₦airaland Forum

GenIgrigi:
**grins** If you Binis know what's good for you, you'd better not let anyone rewrite your history for you else your children will be conditioned believe historical lies written by strangers who wish to regale themselves with tales of Bini historical subservience to yoruba when it's actually the other way round. I warn you. **LOLS**

@ GenIgrigi

Thanks for this 'warning' my friend. No they cannot...

The beauty of this is that the Benin/Edo cultural heritage is so rich, deep and well known in most African records. In fact a great part of our history were recorded by early Europeans (Portuguese, French, British) which cannot be erased.

EDO/BENIN CULTURE IS VAST

This served as one of the major reasons that Benin artefact (Queen Idiah) was used as the symbol of African Art & Culture popular called Festac "77.

The Africans who planned that monster events in 1977 did not use Yoruba art and culture as symbol of the black race - they all settled for the Benin art and culture.

Yet later day Yorubas will not acknowledge that but speak as 'superior' when they'd offered little to the whole African art and culture.

YORUBAS ARE BORN "SUPERIOR" FIGHTERS

The problem is that the Yorubas are generally wired for superiority contest. Unfortunately they do this against themselves as well.

Go into a midst of say 5 Yoruba (Ijesha, Oyo, Egba, Ijebu, Awori, Ekiti etc) you'll discover this trait as each will claim is father, mother, lineage, accent is superior to the other.

For example, in Wema Bank. You will appalled how Yorubas are pulling each others down, reason why that bank has remained stunted despite 100% Yoruba.

We Edos Are Socially More Reserved

The major traits of we Edos is that we're reserved, respectful while an average Yoruba is socially loud and noisy. So they'd been pulling down our cultural values for several decades now.

We will not accept that anymore.

safarigirl:
Whenever I read ceertain articles or watch adverts, movies or even doccies, I've noticed that S/South is called the east.

Even in government or commerce you find that Port Harcourt especially is referred to as the Eastern Region so certain companies with branches in PH call it the regional HQ for the East. I was watching an advert on Nigerian tourism and it was said that "Tinapa is located in the state of Cross River, Eastern Nigeria"

I just want to know why S/South and more specifically the States of Rivers, Cross river and Akwa-Ibom are called East in formal parlance and then South South/Niher Delta when revenue sharing is brought up

My dear you should not be surprised at all.
The word: East, West, South, North are perfect geographical appellations of an area - whether big or small.

So if you check the map of Nigeria those areas fall within the Eastern side of Nigeria.

It seems you're confused because of the tribal attachment we hold to such terms? For example Igbo calling themselves 'Easterners', Yorubas calling themselves 'Westerners' and so on.

We created this quagmire due to political domination in the 60s - which unfortunately has created many identity crisis.

First my dear, no single tribe on earth exist on one geographical axis. People do migrate, immigrate, re-establishes domains.

For example Igbo are found in present day Delta, Rivers. Yoruba are in present day Kogi, Kwara.

So do not worry, those places are Eastern part of Nigeria map. And if you're Igbo from the East, you are simply an Igbo from the Eastern part of Nigeria. (You are not 'Easterner' or owner of the East)

Same for the Yoruba, Ijaws, Hausas etc. But unfortunately political hegemonic bias has created wrong mindset in our subconsciousness.

The South South Region.

Do you know why it was created and gazetted? To correct the imbalance the earlier problems I talked about above. And also to pacify the oil bearing communities to have a semblance of independent region.

But in reality this creation was a fraud because geographically is difficult to call most of the states as South South.

SirShymexx:
Loool.

Those folks are a lost cause. You shouldn't even be telling that much lies when ya king is called "Oba" - a pure Yoruba name with no meaning in Bini language looool.

Anyway, I love Bini folks but their lies can be overbearing sometimes.

The same Bini folks who employed Itsekiri middlemen to trade with Europeans - the landlocked empire - allegedly met Europeans before everyone loool. Utter tosh. In that region, the Itsekiris and Ijos had contact with them before anyone else. And that was around 15th/16th century or so.

@ SirShymexx

Read what you wrote: "Those folks are a lost cause..."

First you sound extremely INSULTING and very rude. Anyway denigrating others achievement through insult and abusive words is part of Yoruba culture and social life.

So you can be excused for that.

Again you wrote this: "You shouldn't even be telling that much lies when ya king is called "Oba" - a pure Yoruba name with no meaning in Bini language looool."

My friend, herein lies one of the major reasons we have no histories in Nigeria today. You the Yorubas started rubbishing others. One of such claims was the word OBA is Yoruba origin.

Sorry that is a big lie. Check olden days history, there was no king in the olden Yorubaland known as OBA. In fact no Yoruba king use the title OBA. What we had was; Alaafin of Oyo, Olubadan of Ibadan, Ooni of Ife.

The first time the title 'OBA' was used for a king in present day Yorubaland was Oba of Lagos - which was fully established by Old Oba of Benin.

The Benin kings has been known as 'OBAs' for many centuries before they established one in old Lagos.

Again you wrote: "pure Yoruba name with no meaning in Bini language looool."

Is not pure Yoruba name. Oba is 100% Benin name with great meanings. Even many high chiefs of Benin origin are still in Lagos today such as the Obanikoro family.

The major problem of you the Yorubas is that of swollen headed ego, vaunting superiority that has lead to the crippling of simple histories. And you did not disappoint here. You really represent the Yoruba mindset.

GentleToks:
You are .

Bros what are trying to say?

SirShymexx:
Loool.

Those folks are a lost cause. You shouldn't even be telling that much lies when ya king is called "Oba" - a pure Yoruba name with no meaning in Bini language looool.

Anyway, I love Bini folks but their lies can be overbearing sometimes.

The same Bini folks who employed Itsekiri middlemen to trade with Europeans - the landlocked empire - allegedly met Europeans before everyone loool. Utter tosh. In that region, the Itsekiris and Ijos had contact with them before anyone else. And that was around 15th/16th century or so.

@ SirShymexx

You did not reply my earlier reply to you. Why?

It seems you are in love with the word "landlocked'. Bro is that the new word you Yorubas invented to denigrate Benin/Edo to promote your Yoruba 'superior folktale'?

So a land that was landlocked was recorded and called an EMPIRE?

Bro do you know the real meaning of Empire? And do you know the qualities and features that made old European historians, events recorders, missionaries, sailors etc to use the term 'Empire' to qualified and described powerful kingdoms in the olden days?

Bro you need to go back and discover these salient facts first.

In addition, Benin Kingdom was the only one even described as "GREAT" among most black African Empires of old. Again you also need to do more research why?

Let me quickly say few things:

1) Benin Empire Was NOT Landlocked

It was the oldest and longest reigning Empire. It extended from present day Benin throughout the Niger River, conquering most communities in present day Niger Delta, Onitsha and environs, Niger state, Bayelsa, down to Lagos.

Monarchy were either established or promoted in all those thousands of communities. For example, some in Urhobho land, Itsekiri, Onitsha. The monarchy in Lagos was 100% Benin established.

2) You Are Guilty Of Same Error You Are Accusing The Igbos

By saying the Benin Empire was landlocked and stylishly promoting Yoruba folklore as fact (Ijebus established Itsekiri) you're not only lying but denigrating the the high value the Benin Empire brought to black race. You're re-echoing the age-long Yoruba lies, sentiments and barefaced denials to rubbish the Benin influence to present day Yoruba land.

3) Benin First Established Contact With Europeans

Why trying to change this fact? Maybe you don't know these were recorded by the Portuguese explorers, sailors and academics when they first forayed into Africa long, long before the French and British.

In fact there are records that they established agreement with Oba of Benin for trades, scholarship etc. And not only Benins enjoyed the scholarship but also slaves and people of lands under Benin Empire such as Ijaws, Itsekiris, Urhobhos, Igbo and many in the old Lagos.

4) Stop Your Yoruba Superiority Folktales

Can you see how easy for you to denigrate the massive achievements of one of the greatest Black Empires that ever existed? Can you smell your own odour of insults and sneer about us the Benin/Edos in your remarks?

And at the same time you easily put forward your Yoruba folktale as the truths? Can you decipher your own bias here? So according to you the Benin Empire was a ruse, while Yoruba 'history' handed to you by your parents and elders is sacrosanct?

So the history of Benin Obas and Ogisos were fake, but your Yoruba folktales and mythology of Oduduwa, Ijebu/Itsekiri land are all truths?

5) Ijebu Was Not An Empire

Am aghast you brought Ijebu into the mix. Sorry Ijebu was not a force to reckon with in the olden days; it was not an independent empire. We had only the Oyo and Great Benin Empires.

GentleToks:
Lol!!!! It's quite shocking to see Igbo youngsters believing every gibberish that comes from their progenitors without asking questions.

How can you explain this to intelligent people around you that the names given to you by your masters(Europeans) is now being used to address d same European master? C 'mon guys, u r not that silly

@ GentleToks

What you said above actually is a complete TRAGEDY of immense proportion. Generation twisting histories to suit their tribal and ethnic ego, and handing over useless habits to younger ones.

However it was wrong of you to solely accused the Igbos of this. Am already in my mid-40s and I can tell you is the same (perhaps stronger) among the Yorubas.

Vast majority of Yoruba will rather re-echo tribal stories and beliefs instead of investigating same. No they will never because such fallacies favours them. Even on this thread a Yoruba fellow said his 'grand mother told him something...' and he came to public to use his granny ethnic folklore to debunk others belief.

Also have you observed many Yorubas denigrate the Edos and their cultural value? Have you observed many so-called history the Yorubas spurn about Benin/Edo just to obliterate and subjugate the Edo values to the black race? Please tell me did you ever investigate any of those 'histories' to ascertain the truth or you also swallow book, line and sinker?

Just a while ago I responded to a Yoruba guy describing the Great Benin Empire as 'landlocked' and claiming Itsekiris are Ijebus. My friend did you believe such folklore as truths or research further?

I will like to hear from you...

SirShymexx:
Lool. Even Bokohalal and PhysicsQED will never say landlocked Bini came in contact with Europeans before Yorubas.

They always claims Itshekiri but Itsekiris are of Ijebu stock - so they are still somewhat right. Anyway, Yorubas (Ijebus) came in contact with Europeans before any other group in Nigeria. Ijebus were trading clothes with the Portuguese explorers as far back as the 12th or 13th century.

@SirShymexx

Sometimes I strongly shiver why many of you Yorubas have been wired to use derogatory words / terms to describe other ethnics and pulling down their age-old values and contribution to the black race.

THE GREAT BENIN EMPIRE

So the great Benin Empire, which was the biggest and longest reigning African empire in olden days has now become a thing to be abused or put down by you Yoruba?

First you claimed Benin was 'landlocked' - and this shameless statement can only come from a Yoruba fellow. Historically Benin Empire extended across the Niger sea, conquering thousands of communities in present day Niger Delta, some Igbo communities, down to Lagos.

In the course of this massive progression, they established (or influenced) many monarchies such as Itsekiri, some Urhobho, Onitsha and Lagos.

That was the reason it was termed "Great Benin Empire" by international historians. Please the Oyo Empire was not so called term in international circles.

ABOUT ITSEKIRI:

Sorry this is another Yoruba fallacy trying fervently coin our collective histories to promote your penchant for supremacy. Itsekiri land was originally founded by old Benin Obas, including their Monarchy. Along the line there were other influences including few Yoruba contacts especially those brought from Lagos.

ABOUT WHO MEET THE EUROPEANS FIRST

This truth is well known even in Primary school sociology and history that the Portuguese first landed at the 'byte of Benin' and met the Oba. Trade, commerce, scholarship were exchanged. Even the slaves of the Benin Empire who were of Igbo, Urobho, Ijaw, Itsekiri origin etc benefited from those scholarship by going abroad for education.

Many did not return back to Nigeria!

ITSEKIRIS ARE NOT IJEBU:

Your so-called Ijebu forming Itsekiri is a twisted story which has remain the major plank upon which you guys love to write other history for sheer Superiority. And please I plead with you Yorubas to stop denigrating the Edo history and culture.

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