term is not enmeshed in ambiguity this one time.

Where did the ancestors get their syllables from, to form words? How does what each of such represent in our languages filter back to us with meaning?

There are so many mystery behind what is taken for granted. Language makes human civilization possible.

What if the ancestors float a school of linguistics in the remote past to create the frameworks of our languages?

Only God knows.

.

www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/sheba/#
BRB.

.

2Prexious--your knowledge of older Yoruba words is really profound, even though I don't always agree with your interpretations. I've learned and re-verified many things from you so I just wanted to say thanks for sharing!

TerraCotta:
2Prexious--your knowledge of older Yoruba words is really profound, even though I don't always agree with your interpretations. I've learned and re-verified many things from you so I just wanted to say thanks for sharing!

Wow,

I'm highly honoured by your vote of appreciation,

you are one of the best we have here sir.

I was just about saying farewell to details.

if just few appreciates, its worth the stress.

I appreciates, thanks.

absoluteSuccess:
www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/sheba/#
BRB.

When I read this link, i found that the word Sheba derived from sabe or shabab, meaning slave.

It just occur to me few minutes ago to check up the word slave in hebrew. I got 'Ebed' from biblehub.com

Ebed is akin to 'GBEJI', which is Egbeji in mainstream Yoruba. Thus, ebed is a form of egbeji, which is a form of ebedi. Ebed (hebrew), Ebedi(Yoruba).

I have been searching for what ebedi means for long, as in 'Iseyin oro omo ebedi moko'

Alado m'oro, and Iseyin oro. (Iseyin is also a prominent quarter at Ado). Oro and ika are the same, as in 'egbeji ologun 'ka' (bad charmer).

Before now, I dont know what gbeji stands for in the zungbo song,

Gbeji ni o koire

but now I think its an alternative for 'Sheba', and that means ebed (or abad), from hebrew.

And then it comes from hebrew to Yoruba as ebedi, and finally settles as egbeji without meaning. A word do have meaning where it originates from.

Hi, AbsoluteSuccess.

I'd like to ask another question about the archaic Yoruba word for stream, eri. How is it pronounced - like, what are the tone marks on it?

Érí? Èrì? Érì? Èrí?

.

Radoillo:
Hi, AbsoluteSuccess.

I'd like to ask another question about the archaic Yoruba word for stream, eri. How is it pronounced - like, what are the tone marks on it?

Érí? Èrì? Érì? Èrí?

Good morning bro,

I think the particular option is missing, the intonation is 'rere'.

the first option up there in your list is the strong form of it.

the last is what the Yoruba pronounces when they call the place its name.

the option you ask for rhymes with Eric. I mean the option for 'river'.

(as in) Eric Moore.

.

absoluteSuccess:


Good morning bro,

I think the particular option is missing, the intonation is 'rere'.

the first option up there in your list is the strong form of it.

the last is what the Yoruba pronounces when they call the place its name.

the option you ask for rhymes with Eric. I mean the option for 'river'.

(as in) Eric Moore.

Èrí was the original word for Òrí ( head) ,which was as a result of Oyo's phonemes that became adopted as the standard. This affected such letters as È, O, simply because of the language's correct alphabetical arrangement and usage. Érí is also a name,which is different from the interpretation of yours and this name existed before present day Christianity because it is one of the genealogical oriki of Ooni Olubuse.
It is as this; ‘Olubuse Eri Ogun'. The point here is within the Orikis ,there are hidden historical information that has not been examined to determine the actual reason for such name and formation of it.

absoluteSuccess:
.

good evening brother, regarding your song, which obalufon is being mention, or who rather?, cause am thinking it's Obalufon Alaayemore

jupiterx:

good evening brother, regarding your song, which obalufon is being mention, or who rather?, cause am thinking it's Obalufon Alaayemore

There is no iota of doubt about the Oriki because, it belonged to Obalufon Alayemore.

You've probably got this all figured out.

Nothing wrong with an alternative hypothesis, but at least the proponent of an alternative hypothesis should be able to show why he believes the already existing hypothesis is wrong, and his own correct.

There's already a consensus in mainstream academia that the Kingdom of Sheba was the same as the ancient Southern Arabian and Northern Ethiopian Kingdom of Saba centred in what is today Yemen. The Kingdom of Saba fits the description for a number of reasons:

1. The timeline marches the dating for King Solomon in Israelite chronology.

The Kingdom of Saba was already flourishing by c.930 BC - around the time we know King Solomon was on the throne in Jerusalem.

2. The Bible mentions that the Queen of Sheba brought gifts of spices, gold and precious stones.

Again, this fits with what is known about the Arabian kingdom of Saba. The Kingdom is known to have acquired great wealth from a monopoly of the spice trade through Southern Arabia. So, it makes sense that this spice-rich kingdom would present King Solomon with spices.

Also, archaeological work on the colonies controlled by the Kingdom of Saba in Northern Ethiopia has revealed extensive gold mines mined from antiquity by the Sabeans. So in addition to its riches in spices, this kingdom was also rich in gold.

3. The names of the Biblical Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saba march one another

Hebrew is a somewhat 'coarse' language. For example, 's' in Arabic occurs often in Hebrew as 'sh'.

eg: Shalom (Hebrew) : Salam (Arabic)
Ishmael (Hebrew) : Ismail (Arabic)

As 'sh' becomes 's', so also in many (though not all) cases, the Hebrew 'e' becomes the Arabic 'a'.

eg: El (Hebrew) : Allah (Arabic)
Melech (Hebrew) : Malik (Arabic)
Shem (Hebrew) : Sam (Arabic).

Following these rules of sound change, the name of the Biblical Kingdom (Sheba) is a perfect march for the name of the ancient Yemenite Kingdom (Saba). In fact, the Arabic name (as well as Qu'ranic name) for Sheba is simply Saba - the name of the ancient Yemenite Kingdom.

4. Considering your reference to 'the ends of the earth':

This phrase also fits the position of Saba in the southern Arabian region of Yemen. Beyond the Southern Arabian peninsula where Saba is situated you have the Red Sea on the west and the Indian Ocean on the south and east. On the other side of both water bodies are the little known (from a biblical point of view) Indian and Subsaharan African subcontinents. So in a sense, Southern Arabia was at the 'ends of the world' from the view point of someone in ancient Israel.

I see what you tried to do with the name Bilikisu. Cool and impressive. But perhaps I should remind you that the name of the queen of Sheba is not really known. The Bible which was the first book to tell her story did not give us her. The Qu'ran, too, gave us no name. The first name ascribed to her came from Ethiopian sources, and the name given was Makeda. At a later period in history, Muslim scholars came up with the name Bilqis, which scholars believe was derived from the Hebrew word 'Pilegesh', meaning "concubine" (Because she was believed to have been Solomon's concubine.)

It is instructive that it is by the Muslim name (Bilqis -Bilikisu) that she has become known among the Ijebus, who began to convert to Islam in the mid-19th century. I don't think it is a far-fetched speculation to posit that the Ijebu who had lost the original account of how their ancestors built the defensive earthwork around their kingdom in about the ninth century after Christ, began to turn for explanation to the newly acquired religion of Islam and the story of Bilqis (Bilikisu).

In summary: the evidence in favour of Saba is very strong, from chronology to linguistics, to biblical evidence. And anyone who intends to propose an alternative theory has to make an equally strong (if not stronger) case.

Bilikisu had existed before 19th century or advent of muslim converts in Ijebu.

I’ve read on Wikipedia on the possible connection of Queen Sheba (it isn’t Queen OF Sheba) with Nigeria. But I personally believe she ruled north Sudan, north Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen.

Olu317:
There is no iota of doubt about the Oriki because, it belonged to Obalufon Alayemore.

My oba... This is interesting sir, but how does he fit into the story and song?

jupiterx:

My oba... This is interesting sir, but how does he fit into the story and song?

Osungbo is the name of the place,where Bilikisu(assumed Queen of Sheba) resided and ultimately died. The same name was used to send a prophetic message to Obalufon,when he sojourned to the place,he was worshipped which is not too far from Ado,that absolutesuccess mentioned as his family compund. And from this information, given out, it proved that the compound those maidservants/ traditionalist cultic group visited belonged to Obalufon and his descendants, if one understand and consider the praises adduced to this particular compund. It only showed there was a relationship between the Osungbo cult group,who probably were collectively priests/Seers, with outstanding seering. If one realise that Ijebuland either of the past or today , had and still has innumerable numbers of IFA priests and other Yoruba cultic groups within her enclave.
How does it fit in ?
It showed that it is possible for any one,especially of a royalty to travel to other places and such person's legacy is imprinted on sands of time. In essence, Bilikisu could be Ijebu(Yoruba) despite inconsitency with the radio carbon that proved ILE IFE as the first habited by Yorubas, which is contrary to Eredo–Osungbo in Ijebu. Despite this, it could also be a historical memory transfer at a probable different locaton from one generation to another till infinity of a woman known as a Bilikisu(Queen Sheba). Furthermore, the personalities could be different, considering the vast years of existence between Obalufon and Solomon .True or False, no one is really sure , if Queen of Sheba had a child or was barren because, there is inconsistency in Yemen–Ethiopia –Arab's account. And the Bible,didn't give her specific name.

Olu317:
Osungbo is the name of the place,where Bilikisu(assumed Queen of Sheba) resided and ultimately died. The same name was used to send a prophetic message to Obalufon,when he sojourned to the place,he was worshipped which is not too far from Ado,that absolutesuccess mentioned as his family compund. And from this information, given out, it proved that the compound those maidservants/ traditionalist cultic group visited belonged to Obalufon and his descendants, if one understand and consider the praises adduced to this particular compund. It only showed there was a relationship between the Osungbo cult group,who probably were collectively priests/Seers, with outstanding seering. If one realise that Ijebuland either of the past or today , had and still has innumerable numbers of IFA priests and other Yoruba cultic groups within her enclave.
How does it fit in ?
It showed that it is possible for any one,especially of a royalty to travel to other places and such person's legacy is imprinted on sands of time. In essence, Bilikisu could be Ijebu(Yoruba) despite inconsitency with the radio carbon that proved ILE IFE as the first habited by Yorubas, which is contrary to Eredo–Osungbo in Ijebu. Despite this, it could also be a historical memory transfer at a probable different locaton from one generation to another till infinity of a woman known as a Bilikisu(Queen Sheba). Furthermore, the personalities could be different, considering the vast years of existence between Obalufon and Solomon .True or False, no one is really sure , if Queen of Sheba had a child or was barren because, there is inconsistency in Yemen–Ethiopia –Arab's account. And the Bible,didn't give her specific name.

Thanks sir

jupiterx:
Thanks sir

All the best dear.

jupiterx:

good evening brother, regarding your song, which obalufon is being mention, or who rather?, cause am thinking it's Obalufon Alaayemore

The patriarchs are one.

But from Crowther's dictionary, the Obalufon is said to be God of peace. Its just the hint provided in the song and I also do not have a clue as to how it all connects, but my conviction is that all the names in Yoruba pantheon from different city states sprang from a single source.

people from various clans attached some peculiarity to what they can remember about an ancestor in form of cognomen or compound title.