₦airaland Forum

The informal sector of the Lagos economy is huge. I've always believed Lagos will exceed $100 billion in GDP. SUCCESSIVE MILITARY RULE AND VARIOUS POLITICAL UNREST have all affected Nigeria's economy over the years but if the current democratic system is sustained with good political restructuring and needful reforms, Nigeria will become Africa's biggest economy in no time.
I hope the government of Lagos can succeed in its train infrastructures and if it can also achieve the Lekki economic corridor coupled with the city's ever growing population, it should be ahead of others in two decades.
Lagos will continue to play a leading role in Nigeria's economy for a long time to come and its status as an international city will continue to grow.its worth celebrating because Nigeria has not had it so good and its a good feelings. For those who are waiting to praise the President, they should go ahead, the reform has started during Obasanjo's regime in which telecom's sector was liberalized but corruption which has become endemic lately as being reported by Nigeria media has taken a heavy toll and the way the Banking reforms were carried out was to say the least uneconomical!
If corruption can be tamed, Nigeria's economic growth is boud to move at a very high rate.

I do not pray for a break up Nigeria.However, in case of violent break up there wont be time for mushroom countries as many will be swept aside and alignment between groups will determine what number of countries will ensue. Many smaller groups will be swept away into bigger groups but they can negotiate later,maybe after crises for a greater autonomy.
I believe the Itsekiri(not just this group alone but also the present Edo state,Urhobo, Isoko and some parts of Bariba in the north Ebira, maybe all or parts of Igala and possibly western Ijaw) will align with the West in a Commonwealth/Federal structures and the Yoruba country will be the easiest for any group to realize their liberty or will if they negotiate well. This is because possible alternatives may be too harsh for these groups take for instance, a proliferated Niger Delta groups may find nationhood difficult to attain except there is a common enemy to align against.Secondly, the obvious alternative of Igbo country may be too weighty an alternative and considering the enmity already existing between the Delta minorities, the Itsekiri will have to scamp for safety with the mainstream Yoruba to be safe.Also it will be a way not to lose anything economically in terms of investments this group have in the west and to also have a more powerful supports in safe guarding their current infrastructures in Warri and itsekiriland. I see an Itsekiri state or region in Yoruba country as semi autonomous state just like Ekiti, Ikale/Ilaje(Oluwa), Ondo, Ijesa, Igbomina, Okun, Osun, Oke Ogun, Ibadan, Ife, Akoko, Bini,Afemai, Ebira,Ibarapa,Oyan,Oya,Ijebu-Remo, Yewa-Awori, Eko(Lagos), Igala, Bariba, Urhobo-Isoko and Oyo. There could also be some autonomous principalities within these states as Ikaland, Isoko(as stated),Tapa(Nupe in kwara state) and so on.

How am I so sure? nation states are formed not just out of emotions or feelings but also for safety , identity, and prosperities and looking at all options(however not exhaustible) these groups mentioned can gain more than they do presently in Nigeria by controlling much or all their resources and taking advantage of a more peaceful and multi-ethnic society in which they will be recognized and not just exploited. My take

MetaPhysical: What we need is a baseline. What is your minimum claims for these truths? We would like to explore the minimums and build upon them as additional truths are revealed. If they cannot sustain then they are invalidated.

What Eastern Yoruba oral histories would you like us to look at? Start from the beaded crownhead.

People from that side should kindly furnish us with some eulogy/oriki of towns and palacesbut I know the Ekiti are generally omo owa omo ekun( and I know a family that is...omo olodo ide lapo okun eyeeyo, omo ogede abula, omo adijo sannu....translations? don't know if am right but will be something like.... child of the seeker, child of warrior ...am lost, sorry)

maclatunji: Thank you for the correction, I felt there was something wrong with that spelling, didn't bother to check.

Now, look at it. The Fulani captured Ilorin. How did that affect a place like Ibadan, Ogbomosho or even Lagos Island to the point that the Yoruba population is split roughly 50-50 between Islam and Christianity? The descedants of Alimi who outmaneuvered Afonja to become what is now known as the Emir of Ilorin have never exercised effective political or military control over these places.

As much as the Yoruba do not see religion or faith as an issue of discord, I do not think Yoruba is divided 50-50 Christian -Muslims which means you are leaving out traditional adherents which will be up to 2-5% of the population. Besides, Yoruba Christians seem to be more than 50% more so on the premise of Pentecostal Movements that have become so popular that even more than half of Yoruba now belong(I stand to be corrected)
There is hardly any Yoruba state or town or city that today is overwhelming Moslem not even Ilorin ! taking that muslims may be in the majority if actually that is true but not overwhelming!
Thank you.

I think using OYO Yoruba as the basis for history itself limits our scope. Having read all these posts, ,I found out that Eastern parts of Yoruba may be the eye opener because the ancient Ife kingdom may have lots in connection with those places more so many of those Hebrew or kemet words I have read before are much closer to their dialects than the Oyo - Yoruba.
Of importance to ur scholarstic knowlege are these ancient Kingdoms:
1. The Ooyelagbo or Agboniregun era
2. The Obatala , Oduduwa, Orisha ,Olokun,Oluweri etc era
3. The Ogun, Oranyan era
4. The ancient Ijebu kingdom
The ancient Ugbo Kingdom
5. The Ekiti euology that says omo owa(the child of owa), omo ekun(son of warrior)(see Sasha rap song).The question is who was that Owa?this is also the popular title of many Ekiti town
6. Adimula of Ife. was that the real name of King Oduduwa? if true that can make Oduduwa a title

I read this quite mind tasking. I however think there are lots of pieces to be put together depending on what time of history is being considered.
I believe there were aboriginal people in ancient Ile Ife such as Agboniregun( search the Ooyelagbo history of the Oru(Horus) people).There were waves of returnee or migrants(they may have been from Ife Kingdom before moving Eastward or were the priests of the Egyptian kingdoms and returned home(western Africa) when the conditions in Egypt changed.
However at certain time in history some that has to do with sea or water also came and i want to believe some like Oduduwa, Orisha, Oluweri,Obatala, Olokun, Yemoja may have been contemporaries.
Ogun may have been a war general and engineer whom Oranmiyan may have taken power from at ancient Ife as another wave of military power at a much later time to the original aborigines and Oduduwa which may have been over 2000 years of Agboniregun times at Ife before Oduduwa and company came and may be another several hundreds or thousand years before Oranmiyan.
About the Yemeni connection, there could have been some parts of the Yoruba groups that came from he Arabian Pennisula but not all. The Yoruba of today is a mix of related and distinct people and may have been a large and powerful tribe in ancient world before the Sahara became dry grounds.
Consider these groups of Yoruba:Ekiti, Oyo, Ijebu, Ikale/Ilaje(Ugbo), Awori(Olofin), they may have been distinct empires themselves before the latter unifications at different times:
1. Ancient Ife - of the Agboniregun stock(may be the OOYELAGBO if true)
2. The Oduduwa-Orisha, Olokun, Oluweri, Yemoja etc (uniting the eastern half of Yoruba together with ancient Ife)
3. The Ogun - Oranmiyan era which lead to the story of the last 1000 years.
In their various groups, a whole lots of Yoruba may have been a part of the ancient Kemet or ancient Egypt whether the empire reaching west Africa is what should be researched

[quote author=tpia@]^isnt odofin a title?

i dont think its unique to lagos.[/quote]it exist in Ekiti.

Thanks for that observation. Sudan is Arabic for the sub-sahara, it has to do with vegetation, or geography. Odan also has to do with vegetation or geography in sub sahara, where Yoruba is situated. My usage of the word in this perspective is etymological, that is, how the word could have evolved from two users who were familiar with it, but later from different locations.

I agree with you that ibadan is Eba Odan, that's what we were all told to believe. But the essence of research is to go a bit deeper and see what may not be obvious. we all love to echo what we were told, but nobody stops us from being a voice rather than echo. it is a matter of choice.

Meanwhile, Ibadan is not a recent people in Yoruba history, the clan has always been, but our present collection of history can limit us, it should not however limit us, or what is the essence of research? in-gathering of forgotten facts or traditions. Is it too far fetched or anachronistic to place Ibadan at the inception of Yoruba or something, we shouldn't be limiting our self just to proof someone wrong when it may be possible.

If you assume "ijaiye" means fight to survive, you are right, but it is not the only right answer. The Yoruba talk of the fight between Olofin Ijaiye and Elekiya. It could be peoples name or historic ideal that later become eponymous. Ije [eat] in Yoruba is Du in Egun, Aye [life] in Yoruba is Egbe among the Egun. if you make Ije to become Oje in Yoruba, then it becomes Odu [Odun, something sweet in Yoruba] in Egun, and that reminds of Oduduwa.

Now some words are camouflaged, "Ai-on-gbe" is the source of the word egbe. If you stretch it, you get "aye on egbe re" meaning the "matriarch and her contemporaries." The Yoruba variant is "Aye ati-jo" meaning the matriarch and the congregation. The thought of these people have similar origin, with one seemingly relying on the thought formation of the other to stabilize or make the same point.

The Yoruba adopt 'aye', the egun adopt 'egbe' The two words come from the same phrase. the Yoruba use "Aye ati jo", the egun goes for the last word "JO" to mean "ye" or survive. So somehow the language is just like the ancients were picking the same phrase and making their coinages from it to enrich their language.

For instance, if you say "Kilo Sele", the egun says "Amu Ejo". Ejo is to explain what happen with Yoruba, "Ejo" and "sele" is like "exist" and "originate the earth" So when the Yoruba says Kilo Sele, they were also saying what originate the earth, and when the egun says the same thing in their language, they were saying what came to existence? some sort of thought sharing. What will be your conclusion if you find this out?

Egbe i.e. re - do also mean life or divison in Ekiti like Egbe Oba

God do speak to His people including you and I. The problem is either we are not spiritually tuned to His frequency or we are too carnal to recognize His voice or acts.
God speaks to His people in divers ways according to Romans 1 and if @op is honest he should praise God for this revelation.May be you can get more if you draw closer to God the more! wish you the best as you seek God out the more and to those who think God does not speak to ordinary folks, please get closer to the word, you will be shocked that you are a prophet and fulfil the promise of God as written in the Book of Joel.

Coming to the issue of Biafra or Nigeria, every right thinking Nigerian knows that its the prayers of the people that have been holding this country together but I think God have a foreknowledge of all events and He show His people when He wills.

omonnakoda: How do you propose to manage minority groups

Once stability is achieved among major groups ,minorities can meet to form their own regions.Mind you, I mean it must evolve which will make them have whatever system they prefer to adopt in the ensuing regions and call themselves names to be called. What do I mean? minorities in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Gombe as far as southern Borno can form lets say Confederacy of small states/counties/councils/autonomous kingdoms/emirates of Nok(please strictly for an illustration) in which internal autonomy of each group ,can be maintained while they chose their own internal political future.
The beauty of this is that it will be their own design and project and all will work to make it work. We can as ,a result have 10 region/states or 100.what matters is whatever region/state that evolve will fend for itself and share its tax revenue with Central government. To me this is a simple thing and the secret lies in the efforts of the three majority groups to evolve into self governing states/regions.
So Ijaw nation can evolve with so much oil and gas and rich today while a Tiv nation will be a world class agricultural region/state and both will be successful. Anyone that is accustomed to the history of the united states will know that its a federal union of states which were admitted into the union as strong and weak states just as we have Maine, so also we have mighty California and Texas.
For as long as we are sitting at one town called Abuja to share proceeds corruption will be rife and the national cake mentality will continue to grow as wildfire.
The number of states/regions we will have is insignificant as people will be brought together by some common objectives and the earlier we start the better. Imagine if all 50 states in the United states will have to go to Washington D.c to get monthly allocation? that country wont be existing by now! Even any family of five where income is shared taking cognizance of disproportionate contribution and needs will lead to serious strife, now imagine country of over 120 million people?
The truth is those political cum economic stakeholders are the ones taking Nigeria to bondage because they are afraid of change.

Awo on Human Diversity and Political Autonomy
"You can unite but can never succeed in unifying peoples whom language has set distinctly apart from one another; the more educated a linguistic. group becomes, the stronger it waxes in its bids for political self-determination and autonomy, unless it happens to be the dominant group."
- Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution, 1966.

The major problem is a structural defect that breeds corruption, tribalism and cheats. I think there exist a political structure that can put checks on these. I believe the first step is restructuring to decentralize, ,it will make people more accountable.

I support a united Nigeria in a regional government structure. In fact you can call whatever is achieved any name but that structure should bring regional groups and kinsmen under their own government in which they will be self-governing, control their resources, and without any ambiguous arrangement care for all socio-economic developments of their citizens including levying taxes, developing education, security etc.
The central government in Abuja can be in control of foreign affairs, military and monetary policies/central banking system.Whatever structure is evolved or form of government adopted by each region is subject to their own constitution.
Regions will pay taxes to the central government in specified terms say 25% of all value added tax or stated in clearly agreed terms.

[quote author=Mintayo]continuation...

O
Oba; means king/ruler
Obafemi; the king loves me
Obasola; the king makes wealth

Obi; means family
Obileye; family has honor
Odun; means year
Odunayo; year of joy
Oduntan; a famed year in stories
Ojuolape; the face of wealth is complete/complete wealth
Okanlanwon; only male child amongst several female children
Okiki; means fame
Okikiade; fame of crown
Okikiimole; fame of light
Okikiola; fame of wealth
Ola; means wealth.
Olabamidele; wealth accompanies me home
Olabamiji/Olabanji; wealth wakes with me
Olabanwo; wealth looks after (this) for me
Olabimtan; wealth beget me complete
Olabisi; wealth has given birth to more
Olabode; wealth has arrived
Olabosipo; wealth returns to its position
Olabukunola; wealth adds fully to wealth
Oladahunsi; wealth responds to (me)
Oladapo; wealth associates/affiliates
Oladayo; wealth becomes joy
Oladega; wealth arrives the palace
Oladeinde/Olasehinde; wealth has returned
Oladeji/Oladimeji; wealth has becomes two/double
Oladejo; wealth becomes eight
Oladele; wealth has come home
Oladepo; wealth arrives its rightful position
Oladiji; wealth becomes a refuge
Oladipo/ Oladipupo; wealth has become plenty
Oladiran; wealth becomes a heritage
Oladitan; wealth becomes a story
Oladokun; wealth becomes (as wide as) the sea
Oladosu;wealth becomes month
Oladotun; wealth has become renewed
Oladunjoye; wealth is sweeter than titles
Oladunni; wealth is sweet to have
Oladurotoye; wealth stays with titles
Olafimihan; wealth shows me off
Olagoke; wealth ascends a hill
Olagunjoye; wealth is superior to titles
Olagunte; wealth ascends the throne
Olaide; wealth turns to come
Olaitan; wealth is inexhaustible
Olaiya; wealth of a mother
Olajide; wealth awakes to come
Olajire; wealth awakes to goodness
Olajobi/Olajumobi; wealth unites to give birth to
Olajumoke; wealth unites to pamper
Olakanmi; wealth has touched me/I am entitled to wealth
Olakitan; wealth does not finish
Olalekan; wealth has increased by one
Olalere; wealth has benefits
Olamakinde; wealth has brought the warrior
Olamide; my wealth has come
Olamiji; my wealth has awoken
Olanifesi; wealth has love for me
Olanipekun; wealth is endless
Olaniyan; wealth has its pride
Olaniyi; wealth is honorable
Olanlesi; wealth is increasing
Olanrele; wealth is going home
Olanrewaju; wealth is moving forward
Olansile; wealth opens a house
Olaoluwa; wealth of /from God
Olaosebikan; wealth does dwell exclusively in one place
Olaoti; wealth does not fade
Olaoye; wealth of the titled one
Olapademi; wealth meets with me
Olapeju; wealth is full of value
Olapitan; wealth tells a story
Olasimbo; wealth escorts me
Olasubomi; wealth has overwhelmed me.
Olasunmbo; wealth moves closer to me
Olasunkanmi; wealth moves nearer to touch me
Olasupo; wealth clusters together
Olatelemi; wealth follows me
Olatemina; I also deserve wealth
Olateju; wealth is abundant
Olatidoye; wealth has become a title
Olatokunbo; wealth from across the sea
Olatoun; wealth is worth strife
Olatunbosun; wealth has once more shifted (forward)
Olatunji; wealth has been revived
Olawale; wealth come home
Olawuwo; wealth is heavy
Olayemi; wealth befits me
Olayikanmi; wealth turned to touch me
Olayiwola; wealth twists into wealth
Olayinka; wealth surrounds me
Olayonu; wealth has burdens
Ololade; wealthy person has arrive
Olu/oluwa; means God. They are used interchangeably.
Oluade; God of the crown
Olubajo; God returns from a journey
Olubamise; God has done it for me
Olubanke; God helps me take care of (this child)
Oluwabukola; God adds to wealth
Olubukumi; God adds to me
Olubukunade; God adds to the crown
Oluwabunmi; God adds to me
Oluwabusayo; God adds to joy
Oluwabusola; God adds to wealth
Oludahunsi; God answers (me)
Oluwadairo; God establishes this one
Oluwadamilare; God exonerates/acquits me
Oluwadamilola ; God makes me wealthy
Oluwadamisi; God spares me/my life
Oluwadarasimi; God has been good to me
Oluwadayisi; God created this one
Oludemilade; God has crowned me
Oluwadetan; God has finally arrived
Oludolamu; God is the custodian of wealth
Oludotun; God becomes new
Olufadeke; God uses the crown to care for this one
Olufela; God expands wealth
Oluwafemi; God loves me
Olufeyikemi; God uses this (one) to care for me
Olufeyisayo; God uses this (one) to add to (my) joy
Oluwafikayo/ Olufikunayo; God adds completeness to (my) joy
Oluwafiresayo; God adds favor to (my) joy
Olufisayo; God adds to (my) joy
Olufolake; God takes care of this (one) with wealth
Olufolasade; God has uses wealth as a crown
Oluwafoyinsolami; God adds honey to my wealth
Olufumiso; God gave me (this child) to watch over
Olufunke; God gave me to pamper
Olufunmbi; God gave me to birth
Olufunmilade; God has given me a crown
Olufunmilola; God gives me wealth
Oluwafunmilorinotun; God has given me a new song
Olufunto; God gave me to raise/bring up
Olugbayilo; God takes this (one) to use
Olugbemileke; God makes me overcome
Oluwagbeminiyi; Gods honors me
Oluwagbotemi;God hears me
Oluwajimisayo;God wakes me into Joy
Oluwajomiloju; God has surprised me
Olukayode; God has brought joy
Oluwakemi; God pampers me
Olukolade; God brings wealth
Olukorede; God has brought good (to me)
Olukunmi; God completes me
Olulaanu; God has mercy
Oluwaleti; God has ears (to hear my request)
Oluwalomose; God knows how best to do it
Oluwalonike; God owns (this one) to take care of
Oluwalonimi; God owns me
Olumayokun; God makes joy complete
Olumayowa; God brings joy
Olumide; my God has come
Olumoyebo; God has brought titles
Oluwanifemi; God has love for me
Oluwapamilerinayo; God has caused me to laugh in joyfulness
Oluranti; God remembers
Oluwaremilekun;God has dried my tears
Oluropo; God replaces
Oluwarotimi; God is with me
Olusaanu; God wrought mercy
Olusanmi; God benefits me
Olusanya; God compensates for my suffering
Olusayo; God makes joy
Olusegun; God is victorious
Oluwasemilore; God has done me a favor
Oluwaseteminirere; God has done things for my good
Oluwaseun; thanks be to God
Oluwaseunbabaralaiyemi; God has done extremely great things for me
Oluwaseunayo; God has done something joyous
Oluseye; God makes dignity
Oluwaseyi; God has done this
Olusoga; God is the master
Olusoji; God has arisen
Olusola; God makes wealth
Oluwatemilorun; God contents me
Oluwatimilehin; God backs me up
Oluwatisetan; God has done completed

[quote author=Mintayo]continuation...

O
Oba; means king/ruler
Obafemi; the king loves me
Obasola; the king makes wealth

Obi; means family
Obileye; family has honor
Odun; means year
Odunayo; year of joy
Oduntan; a famed year in stories
Ojuolape; the face of wealth is complete/complete wealth
Okanlanwon; only male child amongst several female children
Okiki; means fame
Okikiade; fame of crown
Okikiimole; fame of light
Okikiola; fame of wealth
Ola; means wealth.
Olabamidele; wealth accompanies me home
Olabamiji/Olabanji; wealth wakes with me
Olabanwo; wealth looks after (this) for me
Olabimtan; wealth beget me complete
Olabisi; wealth has given birth to more
Olabode; wealth has arrived
Olabosipo; wealth returns to its position
Olabukunola; wealth adds fully to wealth
Oladahunsi; wealth responds to (me)
Oladapo; wealth associates/affiliates
Oladayo; wealth becomes joy
Oladega; wealth arrives the palace
Oladeinde/Olasehinde; wealth has returned
Oladeji/Oladimeji; wealth has becomes two/double
Oladejo; wealth becomes eight
Oladele; wealth has come home
Oladepo; wealth arrives its rightful position
Oladiji; wealth becomes a refuge
Oladipo/ Oladipupo; wealth has become plenty
Oladiran; wealth becomes a heritage
Oladitan; wealth becomes a story
Oladokun; wealth becomes (as wide as) the sea
Oladosu;wealth becomes month
Oladotun; wealth has become renewed
Oladunjoye; wealth is sweeter than titles
Oladunni; wealth is sweet to have
Oladurotoye; wealth stays with titles
Olafimihan; wealth shows me off
Olagoke; wealth ascends a hill
Olagunjoye; wealth is superior to titles
Olagunte; wealth ascends the throne
Olaide; wealth turns to come
Olaitan; wealth is inexhaustible
Olaiya; wealth of a mother
Olajide; wealth awakes to come
Olajire; wealth awakes to goodness
Olajobi/Olajumobi; wealth unites to give birth to
Olajumoke; wealth unites to pamper
Olakanmi; wealth has touched me/I am entitled to wealth
Olakitan; wealth does not finish
Olalekan; wealth has increased by one
Olalere; wealth has benefits
Olamakinde; wealth has brought the warrior
Olamide; my wealth has come
Olamiji; my wealth has awoken
Olanifesi; wealth has love for me
Olanipekun; wealth is endless
Olaniyan; wealth has its pride
Olaniyi; wealth is honorable
Olanlesi; wealth is increasing
Olanrele; wealth is going home
Olanrewaju; wealth is moving forward
Olansile; wealth opens a house
Olaoluwa; wealth of /from God
Olaosebikan; wealth does dwell exclusively in one place
Olaoti; wealth does not fade
Olaoye; wealth of the titled one
Olapademi; wealth meets with me
Olapeju; wealth is full of value
Olapitan; wealth tells a story
Olasimbo; wealth escorts me
Olasubomi; wealth has overwhelmed me.
Olasunmbo; wealth moves closer to me
Olasunkanmi; wealth moves nearer to touch me
Olasupo; wealth clusters together
Olatelemi; wealth follows me
Olatemina; I also deserve wealth
Olateju; wealth is abundant
Olatidoye; wealth has become a title
Olatokunbo; wealth from across the sea
Olatoun; wealth is worth strife
Olatunbosun; wealth has once more shifted (forward)
Olatunji; wealth has been revived
Olawale; wealth come home
Olawuwo; wealth is heavy
Olayemi; wealth befits me
Olayikanmi; wealth turned to touch me
Olayiwola; wealth twists into wealth
Olayinka; wealth surrounds me
Olayonu; wealth has burdens
Ololade; wealthy person has arrive
Olu/oluwa; means God. They are used interchangeably.
Oluade; God of the crown
Olubajo; God returns from a journey
Olubamise; God has done it for me
Olubanke; God helps me take care of (this child)
Oluwabukola; God adds to wealth
Olubukumi; God adds to me
Olubukunade; God adds to the crown
Oluwabunmi; God adds to me
Oluwabusayo; God adds to joy
Oluwabusola; God adds to wealth
Oludahunsi; God answers (me)
Oluwadairo; God establishes this one
Oluwadamilare; God exonerates/acquits me
Oluwadamilola ; God makes me wealthy
Oluwadamisi; God spares me/my life
Oluwadarasimi; God has been good to me
Oluwadayisi; God created this one
Oludemilade; God has crowned me
Oluwadetan; God has finally arrived
Oludolamu; God is the custodian of wealth
Oludotun; God becomes new
Olufadeke; God uses the crown to care for this one
Olufela; God expands wealth
Oluwafemi; God loves me
Olufeyikemi; God uses this (one) to care for me
Olufeyisayo; God uses this (one) to add to (my) joy
Oluwafikayo/ Olufikunayo; God adds completeness to (my) joy
Oluwafiresayo; God adds favor to (my) joy
Olufisayo; God adds to (my) joy
Olufolake; God takes care of this (one) with wealth
Olufolasade; God has uses wealth as a crown
Oluwafoyinsolami; God adds honey to my wealth
Olufumiso; God gave me (this child) to watch over
Olufunke; God gave me to pamper
Olufunmbi; God gave me to birth
Olufunmilade; God has given me a crown
Olufunmilola; God gives me wealth
Oluwafunmilorinotun; God has given me a new song
Olufunto; God gave me to raise/bring up
Olugbayilo; God takes this (one) to use
Olugbemileke; God makes me overcome
Oluwagbeminiyi; Gods honors me
Oluwagbotemi;God hears me
Oluwajimisayo;God wakes me into Joy
Oluwajomiloju; God has surprised me
Olukayode; God has brought joy
Oluwakemi; God pampers me
Olukolade; God brings wealth
Olukorede; God has brought good (to me)
Olukunmi; God completes me
Olulaanu; God has mercy
Oluwaleti; God has ears (to hear my request)
Oluwalomose; God knows how best to do it
Oluwalonike; God owns (this one) to take care of
Oluwalonimi; God owns me
Olumayokun; God makes joy complete
Olumayowa; God brings joy
Olumide; my God has come
Olumoyebo; God has brought titles
Oluwanifemi; God has love for me
Oluwapamilerinayo; God has caused me to laugh in joyfulness
Oluranti; God remembers
Oluwaremilekun;God has dried my tears
Oluropo; God replaces
Oluwarotimi; God is with me
Olusaanu; God wrought mercy
Olusanmi; God benefits me
Olusanya; God compensates for my suffering
Olusayo; God makes joy
Olusegun; God is victorious
Oluwasemilore; God has done me a favor
Oluwaseteminirere; God has done things for my good
Oluwaseun; thanks be to God
Oluwaseunbabaralaiyemi; God has done extremely great things for me
Oluwaseunayo; God has done something joyous
Oluseye; God makes dignity
Oluwaseyi; God has done this
Olusoga; God is the master
Olusoji; God has arisen
Olusola; God makes wealth
Oluwatemilorun; God contents me
Oluwatimilehin; God backs me up
Oluwatisetan; God has done completed

alj harem: lertee is a troll really

@ Op you are absolutely correct not only about Kwara or even Illorin in particular but also Kogi west/central and delta west.

The truth is that Illorin people are not enlightened about their history and have been brain-washed for years but fulanis. I met someone was called himself/herself fulani and it took me an hour to convince and tell the person why Islam DOES NOT EQUATE TO BEING A FULANI. He/she is Yoruba, speaks yoruba (although halfyorubafulani father and halfyorubafulani mother). A very interesting mix I said to myself. This person is from the ilorin caliphate quite alright but I gave the person history and actually convinced the person why his/her kids are yoruba.

They speak Hausa,Fulani and Yoruba in the house quite fluently but their lifestyle is yoruba. I believe if I can convince such a person then it is possible to educate a minority of them. Although NO ONE SHOULD FORCE ANYONE. IF THEY ARE MORE YORUBA OR MORE FULANI LET THEM BE anything but IGBO is fine by me JK jk jk just let them be

note: apologise for not specifying the gender cus the person knows me

There is no reason Yoruba cannot be mix blood with other races! Yoruba that are married to Igbo or many married to Hausa in the north, thos married to Europeans or Hispanic etc are all Yoruba. If Saraki claimed Fulani he was right and if he claimed Yoruba he would be right also because his roots touches both sides.
If a referendum is held today that whole state will vote to be with their kinsmen against all postulations and cunning adverts of many here because blood is thicker than water!
I must state that its not just Ilorin even other areas of Yoruba land have mixed population and places like Pategi ,Mokwa and the Gbagyi tribe in Niger state have cultural similarities with the Yoruba and the country may extend to Igala and even in a federal system it could include the Urhobo.
Have you heard of an adage that sas 'what an elder can see sitting ,a child cannot see it from the top of Iroko tree'

Amazing! Good thinking.

To be honest, I think Nigerians are just into all the ethnocentric jams et al. I think as much as the south-east needs its own place as a major stakeholder in the Nigeria dream, the politics of ethnicity and sectionalism has made Nigeria less productive and waste its scarce resources. If its the aim of the government in generating more funds and great service experience for travellers and in fact all Nigerians, nothing has been achieved in the aviation sector, not in the last ten to twenty years.If government has good plan, Lagos should have world class airport and new ones should have been opened by now especially the Lekki side of the city.
Government has not worked on bringing down the cost of air travel and an industry that should be multi billion dollar is struggling to survive.Refurbishing existing airports to me is just a case of maintenance and how could you be praising someone for carrying out maintenance on existing structures? Isn't that their jobs and they get all the perks in this world to do that? Many Nigerians work harder and get less.
I expected and in fact its my own expectation that the government should have looked into what could be done to drive down the cost of air travel. With my experience in travelling, there is nothing that shouldn't enable NYSC corp members from flying and do do that for the rest of their lives.Every Nigerian that work and earn at least 30k should be able to fly. What am I saying? our government is busy stratifying our society into classes exclusive to the very top. when you spent 25k and above flying how can an ordinary Nigerian afford that? To me,Stella, Kayode, Jonathan, Obj etc have all wasted generations of Nigerians and have done nothing new!
Nigerian airlines are folding up and people are losing jobs, tokunboh aircraft here and there, shamble airports everywhere and I saw some people carry placards in support of bullet proof cars and am sure some of those guys may be unemployed, its amazing!
To me,a working aviation sector will give sustenance to Nigerian businesses,many airlines will be working, flights cost will be affordable, safety will be a high priority and airports will be world class, anything less is a failure and Stella(or Kayode, chikwe, Aborisade etc) is not working toward that she just want to enrich herself and cronies,I pray it will be well with Nigeria.
Am surprised as my kinsmen support questionable characters allowing ethnic feeling to come into play, I think we need a rethink, thank God for those who could see better as Nigeria needs people of integrity not those who want to ride on the back of ethnicity to perpectuate themslves and their evils

Tony Spike: Just an examination of Metaphysical's observation...

Aborigine > A-B-R-G-N
Agboniregun > A-GB-N-R-G-N

In Yoruba, r'egun means to stay behind/remnant/source/gatherer.
Could Oniregun have meant the one who gathered them (the people) together?
Agboniregun could have very well meant Agbo Oniregun, the place (or compound) where they gathered them together

#NB: The two words have consonants ending with R-G-N which could very well coincide with the word ORIGIN. Since origin means THE SOURCE, It would be logical that their meaning are as follows:

AB ORIGIN (Latin) - from the source
AGBO ONIREGUN (Yoruba) - The place from where they gathered them

By fixing this, it means AB(Latin) and AGBO(Yoruba) actually have the same meaning. Yorubas often ask this question, "Agbo ile wo ni oti wa?" translated as "Where do you originate from?".

This is interesting....

Ubi(Latin) - Where
ibo(Yoruba) - Where


I suspect the source of these similarities occurred at a time when Greek was gradually transiting into Latin. Sometime pre-1 AD, the influence of ancient Kemet is no doubt active here too. For anyone interested, you can use google translator to aid you in getting other words. By the way, what does the word OREGUN mean in Yoruba? I'm suspecting it is the corruption of the word origin.

Relying only on modern Yoruba wont make it clearer. In the eastern part of Yoruba it is 'ubi' for example 'ohni ubi ni' in Ekiti/Ondo/itsekiri etc will be he is an evil/wicked person.

9jacrip: I saw it on the other thread while on my phone but I'll post a reply here since the other thread appears hijacked.



Going by the excerpt quoted above, then you would agree I've raised this point (though I did not go into details) which Mr Macof kept shouting down and I keep wondering why. In a nutshell, I mentioned there were settlements in Ife before Oduduwa came which he conquered and appeared to have unified and urshered Ife into a new political dawn 'Ooniship'. I mentioned points related to the excerpts you provided in my earlier posts on this thread.


@ the red-bolded: I still find it hard to connect the Ugbo/Ilaje's invasion and taking Ife people as captives with the Oduduwa's obaship. Reason being this Ilaje's terrorist act came very much later when Ile-Ife had become cohesive and issue of Obatala/Oduduwa long gone. Ilaje was said to have left around 10th C, while Offa was said to have been founded in 14th C. (http://www.ilajecwa.org.uk/history.htm and http://oduna.org/platform/content/history-offa). If these periods are anything to go by, would it then mean Ugbos have continued to raid Ife for captives for many centuries? If it was during Oranmiyan's period - Oyo was founded around 14th C too, when when did the Oyo Prince Olafagangan leave to found Offa? I wrote a dissertation on Edi Festival in Ife-Ife(Moremi's heroic act and the festival in rememberance). The people I interviewed couldn't state specifically which of the Oonis was on seat during Ugbo raids, plus, I do not think it has anything to do with Oduduwa usurping power.

Further at the red-bolded: The Ugbo/Moremi is Edi festival which has nothing to do with Itapa festival (Obatala, Oduduwa, Obameri, Oramfe, Yemoo etc). They are far apart and not connected. Please do not confuse it.

From the above, there are so many histories lost in pre-oduduwa and Oduduwa's era which I wouldn't like for us to mix-up.

I would love to look into the Agboniregun's issue with you.

His argument looked reasonable to me. I will like to read from you too. Oduduwa may have later conquered the Ugbo moreso that their secrets were already known.
I believe Oranmiyan who also ruled did not change much in the cultural aspect but only a political landmark.

Katsumoto: Reproduced from the original thread.

@ 9jacrip & macof


A few books provide that there were small states within Ife – Oke Ora under Oduduwa, Idena under Oreluere, Itapa and Ideta under Obatala, Ita Yemoo under Yemoo (Obatala’s wife), Igbo Olokun under Olokun (Oduduwa’s wife). It would appear that Oduduwa conquered the other areas because there are separate accounts of revolt against Oreluere and Obatala.

Sources
Culture, Politics and Money Among the Yoruba – Toyin Falola
Ife Before Oduduwa (Isola Olomola) an excerpt found in Professor Akijogbin’s The Cradle of a Race
American, African, and Old European Mythologies – Yves Bonnefoy

See excerpt from Olodumare, God in Yoruba Belief – Bolaji Idowu

‘It is not certain what his original name was, but it could have been Oduduwa ….. We learn from Oral Tradition that when Oduduwa arrived in Ile Ife, there was already a community of aboriginal people under the leadership of Oreluore. The tradition persists that when Oduduwa arrived with his colonizing party, he at first did not pay any respect to Oreluere or recognize his headship. He was haughty and disdainful in his attitude.’


But in the absence of reading those books (It is almost impossible to find that Akinjogbin book today), please see below.


‘While no one could precisely say what motivate ‘ogboni’ cult or confraternity, to come into being in Ife-Oodaye, but postulations in Yoruba mythology, shed light on the pre-Oduduwa era in the IIe-Ife, when ‘Obatala’ and Oreluere were the ruling chieftains of the Aborigine Ife-speaking community. ‘Awo’ ogboni, among so many other ‘Awos’(i.e cults) in Ife then, became so prominent and relevant, more as a pressure group to protest the unceremonious arrival of the great colonial master in history, (i.e.) Oduduwa, just as certian people of today’s Nigeria, first resisted the coming of the British imperialism, so also, the aboriginal Ife people and their particularly leader, Obatala; vehemently resisted the unexpected arrival of Oduduwa and his followers into Ile-ife. But when they could not withstand the might and high political network of Oduduwa, these ancient Ife people, resorted to cover activities, by making use of their ogboni group to determine oduduwa’s authority. And in most cases, against oduduwa’s people themselves, who were not their members. Most of these terrorist acts take place during the life time of Queen MOREMI, an Ofa indigene, married to ORANMIYAN, one of the Ife kings at that time.’

http://oloolutof./ogboni-fraternity-the-oyo-perspective/



So to settle the debate between 9jacrip and macof – there are two accounts which are intertwined.
1. A cosmogonic/mythological one which provides that Olodumare gave the task of creating the world to Obatala but Oduduwa ended up completing the task with Obatala creating man - macof
2. A more realistic historical one in which Oduduwa surreptitiously conquered the Ife area by defeating Obatala (who may have also been Oreluere). This account is strengthened by the abandonment of Ife by the Ugbo (Ilaje/Mahin) but who later resort to guerilla tactics to retake Ife. I believe this ties in with the Moremi legend. It also fits in perfectly with the Itapa festival that is celebrated in Ife. - 9jacrip

Thank you to both of you. I have had to revert to old books for this which has provided some clarity for me. I have often wondered why Agboniregun was in Ife when Oduduwa arrived there. Something else to ponder, according to Akinjogbin and other Yoruba historians, there were at least 93 kings before Oduduwa. This fits in well with my belief that there were several Yoruba groups around at the same time as Ife pre-Oduduwa and why the Ijebu have always maintained that they are not from Ife.

Agree with the bolded. It looks reasonable to me.

macof: Nice

Oral history does state Obatala to be the last elder man(I won't say ruler or king) of Ife but also states Obatala to be the founder of Ile-Ife and first elder.

Obatala must have been a title just like the present titles across many Kingdoms may be that was why he could be the founder and also the last ruler Oduduwa met

[quote author=El fenómeno]Bro, kindly stop this your blind nationalism. I'm also Yoruba, a historian. The Fulani did defeat us at Ilorin, they also killed the traitor, Afonja. From Ilorin, they sacked Oyo ile, don't you that the present Oyo isn't the Capital of the Old Oyo Empire? Old Oyo was upper ward when compare to the present one. However, you're right about Ibadan defeating them in 1840 at Oshogbo and the Ibadan forces made a grave mistake by not chasing them out of Ilorin. At that time, if the other Yoruba States had align with Ibadan, Sokoto itself could have been a Yoruba city, I said so because we've had access to European riffles and Canons at that time whereas, the Fulanis were using calvary, swordmen and archers. The insult at Ilorin is the reason why any sane Yorubaman should consider the Hausa/Fulani as our eternal enemies. Tinubu and co, need to learn from history.[/quote]i also read the history like you did and not just Yoruba but other African history. The sacking of old Oyo and those advancement of Nupe/Fulani was as a betrayer by Afonja who led them. It was when he wanted to assert his authority that he was killed by his own ally. All the war planned and executed against the Yoruba by the Nupe/Fulani were lost. Check again.

JaaizTech: I really do not get what the OP is trying to drive at. Nigeria is indeed a diverse place, just like the rest of the world. States were not created in order to sectionalize tribes, but Nigeria was divided into states for administrative purposes. It really doesn't matter that KWARA is grouped into the Northern part, that is just a question of geographical location and has nothing to do with the people living states. Kwara being located in geographical North doesn't imply the people of Kwara can not be Yorubas!

We need to stop hating ourselves, because all I can see here is a by-product of the dislike south has for North and vice-versa, but let me tell you that even amongst the Yorubas there is in-fighting, Ife-Modakeke clash is still fresh in memory. Issues exist between the different Yoruba tribes, lump them together as one region and this issues will become pronounced.

We should not allow ourselves to be used to sow the seed of discord but the seed of unity; what I would encourage the youths of this Nation to clamour for is rotational Presidency & Governorship. We need a system that gives everyone a sense of belonging. There is ethnic strife within every region: Ijaw Vs Itsekiri; Igbira Vs Igala; Hausa vs Gbagi etc; and the reason for this strife is that the minority groups feel they are being marginalised. A system that ensures every ethnic group has a fair chance of participating at the highest level of Governance is what Nigeria needs now.


I would also advise that people travel around this country, only that way would they appreciate the importance of the unity of this country. We have very little to gain dividing, but a lot to lose.

Discord s part of human socio-economic evolution but conflict management is in itself a course in the University. That there may be trouble is not enough to discourage change. Change itself comes with some sacrifices and pain.Jesus Christ was sacrificed so that salvation can be available to all.

bola4dprec: There are well laid down criteria for creating a state including identifiable geographical area, cultural affinity, geographical contiguity, viability adequate population, linguistic similarity etc. Many of the areas being demanded to be carved as a state do not qualify to be a state with the above criteria in mind. Their demand is shrouded in creating a kingdom for their leaders.

The only geo-political zone that needs an additional state as a matter of necessity and priority is the South East zone of the country which has the least number of states among the six geo-political zones and which is being cheated in everything including revenue allocation, representation in National Assembly, ministerial appointment and other federal appointments.

However if equity and fairness are to be maintained each geo-political zone should have a maximum of seven states to bring the total number of states in the country to 42 to end state creation exercise in the country. This will necessitate the expunging of state creation from the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to end the malady. No one has heard how many new states are being created in USA, India, China, Britain or any other African country. Why should state creation be an endless exercise in Nigeria?

STATE creation will continue as an endless exercise because states were created first by the military and their civilian cronies and was not the agreement of Nigerian populace. The last time Nigerians agreed on their structure was during the Regional structure. States today are avenues for getting more political offices higher population figures and attracting more revenue allocations. How many states can actually stand as federating units in a true federal republic?
The East is not being cheated with analysis, its just that the North is having more than it should have. What do i mean? The three regions granted nationhood as at 1959 :
1. Western Region - Lagos,Oyo,Osun, Ekiti,Ondo,Ogun, Edo and Delta = 8
2. Eastern Region - Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Anambra, Enugu, Imo,Ebonyi, Abia =9
3 Northern Region -Rest 19
The west has one state short of the East. Now the point is that the three regions entered Nigeria as equal partners and even if Kwara+Yoruba Kogi be added as a united state to the old western region it will still be:
Western region - 9
Eastern region-9
Northern Region - 18
what these figures mean are these:
The higher the figure the higher revenue allocations, local government areas,federal civil servants/appointments and location of federal infrastructures etc. So judge for yourself which region has been cheated the most. This means that while the north will have 19 universities and the east 9 the west will have 8 for federal schools.
AS far as am concerned and having to take an intellectual consideration, states creations had divide Nigerians more than anything because its the pillar for the strong central government where people go to share booty and not develop Nigeria.
The truth is I feel the west has been systematically reduced to diminish its political influence and the advent of oil killed the whole thing as Niger Delta became the camel that carries the bulk of the load.
Let Nigeria revert to Regional arrangements that will respect the old order as agreed by our founding fathers and let each region meet to dive themselves as they wish. In other to respect our minorities which I respect and desire earnestly, we can have the middle belt and all non Hausa/Fulani/Kanuri people meet to decide on themselves while referendum can be used to decide on contentious places.

Katsumoto: [b]@ 9jacrip & macof


A few books provide that there were small states within Ife – Oke Ora under Oduduwa, Idena under Oreluere, Itapa and Ideta under Obatala, Ita Yemoo under Yemoo (Obatala’s wife), Igbo Olokun under Olokun (Oduduwa’s wife). It would appear that Oduduwa conquered the other areas because there are separate accounts of revolt against Oreluere and Obatala.

Sources
Culture, Politics and Money Among the Yoruba – Toyin Falola
Ife Before Oduduwa (Isola Olomola) an excerpt found in Professor Akijogbin’s The Cradle of a Race
American, African, and Old European Mythologies – Yves Bonnefoy

See excerpt from Olodumare, God in Yoruba Belief – Bolaji Idowu

‘It is not certain what his original name was, but it could have been Oduduwa ….. We learn from Oral Tradition that when Oduduwa arrived in Ile Ife, there was already a community of aboriginal people under the leadership of Oreluore. The tradition persists that when Oduduwa arrived with his colonizing party, he at first did not pay any respect to Oreluere or recognize his headship. He was haughty and disdainful in his attitude.’


But in the absence of reading those books (It is almost impossible to find that Akinjogbin book today), please see below.


‘While no one could precisely say what motivate ‘ogboni’ cult or confraternity, to come into being in Ife-Oodaye, but postulations in Yoruba mythology, shed light on the pre-Oduduwa era in the IIe-Ife, when ‘Obatala’ and Oreluere were the ruling chieftains of the Aborigine Ife-speaking community. ‘Awo’ ogboni, among so many other ‘Awos’(i.e cults) in Ife then, became so prominent and relevant, more as a pressure group to protest the unceremonious arrival of the great colonial master in history, (i.e.) Oduduwa, just as certian people of today’s Nigeria, first resisted the coming of the British imperialism, so also, the aboriginal Ife people and their particularly leader, Obatala; vehemently resisted the unexpected arrival of Oduduwa and his followers into Ile-ife. But when they could not withstand the might and high political network of Oduduwa, these ancient Ife people, resorted to cover activities, by making use of their ogboni group to determine oduduwa’s authority. And in most cases, against oduduwa’s people themselves, who were not their members. Most of these terrorist acts take place during the life time of Queen MOREMI, an Ofa indigene, married to ORANMIYAN, one of the Ife kings at that time.’

http://oloolutof./ogboni-fraternity-the-oyo-perspective/



So to settle the debate between 9jacrip and macof – there are two accounts which are intertwined.
1. A cosmogonic/mythological one which provides that Olodumare gave the task of creating the world to Obatala but Oduduwa ended up completing the task with Obatala creating man - macof
2. A more realistic historical one in which Oduduwa surreptitiously conquered the Ife area by defeating Obatala (who may have also been Oreluere). This account is strengthened by the abandonment of Ife by the Ugbo (Ilaje/Mahin) but who later resort to guerilla tactics to retake Ife. I believe this ties in with the Moremi legend. It also fits in perfectly with the Itapa festival that is celebrated in Ife. - 9jacrip

Thank you to both of you. I have had to revert to old books for this which has provided some clarity for me. I have often wondered why Agboniregun was in Ife when Oduduwa arrived there. Something else to ponder, according to Akinjogbin and other Yoruba historians, there were at least 93 kings before Oduduwa. This fits in well with my belief that there were several Yoruba groups around at the same time as Ife pre-Oduduwa and why the Ijebu have always maintained that they are not from Ife.

[/b]

Your link is amazing.
I agree with you that Oduduwa met some aborigines at Ife which was already a spiritual centre for the people. The Obatala(which may be a title while Oreluere may be his own personal name )was probably the ruling house being also the name of the founder of the Kingdom ,at Ife which I believe extended to most of the eastern half of the Yoruba country. The word 'Oba' may have had it origin from there which means 'soul' also looking at some nomenclature like Oba-ile, Egbe-Oba, Oko-Oba etc. Also, Agboniregun may have been a priestly position that was both powerful and emits mysticism(please my thinking)all these pre-Oduduwa era.
However, Oduduwa came and set a new era after some hiccups is up for debate but our generation can do justice to that judging by available information of this age. Yes, Oduduwa formed a cult leadership system that all pledged allegiance which does not necessarily meant all those claiming to be his children may be, may be some would also be his cousins or brothers(e.g the Ijebu).
That Oranmiyan also came conquering as a son or grandson was another phase quite different from the Oduduwa era because its traceable to Oyo empire which was the popular Kingdom of the 18th century or so of which fragments the colonialists met in Yoruba land.May be Oranmiyan was another kingdom builder/conqueror like Oduduwa- also debatable.
I also believe the Ugbo (spelled Igbo in the Samuel Johnson history book and in the subsequent Yoruba alphabelt by Crowther where it was said that an alphabet like 'u' could not start a Yoruba word ,thereby consigning lots of ancient words in the Eastern half of the Yoruba nation to the past; words like Ugbo(bush), Ule(house), Usu(yam) Usha/ushashun(pot),Udi(bottom),Ulekun(door), Uwe(book) etc as widely used by sub-ethnic groups of Ijesa, Ekiti, ife, Ondo,Ikale, Itsekiri, Ilaje,Akoko and some Igbomina, Okun etc because these honourable men used their own Oyo dialects in their discourse) were of the Ugbo kingdom of Ikale/Ilaje ,some in Edo and Delta states of today.
I seem to agree with you that they employed guerilla warfare against Ife and the case of Moremi came into the picture.
We can agree that Ife Kingdom of the time would have stretched across all of Yoruba country of today and Edo,some parts of Niger Delta(considering Ijaw version of history) and parts of Benin Republic ,Togo and Ghana including the Igala nation. Ife produced Benin empire one way or the other while Benin produced Onicha-Ado the word ADO is a common word for station across many towns in Yoruba history including the word Edo/Ado in Bini and Ekiti.
Ilorin historically belong to the Yoruba but in case of decision making the town's inhabitants will determine where their stake lies and if the ruling class look up north, the ordinary folks will vote west and that may mark social and psychological revolution no doubt.About the Kogi-west, their loyalty lies in the west absolutely.Don't be surprised that many more groups may fuse with the Yoruba country (just saying) like the Ebira, Igala,and Urhobo and Yoruba kinsmen like Itsekiri and Edo to form an all inclusive Omoluabi country in a federal structure as a country but don't think that will happen in regional arrangements maybe Itsekiri will anyway.
I have said it that I know Yoruba sooo well and their country have the best opportunity of stability and success in case of becoming a new country. Many have taken presence of oil and gas as the main thing but the Yoruba do have these resources and good land to farm, fantastic seaports and an economy that will be above that of any country in west Africa!
I wish the structure will be in a regional arrangement that will include the recognition of Regions as nations so that we can present teams at the world cup(laughs) just like United Kingdom. I think leaders involved in the conference should adapt a United Kingdom style to suit Nigeria.

[quote author=Dudu_Negro]I read the whole article.

I call it grasping at straws. Im not an anthropologist and neither a linguist but in the understanding of the core history and roots of Yoruba people I have deep and rooted understanding and knowledge.

All the ethnicities or people that share ancestry with Yoruba have a ruler-state society.

In other words, Yoruba emerged, as a specimen, out of a ruler-state in a Hamitic/Semitic origin, it migrated South and was a prototype for new settlements in the Negro's Sudan.

The Yoruba of antiquity and the Yoruba of today remain a city dweller and ruler-state.

The Ugbo people of Ife are not the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria. The Ugbo of Ife are a people in Ondo state today.

All people with whom Yoruba share ancestry are city dwellers and dynastic rulers. These fall into three classes:

1. A commonwealth of Yoruba States
2. A proto-Yoruba kingdoms
3. A proto-Asara footprint

Igbos and Ijo do not fall into any of these three classes and must therefore be excluded as having commonality with Yoruba ancestry. If Igbo and Ijo are part of the migrants into the Sudan, then their footprints must be retraced via a different channel and one in which they serve as "true" specimen of descendency and origin.[/quote]Let me highlight some of my observations:
Through linguistic study some Yoruba words have been found to be the same with one KMT or Kemetu of old Sudanic/Egyptian Kingdom of ancient times more especially the Ekiti/Ijesa/Ikale/Itsekiri tongues. This article did not point at any of those. The Anu/Oru may have had something with the Yoruba but the Kumoni as stressed was obviously meant to draw a relationship, hard to dispute and hard to acept either because even today, there are no obvious relationship linguistically unlike other groups mentioned also apart from the Igbo of Eastern Nigeria of today save some of their groups.Let me comment on the article:

The original autochthonous people that were settled in the Benin region prior to the arrival of the KUMONI, were the ORU people, who as the traditions state had also come from the Sudan at an unknown earlier date in antiquity. Other ancient people’s that had settled in the Benin region were the EFA, and Ife region were the OYELAGBO or UGBO (IGBO) peoples, while east of the Niger we also have the IGBO’s

I have always had interest in knowing dwellers in our present abodes in ancient times and may be I will have to pretend to agree. The Ugbo people are obviously the Ikale/Ilaje of today and the fringe parts of Edo state.

The Ancient Oru (Anu) founders of the Great Nile Valley civilisation complex (and possibly the lake Chad complex); The Ancient Ugbo or Igbo (or Kwa people) who seem to have been the founders of the Nok complex; The above ancient people belong to the branch of Black African referred to as Sudanese or Nilotic Negroes. And the Ancient Bantu, who migrated from East/Central Africa.


The Oru/Anu people ; are they the neighbours of or same people as the old Kmt people? The Kwa people i can link through to Eatern part of Yoruba nation in western Nigeria through linguistic recall. I may be wrong but I know people of Ekiti/Ondo/Itsekiri/Olukumi(in Delta)Ikale will say for instance:
what are you doing - kwaise
what did you say - kwati wi
Their rulers were majorly "Owa"
etc
If I have to use this analogy I may say Kwara could me a form of greeting like "ora o" or a form of trading slogan like Kwara - what would you buy or part of Kwa.....i don't want to postulate anything.Similarity between Nok artefacts and Ife artefacts were found to be so similar and assumed to be made by the same people(lazy to give a link please goggle that)I may have to accept that these Kwa people may have had a hand in the Nok civilization.
The Lake Chad complex may also be true because some parts of Yoruba history recognises Kukawa and Gobir in a particular relationship or in migration.
However, I have this notion that an empire may have been in the Sahara which connect Lake Chad area with upper Egypt down to Nok and Ife which may have been headed by African rulers from this Nok/Ife area which may give credence to some creation myth of Ife.If Oduduwa/Adimula Alaafin Omoluabi actually migrated from such ,place as Egypt or Kemetu(Kmt), IT MAY BE A JOURNEY BACK HOME to the place of his forbears.

An unbiased reading of the works of notable Ijaw historians such as S K Owonaru (History of Ijos and her Neighbours in Nigeria 1949), E J Alagoa (The History of the Niger Delta) and the works by other historians from the Yoruba, Edo and Igbo will demonstrate that indeed the Ijaws are one of the ancient tribes to have settled West Africa, who later on intermarried with other equally ancient tribes to give birth to the ethnic nationalities that now inhabit Southern Nigeria today.

The ancient people from which the Ijaws descended from were not known as Ijaw (Ijo, Ujo, although this name has been traced to a legendary ancestor who established in the Niger Delta with his people). The ancestral name was ORU. That is why in colonial documents the Ijaws are also referred to as ORU people. It was the ancient ORU people that fused with others to produce our immediate neighbours.

This is speculative and designed to give superiority to some groups.The same could be said of other groups.

The original autochthonous people that were settled in the Benin region prior to the arrival of the KUMONI, were the ORU people, who as the traditions state had also come from the Sudan at an unknown earlier date in antiquity. Other ancient people’s that had settled in the Benin region were the EFA, and Ife region were the OYELAGBO or UGBO (IGBO) peoples, while east of the Niger we also have the IGBO’s

Whereas a deep investigation into the histories of both Ife and Benin indicate that more than one ethnic group were responsible for the genesis of these two city-states. For the earliest dynastic period of Ife and Benin an unnamed people associated with both the legendary Oduduwa at Ife and Ogiso Igodo dynasty at Benin was responsible for establishing the earliest forms of monarchy in these two city kingdoms. Whereas in Ife, the proto-Yoruba ancestors called OOYELAGBO OR UGBO are mentioned, and at Benin the proto-Edo ancestors called EFA are mentioned, the name of the tribe of the dynastic founders are not. What was the name of the tribe that Oduduwa belonged to? What was the name of the tribe that Igodo the first Ogiso of Benin, belonged to? Why has Oduduwa’s original name ADUMU not been emphasised more than his alias ODUDUWA?

Oduduwa has Adimu as part of his royal names and it is well stated as" Adimula" still used in Ife today and occurs in his eulogies (oriki)

An examination and comparison of the names ADUMU, OGU (OGUN) & OGBOGBODIRI the first 3 kings of dynastic Ife, IGODO, ERE & KALADIRAN the first 2 and last Ogisos of Benin with the Ijo language, reveals that these names are still being borne by Ijo individuals up till today, but the present day Yoruba and Edo do not bear these names. What does this suggest? It suggests that the dynastic founders of Ife and Benin were ethnically related to the present day Ijo people as emphasised by ancestral tradition.

I know Yoruba people still bear names like Ogundele, Ogun(I know a family and some individuals ), Ogundamisi etc they also bear names like Adio, Adigun, Adisa. So i think that was incorrect. Besides, these are ancient names and many of them have been deified, who want to give such names to their children?

For our research topic we have singled out four distinct ancient peoples whose names have come down to us through tradition, who combined and came together in various ways to give birth to the kingdoms of Southern Nigeria. These ancient people have been identified as:

[b]The ORU or KUMONI (also known as the ONU or ANU people) they were an aquatic based culture, settling the banks of rivers and watersides. They were indigenous to the Nile Valley and Lake Chad regions before moving south (an exhaustive comparison between the ancient religious and cultural system of the twin Nile-Valley civilisations of Egypt and Sudan, plus language studies enables us to conclude that the ANU or ONU were ethnically the same as the ORU.
The IGBO or UGBO (also known as OOYELAGBO) a branch of the Kwa, they were land based. They were originally situated in East Africa, before migrating to the north of the Niger/Benue confluence region in antiquity.
The EFA, they were also land based. The EFA & IGBO seem to have descended from a people once known as the KWA or KWARA people, who inhabited the Middle Niger/Benue confluence region (hence its original name of Kwara river).
The BANTU & SEMI BANTU of unknown names, from east and central Africa.
THE EVENTS THAT GAVE RISE TO THE FOUNDATION OF IFE, BENIN & DELTA STATES
[/b]
What was the name of their original settlement in East/North Africa?Kmt?

By about 500 AD scattered primordial isolated communities of all the aforementioned ancient peoples began to come into being throughout the Southern Nigeria region.

This isolated and stateless existence situation was changed with the arrival of fresh immigrants from the Nile Valley due to the Arab onslaught from about 640 AD. In the various traditions these immigrants are referred to as having came from EGYPT, SUDAN, & ARABIA (MECCA) To clear up this point. The use of the term MECCA or ARABIA is just a reference to the EAST, While references to Egypt and Sudan have more factual foundation, as these civilisations were clearly indigenous Black African civilisations up until their colonisation by the Arabs. The migration route of these stream of refugees fleeing the upheavals of North East Africa was through the Lake Chad – Middle Niger (Borgu/Bussa/Nupe) then on to the Ife, Benin and Lower Niger regions.

Italics - i may want to agree with this assertion.

From about 500 AD a branch of the UGBO referred to as OOYELAGBO started to arrive in the Ile-Ife region, from an ancestral home situated in the Niger/Benue confluence region. They set up dispersed communities within the now Ile-Ife region. Shortly afterwards (650 AD) a branch of the ORU known as the KUMONI, migrated from Upper Egypt to the Bussa region. In the Bussa region they fused with the local population and established the BORGU Kingdom. From the Bussa region a section decided to settle in the Ile-Ife region and establish a City state to be known as YOBA (YEBA) derived from the original name of the Upper Egyptian province that they had hailed from.

They establishment of this new city was opposed by certain sections of the OOYELAGBO communities led by the chief Obatala priest ORELUERE, who argued that since it was they who arrived first, the king of the city must be from amongst them. This led to a war told in the ancestral traditions as the “war between ODUDUWA & OBATALA” In reality it was a conflict between two theocratic systems of government. On the one hand we had the new form of centralised Government based on a theocratic monarchy focused on the SUPREME MOTHER GODDESS (Woyingi). The OOYELAGBO form of traditional chief’s council opposed this with the head chief being focused on the GODHEAD (Obatala).

With the help of dissatisfied sections of the OOYELAGBO communities, led by Oba-Meri, and also ORU people living in the Nupe region; the leaders of the KUMONI people headed by a prince original named as ADIMU (ADUMU) went to war and defeated the opposing factions of Ooyelagbo and established his centralised government. Prince Adimu was also a priest of the SUPREME MOTHER GODDESS LODGE (known in Kumoni language as Woyingi, and in Ooyelagbo language as Oduduwa) and at the same time a high initiate of the ancient ADUMU (ADUM) spiritual Initiation lodge of ancient Egypt.

Before the final setting up of the government, Prince Adimu invited the leaders of the hostile Ooyelagbo communities and his own allies (the Oru and Ooyelagbo supporters) to a constitutional conference, where it was agreed to form a confederacy where all the communities living in the area would swear allegiance to Adumu, but have control over their own internal affairs. At that conference Prince Adumu was declared the LORD OF THE FORTRESS ‘ALA – AFIN’ (ALA-lord or chief, AFIN-fortress) and henceforth addressed as “ALA-AFIN ADUMU-ALA”. (ALA is still a Chief title amongst the Ijaws). He also took on the alias ‘ODUDUWA’, as it was the term in the Ooyelagbo language for the Mother Goddess of which he was a priest.

THE SECOND PERIOD OF IFE, BENIN & IJO

The 1st Adumu dynastic state of Ife founded by the legendary Prince Adumu (known in Yoruba tradition as the legendary Oduduwa) and the Ogiso dynastic state of Benin existed for upwards 500 years starting from about 650 AD. Later on new conquering forces that came from the Niger/Benue heartlands of the ancient UGBO overthrew them.

We now know that at about 1150 AD a conqueror remembered as ORANJAN (ORANMIYAN) from Takpa-land (situated in the Niger/Benue region) took over the Old Oyo kingdom which was closely connected to Ife. Ife was attacked next, but the old Adumu dynastic rulers were not deposed, but made to pay tribute to ORANJAN at his base in Oko. It was from this base that ORANJAN made war on Benin, which had by this time fallen into decay with the fleeing into exile of the Ogiso Prince Kaladiran. It took several attempts and centuries for the Oranjan forces to gain total control of Benin. When they did gain control, they changed the title of the Ogiso kings to OBA. Eweka was the first Oba of the 2nd Benin dynasty (1170 AD).

Meanwhile at Ife the Adumu dynasty was finally overthrown, with the exiling of Lufon II and the instalment of Lajamisan who claimed to be a direct descendant of Oranjan.

In order to gain real legitimacy at Ife, Oyo and Benin, the new dynastic fraternity of Ife, Oyo and Benin was mythologised (distorting history in the process) as the last sons of King Oduduwa, the founder of the first Yoba kingdom of Ile-Ife (as the original founder, all legitimacy derives from him), even though at least 500 years separates the period of the establishment of the city state of Ife by King Adumu (alias Oduduwa) around 650 AD, and the emergence of Oranjan (Oranmiyan) in about 1150 AD.

And lastly, about late 15th to 16th centuries, a large section of the Ijos who once lived at Benin, migrated into the Niger Delta.

CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION BETWEEN IJAW AND BENIN HISTORIES

Due to distortions in the present history of Ife and Benin, there is a lot of confusion as to the actual foundation of Benin, the time of the two major dynasties, and how the Ijos relate to both.

The original founding inhabitants (aborigines) of the Benin region were the ORU people. They were later joined by the KUMONI from Upper Egypt and the EFA from the East Africa via Niger/Benue confluence region. These peoples came together under Prince Igodo (Godo) to establish the first Benin kingdom of the Ogisos. In Benin traditional history they are represented by the UZAMA , OGIAMA (OGIAMWEN) & IYASE elements. This first kingdom lasted approximately 500 years. (it is noted that the names IGODO and ERE, the first two kings of the Ogiso dynasty are still Ijo names borne by Ijaws to the present day).

Establishing the identity of the Uzama & Ogiama- According to P A Talbot (The People’s of Southern Nigeria 1926 pp31-153 “The Benin country appears to have been inhabited by a people called Efa, the ancestors of the present Edo and ruled by a large number of petty chiefs, those at Benin City being the Ogiame, and the Uzama Nihino (The seven Uzama)”.

This statement is in agreement with ancestral Ijaw hsitory as compiled by S K Owonaru and extant Ife traditions. The site of Benin City itself was the site of the first habitation of the Ijos (Kumoni) before moving into the Niger delta. Those that remained behind founded the settlements of Uzama (Ujo-ama or Uzo-ama), whilst the Igodo element founded Ogiame (Ogi-ama). Further proof comes from the fact that the most ancient quarters of Benin City are prefixed IDUMU meaning quarters in Ijo language. It was the Uzama and Ogiama people that put up the most critical resistance against the invaders (Oranjan from Ife). These invaders were not from Ile-Ife as is commonly supposed, but from another Ife to the north-east situated near the Igala country.

A second group who displaced the Ogisos and introduced the Oba title, forced themselves onto the Benin people in about 1170 AD. These people are erraneously referred to as the Yoruba element. In fact they came not from Ile-Ife, as is commonly narrated, but from Igala country. These people had to conquer the Ile-Ife region and establish the Oranmiyan dynasty. It should be noted that the Igala and present day Yoruba have a direct ancestral link. Indeed the Igala region is the ancestral home of the present day Yoruba speaking people (historians need to seriously research this).

According to the records, the last Ogiso prince, Kaladiran (Ekaladerhan) became a victim of political intrigue and was exiled from Benin City. He fled into the delta and founded the town of Igodo with his band of exiles.

Oranjan (Oranyan), on his first attempt to conquer Benin, encountered resistance at the Ovia river by the Ijos. After several attempts Oranjan circumvented the Ovia river route and gains a foothold at Uzama. It is at Uzama that he sets up base, but due to stiff opposition from the people he is forced to leave. By the time he has left with his entourage, he has formed an alliance with the Uzama chiefs (the seven Uzama) and also some of the leaders of the Efa (i.e Ogiefa). It is whilst here that Oranjan has a son by an Efa woman. This son is named Eweka.

Eweka also encounters opposition in trying to establish a dynasty at Benin. It is only after the forth generation during the time of Ewedo that they gain some success in establishing dynastic control over the whole of Benin City. Which is to say that before Ewedo, the previous Obas did not really exercise monarchical power over Benin City.

Ewedo also encounters major resistance from the Ijos of the Ovia river complex and also the inhabitants of Ogiama (Ogiame). It was during this decisive battle that Ewedo obtained the royal stool of the Ogisos from Ogiama.

The leaders of the Ogiama, custodians of the Ogiso stool and the leaders of the Uzama were then invited to form a government with Ewedo. The Oranjan or Eweka dynasty becomes established at Benin city. But resistance is still put up by some sections of the kingdom.

The Eweka dynasty was not fully accepted. It faced increasing resistance from the City of Udo, which was west of Benin across the Ovia river. Due to this resistance ditches were dug around Benin. Oba Ogulua marries one of the daughters of the ruler of Udo to secure peace but to no avail. During an intense campaign against Udo, the resistance is destroyed, leading to many of the indigenes fleeing into the main delta. From time to time the leaders of the Uzama presented resistance to the illegimate regime at Benin.

The Eweka dynasty only becomes fully legitimise when Ogun (Ewuare)of the 12th generation ascends the throne. Ogun it is stated was the child of a noble woman who descended from the Ogisos, ie to say she was an Ogiso princess. This may have been a deliberate process on the part of the indigenous element put in place a ruler who was favourable to their interests (Ogun was earlier banaished), for Ogun ascended to the throne after a great battle that lasted two days and two nights. So Ogun ascended the throne of the Ogisos and united in himself the two dynasties (the older indigenous Ogiso dynasty and the younger Oranjan-Eweka dynasty from an Ife near the Igala country). It was during Ogun’s time that 'the trouble ceased' so to speak. It was from his time that the monarchy became legitimate and stablised by Ogun creating a state council integrating the Indigenous chiefs in a power sharing arrangment.

By the time of the Oba kings of Benin, the Ijo (Oru) speaking element of Benin had become a minority in the Benin region, due to intermarriage with the EFA amongst other things. This intermarriage gave birth to some of the Urhobo clans so to speak, who later migrated from Benin.

Subsequently the Oranmiyan-Eweka dynasty started confiscating the land of the true owners of the Benin region, which led to massive migrations out of Benin. Hence the Ijaw narratives from Mein-Ijo and other clans which attest to such actually happening. Many of these people moved into the main central delta and coast to join their kith & Kin already estabished in the region. (Historians need to question why was it that Mein fled Benin into the central delta from Aboh, which at the time was still Ijo speaking? Why is it that the Urhobo maintain fraternal relations with the Ijaws up till the present day?

Conclusion:

As we go further and further back in time, we cannot talk of the Ijos, Yoruba,s Binis, Edos, Urhobos as we now understand them as ethnic groups in this present time.

We have established that certain ancient African people’s settled in the Southern Nigeria region and gave birth to new ethnic groups. These ancient tribes were known as

The ORU,

The KUMONI (a part of the ORU)

The OOYELAGBO OR UGBO (a part of the KWA)

The IGBO (a part of the KWA)

The EFA (A part of the KWA)

The BANTU and SEMI BANTU


Of the above only the ORU or KUMONI were aquatic previously living in the Nile-Valley, Upper Niger, Lake Chad region and Lower Niger.

The KWA and BANTU formally lived in the East Africa and Nok regions.

The Nile-Valley migration stories refer mostly to the ORU or KUMONI people.

In the Southern Nigeria region these people fused in the following manner to produce the following major ethnic groupings.

In the Niger Delta - KUMONI + ORU = IJO (some intermarriage with EFA women, and maybe Bantu, ORU element largest)

In the Ile-Ife region - KUMONI + OOYELAGBO = YORUBA (OOYELAGBO element larger, some of the sub groups are less mixed than others)

In the Benin region - KUMONI + EFA +OOYELAGBO = EDO ( EFA element largest, Bini, etc)

In the north-west delta region - KUMONI + ORU + EFA = URHOBO & ISOKO (Oru men marrying Efa women and children speaking mother tongue!)

East of the Niger - ORU + EFA + IGBO + BANTU = IBO (IGBO)

1450 upwards, YORUBA + BINI + IJO = ITSEKIRI (The Yoruba element being the larger)

At a glance one can see why the Ijo language is very much distinct from the other languages such as Yoruba, Edo and Igbo, as the Ijos seem to be most isolated of the Ethnic nationalities when it comes to the fusion of the ancient tribes.

[1] J O Vogel (1997)-editor - Encyclopedia of Precolonial Africa-Archaeology, History, Language, Cultures and

The Ancient Oru (Anu) founders of the Great Nile Valley civilisation complex (and possibly the lake Chad complex); The Ancient Ugbo or Igbo (or Kwa people) who seem to have been the founders of the Nok complex; The above ancient people belong to the branch of Black African referred to as Sudanese or Nilotic Negroes. And the Ancient Bantu, who migrated from East/Central Africa.

There were, of course other ancient peoples who were migrating into the West Africa region, but the aforementioned ones serve the purpose of tracing the origins of the Ijos, Yoruba, Edo and Igbo.

An unbiased reading of the works of notable Ijaw historians such as S K Owonaru (History of Ijos and her Neighbours in Nigeria 1949), E J Alagoa (The History of the Niger Delta) and the works by other historians from the Yoruba, Edo and Igbo will demonstrate that indeed the Ijaws are one of the ancient tribes to have settled West Africa, who later on intermarried with other equally ancient tribes to give birth to the ethnic nationalities that now inhabit Southern Nigeria today.

The ancient people from which the Ijaws descended from were not known as Ijaw (Ijo, Ujo, although this name has been traced to a legendary ancestor who established in the Niger Delta with his people). The ancestral name was ORU. That is why in colonial documents the Ijaws are also referred to as ORU people. It was the ancient ORU people that fused with others to produce our immediate neighbours.

In the ancestral histories of the Ijaw, Benin kingdom and Ife, not to mention the Borgu and Nupe kingdoms, there is reference to a number of migrations from the Sudan and Egypt into the West Africa region. This narratives cannot be dismissed as were fairy tales. Now historical question that we need to ask is, were the ancestors of the Ijaws a part of these great migrations into West Africa from Egypt and Sudan? If indeed the answer is yes we will go deeper into this root, if the answer is no, historians need to come with an answer, where did the ancestors come from?, considering the fact that no West African people are truly autochthonous to West Africa. Each arrived during antiquity or recently.

Glancing at the Benin narratives of the history of the foundation of the Benin kingdom, there is reference to migrations from Egypt via Sudan to Ife and then Benin region, where it is stated that the migrating group met an earlier group of settlers which had come from the Sudan. These first settlers or aborigines from the Sudan, were they the ORU people? The migration from Egypt/Sudan is not confined to Benin. Independent of Benin influence we have traditions recorded from Seimbiri-Ijo clan and Andoni-Ijo clan than claim that the Ijo ancestors one time lived in Egypt. Again these traditions cannot be dismissed as fairly tales or fabrications, as there were no reason to lie by the ancestral traditionalists.

The problem with the histories of Borgu, Nupe, Ife, Benin, Ijo is the deliberate confusion created around as to who were the actual people who migrated from Egypt & Sudan and else where to establish these kingdoms, brought about by studying these migration traditions in isolation. Could they not be all referring to the same migrations?

The migrations from Egypt & Sudan mentioned in the ancestral narratives of the Ijaw, Benin and Yoruba, as well as the Borgu and Nupe refer to one and the same people known as the KUMONI (a branch of the ORU people that settled in Upper Egypt)and the ORU. This fact has been obscured, but we are now in the position to establish this historical fact. The original autochthonous people that were settled in the Benin region prior to the arrival of the KUMONI, were the ORU people, who as the traditions state had also come from the Sudan at an unknown earlier date in antiquity. Other ancient people’s that had settled in the Benin region were the EFA, and Ife region were the OYELAGBO or UGBO (IGBO) peoples, while east of the Niger we also have the IGBO’s

The mistake many modern Ijo historians have made was to believe that reference to Ife and Benin as places of origin means originating from the Yoruba and Edo peoples as we know them today. Whereas a deep investigation into the histories of both Ife and Benin indicate that more than one ethnic group were responsible for the genesis of these two city-states. For the earliest dynastic period of Ife and Benin an unnamed people associated with both the legendary Oduduwa at Ife and Ogiso Igodo dynasty at Benin was responsible for establishing the earliest forms of monarchy in these two city kingdoms. Whereas in Ife, the proto-Yoruba ancestors called OOYELAGBO OR UGBO are mentioned, and at Benin the proto-Edo ancestors called EFA are mentioned, the name of the tribe of the dynastic founders are not. What was the name of the tribe that Oduduwa belonged to? What was the name of the tribe that Igodo the first Ogiso of Benin, belonged to? Why has Oduduwa’s original name ADUMU not been emphasised more than his alias ODUDUWA?

An examination and comparison of the names ADUMU, OGU (OGUN) & OGBOGBODIRI the first 3 kings of dynastic Ife, IGODO, ERE & KALADIRAN the first 2 and last Ogisos of Benin with the Ijo language, reveals that these names are still being borne by Ijo individuals up till today, but the present day Yoruba and Edo do not bear these names. What does this suggest? It suggests that the dynastic founders of Ife and Benin were ethnically related to the present day Ijo people as emphasised by ancestral tradition.

The facts that we have gained through the understanding of the related traditional narratives of the Ijos, Urhobos, Binis, Yoruba, has enabled us to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the emergence of the City State complexes of Ife and Benin and the Ijos of the Niger Delta. Our outline throws light on the seemingly confusion of the ancestral traditions of the aforementioned peoples and demonstrates that instead of looking at the traditions as isolated events, or at worst invented fables, we should view them as the individual perspectives of the whole story that has until now, not been fully told. So let the full story unfold. Based on the research we have done we are bold to assert the following:

Starting from about 500 BC (although the peopling of West Africa goes back to at least 2000 BC) various ancient African peoples indigenous to the continent started to settle the Lower Niger, Savannah fringe and forest regions of present day Southern Nigeria. These ancient peoples had come from different parts of Africa namely the old Sahara grasslands, North Africa, North east Africa (Nile-Valley) and the East African Great lakes region: which were the homes of more ancient civilisations going back at least 10,000 years. As to who arrived first is of no consequence, since the land was too vast for any one people to lay claim to the whole.

For our research topic we have singled out four distinct ancient peoples whose names have come down to us through tradition, who combined and came together in various ways to give birth to the kingdoms of Southern Nigeria. These ancient people have been identified as:

The ORU or KUMONI (also known as the ONU or ANU people) they were an aquatic based culture, settling the banks of rivers and watersides. They were indigenous to the Nile Valley and Lake Chad regions before moving south (an exhaustive comparison between the ancient religious and cultural system of the twin Nile-Valley civilisations of Egypt and Sudan, plus language studies enables us to conclude that the ANU or ONU were ethnically the same as the ORU.
The IGBO or UGBO (also known as OOYELAGBO) a branch of the Kwa, they were land based. They were originally situated in East Africa, before migrating to the north of the Niger/Benue confluence region in antiquity.
The EFA, they were also land based. The EFA & IGBO seem to have descended from a people once known as the KWA or KWARA people, who inhabited the Middle Niger/Benue confluence region (hence its original name of Kwara river).
The BANTU & SEMI BANTU of unknown names, from east and central Africa.
THE EVENTS THAT GAVE RISE TO THE FOUNDATION OF IFE, BENIN & DELTA STATES

The period between 500 BC & 700 AD was a time of great demographic change and population migration in West Africa. From a central location situated within the Niger/Benue confluence valley, some sections of the KWA people namely the IGBO and EFA started to migrate and settle the now Western and Eastern Nigeria regions. Also around about this period, from the Nile Valley and Lake Chad regions, the ancient ORU or KUMONI people started to settle the middle Niger, Lower Niger and Mid-west regions of present Nigeria. Some, even settling and making their way to the Niger Delta coast.

By about 500 AD scattered primordial isolated communities of all the aforementioned ancient peoples began to come into being throughout the Southern Nigeria region.

This isolated and stateless existence situation was changed with the arrival of fresh immigrants from the Nile Valley due to the Arab onslaught from about 640 AD. In the various traditions these immigrants are referred to as having came from EGYPT, SUDAN, & ARABIA (MECCA) To clear up this point. The use of the term MECCA or ARABIA is just a reference to the EAST, While references to Egypt and Sudan have more factual foundation, as these civilisations were clearly indigenous Black African civilisations up until their colonisation by the Arabs. The migration route of these stream of refugees fleeing the upheavals of North East Africa was through the Lake Chad – Middle Niger (Borgu/Bussa/Nupe) then on to the Ife, Benin and Lower Niger regions.

The fusion of these newly arrived immigrants with the older communities was like a seeding process, causing a condensation of populations to converge in city like communities. It was this process that gave birth to the first dynastic City State centres, of which Borgu, Nupe, Ife and Benin became the most prominent.

From the ancestral traditions we can reconstruct the following facts regarding the foundation of Ife & Benin.

From about 500 AD a branch of the UGBO referred to as OOYELAGBO started to arrive in the Ile-Ife region, from an ancestral home situated in the Niger/Benue confluence region. They set up dispersed communities within the now Ile-Ife region. Shortly afterwards (650 AD) a branch of the ORU known as the KUMONI, migrated from Upper Egypt to the Bussa region. In the Bussa region they fused with the local population and established the BORGU Kingdom. From the Bussa region a section decided to settle in the Ile-Ife region and establish a City state to be known as YOBA (YEBA) derived from the original name of the Upper Egyptian province that they had hailed from.

They establishment of this new city was opposed by certain sections of the OOYELAGBO communities led by the chief Obatala priest ORELUERE, who argued that since it was they who arrived first, the king of the city must be from amongst them. This led to a war told in the ancestral traditions as the “war between ODUDUWA & OBATALA” In reality it was a conflict between two theocratic systems of government. On the one hand we had the new form of centralised Government based on a theocratic monarchy focused on the SUPREME MOTHER GODDESS (Woyingi). The OOYELAGBO form of traditional chief’s council opposed this with the head chief being focused on the GODHEAD (Obatala).

With the help of dissatisfied sections of the OOYELAGBO communities, led by Oba-Meri, and also ORU people living in the Nupe region; the leaders of the KUMONI people headed by a prince original named as ADIMU (ADUMU) went to war and defeated the opposing factions of Ooyelagbo and established his centralised government. Prince Adimu was also a priest of the SUPREME MOTHER GODDESS LODGE (known in Kumoni language as Woyingi, and in Ooyelagbo language as Oduduwa) and at the same time a high initiate of the ancient ADUMU (ADUM) spiritual Initiation lodge of ancient Egypt.

Before the final setting up of the government, Prince Adimu invited the leaders of the hostile Ooyelagbo communities and his own allies (the Oru and Ooyelagbo supporters) to a constitutional conference, where it was agreed to form a confederacy where all the communities living in the area would swear allegiance to Adumu, but have control over their own internal affairs. At that conference Prince Adumu was declared the LORD OF THE FORTRESS ‘ALA – AFIN’ (ALA-lord or chief, AFIN-fortress) and henceforth addressed as “ALA-AFIN ADUMU-ALA”. (ALA is still a Chief title amongst the Ijaws). He also took on the alias ‘ODUDUWA’, as it was the term in the Ooyelagbo language for the Mother Goddess of which he was a priest.

In order to unite the opposing factions intermarriage was decreed. This is told in the tradition as the marriage between Obatala & Oduduwa with the birth of the sixteen gods and goddesses. Indeed Prince Adumu took several wives from the local Ooyelagbo women as well as his own Kumoni/Oru women. This policy was adhered to by his successors. Prince (now King) Adumu administered the new City state (military, theocratic confederacy) so skilfully that he was remembered in ancestral tradition as the ancestor of the YOBA NATION, meaning the ORIGINATOR OF THE YOBA NATION. This was how the first Yoba nation came into being and how Ife became the centre of the 1st dynastic city-state in Southern Nigeria. This was also the Ife of the 1st dynastic period. Later on YOBA was corrupted to YORUBA and the term applied to all the people who spoke related dialects/languages, who had centuries later integrated to become one people. The original Kumoni language spoken by the king and his people (Kumoni-Oru) was later on absorbed into the Ooyelagbo language to give rise to Yoruba language and its various dialects.

Meanwhile at this early stage, even while the unification was yet complete, some sections of the KUMONI-ORU left Ife to establish themselves elsewhere, after accomplishing their task of setting up the City state with Prince Adumu (alias Oduduwa) as the first dynastic king. The 1st migration out of Ife was led by prince Ujo (alias Idekoseroake) mentioned in the ancestral tradition as being the first son of King Adumu. Other migrations, such as the one by Prince Nana, ended up in present day Ghana region.

Prince Ujo was a war commander who took part in the battles that were fought to subdue the hostile Ooyelagbo communities and establish the New Kingdom. Between 650 –700 AD Prince Ujo led a migration out of Ife to the Benin region, where he encamped and established a settlement that later was to become the basis of Benin City. At this time ORU people, as well as the EFA people were settling the Benin region. These all these people combined to form the genesis of the Benin Kingdom, later to be joined by other settlers from Igala and elsewhere.

Prince Ujo’s instructions were to go to the Niger Delta, and establish a strategic base from which to defend the coastal region. Clearly his father King Adumu, regarded the whole southern region as a virgin territory which he would bring under his direct control. Prince Ujo proceeded to the central Niger Delta with his followers and came across isolated communities of ORU in remote settlements. Together with these people they formed viable communities in the central delta originally based on the City-state formation. This was birth of the Ijo people.

Some of the Kumoni/Oru remained behind at Benin region, indeed a section of the Oru known as the Beni, who had come from the Sudan through Nupe, gave the name Beni to newly emerging settlements. These were the Oru or Ijos of Benin City who later on between the 12th –15th centuries AD fled into the delta to escape the upheavals of Benin City. Along with the EFA people they were quite prominent at Benin. Shortly after the 1st migration, a 2nd migration from Ife led by Prince Igodo established the early foundations of the Benin Kingdom dynastic government of the Ogisos.

Prince Igodo (Godo) led the 2nd migration from Ile-Ife. At the death of King Adumu, Igodo was sidelined in the scheme of things. It seems that what happened at this point in time was that King Adumu’s chief war officer Ogu (Ogun) temporarily took over the reigns of government until a successor could be chosen. It was decided that a son whose mother was an Ooyelagbo should occupy the throne, and so Prince Ogbogbodiri (alias Ala-Fun or Lufon I) assumed the kingship.

Prince Igodo and a few companions decided to leave Ile-Ife for good, acquiring the mystic source of powers which aided his father in the defeat of the hostile Ooyelagbo, Prince Igodo migrated to the Benin region and met up with the followers of Prince Ujo who remained behind and had established settlements at Benin (Uzama, Ogiama, etc). Later on like his father before him, Prince Igodo centralised the existing ORU and EFA communities and was proclaimed the 1st PRINCE OF THE REALM or OGI-SUO (OGISO). Also like his father he allowed the existing communities internal autonomy, thus the leader of the EFA communities was proclaimed OGI-EFA. These communities later on came together to give birth to the 1st dynastic state of Benin Kingdom (IGODOMIGODO).

IJOS IN THE NIGER DELTA

The Kumoni-Oru who settled the Niger Delta with the most ancient inhabitants also known as ORU (TOBU OTU) gave birth to the Ijos. The original settlements were in the western & central delta, from where they spread out to people the whole Niger Delta. This period has been estimated to have occurred between 500 BC to 1000 AD. These original ancestors were spiritual initiates of the ancient African spiritual initiation system of the CREATOR TEM (TEMUNO). They made heavy symbolic ritualistic use of the water, and hence have been referred to as the ‘water people’ ‘beni-otu’. Later on between 1200 – 1600 AD the Oru or Ijos of the Niger Delta received immigrants from their relatives living at Benin and the lower Niger regions, who were fleeing the various upheavals and power struggles of Benin city during t he time of the 2nd Oba dynasty. They collectively gave birth to the Ijo nation with its City-states and collective Clan communities.