NAIRA = Never Allow Ibo Rule Again

KOBO = Kill Ojukwu Before Others

Origin of NAIRA
alteration of Nigeria
First Known Use: 1972

Origin of KOBO
alteration of copper
First Known Use: 1972

Culled from Merriam-Webster.com

@Crankhouse In fairness - yes I copied and pasted the last 2 paragraphs which I attempted to italicize to indicate that. But all the rest I thought was common knowlege and did not require any references. In anycase what stopped you from giving us the answers much earlier couldn't you google?

mens dept:

^^^^^ So there's no actual answer 

Lets email the Minister of Culture and Tourism, that is, whenever GEJ decides to appoint the ministers (after 1 month in office)

In your mind, you think you know everything, abi? When did the Senate reconvene? Don't you know that the Senate must screen the nominees before appointment by the President is announced? If GEJ makes the Senate stay back to work on the ministerial list, you will complain that he is interfering with the Judiciary,

Boy, grow up!

crackhouse:

O boy, must u google it before u do copy and paste?.

And what stops you from "googling" it?
At least he came up with something tangible.

mens dept:

Can you read? Kobo "sounds" very Yoruba to me?  We are just pulling things out of the air and everyone is complacent and accepts it without rigourous thought. Thats why leaders spend N168 million to clear grass from a local airport

yes i agree because also we are buisy fighting and cursing each other and the politicians are looting our money and like you said we dont bother asking them any questions this topic is very important, we cant even tell the origin of our own currency

nigeria=nigga-area is this true?

crackhouse:

O boy, must u google it before u do copy and paste?.

Maybe he should have stood aside so you people can carry on with your embarrassing suggestions.

we still do not have a definitive answer!! no one is intelligent enough on NL. may be we should ask professor kute mmiri,

^^^^ Does that make sense?

Nigeria is a patch patch country where people dont even know the origin of the country, national anthem, and that "Nigeria" (Nigga. Area) is nothing more than a derogatory expression.

Thats why theres foul odor in Aso Rock and the country is confused.

was this supposed to be a joke or are you just ignorant since when was Nigeria named after nigga area, ur social studies teacher must have been sleeping or else u would have know that it is named after the river Niger as in Niger area.

mayofab:

was this supposed to be a joke or are you just ignorant since when was Nigeria named after nigga area, your social studies teacher must have been sleeping or else u would have know that it is named after the river Niger as in Niger area.

no its not! he really does mean it, NIGERIA = NIGGA AREA or NEGRO AREA

can someone please answer this NAIRA AND KOBO or NIGERIA question, nairalanders dont drift away from the point please !!

someone posted Nigeria means 'Nigga area', that's not correct, it's 'Niger Area'.

The name Nigeria actually came from the River Niger. Another country that got its name from the same River is the Republic of Niger.
Niger is a Latin word meaning - Black , so the Niger river was in the 16th and 17th century was referred to by Europeans as the black or dark river just as Africa was referred to as the dark continent. I dont think this was racist but just a description which much much later had the distortions of Nigger and so on. The River Niger of course had and still has its local names by the various communities along itss long winding course - Kwara or Quorra and Oya are some of these names.

At the time of Amalgamation when Fredrick Lugard returned for that purpose - about 1912 the journalist Flora Shaw (who later became Lugard's wife) proposed the Name Nigeria (land about river niger) according to sources = and Lugard accepted. Remember that Upper Niger , Middle Niger and Lower Niger were terms in use even before Nigeria was curved out during the french german and British scramble to colonize the region. Upper Niger is now mainly in Senegal and Mali whille Middle Niger is approximately in Nigerand Nigeria.
I think it's a good name for Nigeria to have - the land about the black river.. You will of course know that 3 states in Modern day Nigeria are named after the Niger River. These are Niger State, Kwara State and Kogi State and perhaps Delta state as well as it refers to the Niger Delta.

When I look at those heads of states stand after one of those state meetings, one thing comes to mind - LOOK AT THOSE WHO RUINED NIGERIA! U KNOW WHAT - THEY ARE ALWAYS YORUBA OR HAUSA! Hope an Ijaw man will make a difference!

benlay:

someone posted Nigeria means 'Nigga area', that's not correct, it's 'Niger Area'.

Clap 4 ur self!

mens dept:

Absolute nonsense. Which Yoruba are you talking of? [size=28pt]When has the word Nigeria translated as a Yoruba word?[/size] But Yoruba do have a authentic translation for the word silly which is Ode, which the above quote falls under.

All these could easily be solved within one semester of the Yoruba language. Instead of making close-to-dum b statements, just simply ask me.

Let me guess, you're not familiar with the Yoruba people and language. It's alright. I'm here to help.

Take it slow tho. . . Naijiriya is Nigeria translated in the Yoruba language. Can you grasp that or should I try another [b]slower [/b]alternative?

I can only tell u guys the origin of their names when I have them in quantum!

ive neva asked myself such question.

nagoma:

In 1972 the government of Nigeria under General Yakubu Gowon decided to change the rule of driving  to conform to the 4 french speaking countries surrounding Nigeria . these are Benin Republic, Niger, Chad, and the Cameron. All of them drove on the right lane with the steering placed on the left side of the vehicle while Nigeria in the British tradition and heritage drove on the left and had vehicle steering on the right side. This changee to conform was effected in 1972 with massive enlightment campaigns across the country.

This was followed by the change of currency units from Pounds, Shilling and Pence (£,s,d) to the present concept N and k). This was informed by the need for indeginization and decimalization. You will remember that 12 pence make one shilling. There was a request in the News papers and available media for people to contribute in the debate  for denominations and names reflecting the country's culture etc. The lowest denomintion was given the name[b] kobo [/b] as many N[i]igerian communities had that name or similar for the old penny. The Yoruba , Hausa and I think Igbo all refered to the penny as kobo or kwabo(hausa). A contending name for kobo was "beni" as this was what the penny was called in most coastal regions but the kobo was selected. The Naira was coined by many submissions in the |News papers to reflect Nigeria's name (River Niger, Negro etc). A contending name for Naira was Nira which was suggested by many but then dropped because it sounded like "Lira"[ and could cause confusion with the Italian currency.)
i]"On 31st March, 1971, the then Head of State announced that Nigeria would change to decimal currency as from 1st January, 1973.The major currency unit would be called Naira which would be equivalent to ten shillings: the minor unit would be called kobo; 100 of which would make one Naira. The decision to change to decimal currency followed the [/i] recommendations of the Decimal Currency Committee set up in 1962 which submitted its report in 1964.

The change that took place in January, 1973 was a major one and this involved both currency notes and coins. The major unit of currency which used to be £1 ceased to exist and the one Naira which was equivalent to 10/- become the major unit:

On 11th February"[/i]

And how does this answer the question??

Ileke-IdI:

All these could easily be solved within one semester of the Yoruba language. Instead of making close-to-dum b statements, just simply ask me.

Let me guess, you're not familiar with the Yoruba people and language. It's alright. I'm here to help.

Take it slow tho. . . Naijiriya is Nigeria translated in the Yoruba language. Can you grasp that or should I try another [b]slower [/b]alternative?

Why are you so stupid? What is Nigeria in Hausa and Igbo called?

@MeGaStReAt : Don't be daft!!

MeGaStReEt:


And how does this answer the question??

Me sef dey wonder

@nagoma

Thanks for the info. Quite educative. This should bring the thread to an end. Lol

According to wikipedia, this is how Nigerian three major languages spelt:


Jamhuriyar Tarayyar Najeriya(Hausa)
Njíkötá Óchíchìiwù Naíjíríà(Igbo)
Àpapọ̀ Olómìnira ilẹ̀ Nàìjíríà(Yoruba)
But to set the record straight, Yoruba single-handedly formed Nigeria, therefore, Nigeria should be changed to ODua REpublic.
1) Yoruba man set the first party to witness in naija history. The party was defunct NDDP and contested against Britist power and won by landslides. Then follow by another party AG co-founded by Sage Obafemi Awolowo. Then the third party was formed by Herbert Macauly: NCNC, which due to old age reliquesh the mandate to Dr. Azikwue. Alot of Ibos thought it was Ibo party, but didnt know it was founded by a Yoruba man named Herbert Macauly, a grandson of Bishop Ajayi Crowther. The first bishop of whole west Africa.
2) Yoruba Man named Pa Akinkunmi Taiwo designed Nigeria flag.
3) kobo was a Yoruba word, meaning the lowest in denomination.
4) national anthem was composed by Awo
5) Naira was coined from Yoruba word for Nigeria ---- naijaria--------
That is why the Ibo lady Mrs Akinyuli or Mrs rebrand, was mad that the word Naija coined to refer to Nigeria came from Yoruba people.
6) the last hidden secret, look at map of Nigeria and look at the map of Oyo state, did you get the drift? It was the map of defun
ct Oyo empire that stood ajar that we redraw to stand straight to make present naija map. The only place that makes the current Nigeria map looks different from Oyo Empire map was Bakassi, which we asked Obasanjo to cut off from Nigeria.
Now tell me Obiagu if Yoruba never made NAija?

Nagoma, you giving us free lectures on Nigerian history. Thanks. I really appreciate.

I think we need more of this kind of information to stimulate patriotism and a zeal to make Nigeria a great nation.

no one really knows the origin of the word kobo for sure.

some schools of thought feel it may be derived from a nigerian slang for copper.

the etymology of naira is anyone's guess.

@ akigbenaru
Please stop misinforming people and fueling tribalism and Yoruba narcissism. No yoruba man formed Nigeria to begin with. Herbert Macuallay was the most patriotic Nigerian ever, and he lived and died making nigeria one strong nation, fought against Awolowo's tribal and narcissistic attitude. He would definitely never accept Nigeria to be called Odua republic and never work with people of your type.

Please Akigbenaru, be more patriotic, and keep your tribal attitude and Yoruba narcissism private.

NL members please click here to read about the life and times of this noble Nigerian, Herbert Macuallay, who fought against tribalism. We need to have a Macuallay Day to celebrate the life of this Genius.

Click here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Macaulay

Thanks Solozzo - does anyone want to know how the name of our capital city ABUJA came to be ?

No, imo.