₦airaland Forum

I was asked a question about the origin of the word Egusi by a Nigerian of Southeast origin. After my innocent response, I have received a barrage of insults, abuses and threats.

Please find attached an entry from the book Dictionary Of The Yoruba Language: English-Yoruba, Yoruba-English. This a 1913 edition of the book previously published in the Nineteenth Century by the Church Mission Society, an agency of the Church of England.

The book is also available online, from where I got this page.

Please find the word Egusi highlighted in red. I vow to pay ₦10 million to those who have been insulting me if they can show me an Igbo dictionary predating this book, which has an entry for the word 'Egusi' or 'Egwusi'.

The Igbo lexicon contains many Lukumi words in Igbo because the first book in the Igbo language, which incidentally was a dictionary, was written by a Lukumi man named Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther. It is titled Isoama-Ibo: A Primer, published in 1857. Bishop Crowther introduced several Lukumi words into the Igbo language.

Answering a question posed to me on the origin of the word Egusi does not mean that I hate Igbo. History is history. It does not love or hate anyone.

Truth is hate only to those who hate truth.

My documentary on the Igbo origin of Tobagan patois spoken in Tobago was aired on television. Can a man make a documentary to validate a people he hates?

Thanks again, and may God bless you.

#TableShaker

Dear Ugwo,

Thank you for your feedback. Actually, Egusi is not an Igbo word, and it is not Egwusi. It would help if you understood that I have travelled to almost everywhere in the world where Lukumi Yoruba and Igbo are spoken. I am not just engaging in guess work. Name the country, I have been there. I can show you ticket stubs, passport stamps, and photographs.

I do not go there for tourism. I went for research. Did you not see my documentary in Tobago, where I taught them the Igbo and Efik origins of their patios? For example, they call witchcraft Obeah, which is gotten from Dibia. They refer to their music as Calypso, which is derived from the Efik word Kaiso, meaning move forward, because that is what Calypso is: Dancing by moving forward.

I study etymology, which is the study of the origin and evolution of words.

Egusi is a Lukumi Yoruba word that evolved from the phrase È gun si, which means grind or pound it in in English. The word for grind or pound in Yoruba is gun.

In the olden days, the Lukumi had mortars, sometimes known as odo, with which they ground the melon that is the main component of the soup.

The word's literal meaning is to grind or pound it and put it in the pot.

That is how you know the origin of words. Etymology is almost as precise as science. It is through the study of etymology that researchers were able to break down the origin and meaning of the words Akara and Akamu.

Akara or Acara means 'I count' (Aka or Aca), and then 'I buy' (ra).

It is short for Acarajé, which is the name the Yoruba Lukumi in Brazil still call it. Acarajé literally means 'I count' (Aka or Aca), 'I buy' (ra), and 'I eat' (je), hence the name Acarajé!

Nigeria's Lukumi (Yoruba) just shortened Acarajé as they shortened Omo-ti-Olu Iwa-bi to Omoluabi and Olofin-Orun (Lord of the Heavens) to Olorun.

Likewise, Akamu or Acamu simply means 'I count' (Aka or Aca) and 'I drink' (Mu). The reason is that Akamu used to be sold in cups.

Some non-Lukumi people who settle in the Southwest and are from other parts of Nigeria often conflate Ogi with Akamu. Actually, they are different things. The Lukumi word for corn is Agbado.

When Agbado is milled and fermented in water, it is called Ogi by the Lukumi. When Ogi is made into a pap by boiling it with water, it is known as Akamu. When Akamu solidifies and is cut into solid blocks, traditionally wrapped in Banana leaf, it is referred to as Eko.

If you ask an Igbo speaker to break down Egusi, Akara, and Akamu etymologically, they will be unable to because they are not Igbo words.

The reason you have a good number of Lukumi words in Igbo is because the first book in the Igbo language, which was a dictionary, was written by a Lukumi man named Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther. It is titled Isoama-Ibo: A Primer, published in 1857. Bishop Crowther introduced several Lukumi words into the Igbo language.

Thanks again, and may God bless you.

#TableShaker


Dear Ebube,

Thank you for your feedback. But how can this make sense to you? You initially said Egusi was an Igbo word, and I showed you documentary evidence from 1913 proving that Egusi is a Lukumi word. Now, you are forced to admit that the word is Lukumi, but you are introducing a new claim that only the soup is Igbo. How does that even sound to you?

You, Ebube, can you give birth to a child whose name you do not know, yet your neighbour knows the name of the child? Come on, Ebube, let us not act as if our brains are for decoration.

Thanks again, and may God bless you.

#TableShaker

I heard that Tinubu will announce reno as minister for information either next week or next ten years

Meanwhile he should hide his shame behind a hot plate of egusi argument.

Reno, you are doing a great job.

Lol ....

His analogy is funny

vanbonattel:
I heard that Tinubu will announce reno as minister for information next week or next two years

You are obviously dead brain.

Jeez, Nairaland need to have mental evaluation bot in place so as to stop these nuisances from polluting the cyberspace 🤡

The guy no dey like himself at all

Imagine these assholes attacking as usual instead of proving it wrong

They can lay claim to everything.

Attachee by force

Reno is the GOAT.

This is well known fact nah.

Hehehehehe

The wonder isn’t the kind of rubbish that occupies this Reno guys time, but that any Igbo takes this shameless bigot and anywhere-belle-face/pen-for-hire seriously to the point of engaging with him on social-media! He’s as disgusting as he’s pathetic, and his emilokan master should hurry up and throw some crumbs his way! Hopefully, that’ll shut him up!

LivingSage:
I was asked a question about the origin of the word Egusi by a Nigerian of Southeast origin. After my innocent response, I have received a barrage of insults, abuses and threats.

Please find attached an entry from the book Dictionary Of The Yoruba Language: English-Yoruba, Yoruba-English. This a 1913 edition of the book previously published in the Nineteenth Century by the Church Mission Society, an agency of the Church of England.

The book is also available online, from where I got this page.

Please find the word Egusi highlighted in red. I vow to pay ₦10 million to those who have been insulting me if they can show me an Igbo dictionary predating this book, which has an entry for the word 'Egusi' or 'Egwusi'.

The Igbo lexicon contains many Lukumi words in Igbo because the first book in the Igbo language, which incidentally was a dictionary, was written by a Lukumi man named Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther. It is titled Isoama-Ibo: A Primer, published in 1857. Bishop Crowther introduced several Lukumi words into the Igbo language.

Answering a question posed to me on the origin of the word Egusi does not mean that I hate Igbo. History is history. It does not love or hate anyone.

Truth is hate only to those who hate truth.

My documentary on the Igbo origin of Tobagan patois spoken in Tobago was aired on television. Can a man make a documentary to validate a people he hates?

Thanks again, and may God bless you.

#TableShaker

Even Yoruba people know that the word "Egusi" doesn't originate from them. There's about three different words (according to the dictionary shown here) they use for "melon" but the Igbo only have one.

If this guy had any background in linguistics then he would know what that means.

tundegan:
Reno is the GOAT.

A small billy goat 🐐

Keep quiet there and prove it.

Egusi has already been proved as Yoruba word, disprove it or shut up

Ngozi123:
Even Yoruba people know that the word "Egusi" doesn't originate from them. There's about three different words (according to the dictionary shown here) they use for "melon" but the Igbo only have one.

If this guy had any background in linguistics then he would know what that means.

Equsi is not even unique to Nigeria to start with

Igbos make several meals from equsi outside the soup... I my place we mKe a cake like thing used to eat African salad Uzu mixed with a special mushroom 🍄

The origin is not clear obvious but quoting a 1900 book for a food consumed for over 1000 years is funny

LivingSage:
Keep quiet there and prove it.

Egusi has already been proved as Yoruba word, disprove it or shut up

When are they announcing Reno the goat 🐐 as office cleaner to the assistant SA to the local government chairman of his place?

LivingSage:
I was asked a question about the origin of the word Egusi by a Nigerian of Southeast origin. After my innocent response, I have received a barrage of insults, abuses and threats.

Please find attached an entry from the book Dictionary Of The Yoruba Language: English-Yoruba, Yoruba-English. This a 1913 edition of the book previously published in the Nineteenth Century by the Church Mission Society, an agency of the Church of England.

The book is also available online, from where I got this page.

Please find the word Egusi highlighted in red. I vow to pay ₦10 million to those who have been insulting me if they can show me an Igbo dictionary predating this book, which has an entry for the word 'Egusi' or 'Egwusi'.

The Igbo lexicon contains many Lukumi words in Igbo because the first book in the Igbo language, which incidentally was a dictionary, was written by a Lukumi man named Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther. It is titled Isoama-Ibo: A Primer, published in 1857. Bishop Crowther introduced several Lukumi words into the Igbo language.

Answering a question posed to me on the origin of the word Egusi does not mean that I hate Igbo. History is history. It does not love or hate anyone.

Truth is hate only to those who hate truth.

My documentary on the Igbo origin of Tobagan patois spoken in Tobago was aired on television. Can a man make a documentary to validate a people he hates?

Thanks again, and may God bless you.

#TableShaker

What belongs to Yoruba is the name egusi not the soup.Yoruba did not introduce melon to ndi Igbo what we adopted is the name egusi just like many Nigeria nigerians have adopted Ugu vegetable... .

So Iseagwu is not owned by Igbos?

Stolen culture

vanbonattel:
When are they announcing Reno the goat 🐐 as office cleaner to the assistant SA to the local government chairman of his place?

mrvitalis:
Equsi is not even unique to Nigeria to start with

Igbos make several meals from equsi outside the soup... I my place we mKe a cake like thing used to eat African salad Uzu mixed with a special mushroom 🍄

The origin is not clear obvious but quoting a 1900 book for a food consumed for over 1000 years is funny

That's Osu egusi, usually wrapped in one spicy vegetable like that before cooking to the cake you described. Please allow Rwno to moan his loss, don't prevent him from going mad.

LivingSage:
So Iseagwu is not owned by Igbos?

Stolen culture

It's owned by the Eskimos

Hungry people everywhere.

Don't derail this thread.

Egusi Melon Soup Is proved to be Yoruba soup. Disprove or getat

vanbonattel:
It's owned by the Eskimos

Hungry people everywhere.

You are quoting a 1913 document as the origin of egusi when Igbo language existed since 3000BC

The first dictionary Igbo ever had was authored by Yoruba.
Bishop Ajayi Crowder. Disprove it

Afonja44:
You are quoting a 1913 document as the origin of egusi when Igbo language existed since 3000BC

LivingSage:
The first dictionary Igbo ever had was authored by Yoruba.
Bishop Ajayi Crowder. Disprove it

The same Ajayi Crowther that was a fulani slave when Igbos were already trading oil palm with the British at Onitsha? Lol

Thesame Fulani slave authored your first ever Igbo dictionary.

Who's the real slave

Afonja44:
The same Ajayi Crowther that was a fulani slave when Igbos were already trading oil palm with the British at Onitsha? Lol

Afonja44:
You are quoting a 1913 document as the origin of egusi when Igbo language existed since 3000BC

Besides, Igbo have been documented to have settled in Lagos way before 1913, and it’s not unlikely they took some of their cuisine and delicacies with them as well!

In my estimation, the best cooks are the Calabar/Efik/Ibibio/Annang, followed closely by the Igbo (especially the Onitsha/Asaba part….their ofe nsala is to die for )! If anyone disagrees with this assertion they can mention their own!

vanbonattel:
That's Osu egusi, usually wrapped in one spicy vegetable like that before cooking to the cake you described. Please allow Rwno to moan his loss, don't prevent him from going mad.

When people talk about history I laugh

Igbos started Bronze works 100s of years before Ife and Benin

One of the first place to start using iron is in Igbo land

We practiced democracy before Greeks

In Nigeria now it seems the fastest ways to get attention from people in power is to attack or be anti Igbo

But I love it, I was never an Igbo man till APC happened I was just a Nigerian of Igbo origin
Thanks to APC the Igbo identity have never been this strong

Our language which was in danger of being extinct is now back in full gear

LivingSage:
Thesame Fulani slave authored your first ever Igbo dictionary.

Who's the real slave

Please Wikipedia wrote that not me
Channel your fruatrations to them


Slavery tribe
Always enslaved by another tribe or race

LivingSage:
Keep quiet there and prove it.

Egusi has already been proved as Yoruba word, disprove it or shut up

Okay.

1)How many Yorubas (a part from those from Ondo State) actually use the word “egusi" to describe a melon? Compare this to how many Igbos use the word.

2)Why is it that only your Easternmost people use the word but the whole of Igboland use it? Are melons not indigenous to Igboland? Wouldn't the Igbos have had another word to describe it if the "egusi" did not originate from them?

3)At the time of writing this dictionary a lot of trade had happened between some groups of Yorubas and the Benin Empire. There were many Igbo groups (including my own) who were under the Benin Empire and would have come into contact with them.

4) If you look at the preparation of egusi soup, is there another Yoruba soup that you prepare in a similar way. I'm not talking about other Nigerian tribes but Yoruba and Igbo respectively.

For how many other soups do you have to grind the seeds in order to make it?

The preparation for most Igbo soups are very similar and Egusi soup falls into this category. Can you say the same for Yoruba soups?

5) If someone was to make an Igbo language dictionary and describe a prostitute as "akuna akuna" or "ashawo", could I then start claiming that "ashawo" is an Igbo word? No. It is clear in that instance which is the Igbo word and which is the adopted word.

I respect Reno so much.

He is one of the few people that can stand up to the massive hate campaign against Yoruba people.

Ngozi123:
Even Yoruba people know that the word "Egusi" doesn't originate from them. There's about three different words (according to the dictionary shown here) they use for "melon" but the Igbo only have one.

If this guy had any background in linguistics then he would know what that means.

1970s & 1980s igbos barely ate egusi as soup. Your soup was mainly leaves based. Likewise meat. They only ate dried fish then and if at all they must put meat, they usually cut them into size of agbalumo seeds.