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Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo - Culture (2) - Nairaland

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Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 12:59pm On Mar 14, 2015
kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.

I will go with this

I disagree with the op's

2 Likes

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by UrennaNkoli(f): 12:59pm On Mar 14, 2015
ok o
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by tinyfela: 1:00pm On Mar 14, 2015
Story for the oba's of ajori land grin
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by metorichmond(m): 1:01pm On Mar 14, 2015
Please can somebody here assist me in getting a self contain or connect me to an agent who can help in gettn a self contain@ kubwa Abuja, in a very nice location. Within the range of 200k - 250k asap pls.
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Truckpusher(m): 1:03pm On Mar 14, 2015
kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.
I don't entirely agree with you on this .
it is on record that at a point the slave merchants became weary of the slaves coming from the igbo stock as they are more than willing to commit suicide than remain a humiliated man and a slave in a strange land.
I will find the document and upload it .

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by bettercreature(m): 1:05pm On Mar 14, 2015
I dont understand!
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Omadachi(m): 1:08pm On Mar 14, 2015
An unrepented PDP Elder asked me if I have watched the documentary, I asked which one, he said the documentary showing how Tinubu owes 75% of Lagos revenue, that Tinubu is highly corrupt. And I asked him, Daddy, does Tinubu has immunity, he said NO. Is Tinubu a spirit? he said NO. Is Tinubu in Nigeria, he said yes. Has Tinubu been invited by EFCC? he said NO. I shook my head, and told him, Sir, I pray never to be like you when I grow up. He became sad and walked away. Instead of a sane government to prosecute an alleged corrupt man, they are busy running wasteful documentary with tax payers money.
What a shame!!!

2 Likes

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Misogynist2014(m): 1:12pm On Mar 14, 2015
I didn't even bother reading it, words can come into circulation from anywhere e.g shoki, etc. It doesn't really have to come from anywhere. It might just be a word formed by a village chief, alaafin, a translator or anything, which just caught fire and became popular.
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Misogynist2014(m): 1:18pm On Mar 14, 2015
ChristyG:
so it is d white man that created d word?oyinbo has no origins in ibo,even ibos dont call it oyinbo but oyibo,if u did ur 'research' properly,u would know the white man name for the ibo tribe was 'eebo' not onye whatever.try again next time and 'research' properly
Yorubas too call it 'eebo'
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Misogynist2014(m): 1:19pm On Mar 14, 2015
ChristyG:
so it is d white man that created d word?oyinbo has no origins in ibo,even ibos dont call it oyinbo but oyibo,if u did ur 'research' properly,u would know the white man name for the ibo tribe was 'eebo' not onye whatever.try again next time and 'research' properly
Yorubas too call it 'eebo' instead of oyinbo
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by IleIfe2(m): 1:23pm On Mar 14, 2015
kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.

una don start, that word has nothing to do with ibo. grin grin grin
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by bokohalal(m): 1:25pm On Mar 14, 2015
Oyinbo is neither ofYoruba or Igbo origin. Any attempt at suggesting the etymology of a common Nigerian word in relation to European must recognize the people of the Niger delta that first came into contact with them first. And in this case, especially, the Itsekiris and the Edos.
Among the Edos and Itsekiris EBO(H) and/or OYIBO are still borne today.
The Edo EBO(H) is a contraction of OYIBO with the "Y" silent.
A song of lamentation in Edo goes

Gie Oibo gha rrie
No ke ma ne avian n'khui.

Let the Europeans leave
And the Black people remain.

Oyibodudu is a name you will find among the Itsekiris and maybe the Urhobos of Warri.

1 Like

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by nduchucks: 1:26pm On Mar 14, 2015
ladionline:
Alright...


@Op, make you go write book, or if you don write am, put the amazon.com link hia, I go buy am.

This kind etymology wey you present get historical context sef. Allah know say we youths of today lack historical knowledge about Nigeria, our culture....ati be be lo.

1 Like

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 1:30pm On Mar 14, 2015
kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.
.
.
You make more sense than what the OP is trying to insinuate.... Every words compiled and joined together didn't give a clear meaning to how the word came into existence... But u nailed it...

2 Likes

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Seunn11: 1:38pm On Mar 14, 2015
There is nothing spectacular about some ibos having fair complexion.
In southern Nigeria, interestingly, places where light skin is widespread are same places where cannibalism is rife or where's eating of dog is common.
An explanation put forward is that places where cannibalism is practiced, the dark skinned people are eaten because they are considered to be more nutritious. Light skinned people are even considered to be cursed.
Now, in societies where cannibalism had been or is being practiced, lighter skinned people grow in number. And now due to civilization in many places, the society that used to eat human have shifted their attention to similar-tasting dog meat.
One should not wonder too much then the connection between cannibalism, eating of dog and large number of light skinned people in certain areas in southern parts of Nigeria.

1 Like

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 1:44pm On Mar 14, 2015
Misogynist2014:
I didn't even bother reading it, words can come into circulation from anywhere e.g shoki, etc. It doesn't really have to come from anywhere. It might just be a word formed by a village chief, alaafin, a translator or anything, which just caught fire and became popular.

TRUE
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 2:02pm On Mar 14, 2015
kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.

totally wrong...

where do you get all these false theories from anyway? stop deceiving people and yourself

2 Likes

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by 1stola: 2:02pm On Mar 14, 2015
[s]
kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.
[/s]
Crap!
Oyinbo is from two words
Oyin = peeled
Bo = Bleach
Means > Oyin-bo = peeled skin or bleached skin.

3 Likes

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by safarigirl(f): 2:04pm On Mar 14, 2015
We don tire for this argument. We've had it before and Yoruba people are yet to come up with any sensible and straightforward link between their language and the term 'oyibo'

So like in the other thread I will ask, "is Oga also a Yoruba term?" If yes, how did it come about? I await another confusing write-up

1 Like

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by bobbyruffy(m): 2:05pm On Mar 14, 2015
Nice1
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by safarigirl(f): 2:07pm On Mar 14, 2015
Darkrebel666:


totally wrong...

where do you get all these false theories from anyway? stop deceiving people and yourself
oya correct it now cuz the OP's own is more baseless than the one you termed wrong

Like I said, this ish has come up before sometime last year and that OP came up with a theory much like that of this OP...his theory was thrown out like this one

Oya you tell us the correct one or hold your piece cuz the jargons the OP wrote will not fly compared to that of kaorama
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 2:08pm On Mar 14, 2015
safarigirl:
oya correct it now cuz the OP's own is more baseless than the one you termed wrong

Like I said, this ish has come up before sometime last year and that OP came up with a theory much like that of this OP...his theory was thrown out like this one

Oya you tell us the correct one or hold your piece cuz the jargons the OP wrote will not fly compared to that of kaorama


Give me 30 mins. I would explain the etymology of the word.
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by safarigirl(f): 2:09pm On Mar 14, 2015
Seunn11:
There is nothing spectacular about some ibos having fair complexion.
In southern Nigeria, interestingly, places where light skin is widespread are same places where cannibalism is rife or where's eating of dog is common.
An explanation put forward is that places where cannibalism is practiced, the dark skinned people are eaten because they are considered to be more nutritious. Light skinned people are even considered to be cursed.
Now, in societies where cannibalism had been or is being practiced, lighter skinned people grow in number. And now due to civilization in many places, the society that used to eat human have shifted their attention to similar-tasting dog meat.
One should not wonder too much then the connection between cannibalism, eating of dog and large number of light skinned people in certain areas in southern parts of Nigeria.
I know this theory must make you feel awesome so keep telling yourself this grin
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 2:10pm On Mar 14, 2015
1stola:

Crap!
Oyinbo is from two words
Oyin = peeled
Bo = Bleach
Means > Oyin-bo = peeled skin.

yeah.. that's what Google says.. but then google is most times inaccurate. but the peeled/bleach thing is correct
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by safarigirl(f): 2:11pm On Mar 14, 2015
Darkrebel666:



Give me 30 mins. I would explain the etymology of the word.
lol...what do you need 30 minutes for? If you're going to debunk a claim you ought to have a ready argument abi you wan google am? grin
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 2:12pm On Mar 14, 2015
safarigirl:
lol...what do you need 30 minutes for? If you're going to debunk a claim you ought to have a ready argument abi you wan google am? grin

I need to get on a laptop first. Typing on phone makes my phalanges ache
Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 2:14pm On Mar 14, 2015
safarigirl:
We don tire for this argument. We've had it before and Yoruba people are yet to come up with any sensible and straightforward link between their language and the term 'oyibo'

So like in the other thread I will ask, "is Oga also a Yoruba term?" If yes, how did it come about? I await another confusing write-up

Is oga a yoruba term? The answer is yes. Yoruba came into contact with whites before ibos did, it makes no sense Yoruba would refer to the white man as oyinbo and ibos didn't.
Not satisfied with trying to claim our cities you also try to lay claims to our language! It's all good.

2 Likes

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by safarigirl(f): 2:15pm On Mar 14, 2015
This is what Wikipedia says of the term

The origin of the word is difficult to ascertain, some people believe the name is coined from the Yoruba translation of "peeled skin" or "skinless" which in Yoruba translates to "yin" - scratch "bo" - off/peel. In Igbo language demonym takes the form " onye + the place of origin" of the person, hence, and Igbo person is called " Onye Igbo". A Yoruba person is called " Onye Yoruba". A German is "onye Germany". Thus the first white people were called "onye ocha" for singular and "ndi ocha" for plural meaning "white person and white people" respectively. This was because the Igbo people of those days did not know from where the white people came. Interaction between the Igbos and the white people resulted in the white people trying to refer to the Igbos with a name similar to what the Igbos called them, but there was problem in pronouncing Igbo words due to presence of double lettered alphabets which involve nasal pronunciation,in some of the consonants such as 'ch', 'gb', 'gh', 'gw', 'kp', 'kw', 'nw', 'ny', 'sh'. These were not present in English language hence the difficulty in the white man's effort in giving the Igbos similar demonym as the Igbo people had given to him, instead a name resulting from a mutilation of Igbo words was produced "Oyi ibo' instead of " onyi igbo' meaning 'Igbo person' just as he 'the white man' was called ' onye ocha' meaning 'white person'. It was this 'oyi ibo' that the Igbos later started referring to as 'white person' in a way of mocking the white man for his inability in saying "Onye Igbo". This would later be adopted by other Southern Nigerian tribes as the standard name for the white man and coupled with dialect variance one obtains different pronunciations such as "Oyinbo' in Yoruba and other western Nigerian tribes. Also, 'Oyibo' means English Language in Igbo. In general usage it may refer to individuals with various skin complaints such as vitiligo or genetic conditions such as albinism, or the result of scars from burns that heal without natural pigmentation.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyibo

So can everyone now shut up and stop trying to make eediotic claims? It's a Nigerian term, shikena!

2 Likes

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 2:17pm On Mar 14, 2015
Seunn11:
There is nothing spectacular about some ibos having fair complexion.

One should not wonder too much then the connection between cannibalism, eating of dog and large number of light skinned people in certain areas in southern parts of Nigeria.

Cannibalism is not the eating of dogs. Cannibalism wasn't and isn't even rampant in Nigeria

places cannibalism were practiced
New Guinea
Fiji
Amazon Basin
Congo
Māori New Zealand etc

1 Like

Re: Etymology Of The Word Oyinbo by Nobody: 2:17pm On Mar 14, 2015
safarigirl:
This is what Wikipedia says of the term

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyibo

So can everyone now shut up and stop trying to make eediotic claims? It's a Nigerian term, shikena!

Wikipedia is not history, anyone can edit it.

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