The Caucasians know us more than we do and that was the reason they partitioned us into different countries under different task-masters. There was even a British documents calling ijebus (Jabu Kingdom on the map) Jebusites/ jebus. Most of the kingdoms on that map have common ancestry/ or are neighbors from the East.

adee17:
The Caucasians know us more than we do and that was the reason they partitioned us into different countries under different task-masters. There was even a British documents calling ijebus (Jabu Kingdom on the map) Jebusites/ jebus. Most of the kingdoms on that map have common ancestry/ or are neighbors from the East.

That's true bro.

Earlier Europeans were in search of a Christian Prester Jean, whose great kingdom and vast empire could help Europe against the incursion of the muhamedans after the fall of Byzantium.

That's part of the original motivation for seafaring amongst European countries. The various discoveries and trade contracts spiralled to the slave trade and opening up of foreign markets that birth the industrial revolution.

But the same process secured the power of the west against the natives at various lands so discovered. Thus began the imperial era that got European powers scrambling for control over the continent and elsewhere.

1000BC

The Yorubaland was originally discovered by the ancient mariners from the earliest seafaring neighbourhood of old, known to first circumnavigate the coasts of Africa, namely the Phoenicians.

The Phoenicians had the secret of the sea before any other nation. Copernicus possibly borrowed their idea to postulate that the earth is spherical. That said, Palestine was a warzone at the time.

The Canaanites may not have emptied to this place, but they were first to discover and exploit the mineral resources and equally settled the land during the period of its discovery.

The Phoenicians discovered west coast, they brought the Hebrew and other Canaanites alongside. It was the period Israel had an empire over Palestine and Syria, hence the larger chunks of land goes to the Hebrew.

The era was not recorded in European history that began earnestly with Homer's, but Yoruba tradition duly preserve the record. It's the best time to peruse and unravel the mystery concealed for long in our tradition.

West Africa was sparsely populated until the migrations of hebrews and cannanites following wars and persecution. Apart from Nok Kingdom (Mid central part of Nigeria), many of the occupants of the geographical space called Nigeria are migrants, and mysteriously aligned almost the same way they were in the Near East. In fact they continue in the friendship and animosity they carried from their original habitats. e.g. Lange* made us understand that a place called Igboho near Oyo is a replica of Gozan/ Hubur region ( Etymologically Igboho is Gozan/ Hubur) in eastern Syria where Assyria Army initially carried Northern Israel in 722BC. This same history is in Oyo oral history but the details are foggy to them. Same with Ijebus living side by side with Yorubas as it was in the Near East. Most of earlier history took place in the Near East but we continue here as if we were originally from here and that is why we hit rock when we want to probe further behind. The footprints of some of our cultures, naming, name of towns, rituals, language, including Oriki are not here. We will awake when it is time.
*Dierk Lange, Origin of the Yoruba and “The Lost Tribes of Israel”. Anthropos 106.2011

absoluteSuccess:


That's true bro.

Earlier Europeans were in search of a Christian Prester Jean, whose great kingdom and vast empire could help Europe against the incursion of the muhamedans after the fall of Byzantium.

That's part of the original motivation for seafaring amongst European countries. The various discoveries and trade contracts spiralled to the slave trade and opening up of foreign markets that birth the industrial revolution.

But the same process secured the power of the west against the natives at various lands so discovered. Thus began the imperial era that got European powers scrambling for control over the continent and elsewhere.

1000BC

The Yorubaland was originally discovered by the ancient mariners from the earliest seafaring neighbourhood of old, known to first circumnavigate the coasts of Africa, namely the Phoenicians.

The Phoenicians had the secret of the sea before any other nation. Copernicus possibly borrowed their idea to postulate that the earth is spherical. That said, Palestine was a warzone at the time.

The Canaanites may not have emptied to this place, but they were first to discover and exploit the mineral resources and equally settled the land during the period of its discovery.

The Phoenicians discovered west coast, they brought the Hebrew and other Canaanites alongside. It was the period Israel had an empire over Palestine and Syria, hence the larger chunks of land goes to the Hebrew.

The era was not recorded in European history that began earnestly with Homer's, but Yoruba tradition duly preserve the record. It's the best time to peruse and unravel the mystery concealed for long in our tradition.

Interesting thread. The little I know of my family pedigree is extracted from my grandma. I wish I could get to know more but the people I can approach to learn it are either too busy or unaware of the details. Anyways, I will share the ones I learnt from Grandma every morning praise.

Omo Boore (Boore is an abbreviation of "Borepo")
Omo Boore ba po lapoju ibi ni da.
Omo aniwo laanu
Omo oniwo n'le gba you rode
Omo adiye l'fon laaye
Oba
Oba to b'omo e wo, atontori ("antontori" here means "anbosibosi) omoolomo

adee17:
West Africa was sparsely populated until the migrations of hebrews and cannanites following wars and persecution. Apart from Nok Kingdom (Mid central part of Nigeria), many of the occupants of the geographical space called Nigeria are migrants, and mysteriously aligned almost the same way they were in the Near East. In fact they continue in the friendship and animosity they carried from their original habitats.

That's true, the old bickering between Yoruba and Ijebu comes to mind, such that the other Yoruba are not always keen to marry the Ijebu because they would have one problem or the other with the Ijebu.

Some folks also would find one reason or the other to blame the Ijebu among other things. It's the old shenanigans the Jew have for the Jebusite playing out. Both were serious competitors at the onset of time.

Albeit, the birth of friendship was when David captured Jerusalem without bloodshed and built a capital therein. This point marked a new beginning in their frosty relationship.

Since Jebu was the old name for Jerusalem, it's pertinent that Yoruba history repeats itself in place names as continuation of her history in a new world. Hence we have Ijebu here too.

e.g. Lange* made us understand that a place called Igboho near Oyo is a replica of Gozan/ Hubur region ( Etymologically Igboho is Gozan/ Hubur) in eastern Syria where Assyria Army initially carried Northern Israel in 722BC. This same history is in Oyo oral history but the details are foggy to them. Same with Ijebus living side by side with Yorubas as it was in the Near East.

Most of the connection to the East remains foggy in Yoruba tradition. Change doesnt discriminate on what to keep or what to discard. A change in language results chiefly from separation.

Change makes random transformation of original language as people interacts with their new environment. Nobody's tongue is tied to any language forever, hence the Yoruba would say "ahon won ti lo".

The only thing that is constant is change. Two factors vital for change is isolation and interaction. It's not possible to control what a language will change to.

You can only tell how it all began studying one language with another that seems related to it. Examples is studying Yoruba language side by side with Hebrew, English or Japanese as control.

Most of earlier history took place in the Near East but we continue here as if we were originally from here and that is why we hit rock when we want to probe further behind. The footprints of some of our cultures, naming, name of towns, rituals, language, including Oriki are not here. We will awake when it is time.
*Dierk Lange, Origin of the Yoruba and “The Lost Tribes of Israel”. Anthropos 106.2011

Yes, at least I've come across valuable points in this direction. I have discussed this elsewhere, the origin of Yoruba tribal marks for example originated in the concept of aristocracy that's parralel with the antiquity of the East.

Keke, a kind of tribal mark depicted the chariot, Abaja implies 'armoured chariot", Pele depicts peletites, (Philistine) and ture (tyrenians). These were soldiers of Palestines in time of old.

The Yoruba identify themselves with the tribal marks to depict their aristocratic background. For instance, in my family, we use to have the Pele. This means we align with the Philistines.

All this instances are drawn from memoirs of the ancient world that the Yoruba were once familiar with, as there's no tradition in today's Yoruba of the use of chariot to prosecute war.

Someone said they could have invented such by themselves, but to what end and where are the replica in Yoruba? The Yoruba vegetation cannot support such invention.

But the device has already imprinted an indelible mark on the consciousness of Yoruba language, art and culture that it became a practice the proponents cannot explain themselves today.

Whenever we get it right, the power of the Divine will always bless us with timeless secrets, to separate us from every "intelligent noisemakers" arrogating void importance to themselves.

Noise will eventually fade away, knowledge will remain for all time.

Ciao.

babtoundey:
Interesting thread. The little I know of my family pedigree is extracted from my grandma. I wish I could get to know more but the people I can approach to learn it are either too busy or unaware of the details. Anyways, I will share the ones I learnt from Grandma every morning praise.

Omo Boore (Boore is an abbreviation of "Borepo"
Omo Boore ba po lapoju ibi ni da.
Omo aniwo laanu
Omo oniwo n'le gba you rode
Omo adiye l'fon laaye
Oba
Oba to b'omo e wo, atontori ("antontori" here means "anbosibosi) omoolomo

Great piece bro. But can you attempt to translate it?

Omo aniwo laanu: Scion of the wealthy and merciful, one who has money at home and took... to town.

Scion of adiye that never crows alive?

The king that visit his own child not to talk of another's.

I may have murdered some parts, that's why one must obtain "Ase" from the original oriki before attempting to peruse it's meaning.

You got it sir, the carryover of the relationship is still in existence. See the Edos and their jealous of Yoruba is legendary and that is why there is no need to argue with them as many are doing on several Edo topics on nairaland. They are our brother; we are twins and the rivalry has been there since conception. Hausas are getting their rewards from Fulani for how they treated and destroyed our homeland in the Near East, and several other examples of continual relationship in this same country. Concerning the'intelligent noisemakers', leave them alone. They are asleep and not yet awake. It is the prophecy that we will forget who we were, our name will be changed and our land partitioned etc. until the time of redemption. They will sooner or later wake up.

absoluteSuccess:


That's true, the old bickering between Yoruba and Ijebu comes to mind, such that the other Yoruba are not always keen to marry the Ijebu because they would have one problem or the other with the Ijebu.

Some folks also would find one reason or the other to blame the Ijebu among other things. It's the old shenanigans the Jew have for the Jebusite playing out. Both were serious competitors at the onset of time.

Albeit, the birth of friendship was when David captured Jerusalem without bloodshed and built a capital therein. This point marked a new beginning in their frosty relationship.

Since Jebu was the old name for Jerusalem, it's pertinent that Yoruba history repeats itself in place names as continuation of her history in a new world. Hence we have Ijebu here too.



Most of the connection to the East remains foggy in Yoruba tradition. Change doesnt discriminate on what to keep or what to discard. A change in language results chiefly from separation.

Change makes random transformation of original language as people interacts with their new environment. Nobody's tongue is tied to any language forever, hence the Yoruba would say "ahon won ti lo".

The only thing that is constant is change. Two factors vital for change is isolation and interaction. It's not possible to control what a language will change to.

You can only tell how it all began studying one language with another that seems related to it. Examples is studying Yoruba language side by side with Hebrew, English or Japanese as control.



Yes, at least I've come across valuable points in this direction. I have discussed this elsewhere, the origin of Yoruba tribal marks for example originated in the concept of aristocracy that's parralel with the antiquity of the East.

Keke, a kind of tribal mark depicted the chariot, Abaja implies 'armoured chariot", Pele depicts peletites, (Philistine) and ture (tyrenians). These were soldiers of Palestines in time of old.

The Yoruba identify themselves with the tribal marks to depict their aristocratic background. For instance, in my family, we use to have the Pele. This means we align with the Philistines.

All this instances are drawn from memoirs of the ancient world that the Yoruba were once familiar with, as there's no tradition in today's Yoruba of the use of chariot to prosecute war.

Someone said they could have invented such by themselves, but to what end and where are the replica in Yoruba? The Yoruba vegetation cannot support such invention.

But the device has already imprinted an indelible mark on the consciousness of Yoruba language, art and culture that it became a practice the proponents cannot explain themselves today.

Whenever we get it right, the power of the Divine will always bless us with timeless secrets, to separate us from every "intelligent noisemakers" arrogating void importance to themselves.

Noise will eventually fade away, knowledge will remain for all time.

Ciao.

absoluteSuccess:


Great piece bro. But can you attempt to translate it?

Omo aniwo laanu: Scion of the wealthy and merciful, one who has money at home and took... to town.

Scion of adiye that never crows alive?

The king that visit his own child not to talk of another's.

I may have murdered some parts, that's why one must obtain "Ase" from the original oriki before attempting to peruse it's meaning.

You've actually murdered a lot. lol
The "iwo" is not of wealth it's of poison.

I would have attempted translating it but I found it a bit hard. but let me try.

Omo Boore - Scion of Boore (Boore is an abbreviation of Boorepo (we are of Borepo family in Osun state)
Omo Boore ba po lapoju ibi lon da - the child of he that that holds the view that excess compassion brings forth evil (regret)
Omo aniwo laanu - the Scion of he that has poison together with its antidote
Omo oniwo Nile gbayi rode - the child of he that has poison at home and takes another out.
Omo adiye lefon laaye- the child that prices life efon (efon here takes the sound RE-DO. not mosquito)
Omo abeere mogamoga - I don't know what this mean.
Oba - (is not that of king. it sounds DO DO) The touch
Oba to n b'omo e wo atontori omoolomo - the tough touch that touches his own seed not to talk of another person's.

2prexios:
There are countless ways the founding fathers of the Yoruba civilization had tried to reach us with wealth of information and knowledge that has formed the bedrock of Yoruba culture.

One of such sees to the invention of oriki, meaning "geneological praise". It's definitely a great family poetry that seems ordinary but loaded with meaning. I will start with my family oriki, ile latii keso r'ode.

Was oyo really an empire

adee17:
You got it sir, the carryover of the relationship is still in existence. See the Edos and their jealous of Yoruba is legendary and that is why there is no need to argue with them as many are doing on several Edo topics on nairaland. They are our brother; we are twins and the rivalry has been there since conception. Hausas are getting their rewards from Fulani for how they treated and destroyed our homeland in the Near East, and several other examples of continual relationship in this same country. Concerning the'intelligent noisemakers', leave them alone. They are asleep and not yet awake. It is the prophecy that we will forget who we were, our name will be changed and our land partitioned etc. until the time of redemption. They will sooner or later wake up.

LOL, you can never help the eternal hatred. It will always play itself out. That's playing out between the Yoruba and the Bini.

But they're good people too and we'll always have them as the hand of God. Remember Obadiah, he was a prophet from Edom.

Sometimes I agree with the Edo as the originators of Oba, Obadiah derived from Edom and the Edomite have kings before the Israelites.

Some of their arguments reinforce the truth.

Do you think that the Hausa were Assyrians? I believe they were the same kindred as the Yoruba. Nigeria was originally established by the same ancestors.

My take though.

gregyboy:



Was oyo really an empire

Yoruba was a nation of kindreds.

Britain was an empire but America is not.

They have different leadership styles.

babtoundey:


You've actually murdered a lot. lol
The "iwo" is not of wealth it's of poison.

I would have attempted translating it but I found it a bit hard. but let me try.

Omo Boore - Scion of Boore (Boore is an abbreviation of Boorepo (we are of Borepo family in Osun state)
Omo Boore ba po lapoju ibi lon da - the child of he that that holds the view that excess compassion brings forth evil (regret)
Omo aniwo laanu - the Scion of he that has poison together with its antidote
Omo oniwo Nile gbayi rode - the child of he that has poison at home and takes another out.
Omo adiye lefon laaye- the child that prices life efon (efon here takes the sound RE-DO. not mosquito)
Omo abeere mogamoga - I don't know what this mean.
Oba - (is not that of king. it sounds DO DO) The touch
Oba to n b'omo e wo atontori omoolomo - the tough touch that touches his own seed not to talk of another person's.

LOL, my bad. I've murdered a lot. Iwo, poison. But still aniwo laanu still implies ambivalence. One who has poison and equally merciful, I think laanu there implies merciful.

Gbayi rode should mean "enjoy fanfare at the gates". Sorry I'm not often interpreting loosely, I like to stay with the most perfect meaning.

Efon is buffalo.

I will still employ the attributes of the given oriki here for similarities in style and composition. Thanks for the update bro.

absoluteSuccess:


LOL, my bad. I've murdered a lot. Iwo, poison. But still aniwo laanu still implies ambivalence. One who has poison and equally merciful, I think laanu there implies merciful.

Gbayi rode should mean "enjoy fanfare at the gates". Sorry I'm not often interpreting loosely, I like to stay with the most perfect meaning.

Efon is buffalo.

I will still employ the attributes of the given oriki here for similarities in style and composition. Thanks for the update bro.

Oniwo nile - he has a portion of poison at home
gbayi rode - and takes another portion out (while on outing)

You're welcome.

babtoundey:


Oniwo nile - he has a portion of poison at home
gbayi rode - and takes another portion out (while on outing)

You're welcome.

Thanks for your the patience, now I can see my error. Let me risk saying gbayi in that Yoruba means "take (this) one" out to town.

2prexios:


Quite nostalgic! I've just read your post on the oriki, great insight as usual. I have a co-discussant in you.

I think Whydeh is François for Awanden, which in fon means Awan (penile, warfare) deh (tough). By this, Whydeh means battle strong.

The peoples oriki confirm the obvious: wanganvi, pekonu. Alojehvi, alojeh mapekoh. Wanganvi means "scion of the war head".

Somehow the Yoruba have equivalent for the word whydeh, Alakija, ikijah, battle strong. The earliest form of this pertains with Elekiyah. That's Beyoja.

The oriki I cited belonged to poenu, the people of the lion or feline (omo ekun) similar to the egbas' igbedu ekun tofitofi, omo ekun to tirutiru.

@Adee17,

I think I've a break, you are perfectly right as to the root of the term "whydah" being derivative of a kingdom of Judah as record has shown.

I stumbled upon the post above, could you believe that Latin for Palestinians or Canaanites used to be Poenus?

People of Awandeh (Whydah) are called Poenu among the Egun. In the same manner, the Greek for Juda is Ouidah.

Poenu, Setonu, Torinu, Anagonu, Tsekrinu, Ajranu, Waenu, etc. My folks are Waenu. The evidence is very interesting.

Poenus is the root for the more popular word "Punic". You have a word that parallels with Egun in Gunugus district of classical Carthage.

These words are immortal, bearing historical recollection and reflection of the lost legacies of the Yoruba and her neighborhood from time.

To God be the glory, the thread has served it's purpose.

Yes, Hausas are ancient Assyrians. The colonizers of ancient Hebrews. They appear as our kindred because many of them left with us down to Africa including Egypt when Assyria empire was attacked. The Yorubas who went to Egypt from Assyria were later deported alongside some Egyptians after it was attacked by Babylonians. It was a mixed multitudes. Oral history of Hausa, Nupe and Igalas confirmed this journey.

absoluteSuccess:


LOL, you can never help the eternal hatred. It will always play itself out. That's playing out between the Yoruba and the Bini.

But they're good people too and we'll always have them as the hand of God. Remember Obadiah, he was a prophet from Edom.

Sometimes I agree with the Edo as the originators of Oba, Obadiah derived from Edom and the Edomite have kings before the Israelites.

Some of their arguments reinforce the truth.

Do you think that the Hausa were Assyrians? I believe they were the same kindred as the Yoruba. Nigeria was originally established by the same ancestors.

My take though.

Glory to God. These tribes, making up Yoruba nation, came together to this geographical space and lived side by side as kingdoms and kindred before the Caucasians partition us into different countries, government by different Caucasian nation, changed our names/kingdoms etc. Their aim was for us to forget who we are as prophesied.

2prexios:


@Adee17,

I think I've a break, you are perfectly right as to the root of the term "whydah" being derivative of a kingdom of Judah as record has shown.

I stumbled upon the post above, could you believe that Latin for Palestinians or Canaanites used to be Poenus?

People of Awandeh (Whydah) are called Poenu among the Egun. In the same manner, the Greek for Juda is Ouidah.

Poenu, Setonu, Torinu, Anagonu, Tsekrinu, Ajranu, Waenu, etc. My folks are Waenu. The evidence is very interesting.

Poenus is the root for the more popular word "Punic". You have a word that parallels with Egun in Gunugus district of classical Carthage.

These words are immortal, bearing historical recollection and reflection of the lost legacies of the Yoruba and her neighborhood from time.

To God be the glory, the thread has served it's purpose.

This thread is full of fairytales and falsehood....

Why do supposed Bini people always try to hijack every thread on Yoruba culture.. gregyboy and a host of other mods are found of this shit.... seun osewa really needs to do something about this nonsense before it gets out of hand

adee17:
Yes, Hausas are ancient Assyrians. The colonizers of ancient Hebrews. They appear as our kindred because many of them left with us down to Africa including Egypt when Assyria empire was attacked. The Yorubas who went to Egypt from Assyria were later deported alongside some Egyptians after it was attacked by Babylonians. It was a mixed multitudes. Oral history of Hausa, Nupe and Igalas confirmed this journey.

The Yoruba did have a thing or two about the Hausa and truly had a leader in antiquity came from this route in folklore.

Yoruba folklores are scientific, you can explore the same to validate tradition and confirm such as history.

"Aina o, keke l'ogun, l"ausa lo ti wa..."

Aina is one of Yoruba's designated "oruko amut'orun wa" (names with philology derived from the source).

Do we have Aina in leadership history of the Yoruba? Very well. Aina Elewure (Ewuare), Regent of Lagos and Bini at inception, the mother of Oba Ado.

Aina Gbeto, a pioneer of the ruling house
popular in Isolo. Somehow, Isolo trace to Isoloshi ruling house at Ota.

Our take in tradition would be the variant preserved in mainstream Yoruba oral record, and that's apparent in Aina Orosun.

Orosun is the transitive form of Irosun eyitiise okan ninu awon omo oloja merindinlogun. Itumo Aina orosun ni Aina oun ree Osun.

How does this connect with Assyrians?

Keke is chariot. The earliest information we have of its usage came from the Assyrians, used by the hyskos to overrun Egypt.

Where did chariot came from into Yoruba as this could not have evolved with them or vanished if they have invented it originally?

Assyrian-Hausa-Aina-Edo-Ado

I think Hausa is much like what you have in Bauchi, Ba Auche. Something makes Ausa a cognate of Edos Auchi. We can find out more about this with time.

Mnemonics, employed by the Yoruba makes Ausa a variant of Asala. Asala is white for peace.

Like hippopotamus means "river horse" in Greek, word changes their true meaning when adopted as "historical" for ages. Mesopotamia would mean Susa, but its "between rivers Euphrates and Tigris".

Asala
Wasalam
Islam
Shalom
Salem

Ausa=Asala.

Asala: Hegira, departure for peace to reign. This is the extra material meaning of the word asala, as in "sa asala fun emi re".

Asala has therefore became flight with Yoruba, like mesopotamia (Greek: between rivers) is to Sumeria. Old word with overriding new application is common in human history.

Osun Oshogbo oroki Asala. Aina or Osun, Asala is identical in interpretation with ausa. Asala, "a flight of survival", ausa "desired on flight".

Going by the Hausa tradition of the Prince of Baghdad, Bayajida. Its clear Yoruba is at home with the notion of the Hausa tradition of origin.

With my submission, the law of causality is firmly established in record traditions of the people involved. You don't have to finish it all like would a mediocre.

Hopefully, future findings should be there to do justice to the rest that remains to have clear picture of the progression of things. You are on track.

That's how objective science works.

The vestiges of the word keke is today's keke-napep. We don't have the object but we have it fossilized in record. So we know it once was.

In fact, the Yoruba language is a dictionary of many languages in the most awesome forms of it. Since the post above, I've left the thought off the hook.

But just as I've said that further studies will help us find out more, I came across the Hebrew word for Hegira, mallat is the word, meaning to escape.

Now the Yoruba had a saying "aponle ni mola, ausa lausa nje". Mallam, mallat, mola, mualim. I think the odd one in the entry is mualim, leaving us with 3.

Mola, mallam and mallat. Recall "Mallam Bako is a shop keeper" They didn't say Mualim Bako, a whole tribe cannot be scholars and "Imale" refers to Malians proper, the Shongai empire.

The Yoruba compass is telling the direction or the entry port of the Islamic religion to her domain, not from Hausaland, but from the folks that proselytize the hausa, Shongai, ibn Baba's.

Then again, the Yoruba slang for mola is also revealing "Malo". That phrase in Yoruba actually means "move on", "escape", "salo", runaway. Mabo, "be coming".

Mola is the fact that Hausa means mallam and mallat in extension. It's derived from the Hegira of the prince of bagdad. It's a further clue to the ausa meaning asala.

Hegira: ijora

The two words resemble. Ojora is the noun form for ijora: and the idea simply means i-jo-ra, "to disappear together". Jora means to share resemblance, but Ijora is to vanish together.

Oke ora, that should be pointing to the direction of the vanishing point of the folks that disappeared together. That's the spring of the cognate from three unlikely sources.

The auchi in bini, much like birni- in Hausa place names. Take note of this.

absoluteSuccess:


That's not far from the truth. Though I don't have the material you talked about and would like to know more about the same subject.

I have read from a French source vide Dr. Robin Law*, of the expedition of Bona Venture about the same time, but the source talked much of the Oyo, e.i. Yoruba extensively ("Les Ayoux forment et people brave...".

Possibly, the description was based on earlier expedition than this time. The cartographer of the era added the kingdom as notable place at a given timeline for European navigators trotting the West coast.

At the beginning of European seafaring, cartographers depended on the findings of the navigators and explorers to update their maps by places and distance, giving more information about new and interesting haven.

The kingdom of Judah

Could whydah be a kingdom of Judah? Well the best way to find out is to expect that the remnants of the children of Israel should manifest around the same kingdom.

Although I'm not from here, but I have cousins who were. I'd borrowed their oriki in the piece I've given, "wanganvi", meaning "descent of warlord".

I was learning the oriki from my aunt who married from awandeh, who's also an initiate of the Dan tribe's votun (family idol). The people of Awandeh settled at Ajagboju area of Ado town.

The Fon And Their Love For Oriki

I've forgotten most of what my aunt taught me, the oriki especially. I observed that the egun could recite the oriki of their different tribes with much ease.

Grandmothers usually recite the oriki as greetings every morning. You may pick a piece of it or two. There's the kijagbo, then zawan and gboji.

As the older women sweeps (zawan) with kijagbo, the young wives greets them and takes the big broom from the older women. It's a good morning ritual, gboji (dumpsite) receives all.

The older women response to the greetings from the younger wives are often "O fon ijaw...[then the particular oriki from the tribe the wife hails from].

I used to hear my grandma does that regularly. And if I should greet her too, she takes two lines from my dad's oriki and switch to her egun family oriki.

@ Adee, Who composed the oriki that our fathers endowed us with? Let me have your thoughts on this, though I have my observation on the composition.

*See "Sources of Yoruba History" edited by Prof. S.O. Biobaku.

I don't think ouidah, whydah and Judah has any inherent connection. It was just a corruption or play on words by the explorers. Originally, ouidah means house of snakes. The kingdom of judah you see on the map was a construction of a British cartographer Emmanuel Bowen, he named it Judah for easy pronunciation. Even maps after that did not include Judah, because the kingdom of weda was conquered by the kingdom of dahomey. Weda was corrupted to ouidah, then to whydah then Judah. The weda people worship a snake god called dangbe, which runs parallel to the god which Judah worshipped.

hayoholla:


I don't think ouidah, whydah and Judah has any inherent connection. It was just a corruption or play on words by the explorers. Originally, ouidah means house of snakes.

Do you speak Fon? Get the fact right, bro: Awandeh, "battle strong". Dan-home, "house of snake". The difference is clear.

The kingdom of judah you see on the map was a construction of a British cartographer Emmanuel Bowen, he named it Judah for easy pronunciation.

There's an indigenous word: "Awandeh", leave the Judah and the rest out of it. The folks that are known by this name were Poenu. It's interesting that the wordplays favours history:

Poenu, (Awandeh), Poenus (Roman), Ouidah, (French), Ouidaois, (Greek), Judah, (English), Iuda, (Assyrian record), Yehuda (Babylonians).

I want to think this harmonious complexity is not a product of wordplays. The cathographer Emmanuel Bowen is not aware of the tradition of Awandeh as Poenu. He may not have been here.

The People of Poenu have a totem, Opo, hence the Yoruba reckon the kingdom Onipopo. Popo, Opo, leopard, Ekun.

Even maps after that did not include Judah, because the kingdom of weda was conquered by the kingdom of dahomey. Weda was corrupted to ouidah, then to whydah then Judah.

I thought you said Judah was originally from Ouidah, meaning house of snake, but here the name originally derived from "Weda", by this, we don't know which is what. That's false etymology.

Does Weda and Ouidah originated together? What and what does either means? And Dahomey means "home of Dan" thereby, you've done a mismatch just for the ulterior motive.

The weda people worship a snake god called dangbe, which runs parallel to the god which Judah worshipped.

My aunt is married to an Awandeh man. They are Poenu, people of the leopard. They, like every Egun forbids eating the snake. There are other tribes, setonu, gbekonu, alladanu, ajranu, etc.

In Dahomey, the Waenu are the folks who really venerates the snake, dagbe. It's also known as manumanu. Poenu otherwise do not. But all Egun forbids eating snake.

The altar for the snake veneration is called Dan-home. It means "home of Dan". I can count how many times I have entered the place as a child in the village.

A good Bible student knows that Dan is not the same as Judah.


Oriki

Dan:

"Dan is a serpent by the way, an adder by the path."

Judah:

"Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thy enemies"

Genesis 49.

Poenus is the Roman ethnonym for the people of Canaan. And "Judea" is one of such indigenous folks who were still around during the advent of Roman empire.

The realm is known as "Syria and Phoenicia" during this time of Ptolemaic era from Egypt. Thus, Seleucus reckon it as Poenus from the north, and Ptolemaic, Phoenicia from the south.

Poenus harboured the realm of Judah.

Olu was right after all that Phoenicians settled in West Africa. Poenu is the vestiges of this in Dan-home, and the Yoruba version is tucked in interpretation of Awandeh to Yoruba.

absoluteSuccess:


LOL, you can never help the eternal hatred. It will always play itself out. That's playing out between the Yoruba and the Bini.

But they're good people too and we'll always have them as the hand of God. Remember Obadiah, he was a prophet from Edom.

Sometimes I agree with the Edo as the originators of Oba, Obadiah derived from Edom and the Edomite have kings before the Israelites.

Some of their arguments reinforce the truth.

Do you think that the Hausa were Assyrians? I believe they were the same kindred as the Yoruba. Nigeria was originally established by the same ancestors.

My take though.

TAO11 this is an old thread but your help is needed here to dispell some of the nonsense our people are saying. I don't even know where to begin or have the power to begin to dispell what this people are saying.

SirNewtonNG:
TAO11 this is an old thread but your help is needed here to dispell some of the nonsense our people are saying. I don't even know where to begin or have the power to begin to dispell what this people are saying.

The individual you quoted as well as his boyfriend are unfortunately irredeemable in this context. Yes I know that is sad.

However, the bright side is that virtually everyone on Nairaland (in the culture section) know them to be full blown frauds. So no need to bother.

Cheers.

TAO11:
The individual you quoted as well as his boyfriend are unfortunately irredeemable in this context. Yes I know that is sad.

However, the bright side is that virtually everyone on Nairaland (in the culture section) know them to be full blown frauds. So no need to bother.

Cheers.

Now you see most Ekiti and lagosian still believe their Benin root.

Jameseddi1:
[s]Now you see most Ekiti and lagosian still believe their Benin root.[/s]

The voices in your head have spoken to you again????

What a pity!? I advice that you seek psychiatric help.

BTW, why did you stop using your @gregyboy account lately?

Cheers.

Jameseddi1:


Now you see most Ekiti and lagosian still believe their Benin root.

The historical connection traces back in time. Everyone holds the thread most convenient for them.

Hopefully, time will reveal all the truth. Nobody has lived through the ages, except oral records.

absoluteSuccess:

The historical connection traces back in time. Everyone holds the thread most convenient for them.

Hopefully, time will reveal all the truth. Nobody has lived through the ages, except oral records.

There is a big difference between connection and root.

googi:
MP,

If you give that much to Omo Ibini what and how will you interpret

AROMIRE

which was interpreted as Admiral.

Ibini is not Whydah in all ramification. Whyday is an English version of Ouidah in Benin Republic.


The people who inhabited and founded this place were Yoruba people of Ketu extraction. The "word" Whydah was also a corrupt word for Odéayé by Fongbe people who speaks Fon Language.

The Fongbe history has distinct history and spoken language differs from Igodomigodo people A.K.A Bini, with her settlement which are found at Bini in Nigeria before migration to other places.

The Fongbe remains as the largest ethnic group in Republic of Benin with her language strongly held high even if Yoruba language is adored and accepted as second official language due to historical reason such as conquest, population,reliogion of Ifa, monarchial system and wealth of got from farming and metal production.

hayoholla:


I don't think ouidah, whydah and Judah has any inherent connection. It was just a corruption or play on words by the explorers. Originally, ouidah means house of snakes. The kingdom of judah you see on the map was a construction of a British cartographer Emmanuel Bowen, he named it Judah for easy pronunciation. Even maps after that did not include Judah, because the kingdom of weda was conquered by the kingdom of dahomey. Weda was corrupted to ouidah, then to whydah then Judah. The weda people worship a snake god called dangbe, which runs parallel to the god which Judah worshipped.

You are correct about the fact that Odéayé/Ouidah/Whyday is said to be a place where snake was found. Although oral history from the land of Odéayé/Ouidah/Whydah stated their historical setups.

The snake meaning of Odéayé/Ouidah/Whyday has no basis in Yoruba language,but a fabrication of Fongbe when snakes were heavily seen in that area bythe new comers who were not the founder of the place.

More accurately, the Yorubas founded that land and named it Odéayé which was later wrongly called by Fongbe as Ouidah as a corrupt version pronounced. The Fongbe chased away Yoruba from that land when chaotic situation happened between Yoruba these two different people when war ravaged Yorubaland from late 1700s

Even at this, you will find some people in Ouidah/Whyday today who have Yoruba ancestry. And they do not shy away from their connection to Yoruba bloodline.

So,Judah being coined by English people to match Hebrew man's name who also was one of their ancestor has no connection with Ouidah and meaningless in this regard. Beside there is no name as Judah among the ancient Hebrew because what was once transliterated andtranslated as "J" is incorrect and misleading because the classics ideogram that are translated from Yud+Waw+ Dalet+Hey
Yud= "y","ee" ,"ii"
Waw="y","u","o"
Dalet= "d"
Hey= "h" and when it is used as last word it becomes "ah"

As you can see there is no way that name Judah existed in the first but fusion of Western world. Afterall, what the ideograms interpreters actually did was try and error even though they are highly close to identifying the original speakers of the language they claimed is dead and isolate language in scholarly world.