₦airaland Forum

YauYamba:
So, there is no such thing as "Romanized Orthography of ... Arabic". Such thing just does not exist.

"Big words" do not necessarily make us appear smart or versatile, especially when such words or terms do not even exist or make sense.

Moreover, the Arabic text in question made use of Arabic text.

I think it's hightime we learnt to stay within our limits, or rely on the expert submissions from outside of our limits.

Again, this ties-in to the attention-seeking point I stressed earlier.

Well, you probably threw caution out of the wind, which made you blundered over your refutation that there is no such statement, as *Romanised Orthography*and regarding me as *attention seeker*You, particularly ought know better, amongst others who chose your defence line that has no authenticity over Yoruba's place of origin in Niger Benue confluence* amongst ethnic groups that exist in that region!


Unfortunately, you are *100% INCCORECT because,there is Romancized Orthography*

*What is Romancized Orthography* ? It is Orthography of Roman or Roman Orthography.

Let us verify the term *Orthography* from a English language dictionary

1a. Ortograph; Noun (plural: orthographs)
An orthographic projection.

b. Adjective (not comparable)

Of a projection used in maps, architecture etc.,in which the rays are parallel.

Of, or relating to, orthography.

synonyms: (maps) orthographical

2a.Orthography;Noun
 (plural: orthographies)

*The Orthography study of correct spelling according to 
established usage. The aspect of language 
study concerned with letters and their sequences in words

*Spelling; the method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols*.(architecture)

Orthographic projection; especially its use to drawg an elevation,vertical projection etc. of a building.

synonyms with: spelling

Romanized* (Romanise) is simple past tense and past participle of Romanize(Romanise)

*Romanize : To put letters or words written in another writing system into the Latin (Roman) alphabet.*

Thus, the translation and Transliteration of Arabic writing are also written down in *Latin* . So don't be misled by yourself as you had wrongly stated. Interestingly, Arabic Ajami was what appeared secondly as an orthography in Yoruba land before, “The Yoruba language was all but settled by 1875 when the Church Missionary Society convened a conference to put finishing touches to the *Romanized Yoruba orthography* on which Samuel Ajayi Crowther and a host of others (Christian clergymen and specialist linguists) had laboured during the preceding 35 years. In spite of this seeming fait accompli status of the *Romanized Yoruba orthography*..." in THE SEARCH FOR A YORUBA ORTHOGRAPHY SINCE THE 1840S: OBSTACLES TO THE CHOICE OF THE ARABIC SCRIPT by ISAAC ADEJOJU OGUNBIYI


Furthermore, I am not in contention with you or anyone on NL because,I see no rivalry amongst all of us,who are actually genuine *writers/researchers* . Although, some of us may post for knowledge's information purpose but count me out on such ,since, your relied source has never pointed to the direction, where Yoruba ethnic group migrated from in Niger Benue Confluence. Perhaps, proof me wrong with the ethnic group that is ‘Oru' ,whose ancient ancestor known as Ebora.

Obviously you don't have a peculiar interest in Classic Yoruba Language's history per se because, you disregard ,purpose of Art work, megaliths stones carved for rituals, inscription on Opa Oranmiyah, Oriental Swords found in Yoruba's ancestors positions, because of your resentment toward the direction of where Yoruba language developed from and her connection to Semitic origin, in which some Arabic terms are also linked to it.

Amujale:
What are you on about you this guy?

The staff isnt a pitchfork.

A pitchfork is a garden tool used for clearing hay.

You have gotten it all wrong dude.

Yoruba are a real and proper ethnicity that originates in Nigeria, Africa.

Hebrews are a fictional people based off malicious literature.

I dont get your post as stated as, ★“ what are you on about,this guy?" ★ Rephrase your question and let me answer you.


★ Secondly, it is a ★Pitchforks "★

a. What is a Pitchfork?
Pitchfork is a garden tool but used as an inscription in the ancient order,to connote ideograms, religious practise of such ethnic group , Kingdom, or empire that lived in the ancient times. Although, during advent of Romans Catholic Christianity era, the sign was later seen as devil's fork. And it became associated with Devil.

Interestingly, TAO11, had posted previously the closer monument of Ooni pictograph,which wax dug out Bini palace.Lo and behold, the statue represent a Pope like figure. Perhaps, you will poat any ethnic group who had done such in West Africa if not related to Yoruba Race.


This is one of the reasons that, Professor Leo Frobenuis alerted the world of discovery of Mediterranean people who were lost as Yoruba people. Unfortunately, he couldnt prove it with accurate link to Hebrews. Despite the fact, that Miss Mary, A.C Burn, show form of connectivity of Yoruba and Hebrews. And as at the times when the professor wrote about this, the worlds Septuagint were still struggling to reconstruct the letters of the ideograms of the ancient Hebrews language in English version, which has a lot of inputs from it be it true or false cognate. Interestingly, the written English KJV Bible was in 1611 or thereabout,which had a different language,closely associated with Aramaic.

★ I didn't get the information wrong because, the inscription on Opa Oranmiyah, Ore groove are Artifacts which are ideograms, which Professor Susan Blier attempted to understand and interpreted via her own perspective

Are you aware that “eyes" inscription or drawn in Court of Yoruba walls do have meaning ?

You people underestimated Yoruba ancestors largely because, we have not match them pound for pound intellectually because they remained superior to us. And if you need know then embark on studying or to acquire Semitic interpretstion, on ideograms and throw your understanding back into the past to interprete their work from less curious devilish angle. Mind you, Opa Oranmiyah spot is a place where Kings are given sword of allegiance to Ileife, as having authority to be revered more as a king in his own Kingdom when such new King emerge in Yoruba settlement.

Well, you have right to offer your view on place of origin of Yoruba people but booka written ,such as AC.Burns has informed, Miss Mary too, are part of which Yoruba history is non from Nigeria. Are you aware that Chaldean, Coptic Egyptians language has cognate with Yoruba's in time past ? And on the part of Chaldean, it is obvious ,the language was connected to Classic Hebrew/ Phonecians ?

Hebrew were fiction? If Hebrww were fiction , then account of Assyrian text written when Israel , Gaza etc, were over ran by her won't appear. Perhaps, I will post the information on Assyrian control over Levants and neighboring places in your response.

OmoOlofin:
(1) Got the BOT gist!

(2) The point I made about the Arabic is that you simply lifted the whole text (including the Arabic) from elsewhere without being mindful of what you're lifting.

In other words, you actually do not know Arabic, otherwise you would have realized what's wrong with those Arabic words you pasted.

But if you think you do know Arabic, then point out what your error there is, and also show the correction.

To me, it seems to be all about attention.

Obviously, it seems you mistook me for another person because, I didn't mention, anywhere, that I have Arabic language's knowledge, though I only cites information as written in Romaniced Orthography of same Arabic . Interestingly I stay within the knowledge I have in Classic Hebrew.

What attention do I seek ? I don't seem to know if I seek attention but I only post online to relay information as seen by me in research work while I expose all about the classic Hebrew that begun its transliteration and translation in English languished, around 1611AD or thereabouts .It is that simple.

Amujale:
The new information from.TAO11 actually puts Yoruba as the founding Kings of the Kush kingdom, hold that thought for a while.

Me, Rashidi Runoko, Dr Ivan Sertima, Cheikh Anta Diop, Dr Henrik Clarke arent the first historians to suggest that there's a connection with the Nile Valley; olden day Arabians and Eurocentrics are the first to suggest this.

Below is a potrait of Nubian silk and produce traders.

The tribal mark you screenshot and posted isn't Yoruba tribal mark. Absolutely not.

Migration from the east is absolutely not out of the question Yoruba history through archeological findings as well as ideograms { pictographs} on research work remained the best option.So, foreigners migrants can't be over looked in this issue. Perhaps, interpretation of Opa Oranmiyah need come to your mind. And I am sure , the seven relocation of Ileife have not been established.


★“These logical deductions from the extant Yoruba traditions is clearly in reasonable agreement with the scientific conlusions reached unanimously today by the body of historical scholarship -- both indigenous and non-indigenous"★


The above statement is not true about the Yoruba language because, no Niger Benue language and ethnic group have linguistic , cultural connection with Yoruba's . So, claiming Yoruba ancestors migrated from Niger Benue confluence is false. Since no ethnic group within that region agreed to such postulation or other link. Even Yagba-Okun are known as distinct group within that North central region



★“Although myths are over-the-centuries exaggerations, modifications and distortions of some kernel of very ancient truth and fact; historians (unlike lay-persons) consider it a very important task to discern these nucleus of ancient truths and facts."★


Yoruba creation myth:
These creation myth are three in nature
Interestingly, in the creation of myth of Yoruba, there are three version and two out it are political as you had pointed but one is the same as found in Genesis 1vs1-3. Interestingly, the Torah: Bible's archeological account in classic Hebrew's pictograms proves it all. Meanwhile,the two versions of creation myth which incorporate . both Obatala and odudua re political . While the third version is the only that fit in with its simplicity form which is Ela(Orumiela).

And it goes thus,according fo Awo dino:

1. Orisanla’ (Obatala’):- It was the arch-divinity who was chosen by eledumare, the supreme deity to create a solid land out of the primordial abyss that constituted the earth and of populating the land with human beings. He descended from Orun (the invisible realm, the realm of the ancestors) into Aiye (the visible realm) on a chain, carrying a snail shell full of earth, palm kernels and a five-toed chicken.

He was to empty the content of the snail shell on the water after placing some pieces of iron on it, and then to place the chicken on the earth to spread it over the primordial water by doing what chickens do, which is to scratch at the ground.

According to this above version of the myth, Obatala completed this task to the satisfaction of Ele-dumare. He was then given the task of making the physical body of human beings after which Ele-dumare would give them the breath of life (emi). He also completed this task and this is why he has the title of "Obarisa" the king of Orisas.


2. The other variant of the cosmogenic myth does not credit Obatala with the completion of the task.

While it concedes that Obatala was given the task, it avers that Obatala got drunk on palm wine even before he got to the earth and he fell asleep. Ele-dumare got worried when he did not return on time, so he sent Oduduwa, Obatala’s younger brother, to find out what was going on. When Oduduwa found Obatala drunk, he simply took over the task and completed it.

He created land. The spot on which he landed from Orun and which he redeemed from water to become land is called Ile-Ife, considered the sacred and spiritual home of the Yoruba.

Obatala was embarrassed when he woke up and, due to this experience, he made it a taboo for any of his devotees to drink alcoholic beverages.

Ele-dumare forgave him and gave him the responsibility of molding the physical bodies of human beings out of clay

(in another version)
Obatala was drunk when making the bodies and some came out a bit off. That is why Obatala is the Orisa of hunchbacks, and the disabled in general as well as albinos).

The making of land is a symbolic reference to the founding of the Yoruba kingdoms, and this is why Oduduwa is credited with that achievement. Oduduwa’s progeny were sixteen in number and became Kings.

So, Oduduwa was the first king of the Yoruba nation and founded Ile Ife, the ancient capital, creating a succession of kings all related to him.

However, this version incorporates history into the creation myth. It establishes the divine nature of the founder Oduduwa. Before the time of Oduduwa, the story did not involve Obatala getting drunk and Oduduwa finishing the job.


What is important is the symbolism. The chain is representative of Ogun, the five toed chicken Osun, and the palm kernels, Orunmila. These Orisa, in combination represent unity and a balance of forces.
Unity and balance
(in a cosmos of dualities and diversity) become the central paradigm of Yoruba metaphysical thought.

In Awo Fatunmbi’s words: “The world begins with one … the one that is formed through perfect balance between the powers of expansion and contraction, light and dark, … the balance between the masculine and feminine powers … and that one is a microcosm of all that is…"


He has compared the chain to the double helix of DNA and the pieces of iron to Ogun as the ‘primer of evolution'. According to modern science, iron molecules at the bottom of the ocean are believed to have interacted with oxygen to create the first organisms on earth.

Continuing the creation myth, Obatala was successful up to a point. He was unable to create civilization because he lacked the proper technology. Ogun was called in to continue the job. But Ogun, although very good at establishing civilizations, is not good at ‘running' them. In comes Orumiela to establish ethics and order; to temper Ogun’s primal energy. Obatala creates, but it is Ogun who moves creation, ‘Ogun is evolutionary energy.'

Keep in mind that Orisa and other entities featured in Yoruba myths, itan and Odu bear deep philosophical connotations that begin from the metaphysical meaning descending into the aesthetic and then epistemological through to ethical meanings and, eventually, to positive or negative social effects (it is easy to get caught up in the personalities themselves). Individual metaphysical phenomena come together as a unity of substances in a universe of relativistic existence (Okunmakinde).

This idea is expressed in the most compelling part of the story; the Snail Shell full of earth-dust.


*In the Odu Okanran Ogunda* ;
there is another version of the creation myth that is not well known. In this version, it is Orumiela (the Prophet, Orisa that represents Eledumare’s wisdom) who carries the snail shell full of the substance which creates land upon the primordial waters. The Snail Shell was taken from the seat of Olodumare and given to Orunmiela with the authority to create the earth. In the process of creation, ‘ Orumiela dipped his hands into the snail shell and took out measures of earth-dust (Oro, primordial matter) with which land was created on the primordial waters.

OmoOlofin:
Your replies often remind me of the saying that you can only wake someone who is asleep, but not someone who is pretending to be asleep.

I'm still searching for the refutation in your long reply.

In as much as I hate to say this, I must be frank enough to tell you that your reply was full of redherring and strawman arguments.

For the most part your ideas in this reply are in-explicit, undefined, and convoluted. I suspect you were strategic about it just to give the impression of replying.

Having said that, for the umpteenth time you need to always take your time to digest the very content you want to reply to.

Otherwise, your reply will continue to be as misdirected as the one here.

The reply to your long comment here lies in the very comment you're replying to.

You just have to be eager to read too, as much as you're eager to reply too.

Again, see below for the point I made earlier which already answered your ressurected contention:



And even with your poor job on this one, there are other points as well as whole comment I made that are yet to be touched by you. Lol.

Cheers!

There are some answer I didn't truthfully answer but you can highlight one after
the other!

After all pressure from some people want my opinion online to be with flaws. Interestingly, I will oblige you though with caution because of intellectual property.

Pardon me on this!

Amujale:
That is a question for Olu317.

Imagery indeed. So, pitchfork , Axe, and horn don't have meaning in Yoruba land ? I mock you macof!

OmoOlofin:
Your replies often remind me of the saying that you can only wake someone who is asleep, but not someone who is pretending to be asleep.

I'm still searching for the refutation in your long reply.

In as much as I hate to say this, I must be frank enough to tell you that your reply was full of redherring and strawman arguments.

For the most part your ideas in this reply are in-explicit, undefined, and convoluted. I suspect you were strategic about it just to give the impression of replying.

Having said that, for the umpteenth time you need to always take your time to digest the very content you want to reply to.

Otherwise, your reply will continue to be as misdirected as the one here.

The reply to your long comment here lies in the very comment you're replying to.

You just have to be eager to read too, as much as you're eager to reply too.

Again, see below for the point I made earlier which already answered your ressurected contention:



And even with your poor job on this one, there are other points as well as whole comment I made that are yet to be touched by you. Lol.

Cheers!

I can't reply you as you desire because of BOT. So, don't misunderstood my conception on response that I need reply you . But the reality is that, I will opine my view based on information from authored works and not self.

Take for instance, your mention on Arabic which I posted but unfortunately, the inscription of Arabic didn't appear as it ought to be.

TAO11:
(1) Your comment here is obviously and largely a continuation of your repitition of S. Johnson's account on the origin of the Yorubas/Oduduwa, as well as a continuation of your listing of the subsequent vareity of followings in the foot step of S. Johnson.

But the bigger issue you've avoided, as I have demonstrated above, is the apparent big question marks around the source of S. Johnson's account, and the conspicuous and absolute absense of such account among the Yorubas themselves prior to S. Johnson.

(2) Regarding your comment on Leo Frobenius' remark, refer to my penultimate reply to Obalufon where I dealt with that in some very clear details.

(3) Having said that, the aspect of your continued comment here which particularly interests me is where you cited S.P. Blier's "Art in Ancient Ife".

Your quotation of S.P Blier's words is actually from page 81, and your quotation is accurate.

However, the conclusion you've drawn from the quotation is unfortunately and terribly mistaken.

Your conclusion is that the early Ife radiocarbon date of c.350 BC, "as being speculated", is an assumption that has "been rejected in the scholarly world".

Interesting! Lol.

First of all, the c.350 BC date can not be a radiocarbon date and still be an assumption at the same time. You have to make up your mind here.

Secondly, the actual issue being discussed here which seems to have eluded your grasp is clarified in two things, namely: (1) The endnote to the same statement you've quoted from S.P. Blier, and (2) P. Ozanne's interpretation of the radiocarbon date of the archaeological finds.

Beginning with P. Ozannes' interpretation of the date. First, no scholar denies that the c.350 BC date was the result of radiocarbon dating of finds from Ife.

No there is no such denial in case you're thinking along that line. The actual issue here which F. Willett instead sees (and which S.P. Blier has simply echoed) is the seemingly extreme extent to which P. Ozanne took the date -- that is, what he took it to mean.

"According to Paul Ozanne, there were many settlements established there [in the Ife bowl] by the fourth century century BC."

P. Ozanne, 1969 cited in S.A. Akintoye, "A History of The Yoruba People", p.14.

The very issue which Willett sees here is not about whether there wasn't any artifact/find that have indeed been radicarbon dated to c.350BC.

Rather, the issue he sees here is that these dated finds are so little and so scanty to reasonably and sufficiently warrant the conclusion that "many settlements" have been established in the Ife bowl by that date.

The following endnote from S.P. Blier makes this contention even clearer. In relation to her agreement with F. Willett on this, she notes in endnote 37 that:

"As important as the Pre-Florescence Era appears to have been in Ife, we have little by way of scientific or material evidence from related excavations, much of this data coming instead from undated local artifacts, regional excavations, and Ife oral histories."

In sum, there is no such thing as your self-contradictory conclusion that the radiocarbon date of c.350 BC has being rejected in some "scholarly world". Lol.

No, what F. Willett and S.P. Blier reject instead is not the c.350 BC radiocarbon date -- that will be an absurd thing to do.

Rather, what these two reject is the idea that the radiocarbon date of c.350 BC (for very few archaeological finds from Ife) necessary leads to the conclusion that many settlements have flowered in Ife by that date.

In fact, other scholars have considered these "little" c.350 BC archaeological finds in the light of other corroborating scientific evidence (such as linguistic evidence and many collateral archaeological data from other parts of Yorubaland), thus leading them to continue to uphold P. Ozanne's conclusion that many settlements have indeed flowered in the Ife bowl by that date.

Some of such scholars (that I'm at least aware of) who considered other scientific evidences too include: Robin Horton (1979), Akin Ogundiran (2002), Henry J. Drewal (2009), and S. Adebanji Akintoye (2010).

(4) Just to give this reply a light feel and to give you something interesting to respond to, I noticed the Arabic texts in your comment and I couldn't help but smile.

You obviously have no idea what's wrong with those supposedly Arabic words present in your comment.

This blunder quickly gives you away as merely lifting your replies mindlessly from elsewhere without much clue as to what's going on, and usually without addressing what you wish to reply to.

The Arabic words in your comment are so badly pasted that instead of showing the original you copied, they show a mirror image of the original, reflected accross the y-axis (or the line "x = 0" ). Lol.

Had you known the slightest thing about Arabic, your comment wouldn't have been flooded with such bungles.

Let me clearly posit here that, I will respond as time permits.

Therefore, as regard your submission, which says, ‘ According to Paul Ozanne, there were many settlements established there [in the Ife bowl] by the fourth century century BC." P. Ozanne, 1969 cited in S.A. Akintoye, "A History of The Yoruba People", p.14.

The very issue which Willett sees here is not about whether there wasn't any artifact/find that have indeed been radicarbon dated to c.350BC.

Susan Blier's(2012) statement and Gurstele(2015) didn't support your view as stated accordingly on iron ore, activities on Ileife lande etc.

In Susan Blier's account, she says, ‘Yoruba archaeologist Akin Ogundiran (2001:27–28, 2003) provides a more scientifically grounded chronology for Ife and the broader area. His overview of artifact remains and other sources contributes to my own Ife chronology, one that combines archaeological with stylistic, oral historical, and other data.

For some periods, however, I employ different terms and distinguishing features than does Professor Ogundiran.

Most significantly, I have simplified this chronology into three main periods (with subgroupings) using the term

Florescence (cultural “flowering”) for the period of Ife’s major artistic and cultural innovation, along with periods prior to

*(pre-Florescence)* {bone of contention}

and following (post-Florescence) this era.

An early Ife date of c. 350 bce. purportedly based on radiocarbon (Folster in Ozanne 1969:32), cited by both Ogundiran (2002, p.c.) and Drewal (2009:80), has been rejected by Frank Willett (2004) and others for lack of supporting scientific evidence. I concur with this assessment.

The main art-producing era of early Ife, what I define as the

a. Florescence Period (Ogundiran’s Classical Period) is distinguished by both roulette- and cord-decorated ceramics.


Within a relatively short time span in this period, what I identify as Ife’s High Florescence, most of the early arts appear to have been made. One can date this period to c. 1250–1350 ce based on a range of factors, including the thermoluminescence tests of key metal works and the likely reign era of Obalufon II as delimited in Ife oral histories and king lists. It is this era that appears to mark the beginning of the “Odudua” or second dynasty of Ife. Associated with this High Florescence era are arts not only in “bronze” and stone, but also terracotta.

The above time frame is consistent with the dating for Ife and its arts by Peter Garlake (1977:72), based on his excavations at the Obalara’s Land and Woye Asiri sites, both of which are closely linked to King Obalufon II whose descendant and current priest is Chief Obalara. From work Garlake undertook at the Obalara Land site, he would publish five radiocarbon dates reflecting three likely phases. The first is an initial occupation period of circa the twelfth century ce. The second phase constitutes a c. fourteenth century occupation period identified with the laying of the pavements, the creation of an array of sculptures, along with the site’s eventual fourteenth–fifteenth century abandonment. The third and final phase at the Obalara Land site consists of Post-Florescence era finds subsequent to the main site occupation and abandonment.


Furthermore, you pointed out that ,

‘ Rather, the issue he sees here is that these dated finds are so little and so scanty to reasonably and sufficiently warrant the conclusion that "many settlements" have been established in the Ife bowl by that date'.

Curious Questions

1.Who owned the settlers within the *Ife bowls* without any Identify ? Clarify

2. What religion did they practised as at that 350bce or 4bce you claimed was when settlement were established?

3. Since it is accepted amongst the scholars that the oldest Yoruba dialects resides with Eastern Yoruba's. So, what language did these earlier occupants spoke at that period in time around 350bce or 4bce ?

4.Did any of these scholars such as Robin Horton (1979),Henry Drawel(2009), A Adebanji Akintoye (2010) have any clue of these hamlets that a unique ghost like group with kingly lineage subjugated and became unified ?


These are the following information, subjugating your view because, the Yoruba people, despite, meeting people were importers and producers of weaponry, iron ore, Artistic in nature, scientific, clothing mortals etc.

Andrew Gustele, ‘The House of Oduduwa: An Archaeological Study of Economy and Kingship in the Savè Hills of West Africa:

Archeological Perspective in West Africa :
The intense interests in diffusion, technology, trade, and political systems in the kingdoms of Atlantic Africa mirror the interests of early archaeologists who worked to reconstruct ancient societies. Early archaeological methods were oriented toward the taxonomic identification of technologies, facilitating explanations of societal change based on diffusion.

To Childe (1950, 1951), ancient societies were connected by expansive communication networks through which innovations could spread. The accumulation of innovative technologies leads to transformations in society, though particular institutions and agencies within a society may try to (pg 15)
halt or slow the deployment of new technologies. Though Childe (1951) promoted the diffusion of technologies as a means for identifying change in the archaeological record at all social scales, he used technology as potentially useful for broad comparisons of societies, later archaeologists eschewed the trait list definition of states as inadequate to explain the processes of state formation (e.g. Binford 1964: 425). Still, the features of states described by Childe are more applicable as a general model of the institutions in early states (Smith 2009: 22). That such features can be recognized in complex societies from varying geographies and distant times is what requires explanation. However, archaeologists no longer turn to the diffusion alone as the causal mechanism for societal change. There is enough cultural variability and potential for innovation as to not presuppose that any distinctive features of a society, such as those described by Childe, must come from some original source (Rowe 1966: 366). Even when diffusion does seem to adequately describe the distribution of some feature, it is not itself an explanation, as it does not elucidate its internal articulation (Childe 1951: 46). Similarly, the presence of trade and technologies that allow dense populations and state institutions do not explain their deployment (Wright & Johnson 1975). Instead, explanation must come from the analysis of human agency and structures. The cultural systemic approaches that developed to explain social process focused on how structures within societies emerge and change (e.g. Flannery 1972). This emphasis on large processes and impersonal forces meshed well with earlier historical inquiry into African political and economic institutions (Robertshaw 1990).

Archaeology has extended the search for the development of West African states in time and in space. The region has had a long involvement in trade, stemming from trans-Saharan connections established well before the Atlantic economy (Posnansky 1973).

Even trade networks connected West Africa with the rest of the continent, and beyond to the Mediterranean, the Near East, and South Asia (Mitchell 2005; Kelly 2013; Leone & Moussa 2013). While this research has shown the time depth of the technological flows between West Africa and the rest of the world, archaeology has made much more substantive contributions to the comparative study of states. West African societies show a great deal of variability in how they negotiated economic networks and political centralization (Posnansky 1982: 352; McIntosh 1999; Stahl 2004; Monroe 2013)


Complimenting Susan Blier's view on Yoruba's Ileife history is Andrew Gustele;

One of the best studied cases of early political centralization in West Africa is Ile-Ife, an early urban settlement and what is considered by many present-day Yoruba peoples as the foundational site of the Yoruba ethnicity. The city was first mentioned by Europeans in the mid19th century, though oral histories from Ife and surrounding kingdoms claim a much deeper history (Smith 1988: 16; Blier 2012).

Futhermore, he says, ‘ Archaeological research at Ile-Ife has largely corroborated these claims, demonstrating a history of occupation dating back to at least the 10th century CE (Willett 1971)'. Monumental sculpture, such as the Opa Oranmiyan megalith, is associated with the foundation of royal dynasties (Smith 1988: 21).


Surprisingly, I had thought, you and others claimed claimed there were no connection between West Africa and the Near East or Mediterranean etc in ancient times ?

Suzanne Preston Blier says,

‘ O. Werner and F. Willett have published the results of spectographic analyses of several Ife castings ("The Composition of Brasses from Ife and Benin," Archaeometry, xvii, 1975, 141-163), which suggest, however, that the metal may have come from Lower Saxony (in the Harz region) in Europe, where mines producing related ores were being worked during the 12th and 13th centuries. (Corresponding evidence of copper being transported by caravan across the Sahara in the 11th or 12th century [1090 A.D. ? 1081 has been found in Mauritania; Theodore Monod, "Majabat al-Koubra," Bulletin de lInstitut Francais dAfrique Noire, xxvi, 1964, 1394-1402).

During this period, the African Berbers (Almoravid and Almohad Moslems) controlled much of the Western Sa- hara, the Mediterranean, and Spain. Presumably it was through them that metals were traded into this area, either by way of Spain (which, as R. W. Southern notes [The Making of the Middle Ages, New Haven, 1953, 42], had trade contracts at this time with eastern Germany) or through Sicily (and the Holy Roman Empire) both of which benefited from trade ties with the Moslem world.
Kings, Crowns, and Rights of Succession: Obalufon Arts at Ife and Other Yoruba Center.


Andrew W. Gurstele says, Archaeology has extended the search for the development of West African states in time and in space. The region has had a long involvement in trade, stemming from trans-Saharan connections established well before the Atlantic economy (Posnansky 1973).

Even trade networks connected West Africa with the rest of the continent, and beyond to the Mediterranean, the Near East, and South Asia (Mitchell 2005; Kelly 2013; Leone & Moussa 2013). While this research has shown the time depth of the technological flows between West Africa and the rest of the world, archaeology has made much more substantive contributions to the comparative study of states. West African societies show a great deal of variability in how they negotiated economic networks and political centralization (Posnansky 1982: 352; McIntosh 1999; Stahl 2004; Monroe 2013). Again,‘The House of Oduduwa: An Archaeological Study of Economy and Kingship in the Savè Hills of West Africa .

Question:

If Paul Ozanne book is well accepted within the scholarly work on Radiocarbon era, why is such, not cited in 2015 but cite (Willet: 1971) as acceptable?

Note: Don't jump into conclusion in most cases. Ten reason, that some information credited to some writers are only cited , out of Afrocentrism.

gregyboy:
U are a big fool stop quoting me.......


Foolish LovePeddler,


Stop quoting me i never mentioned or asked you any question so respect my privacy......
I have made my point clear you lack no manners
And i wont ve having any further discussion with you.......

Is like you deserve beating to correct your sense



If you want to drop your answers then do it without quoting me because i never asked you for it.... God knows your dirty attitude made me take this part towards you

Stop quoting me you fool with no manners

My God! . This TAO11 is something else on greyboy. I hope you have seen and read the truth on Yoruba's dominance in Igodomigodo!

gregyboy:
Tribe of slave's we never one day regarded or saw you slaves as brothers rather than slaves if there was a need by benins to conquer even the ife the way we defeated oyo we would have done it.....

All the wars fought in Yoruba land benin did the supplies of guns to the yorubas

When will you learn? Binu; ‘Bini' has no meaning in your Edo language. And this name was given to you by your Yoruba Overlord!

That:

The language of Yoruba is indeed connected to Coptic Egyptians Language,
in, which A.B Ellis , also provided more information on comparison. And which showed large input from Semitic language: in Searching for Orthography of Yoruba by Ogungiyi( Arabic~ Hebrew ~ Phonecian).

I.A OGUNBIYI, Arabic Professor says, ‘This aspect of Yoruba contact with Islam has also received adequate study, from doctrinaire scholars who have attempted to trace virtually all Yoruba words to an Arabic root,as well as from those who have based their identification of Arabic loanwords on academically plausible analyses'.

Comments and observations on Yoruba language and in comparison with Arabic:

1. Yoruba consonants:

The Yoruba sound system has a total of eighteen consonants, fifteen of which have close equivalents in the Arabic sound system while one, the Yoruba g is pronounced much like the Egyptian ج as in gamal ﻞﻤﺟ rather than like the Arabic غ as in ghazal, hence its representation by the Arabic غ is mere approximation. The two Yoruba sounds that have no equivalent Arabic sounds are the plosive bi-labials p (kp) and gb which are respectively represented in Yoruba Þajamõ by three diacritical marks under the b, and three over the Arabic ع. Although these two Yoruba sounds have no exact simple equivalents in Arabic, the phonemes, which are combined in pronouncing each of them are close to some Arabic sounds. For example, the Yoruba p is pronounced by a subtle combination of the k and b, in which a faint, almost imperceptible k sound is overshadowed by a heavily plosive b sound. Similarly, the Yoruba gb sound is a subtle combination of a faint g sound with a heavily plosive b sound. It is noteworthy that only very few non-Yoruba, or speakers of related languages, are able to accurately realize these two sounds in pronunciation. It is the b sound that is often substituted by such foreigners for these two Yoruba sounds. In general, communication is not often impaired by such mispronunciation, especially when in context. Indeed, until the recent modification/reformation of the Yoruba Þajamõ about which we shall discuss shortly, even Yoruba anjemi writers have represented both sounds by the Arabic b (ب), as in:ﻮﻜﺑ ﺐﺒﺳ ﻮﻋ a o si gbo pooku39 and in ﺎﺘﺑﺎﺘﺑ patapata.

2. Yoruba vowels:

Unlike the eighteen Yoruba consonants, all of which have close equivalents in the Arabic sound systems except two, four out of seven of the attested Yoruba vowels have no close equivalents in the Arabic sound system and anjemi writers have had to manipulate a combination of Arabic vowels and diacritical marks to represent these four. When it is realized that in Yoruba, vowels are of greater importance than consonants, and tones (a major peculiarity of the language) are of greater importance than vowels, 41 we would appreciate the enormity of the difficulty which has confronted anjemi writers in accurately representing all the tonal nuances of the Yoruba language in writing. There are three tones in Yoruba, namely: the low tone, the medium and the high, approximately corresponding to the musical notes: do re mi, and the meaning of a monosyllabic word consisting of a consonant and a vowel may vary according to the tone of the vowel


The Yorùbá came from the Northeast of Africa:

As the two theories of Meccan and Egyptian origin became increasingly unpopular, a third position, which is not unrelated to them and which is not so specific, gained more ground. This is the theory that the Yorùbá came from the north eastern part of Africa. This theory might have been triggered by two different written accounts, a work originally written in Arabic in 1812 by Sultan Muhammad Bello of Sokoto (1779-1837), the grandson of Uthman dan Fodio, the founder of the Fulani Empire and the Sokoto Caliphate, and Leo Frobenius’ account in The Voice of Africa (1913). Bello’s writing was obtained by Clapperton and his travel companion, Denham and a part of it is an account of what was purported to be the origin of the Yorùbá, whom Bello referred to as Yarba. Bello’s account of Yorùbá migration, which has been regarded as fanciful erroneous and mere hearsay (Lucas 1948:16; Law 1977:15), states that the Yorùbá are descendants of Nimrod who were driven out of Arabia (or Iraq) to West Africa through Sudan. In essence, Bello records a Middle East origin and a migration through the Sudan for the Yorùbá. In 1910-11, the German professor of anthropology, Leo Frobenius was at Ilé-Ife on expedition and conducted excavations on some sites. His report on the excavations drew world attention to the historical and archaeological significance of If.

The sophistication and the naturalism of the artwork excavated at If made Frobenius (1913:345) conclude that he had discovered the survival of an ancient West Mediterranean colony on Africa’s Atlantic coast: I maintain I have re-discovered Atlantis, the ‘Emporium of the culture'of the West on the further sides of the straits of Gibraltar, that Atlantis, whose walls, as Solon informs us, held within them Poseidon’s Castle, where there was a wealth of luxuriant vegetation… I lay claim to Yoruba, so tropically lush and rank in its vegetation… this Yoruba, I assert, is Atlantis, the home of Poseidon’s posterity, the Sea-God by them named Olókun; the land of a people whom Solon declared: They have even extended their lordship over Egypt and Tyrrhene!

Frobenius’ hypothesis is that there must have been some Etruscan influence on the Atlantic coast in the thirteenth century BC the relics of which he found at Ilé-Ife. The people must have got to the west coast by way of the sea through fleets from North Africa and the remains of that Mediterranean culture can be found in different aspects of Yorùbá art and culture such as the use of the handloom, the bow and arrow, and drums with a distinctive North African imprint. Others include the construction of water storage and of houses with ridge roofs as in North Africa.


Argument against Leo Frobenuis:

The hypothesis has been considered untenable and a guess, not only in archaeological circle but also in historical and religious. However, it should be noted that there is often confusion between the locations, northeast of Africa and Middle East in the accounts and references are sometimes vague.

Support for migration of Yoruba ancestors;

Adetugba (1973:182) states that, “The belief that is current among the Yorùbá is that they migrated to their present home from somewhere in the Middle East or Lower Egypt in different waves between the seventh and eleventh centuries A.D.” It is generally an either/or situation (e.g. Johnson’s Egypt/Nubia and Biobaku’s Egypt/beyond theories). In addition to this, various other traditions claim that the Yorùbá originated from the east of the Niger (cf. Bowen 1968:266), from the Sudan, parts of Asia (cf. Lucas 1948:15), from across a big river (Beier 1955b:19) or from a far country (Farrow 1926:21).

The same Beier says,Beier (1955a:26) also attempts to prove that the Nupe country was one of the stages of the Yorùbá migration.


As a continuum study on Yoruba people; Odudua, Obatala and Obalufon

Susan Blier's account on Yoruba Art work and history; this has to do with through ore could had made its way to Yoruba land.

Citing , Kenneth C. Murray, 'Nigerian Bronzes: Works from Ife,' Antiquity, xv, 1941, 73; Willett, 29: 4 Ancient copper exploitation took place in Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Sudan, Zaire (Thurstan Shaw, Nigeria: Its Archaeology and Early His- tory, London, 1978, 72). O. Werner and F. Willett have published the results of spectographic analyses of several Ife castings ("The Composition of Brasses from Ife and Benin," Archaeometry, xvii, 1975, 141-163), which suggest, however, that the metal may have come from Lower Saxony (in the Harz region) in Europe, where mines producing related ores were being worked during the 12th and 13th centuries. (Corresponding evidence of copper being transported by caravan across the Sahara in the 11th or 12th century [1090 A.D. ?1081 , has been found in Mauritania; Theodore Monod, "Majabat al-Koubra," Bulletin de lInstitut Francais dAfrique Noire, xxvi, 1964, 1394-1402). During this period, the African Berbers (Almoravid and Almohad Moslems) controlled much of the Western Sahara,the Mediterranean, and Spain.

Presumably it was through them that metals were traded into this area, either by way of Spain (which, as R. W. Southern notes [The Making of the Middle Ages, New Haven, 1953, 42], had trade contracts at this time with eastern Germany) or through Sicily (and the Holy Roman Empire) both of which benefited from trade ties with the Moslem world.

Radio carbon date of 350 Bc or 500Bc as being speculated isn't accurate but a fanciful assumption: Art in Ancient Ife, Birthplace of the Yoruba Suzanne Preston Blier

.... Susan Blier says and agreed , ‘for the period of Ife’s major artistic and cultural innovation, along with periods prior to (pre-Flo An early Ife date of c. 350 bce. purportedly based on radiocarbon (Folster in Ozanne 1969:32), cited by both Ogundiran (2002, p.c.) and Drewal (2009:80), has been rejected by Frank Willett (2004) and others for lack of supporting scientific evidence. I concur with this assessment.'

Mind you, Ozanne ( 1969:32)was one of the author you cited and the date of radio carbon on Ileife had been rejected in the scholarly world.


Conclusions by Susan Blier on ‘Odudua' , Oranmiyan and Obalufon: Kings, Crowns, and Rights of Succession: Obalufon Arts at Ife and Other Yoruba Centers

Susan Blier says,‘The process of Yo- ruba state formation that was associated with the early leader "Odudua" and his numerous sons appears to have presented great problems in this regard.

[ Not only were they ‘foreigners'] but they attempted to establish their own deities and to wrest the rulership of these lands from the ‘local' peoples. Understandably, the problems that the early rulers faced with the local populace were considerable. Signifi- cantly, it appears that Obalufon II came to symbolize the mediation of the two seemingly antithetical concerns.

On the one hand he himself was a ruler and descendant of the Ife city-state founder "Odudua"; on the other hand, he rep- resented and supported the legitimate rights of the local Ife population in the state rulership structure. For this reason, Obalufon II, like the arts associated with him, was iden- tified with the legitimacy of the very kingship on which Yoruba political stability was based.

The House of Oduduwa: An Archaeological Study of Economy and Kingship in the Savè Hills of West Africa by Andrew W. Gurstelle

Gurstelle says, ‘ The city was first mentioned by Europeans in the mid19th century, though oral histories from Ife and surrounding kingdoms claim a much deeper history (Smith 1988: 16; Blier 2012). Archaeological research at Ile-Ife has largely corroborated these claims, demonstrating a history of occupation dating back to at least the 10th century CE (Willett 1971). Monumental sculpture, such as the Opa Oranmiyan megalith, is associated with the foundation of royal dynasties (Smith 1988: 21).


My View outside my research works on linguistic comparison, showed :

1. Inavders:
Odudua and group were foreigners; and this people came to impose their own kind of religion on the aborigines.In: Kings, Crowns, and Rights of Succession: Obalufon Arts at Ife and Other Yoruba Centers'

2.Aborigines :
The account further relates that there were people (aborigines) at Ife when Odùdùwà arrived there with his group who must have been conquered and assimilated by Odùdùwà’s troupe (Johnson 1921:15). Several variants of this tradition also exist, but they all seem to agree that there were aborigines in the land when the migrants arrived (cf. Beier 1955a:25; Idowu 1962:63; Law 1973:31). Some traditions identify these aborigines as the Ugbos or Igbos, who were at war with Ife for a long time and now dwell in the Ilaje district in Òndó State (cf. Awolalu 1979:26). The presence of an aboriginal population is supported by archaeology.

3. Yoruba had contact with Arabic before Romanised orthography being found in eighteen century in Yoruba land. In: THE SEARCH FOR A YORUBA ORTHOGRAPHY SINCE THE 1840S: OBSTACLES TO THE CHOICE OF THE ARABIC SCRIPT

4.Hebrew Character:
Talbot (1926) and even Johnson, who after disputing the Mecca theory, argues that the Yorùbá probably emigrated from Upper Egypt to Ilé-Ife. His evidence includes the sculptures known as If marbles and the ‘Phoenician’ characters on opá rànmíyàn, an ancient granite obelisk over 18ft high at If (Johnson 1921:6).


5. Migration:
Moreover, Beier (1955b:19-20) mentions that in many smaller Yorùbá towns, several versions of this story do not claim an origin from Mecca but a migration of Odùdùwà and his men from beyond a great river.


Note: No matter how anyone try to over look the research work that has exposed the Foreign and local populace; it exists!

OmoOlofin:
Hi Olu317:

The following is the comment on Oduduwa's origin I promised to repost here:

In a 1969 report of a preliminary archaeological survey of Ife, Paul Ozanne noted that evidence shows that many settlements have been established in the Ife country by at least the 4th century BC.

He pointed out that the Ife area lies in a high bowl (namely, the "Ife bowl" ) surrounded by hills which form a watershed for many streams flowing out through gaps between the hills. And that into this "bowl" the earliest settlers came in some unknown antiquity.

Paul Ozanne: "A Preliminary Report of an Archaeological Survey of Ife"; also "A New Archaeological Survey of Ife," Odu, new series, 1, 1969, pp.131-148.

The idea that Oduduwa's roots was in some distant foreign land is actually alien and foreign to the early Yorubas themselves.

The most remote origin atttibuted to Oduduwa in indigenous Yoruba accounts is given in the mythology of Oduduwa's descent from heaven, as well as Obatala's, et al.

And if an interpretation of this particular mythical account would not deem Obatala (and the other actors in the account) as a non-Yoruba foreigner, then there is no reason why such interpretation of the same account would deem Oduduwa a foreigner.

For the sake of completeness, I should mention that this particular myth have absolutely nothing to do with a foreign country of origin for Oduduwa or Obatala, et al.

An examination of the earliest variant of this myth of descent of heavenly beigns supplies entirely different (unknown or unpopular) names to the charcaters involved.

This myth of descent of Oduduwa, Obatala, et al. have therefore been interpreted by historians to be a later remix of the original myth. Professor S. Adebanji Akintoye writes in his "A History of the Yoruba People" in relation to this interpretation as follows:

"As for the introduction of the names Oduduwa and Obatala into these creation myths, there seems no doubt that what we have here is a conflation of very ancient myths with later known facts at some point in Yoruba history. As will be seen in subsequent chapters, Obatala and Oduduwa were not mythical, heavenly beings; they were humans who played very significant roles in a great era of Yoruba history. Without doubt, what happened was that the contemporaries or successors of Obatala and Oduduwa added these two names to myths that had existed probably very long before their time, in an attempt to accord Oduduwa in particular the very high position he deserved in the transformation of Yoruba civilization in the most significant era in early Yoruba history."

S. Adebanji Akintoye: "A History of the Yoruba People", Amalion Publishing, 2010, pp.2-3.

In fact, if anything is known for sure about the view of Oduduwa's alleged foreign origin, then it is that this view is modern and quite alien to the Yoruba peoples' history.

To be quite specific, the foreign direction of Oduduwa's origin was first initiated towards the end of the 19th century by the Reverend Samuel Johnson in his famous "The History of the Yorubas" which was completed in 1897.

Until deep into the 20th century some of the best minds in historical scholarship simply followed Johnson's lead without questioning, even as there is a deafening silence of prior indigenous Yoruba accounts on such a foreign Oduduwa's origin. They also didn't deem it necessary to examine the roots of the Johnsonian hypothesis.

To briefly examine the influences and sources of Johnson's idea concerning the supposedly foreign roots of Oduduwa, it is sufficient to quote S. Adebanji Akintoye's A History of the Yoruba People. S. Adebanji Akintoye writes:

"Samuel Johnson was educated for the service of the church. ... .At the training institution in Abeokuta, he had schooled under a German teacher named G. F. Bühler, who while training his students as church workers, gave them a very solid grounding in ancient history --- the history of Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome. From such beginnings, Johnson developed a strong interest in the history and mythology of the Middle East. Moreover, Johnson's Yorubaland of the nineteenth century was increasingly affected by the growth of Islam and Christianity, two world-shaping products of the Middle East. In particular with Islam came the knowledge of Western Sudanese myths and legends through the writings of Muslims of the Western Sudan ("including Hausaland" ) --- especially some of the writings of Sultan Bello of Sokoto which contained some Sudanese myths about Yoruba origins. Above all, the nineteenth century was, in Europe, the golden age of the study of the history and civilization of ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptian writings (the hieroglyphic script) had just been deciphered, and the expanding knowledge of the wonders of ancient Egypt was creating great excitement in the world of scholarship. The writings of the emerging class of literate Yorubas were commonly laced with Egyptian and Middle Eastern references, analogies and mythology ("a practice apparently regarded then as a marker of erudition" ) --- as a reading of the Lagos newspaper of the time will abundantly show. All these influences combined to shape much of Johnson's The History of the Yorubas, and to account for his linking of all important details of early beginnings of Yoruba history to the Middle East. Thus, Oduduwa became a personage from the Middle East, and Oranmiyan's migration northward to the Niger country became a journey with the Middle East as its intended destination. Indeed, the influence of Middle Eastern mythology pervades most of Johnson's early history chapters, all the way from his preface."

Ibid., p.56.

If anything is palpably perceptible from the foregoing quotation, it is the fact that Johnson completely favoured an account of Oduduwa's origin by Sultan Bello of Sokoto, over and above an account of Oduduwa's origin by the Yorubas themselves.

In sum, he left out the Yoruba account of Oduduwa's origin in favour a heavily-Middle-East-influenced account by an Hausa.

Johnson's excitement to incorporate a Middle Eastern thesis into his treatise is clearly seen to be at play.

Contrasting Johnson's approach on his account of Oduduwa's origin with his approach on his account of Oyo's history, S. Adebanji Akintoye notes:

"In contrast, his accounts of the history of the Oyo Empire were assembled from oral evidence he collected in places like Oyo and Ibadan where memories of the disintegration of that empire were still quite fresh; while his accounts of late nineteenth century Yoruba history were products of his own eyewitness observation of many of the events."

Ibid., p.56.

Having shown that the influences and sources of Johnson's hypothesis of Oduduwa's alleged foreign origin are themselves foreign, and based more on sentiments than it can be argued to be based on any fact, it is vital then that an inward examination of the corpus of indigenous resources on the early history of the Youba people --- as well as on Oduduwa's roots particularly --- is undertaken.

In relation to this novel undertaking which didn't begin until well into the 1900s, S. Adebanji Akintoye writes:

"Fortunately, while much effort was being expended in following Johnson's ideas about the beginnings of Yoruba history, there existed all around us, in Ife and other parts of Yorubaland, an enormous wealth of traditions, as well as evidence in the Yoruba political system and surviving practices and rituals, about Oduduwa and his era. Ultimately a different direction in the study of Yoruba history developed ("as part of a more scientific study of African history in general" ) which focused on the indigenous evidence, as well as other source material, for the reconstruction of early Yoruba history. Consequent upon these efforts, we now stand able to lay aside, with respect, the Johnsonian hypothesis about the origins of Oduduwa and of the Yoruba. All who study the history of Ife and of the Yoruba people are now generally agreed that the great political changes which began in Ife in about the tenth century were indigenous in their origin, in their unfolding and in their dramatis personae. It is on the soil of Yorubaland that Oduduwa was born and raised; it is only in that soil that his roots can be found."

Ibid., pp.56-57.

Regarding the specific region of Yorubaland where Oduduwa was born and raised, and how this ties to the account of the resistance he endured from some parties in the course of his becoming king in a unified Ife:

As is to be expected, scholars --- such as Ulli Beier, et al. --- who pioneered avoiding this obvious error inherent in the Johnsonian hypothesis did indeed make recourse to the rich corpus of indigenous Ife-Yoruba accounts.

An important account which proves particularly very useful to S. A. Akintoye's identification of Oduduwa's specific roots within Yorubaland (and how that ties to the well-known account of the resistance he endured from some quarters, in becoming the ruler of unified Ife) is the popular account of the violence, conflicts, and wars between the Oduduwa's alliance on one hand, and the Obatala's alliance on the other hand. This unrest is said (by all the variant accounts) to have lasted "a very long time".

Akin Ogundiran found, after thoroughly researching and combing through the generality of the available Ife traditional accounts on this much remembered conflict, that it must have lasted over a century.

This submission then raises the question of Oduduwa's and Obatala's participation in the conflicts.

Although the traditional accounts put Oduduwa and Obatala at the very beginning of the conflicts to their very end, we know that this is extremely unlikely given the unanimously admitted very long duration of the conflict by the generality of all the traditional accounts.

Moreover, it is seen very, very clearly from the accounts that Oduduwa emerged through the conflict as king ruling over a unified Ife.

This imagery, thus, warrants the necessary logical conclusion that both Oduduwa and Obatala were simply born into a long pre-existing and ongoing conflict by parents from opposing parties to the conflict.

In relation to the account leading to this conclusion, and the conclusion itself, Professor S. Adebanji Akintoye writes:

"There is no doubt that Oduduwa and Obatala were the most prominent persons in the last stages of the wars. Neither, therefore could have been actors, or even could have been born at the beginning of the conflicts."

Ibid., p.62.

In fact, to be emphatic, the indigenous traditions note that Oduduwa himself was born in Ife to parents who had relocated there (i.e. to the "Ife bowl" ) from one of the neighbouring hills surrounding the "bowl" --- Recall my earlier reference to a 1969 report of a preliminary archaeological survey of Ife by Paul Ozanne which notes that the "Ife bowl" is surrounded by hills forming watersheds.

In relation to this indigenous tradition regarding his specific land of birth and his "parents'" relocation, S. A. Akintoye writes:

"An examination of most of the traditions fairly definitively establish that Oduduwa was born in the stranger's area of Ife to leaders of a small group that had relocated from one of the hills beyond the elu at Ife, that he grew up in the traditions of resentment in the strangers' area, and that his youth and Obatala's youth ("both of them "sons of the soil"" ) were spent in the tradition of growing conflicts in Ife. The traditional accounts put both men in the era of conflicts from its beginning to its end, obviously because of their extremely dominant roles in its latter stages. In the light of this, it is reasonably certain that the group which became popularly known as the Oduduwa group in the traditions was led to the Ife area not by Oduduwa but by his parents or grand parents."

Ibid., p.62.

In conclusion, the idea that Oduduwa has a foreign origin outside of Yorubaland, outside of West Africa, or sometimes outside of Africa has long been set aside by historians as an over-ambitious pseudo-historical narrative. It has been set aside for a realistic historical narrative which has situated him definitively to be indigenous to Ile-Ife.

Well,Yoruba history has always been in obscurity which made it so popular in nineteenth century upward to be studied more even till date. And on well research work either for immigrants status or ,on the location of Yoruba ancestors came for Odudua and groups ,which included Obalufon II etc.

Therefore, below citations from renown schoalars, linguist,Professors have written books about Yoruba people and there is no iota of doubts that studying Yoruba's place of origin is continuum. The following account of Yoruba history are also popular


‘The Yorùbá came from Mecca’

The tradition that the Yorùbá came from Mecca is expounded in Samuel Johnson’s work, The History of the Yorubas, which has become a reference point for subsequent works on Yorùbá history. In the study, the story is told of Lámúrudu, a king of Mecca whose descendants were Odùdùwà, the ancestor of the Yorùbá and the kings of Gogobiri (that is Gobir in Hausaland) and of Kukawa (in Bornu), both of which are in the north of Nigeria. The period of Lámúrudu’s reign is presumed to be after the arrival of Islam. Johnson records the account as related to him and is worth quoting here: The Crown Prince Odùdùwà relapsed into idolatry during his father’s reign, and as he was possessed of great influence, he drew many after him. His purpose was to transform the state religion into paganism, and hence he converted the great mosque of the city into an idol temple... ?


The Yorùbá came from Egypt :
A major exponent of the theory is Olumide Lucas whose 400 page Oxford doctoral dissertation, The Religion of the Yoruba (1948), is wholly devoted to the task of tracing a connection between the Yorùbá and Egypt. His main thesis is that the Yorùbá must have resided in ancient Egypt for a long time before moving to their present location, and that origin accounts for the similarities between the Yorùbá and ancient Egypt. The theory is not based on oral tradition per se, but on pieces of evidence from written documents, which he uses to develop his argument. Using a kind of folk etymology, first, he argues for a Yorùbá connection with Egypt based on what he refers to as similarity or identity of language (1948:18-20). He alleges
that fifty percent of Yorùbá vocabulary is of Egyptian origin or root and to illustrate his point, he considers words from five short paragraphs that he claims were randomly selected from some Yorùbá literature. His conclusion is that at least half of the words in the passages are “survivals of Ancient Egyptian words” (1948:343). Lucas’ second point is that the Egyptian connection is based on similarity or identity of religious beliefs and the third argument, which is similar to the second, is similarity or identity of religious ideas and practices. According to him, some of these similarities include the names and attributes of the gods of both peoples, belief in life and judgement after death, deification of kings and the belief in guardian spirits (1948:20-26). In other words, Yorùbá religion is a survival of ancient Egyptian religion and it stands in genetic relation to the latter (1948:344). Finally, he argues that a connection can be established based on survival of customs, and names of persons, places, objects, etc. (1948:26-30). These include among other things, elements of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, emblems and other symbols in Yorùbá (especially, If) art and craft. However, Lucas is not alone. Before him was Talbot (1926) and even Johnson, who after disputing the Mecca theory, argues that the Yorùbá probably emigrated from Upper Egypt to Ilé-Ife. His evidence includes the sculptures known as If marbles and the ‘Phoenician’ characters on pá rànmíyàn, an ancient granite obelisk over 18ft high at If (Johnson 1921:6). At any rate, the Egypt theory has not been established clearly as authentic since several scholars maintain that the widespread story of an Egyptian ancestry cannot be credited (Wescott 1957:10-15).


On the possible eastern origin of the Yorubas:

Tariqh Sawandi says: "The Yoruba history begins with the migration of an east African population
across the trans-African route leading from Mid-Nile river area to the Mid-Niger.

According to Olumide J. Lucas, "the Yoruba, during antiquity, lived in ancient Egypt before migrating to the Atlantic coast". He uses as demonstration the similarity or identity of languages, religious beliefs, customs and names of persons, places and things. In addition, many ancient papyri discovered by archaeologists point at an Egyptian origin" (Tariqh Sawandi: "Yorubic medicine: The Art of divine Herbology)

One consequence of this daily use of the Arabic language and the accompanying practice of establishing Arabic schools to teach new converts, was the gradual inroad of a considerable amount of Arabic-derived words and expressions relating to Islamic worship and other subjects into the Yoruba language.


On a contrary View:
Taking a cue from Beier, Law (1973:30) notes that, “the claim to origin from Mecca is not an original element of the tradition, but a later elaboration, intended to link the Yoruba to the prestigious civilizations of the east” (cf. 1977:28-9). Overall, the theory that the Yorùbá must have migrated from Mecca to Ilé-If has met with disapproval among scholars.

After this condemnation by Beier,Law(1973:30).
Something of An amazement about Yoruba resurfaced that :

gregyboy:
Our oba came from udo and not ife


Udo was the former capital of benin were the ogiso lived untill ekaladeran was banished to

And the third Ogiso, was Yoruba.

OmoOlofin:
There is no need for a long distracting and unrelated piece.

The issue is quite simple and straight:

You made a remark which suggests that S. Akintoye agrees that the inscription is one of "Semitic or Ethiopian or Kush?"

I demonstrated that S. Akintoye (as well the body of historical scholarship) does not hold any such pseudo-intellectual view.

In other words, you are alone in this, and you are no more than a mere Nairaland history enthusiast like most of us.

As it stands today, no reputable historian of African or Yoruba History hold any such pseudo-intellectual "pitchfork" or MiddleEast interpretation -- Those are obsolete views held by amateurs and non-historians like Samuel Johnson.

Full Stop!

Nl is a child's play as far as I am concerned. Kindly show where Akintoye explicitly affirm that his view on Opa Oranmiyah is explainable by him. If no, then don't jump into conclusion because you have no idea.


And on the NL, is the reason I didn't even break the meaning on the obelisk/ideograms/pictographs. So, I am not perturbed but you seems to agree witg those scholars that agreed with your view of West African origin of Yoruba people but have you read if Oduduwa and group are foreigners from a reputable Professor ? Well, Oduduwa and group invaded people in Ileife ,which was founded by Yoruba or Oranmiyan ancestors.

Notice: kindly proof me wrong!

lawani:
Ijesa for instance are not oyo and the Ijesa used to call oyo Yoruba as at early 20th century. It was later that all Yoruba accepted the new Yoruba identity.

Well, I am sceptical on your information because of your claims. Oyo has never called Yoruba until the expanse of the Empire. I know Yoruba people's identity even oman! This name is so popular even in middle east.

OmoOlofin:
Hi Olu, this is the same member you know as TAO.

I got temporarily locked out from commenting with my other accounts (spambot triggers), yet I feel very obliged to point out certain things here.

You've repeatedly made a number of remarks and claims here which -- to me -- are at best not well thought-out (or reckless), and at worst untrue.

Going forward, I will be devoting a huge chunk of my time to commenting on threads of this nature as I am quite certain that the Bini lies have been reasonably nipped in the bud -- at least for now.

Having said that, I have right here with me the latest work by Professor Stephen Adebanji Akintoye -- "A History of the Yoruba People".

This work, which is the "most complete and authoritative volume since Johnson's work in the early twentieth century", is the product of "four decades of historiography research with current interpretation and analyses".

It is also important that I mention that this work enjoyed great review inputs from a galaxy of historians of African and Yoruba History such as: J.F. Ade Ajayi, Elisee Soumonni, R.C.C. Law, Toyin Falola, Funso Afolayan, and Adebayo Oyebade.

All the foregoing is so that you may appreciate and be sure of the quality of scholarship that has gone into this revolutionary volume.

Now, regarding your question to Amujale where you asked:

"Have you met Professor Banji Akintoye before to ask him if the inscription on Opa Oranmiyah [sic] was Semitic or Ethiopian or Kush?":

The most information in S. A. Akintoye's work regarding the inscriptions on the Opa Oranmiyan is found on page 79 where he makes it super clear that:

(1) The Opa Oranmiyan have spiral head "iron nails studded in a curious pattern" in it.

(2) This pattern of nail studs must have had some symbolic meaning, but unfortunately this meaning is "unknown to us today".

Listen, it is perfectly okay to openly admit what we do not know.

In sum, Professor Akintoye does not hold any such pseudo-intellectual view to the effect that the inscription is "Semitic or Ethiopian or Kush".

Neither does any 'serious scholar' or the body of contemporary historical scholarship hold any such view.

However, if you still insist -- even after this -- that this "curious" pattern does have a definitively known symbolic "pitchfork" meaning, then I pray that God should forgive Professor Akintoye, as well as the body of contemporary historical scholarship, for disagreeing with you on this. /s

I will respond to each and every other related remark and claim you've made in due course.

Cheers!

cc: macof, OgboAto

Well,opinion is quite different from Ideograms knowledge which I am well exposed into and sincerely you can call my work pseudo intellectual view from your perspective because of this platform or reason being that I haven't launch my book in the shelf.

Having stated this,I must be honest with you that I am not the type that comes online to create a remark without purpose. Interestingly, I mentioned ‘PITCHFORK ' which has got some of you or any one in doubt ‘pondering', yes pondering because even in the glory of Professor Akintoye, he will be humble to admit to it that he has no clue over what those inscription mean.

Therefore, it is no news if you see my angle differently but you have posited cited work that has confirm the reality of the ancient Yorubas language as lingua Franca in West Africa . This same linguistic connection that scholars like A.B Ellis, affirmed that Yoruba language was the Coptic language spoken in Egypt, which he compared the cognates between these two
groups.

Now Let begin to mention scholars work that claim place of origin of Yoruba's. And today , based on your view that Professor Akintoye's work that he did for four decades, still didn't solve the identity of Yoruba's. place of origin,even if he tried. Trust me, I can't condemn a very highly reputable Professor like Akintoye because is an outstanding man in scholarly work Yoruba history. But Yoruba ancestors gave a clue about their identity, which I will expose you and others to. Take for instance, Olumide, evidence includes the sculptures known as Ife marbles and the ‘Phoenician’ characters on opá orànmíyàn, an ancient granite obelisk over 18ft high at If (Johnson 1921:6)


Next;I Intend to show an information of a professor who acknowledged through oral account, and first settlers as aboriginal's view that there were Yoruba ancestors as migrants, who were different from invaders that came with YORUBA LANGUAGE!


Note:
interestingly you have showcased, the power of Yoruba language as a great language but you underestimated your ancestors power and language.

If not because of some evil and non Yoruba but assimilated Yorubas, I would have explained the meaning of what that Opa Oranmiyan stand for.

In between, ypu habe been subtle and awesome, with your approach. Shout out to Amujale!

lawani:
the word Yoruba was first found in the written work of Ahmed Baba of 15th century Songhai empire, it was used to refer to the people of the oyo empire but nowadays all Yoruba speaking people have accepted the identity.

Don't get wrong because Oyo were all combination of all Yoruba clans. So, don't get it wrong on who is Oyo ot not without all other clans.

Amujale:
What has that got to does with anything, i think there is a thread for the Obelix.

Who is talking to you about the Obelix?

It isnt a pitchfork, you need to stop spreading that.

A pitchfork is what a farmer uses to lift hay.

The Obelix is not a pitchfork.

Smiles! Well, it is a PITCHFORK AND written on an IVORY. Go check very well from a well.studied angle if you visit Ileife.

Kindly study what Ivory is to the world culture and find out where such Ivory is established in Africa. Then, understand the reason Ivory/Horn is placed downward and stand erected in world culture,especially Near East.

Seriously, I know the meaning on the inscription on Opa Oranmiyah but will never expose it here on NL, no matter, how subtle or genuinely some people can be. The work I have done, is beyond me but for all Yoruba's glory and the need for vast and connected groups of Yorubas in diaspora to learn Yoruba's language in Near East

Let me list the following:

1. What does Eyes in Court society of Yoruba's mean and compare with Africa and Near East ?

2. What does vulture in Yoruba's and Near East and African culture means?


3. Why do Cross mean in Yoruba and Africa means or Near East mean ?

4. Who taught ancient Yoruba about pastoral lifestyle or cultivation ?

5. How did Yoruba beads became alike like the ones found in Near East/Middle East ?

6. Why are ancient known as mortal with clothing attire and different from other Africans ( even Ifaodu practioners confirmed it in an Odu that's called Yoruba as clothing mortals) ? This is not spitting anyone or any ethnic group!

I rest my case for now!

Amujale:
Again, what is the relevance of you stating that here?

Opa Oranmiyan is his staff, it is known to historians as an Obelix.

No, Oranmiyan was NOT a Hebrew because the story was based on fiction.

Whereas, Oranmiyan is a real person of history.

Have you met Professor Banji Akintoye before to ask him if the inscription on Opa Oranmiyah was Semitic or Ethiopian or Kush ?


Like I had said,the inscription on Opa Oranmiyan is a ‘PITCHFORK'. Kindly prove me wrong! What exactly does Obelisk mean ? Ask onigegeara the,inscription on Opa oranmiyah and get back to me. Facebook is the easiest place to find Onigegeara!


Cheers .

Amujale:
Again, what is the relevance of you stating that here?

Opa Oranmiyan is his staff, it is known to historians as an Obelix.

No, Oranmiyan was NOT a Hebrew because the story was based on fiction.

Whereas, Oranmiyan is a real person of history.

Have you met Professor Banji Akintoye before to ask him if the inscription on Opa Oranmiyah was Semitic or Ethiopian or Kush ?


Like I have said,the inscription on Opa Oranmiyan is a ‘PITCHFORK'. Kindly prove me wrong! What exactly does Obelisk mean ? Ask onigegeara ,inscription on Opa oranmiyah.


Cheers .

Amujale:
End of discussion then.

Yoruba are indigenous to Nigeria, Africa.

There's no genuine evidence anywhere that contradicts Yoruba history.

You ought to reeducate yourself regrds history, read authors such as Professor Akintoye, Professor Ogundiran, Chiekh Anta Diop e.t.c

Can you even listen to yourself ? Gosh! None of these people know where Yoruba came from. Didn't I post account of Professor Subar Biobaku? Do you even know what his speech was against Idowu ?


These well renowned men such Professor Akintoye, Professor Ogundiran, Chiekh Anta Diop e.t.c didn't affirm the exact place of origin of Yoruba's. Are you even aware that 1100AD was actually Yoruba surfaced with their advanced technology in Ileife ? And there is no information on Yoruba place of migration from anyone of them. Did you even comprehend what , ‘PROBABLY' mean in an authored book by Professor Akintoye that that macof posted ? .


When I am ready, you shall read and comprehend effectively. C'est fini.

Atigba:
Ogboni is of Yoruba, same with Osokpikan, Aye, Eye, Ayelala.

TAO12:
The supposed "Yoruba slaves" were at the helm of administration of Benin Kingdom from the palace.

Speaks so much about the Edo subjects whom these "slaves" ruled over and conquered.




Sounds more like: Yoruba language was employed by Yoruba slaves "in the palace administration of Benin Kingdom" over their Edo subjects.

Is there any book you have on Zaire-Katanga history ? I am just curious. And if yes, let me know!


Cheers.

Amujale:
Olu317 claims that there are certain terms and names that are borrowed from the Yoruba language. I guess he will represent himself in that sense.

As for the new information, The Returning Queen, Kemetic symbolism and the technology used in the Obelix of Oranmiyan, Kemetic type Sun dials, well as the fact of a Yoruba mythological King who we find to have been the founding ruler of ancient Kush.

I have tried to explain to the dude that Yoruba is indigenous to Africa but it seems he’s finding it hard to fathom these facts.

That shouldn’t even be up for debate.

What I want is for us to look into these terms that he claims to have been inserted into the Hebrew language and the to and fro movement of Kemet.

Who are the Kush ? Kindly read about the kingdoms that ruled Egypt. The inscription on Opa Oranmiyan isn't Ethiopian or Sudanese groups inscription but a PITCHFORK! Perhaps, you need explain what PITCHFORK means in these African culture, you mentioned.

Are you even aware some amongst these KUSH buried the dead differently from Yorubas?


Bro you can read this book for a start, ‘Lower egyptian communities and their interactions with southern Levant in the 4th miLLennium Bc.'


I won't go beyond this information.

Amujale:
Forget about semantics and the inconsequential stuff, defend the above statement.

Let your scholarship does the talking, what we need are the terms that you claim are borrowed from Yoruba and the narrative that has us living in Kemet and beyond.


Yoruba are 100% indigenous to Africa and aren’t Hebrew get that off your mind and concentrate your focus on the above.

I cant not teach or defend anything before some of you because, intellectual properties are paid for in full blown reality. So,when I am fully ready, you will have to patronise my book and appreciate the Yoruba ancestors work in Africa.

Are you even aware that Opa Ogun in Myth of IFe by John Wyndawn was classified as Semitic kind of structure?

Mind you,ideograms or pictographs that are not Hieroglyphs are found in Opa Oranmiyah,Opa Ogun, which has been classified as Semitic inscription, some inscription on Eluorogbo wall,etc . And purposely, I didn't mentioned what the nails inserted into the Ivory portrayed in ancient Semitic world ,despite the fact that amongst the Roman,Greek etc, this inscriptions mean something in each culture. Interestingly, Opa Oranmiyah inscription is a ‘Pitchfork' .

So, don't make it look like I conjured things without information to it before now. Seriously, your friend macof and nearly all of you have no clue over this ‘Pitchfork' inscription, which is Semitic for a long time even till now. The reason for your lack of knowledge on this thing, is because you paid no attention to it. Besides, ancient princes ,other royalty bloodline, some few priests have long died and the continuum of it died with them but their legacy is for people to have idea of their migration from their homeland.


According, to 1950s account, THE PATTERN OF YORUBA HISTORY Dr. SABURI BIOBAKU:
Director of the Yoruba Historical Research Schzme, Nigeria

‘The Yoruba are not indigenous to Nigeria; they were immigrants from a region where they came under the influences of ancient Egyptians, Etruscans and Jews. Their original home must have been in the Near East, and it is probable that the all-Black Kingdom of Meroe in the Sudan played an important part in transmitting Egyptian influences to them. Whether it was in Upper Egypt or the Yemen, the Yoruba came under Arab influences in their old homes, and their subsequent migration was connected with Arab movements. The migrations, which occurred in waves, formed parts of well-known migrations in the Sudan, through which the culture and civilization of North Africa were diffused throughout the regions immediately to the South'

But today, we have many of them not been steady on their account because of doubts and lack of evidence they see but can't interpretate.
Still, some people also believed through self conviction and through certain traits found amongst Hebrew without much evidence which made me delved into Ideograms(pictographs) learning.

On Meroe and beyond, ( Egypt), Hebrew; Near East culture, do acknowledged the power of ‘Ram ,which signify authority as also seen in Yoruba culture. There is a vivid example in, ‘Ceramic Spheres and Regional Networks in the Yoruba-Edo Region, Nigeria, 13th-19th Centuries Ac'. In which a piece of pottery with the relief of a ram's head (symbol of power, leadership, and royalty) in Yoruba culture.


In between, there is much in reading, about other culture so as to be well informed on what you don't have knowledge on. After all, the nails inserted into the Ivory were astonishing efforts, ceramic, Terracotta work. which is quite distinct from many part of Africa.

macof:
1 & 3
lmao
this guy can lie so shamelessly. so desperate for your hebrew masters sha

so you can claim Prof. Akintoye never claims African origin of Yoruba?
(see screenshot below from Chapter 1, pages 8- 9 of Prof. Akintoye's "A history of the Yoruba people" IF you didn't know, now you know , you can't lie here

2.
lmao you are just a clown. So I have given diverse opinions on who the Ooni is...really ? Where, when? who did i say the ooni was? And i talked about Pharaohs origin of Yoruba Oonis and East Africa origin of Yoruba people ...lmao
Abeg o, don't carrry your nonsense imagination to claim i said what i did not say.
Ask your silent confused one time supporter Rossikk about Ooni being of Pharaonic origin

Ignorance beyond redemption. Let me ascertain the following:

1. I have reference this Professor Banji Akintoye in the past when obalufonII hadn't deactivated. So,it is only new to a young lad like you. Kindly go to school and study to have Ideograms knowledge,if you're interested


2. Yoruba language is a franca lingua amongst West Africa in at point in time in history, which made it look as if Yoruba parted ways with some West Africa ethnic groups ( go study).This has been proven by research work over two century agos.

3. Iwo Eleru archeological fit of fossil human of about 7000BC never match Yoruba's ancestors humanoid features.

4. It is a fact that Yoruba's ancestors Art works are unlike Africans Art work, even if such work were done from 1200AD upward in West Africa

5. Professor Akintoye didn't specify where the exact home ancient Yoruba was based. His information is a based on assumption without fact. If the Professor wrote 4000BC, before the split in language, does it mean, he is right ? (Olodo)


6.Pofessor Banji Akintoye can't read the ideograms on Opa Oranmiyah.


7. The Ajami/Anjemi is even an Arabic inscriptions as well that was developed distinctly to fit into Yoruba's writing pattern much later, around 17th century upward which is even different from Hebrew pictographs(Semitic language)

8. Stop lying, and go verify your posts some years ago when you acknowledged pharaohs thrown was Yoruba's in the past. Liar!

9. Have you ever seen the facelaid pavement that was constructed in Ileife around 1200AD/1300AD ,which is different from other African's ? (Go study to understand the scientific technological know how of ancient yorubas)

The information above just got my bone cracking with more Laughter like someone who won a jackpot.These Oviedos are just too ignorant to realised that the more they contest Yoruba's ownership of Bini, the more ,they get bitter pill of the truth. .

It is so sad, that some e warrior Oviedos had to come this far to be exposed in the public of this magnitude. Edo isn't Yoruba land but Bini is owned, invested on by Yoruba ancestors. Perpetually a vassal kingdom of Yoruba nation because for economic gain and civilization purpose, the Ife ceramic elements in Ilare district during the 13th century was not, however, an isolated de- velopment. Ife ceramic characteristics also emerged in Owo and Benin during the same century, simultaneously with the advent of centralized political structures and ideologies.

The expansion of the Ife ceramic sphere from its homeland around the 11th century to Ilare, Owo, and Benin in the 13th century seems to parallel the political and cultural influence of Ile-Ife in the Yoruba-Edo region. On one hand, the Ife ceramic sphere can be viewed as the re- gional acculturation to the materials of the metropolitan polity with the longest history, and the most elaborate ma- terial forms, of sociopolitical complexity. On the other hand, the ceramic sphere served as the marker of a region- al system in which subgroups (social groups and commu- nities) had access to the material correlates of a coherent system of "ideological structures that established and orga- nized their place in the social world" (MacEachern 1994: 207).

Moneywomen17:
dumbass the British also borrowed word like touché from French does that mean just cuz English borrowed it doesn’t have any etymology from the French they borrowed it from what a dumbass u are. Alubasa enter Yoruba language centuries ago from Hausa who got it from Arabic but we still knew it wasn’t ours and that’s without writing it down. It’s u who doesn’t understand how etymology works.

Yoruba didn't borrow albosa,abosa,Alubosa(depending the accent) isn't borrowed from Hausa. Yoruba had been practising cultivation of farm produce since eternal.


Cheers.

davidnazee:
Oba means shinning in edo and can also mean King.

If Oba means : Shining in Edo lexicon, what does Ora mean in Edo ? Or Ora is not also found in Oviedo's lexicon ?

TAO12:
Lol.

Not only was Yoruba language the lingua franca in Benin Kingdom (as well as in many West African Kingdoms, e.g. Allada), the language of administration in the palace of Benin Kingdom was Yoruba language.

See attachment below from:

R.C.C. Law's "Ethnicity and the Slave Trade: "Lucumi" and "Nago" as Ethnonyms in West Africa", History in Africa, Vol. 24 (1997), p.209.

I am familiar with Allada, Ouidah , Akkasato, Abomey, Etoille, Calavi,in Bénin Republic because I have lived in that country, especially in Calavi environment though I did travel or visit other places as well . Yoruba language is found in their languages up till date thought pinch of and at times stretch of the language beyond recognition, amongst Fongbe, Ewe, Ogu,which were derived from Yoruba language speakers, who are the owner of the language. Kudos to you on these information you're and had supplied online.