₦airaland Forum

falseman:
LOL you actually took me for my words

Bros no reason am. Nigeria has no future. The biggest move I ever made in my life was moving to Germany after my Nysc. It has really proved it's worth.

falseman:
They are not qualified to work in our world class hospitals

what world class hospitals are you talking about? Is it those smelly and outdated hospitals you call world class?

The rate at which Nigerian nurses and Nigerians at large are migrating out of Nigeria, one can only imagine what's going on. It's very sad indeed. I'm even joining the bandwagon this September.

Seriously if the truth must be told, nigerian girls are the most useless girls on the surface of the earth. Even my kids will not get married to these disease carriers.

While Europe was experiencing its Dark Ages, a period of intellectual, cultural and economic regression from the sixth to the 13th centuries, Africans were experiencing an almost continent-wide renaissance after the decline of the Nile Valley civilizations of Egypt and Nubia.
The leading civilizations of this African rebirth were the Axum Empire, the Kingdom of Ghana, the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire, the Ethiopian Empire, the Mossi Kingdoms and the Benin Empire.

Axum Empire
The Aksum or Axum Empire was an important military power and trading nation in the area that is now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, existing from approximately 100 to 940 A.D.
At its height, it was one of only four major international superpowers of its day along with Persia, Rome and China. Axum controlled northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, northern Sudan, southern Egypt, Djibouti, Western Yemen, and southern Saudi Arabia, totaling 1.25 million square kilometers, almost half the size of India. Axum traded and projected its influence as far as China and India, where coins minted in Axum were discovered in 1990.
Axum was previously thought to have been founded by Semitic-speaking Sabaeans who crossed the Red Sea from South Arabia (modern Yemen) on the basis of Conti Rossini’s theories —but most scholars now agree that when it was founded it was an indigenous African development.

Kingdom of Ghana

Centered in what is today Senegal and Mauritania, the Kingdom of Ghana dominated West Africa between about 750 and 1078 A.D. Famous to North Africans as the “Land of Gold,” Ghana was said to possess sophisticated methods of administration and taxation, large armies, and a monopoly over notoriously well-concealed gold mines.
The king of the Soninke people who founded Ghana never fully embraced Islam, but good relations with Muslim traders were fostered. Ancient Ghana derived power and wealth from gold and the use of the camel increased the quantity of goods that were transported. One Arab writer, Al-Hamdani, describes Ghana as having the richest gold mines on Earth. Ghana was also a great military power. According to one narrative, the king had at his command 200,000 warriors and an additional 40,000 archers.

Mali Empire

After the fall of the Kingdom of Ghana, the Mali Empire rose to dominate West Africa. Located on the Niger River to the west of Ghana in what is today Niger and Mali, the empire reached its peak in the 1350s.

The Mali Empire was founded by Mansa (King) Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa. He was the grandson of Sundiata’s half-brother, and led Mali at a time of great prosperity, during which trade tripled. During his rule, Mansa Musa doubled the land area of Mali; it became a larger kingdom than any in Europe at the time.

The cities of Mali became important trading centers for all of West Africa, as well as famous centers of wealth, culture and learning. Timbuktu, an important city in Mali, became one of the major cultural centers not only of Africa but of the entire world. Vast libraries and Islamic universities were built. These became meeting places of the finest poets, scholars and artists of Africa and the Middle East.

The Kingdom of Mali had a semi-democratic government with one of the world’s oldest known constitutions – The Kurukan Fuga.

The Kurukan Fuga of the Mali Empire was created after 1235 by an assembly of nobles to create a government for the newly established empire.  The Kurukan Fouga divided the new empire into ruling clans that were represented at a great assembly called the Gbara. The Gbara was the deliberative body of the Mali Empire and was made up of 32 members from around 29 clans. They were given a voice in the government and were a check against the emperor’s (mansa’s) power. It was presided over by a belen-tigui (master of ceremonies) who recognized anyone who wanted to speak including the mansa. The Gbara and the Kurukan Fuga remained in place for over 40o years until 1645.

According to Wikipedia, Disney’s “Lion King” movie was based on the real life narrative of Mansa Sundiata Keita.

Songhai Empire

The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire, was the largest state in African history and the most powerful of the medieval west African states. It expanded rapidly beginning with King Sonni Ali in the 1460s and by 1500s, it had risen to stretch from Cameroon to the Maghreb. In 1360, disputes over succession weakened the Mali Empire, and in the 1430s, Songhai, previously a Mali dependency, gained independence under the Sonni Dynasty. Around thirty years later, Sonni Sulayman Dama attacked Mema, the Mali province west of Timbuktu, paving the way for his successor, Sonni Ali, to turn his country into one of the greatest empires sub-Saharan Africa has ever seen.

Perhaps, it’s most popular leader was Muhammad Askia the Great. At its peak, the Songhai city of Timbuktu became a thriving cultural and commercial center. Arab, Italian and Jewish merchants all gathered for trade. By 1500, the Songhai Empire covered over 1.4 million square kilometers.

The Ethiopian Empire

The Ethiopian Empire also known as Abyssinia, covered a geographical area that the present-day northern half of Ethiopia covers. It existed from approximately 1137 (beginning of Zagwe Dynasty) until 1975 when the monarchy was overthrown in a coup d’état.  In 1270, the Zagwe dynasty was overthrown by a king claiming lineage from the Aksumite emperors and, hence, Solomon. The thus-named Solomonic Dynasty was founded and ruled by the Habesha, from whom Abyssinia gets its name.
The Habesha reigned with only a few interruptions from 1270 until the late 20th century. It was under this dynasty that most of Ethiopia’s modern history occurred. During this time, the empire conquered and incorporated virtually all the peoples within modern Ethiopia. They successfully fought off Italian, Arab and Turkish armies and made fruitful contacts with some European powers, especially the Portuguese, with whom they allied in battle against the latter two invaders.

The Mossi Kingdoms

The Mossi Kingdoms were a number of different powerful kingdoms in modern-day Burkina Faso which dominated the region of the Upper Volta River for hundreds of years. Increasing power of the Mossi kingdoms resulted in larger conflicts with regional powers. The Kingdom of Yatenga became a key power attacking the Songhai Empire between 1328 and 1477, taking over Timbuktu and sacked the important trading post of Macina.
When Askia Mohammad I became the leader of the Songhai Empire with the desire to spread Islam, he waged a Holy war against the Mossi kingdoms in 1497. Although the Mossi forces were defeated in this effort, they resisted attempts to impose Islam. Although there were a number of jihad states in the region trying to forcibly spread Islam, namely the Massina Empire and the Sokoto Caliphate, the Mossi kingdoms largely retained their traditional religious and ritual practices. Being located near many of the main Islamic states of West Africa, the Mossi kingdoms developed a mixed religious system recognizing some authority for Islam while retaining earlier African spiritual belief systems.

Benin Empire

Once a powerful city-state, Benin exists today as a modern African city in what is now south-central Nigeria. The present-day oba (King) of Benin traces the founding of his dynasty to A.D. 1300. The Benin Empire was a pre-colonial Edo state. Until the late 19th century, it was one of the major powers in West Africa. According to one eye witness report written by Olfert Dapper, “The King of Benin can in a single day make 20,000 men ready for war, and, if need be, 180,000, and because of this he has great influence among all the surrounding peoples. . . . His authority stretches over many cities, towns and villages. There is no King thereabouts who, in the possession of so many beautiful cities and towns, is his equal.”

When European merchant ships began to visit West Africa from the 15th century onwards, Benin came to control the trade between the inland peoples and the Europeans on the coast. When the British tried to expand their own trade in the 19th century, the Benin warriors killed their envoys.

http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/12/05/7-midieval-african-kingdoms/3/

Yorubas are the most low self esteemed people in the world. I'm not surprised at their recent claims of bini being part of yoruba. I want to ask this question. How is it possible for a tribe that happened to have present day Southern Nigeria under their empire become part of them? The Bini empire is amongst the 5 greatest African empire of medieval time. The Benin dynasty is the second most respected dynasty in the world. Even the Queen of England acknowledges that fact. So how is it possible for binis to have come from one of the most backward and fetish tribes in Africa such as yoruba?

Nigeria that defeat common Sierra Leone are the ones issuing threats?

ejirop:
this is wrong, bini came from yoruba, read it here http://naijasphere.com/history-series-the-history-of-the-benin-uhrobo-and-itsekiri-kingdoms/

bini never came from your smelly tribe. I've never met a tribe as inferior as you guys. Why are you trying hard to lump bini into your yoruba joke?

(31) Look closely at the map in pix one hereto. That is the colonial Map of Benin. It is less than half of what it was before the whiteman came. Still at that, it shows the whole of the current Midwest,nearly the whole western states including the whole Lagos, some eastern states and north central communities as part of the empire of Benin they met. Now, tell me, where is the geo-political delineation of the mythical oyo empire created by Ola Biola,Olatun Bonsun et al?

(32) How come Oyo-Ile the capital of the contrived OYO is today not the most important city in Yorubaland as Benin city is in Edo. Many old cities that survive still remain the seats of governments. Sokoto,Benin city etc. but the alleged Capital of old oyo hardly ranks as a local government headquarters. This is not consistent with the Yoruba nature which accords much respect to traditional authority and culture. The explanation is simple. There never was such an empire with such a small community as capital city. The proud Yoruba man can never accept such scandal. The capital of their city states like Ibadan,Abeokuta etc is enough to take care of their territorial pride,not the scandalous hamlet of OYO-Ile.

(33) Do you know that there is hardly a Yoruba community except the much mentioned Oyo-Ile,that has no exclusive language of its own that is not Yoruba. These various Yoruba languages are mutually unintelligible to each other. The current general Yoruba evolved from markets that was then mainly that of slave trading.

(34) Now, unlike the Benins and most indigenous Nigerian kingdoms,the Yorubas have the most exported slaves in diaspora. They are very many in the Caribbeans and in Brazil. Do you know why? This is because,it is easy to sell people who are not from the same stork with you.except for criminals,Benin and other kingdoms do not sell their citizens. This again clearly show that a monolithic oyo empire was a lie. The Yorubas had warring and hostile city states and were never united under one pre-colonial power. Chief Awolowo was once rejected by them at the polls as Ijebu( fake) Yoruba. Ironically, it was the same man that came out with the concept and in fact united them as one common political people. That is why they worship him second only to Oduduwa.

(35) Do you know that even their historians admitted the truth in their text books that Oramiyan after leaving Benin founded OYO empire. It is very obvious that Benin is older by far than the fathom Oyo Empire. What is however curious is that, if Ajaka,Shango,Ogun all later children of Oramiyan were deified to be worshipped by the Yorubas, how come Oramiyan's eldest son ( Eweka) who established the most powerful dynasty on earth was not included in their list of deities. This further lend weight to the argument that the history of the Yoruba empire was all about tribal glorification. Anyway, Oduduwa their alleged founder was actually Prince Izoduwa ( Ekhalederan) the only son of the last Ogiso of the first Benin dynasty-Owodo who was banished so that his father could have other children. This is a story for another day.

(36) It still beat me why other Africa historical states only have Benin on their record not OYO empire. Dahomey the alleged neighbour of old OYO recognized Benin as not only its cradle but its main powerful neighbour. Find this extract from Wikipedia interesting..

(37) According to the Wikipedia article on the People’s Republic of Benin, the new name was chosen to reflect the Benin Empire “that had once flourished in neighboring Nigeria.” Most sources, however, maintain that the new name referenced not the Empire but the Bight of Benin, the adjacent stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. The country’s new leaders rejected the name “Dahomey” because they considered it too ethnically exclusive, since the old kingdom of that name had been closely identified with the Fon people of the coastal zone. The new name, based on physical geography, seemed less divisive—even though the term “Benin” ultimate derives from the former Benin Kingdom of the Edo people in what is now Nigeria. The capital of that state, Ubinu, gave rise to the term “Benin City,” which was generalized to cover the entire kingdom, and was subsequently applied to the adjacent sea.

We have never doubted our relationship with the Yorubas. Everything natural points to the fact that they are our cousin. What We however disapprove is their attempt to use their privileged premier schooling by the whiteman to re-write history by distorting the true one and concocting a fake one that undermines the superiority of the old Benin empire over their city states.

(38) Here is a beautiful example of Rigobert Bonne's 1770 decorative map of West Africa. Covers from the Gold Coast (modern day Ghana), south around the Bight of Benin to Gabon, Congo and Angola. Includes the modern day countries of Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo and Angola. As with most maps of Africa, this map shows excellent detail along the coast and only speculation in the interior. Give evidence of significant Belgian mapping activities throughout the Congo. Names numerous African Kingdoms including Anzico, Mujaco, Bembe, Lubolo, Pemba, Dembi, Calbongo, Bake-Bake, Benin and others. Attempts to map the Niger River as to flows into the Desert de Seth or Saghara, but most of this cartography is speculative at best. Drawn by R. Bonne in 1770 for issue as plate no. B 30 in Jean Lattre's 1776 issue of the Atlas Moderne ." here there was no mention of any empire or people called yoruba or oyo empire
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/…/File:1770_Bonne_Map_of_West_…

(39) All European explorers arriving West Africa Maps have no record of Yoruba as a people or Empire but have that of Benin

(40) Real Yorubas are from dahomey while others from the north, never was an Empire of that name in any time of West Africa history.

(41) Language is a legitimate tool for constructing history and all the names
associated with Oduduwa have deeper roots in Edo language than in the Yoruba. The Arabs or the Yoruba, do not have words like ‘Uhe’ (the sacred name for Edo and Ile-Ife, or words ending with ‘duwa,’ ‘noyan’ or ‘miyan,’ which are typical Edo vowels. ‘Uhe’ is perhaps the most powerful and revealing of all the Edo names associated with Ile-Ife because depending on how it is pronounced, it could refer to something sacred or taboo (such as Virgin or Virginity or Vagina),
interpreted as innocence, source, birth canal.

(42) "Eko" in every Edo dialect means settlement or military camp. And Eko is the indigenous name of Lagos. It was in 1974 that approval was granted Dahomey by Oba Akenzua II to change the name of the country to Republic of Benin. This shows that Benin Empire stretched beyond the entire Yorubaland!. why did Republic of Benin not go to yoruba their closer Neighbours?

(43) YORUBA NEVER HAD ANY CIVILIZATION, BUILT ANY MONUMENT OR ANY WORLD SITE THAT TELLS OF AN EMPIRE OR GREAT KINGDOM LIKE BENIN. An Empire is always self evidence

(44) Benin and Yoruba people obviously have same roots but in this case as evidenced by true historical records,it is the younger Yoruba settlers that migrated from the far older benin empire.

(45) YORUBA WAS NEVER AN ETHNIC RACE!!!!!! PRE-BRITISH HISTORY OF NIGERIA
We will leave the Yoruba to defend themselves about questions concerning origins of the name "Yoruba." As far as Usman is concerned, that name was an imperial donation from the North. We are intrigued by Usman’s argument on this score. Note his words. He said " The fact is that, the earliest record we have of the use of the very name "Yoruba" was in the Hausa-Fulani language and it seems to have applied to the people of the Alafinate of Oyo. This came from the writings of the seventeenth century Katsina scholar, Dan Masani (1595-1667), who wrote a book on Muslim scholars of the 'Yarriba.' But it was from a book of the Sarkin Musulmi Bello, written in the early nineteenth century, that the name became more widely used. The Bishop Ajayi Crowther, the Reverend Samuel Johnson, and his brother Obadiah Johnson, among others, came, in the nineteenth century, to widely spread this Hausa name to the people who now bear it, in their writings. Usman’s proof that the name "Yoruba" is an "Hausa name and It is so, the earliest record we have of the use of the very name 'Yoruba' was in the Hausa-Fulani language.

(46) ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD YORUBA (Yoruba) is revealed in the 19th Century.: The word 'Yoruba' was first recorded in reference to the Oyo people only, in a treatise written by the 16th-century Songhai scholar Ahmed Baba. It was popularized by Hausa usage and ethnography written in Arabic and Ajami during the 19th century, in origin referring to the Oyo exclusively.
The extension of the term YORUBA to all speakers of dialects related to the language of the Oyo (in modern terminology North-West Yoruba) dates to the second half of the 19th century. It is due to the influence of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first Anglican bishop in Nigeria. Crowther was himself a Yoruba and compiled the first Yoruba dictionary as well as introducing a standard for Yoruba orthography.It's like classifying all of Northern Nigeria as Hausa. The presence of yoruba inflence in most places today claimed as yorubaland can be traced back to the propaganda of Ajayi Crowther and most Yoruba historians.

(47) Do you believe ODUDUWA is the ancestral father of the Yoruba people?
Many Yoruba scholars claim oduduwa fell from the sky to Yoruba land. Where actually did he land? , Any sign ?. Others say he came from the east, ok, did he meet people in the so called Yoruba land? If yes, then how can oduduwa now be their ancestral father?

(48) Do Yorubas have any historic monument like the pyramid structures in Old Benin, Great Benin Moat, Zimbabwe and Timbuktu in Mali? Not talking about clay molded or primitive bronze artifacts many claim dating back to 10BC), or the story of slave raiding westward, east ward or northward. I mean physical structures that tell of an ancient civilization?.The two most relevant structures in Oyo-lle, the Alaafin palace and his village market as claimed by Yoruba Historians ?

(49) When and where was Yoruba presence first felt in West African history? Why no reflection of Yoruba in many ancient maps of West Africa?

(50) Was Yoruba territory in British pre- Nigeria creation-1600-1900, same with, 1914 and again in 1960 to 1967? What expanded it and why? Were there aborigines in those territories say owo, kwara, ondo and Lagos before their presence during the British colonial period? If there were aborigines, then who were they?

(51) “Edo are not in Yorubaland. To be frank,
it is because many of them are not
willing to come up with the truth, the
word Oba is alien to Yoruba monarchy;
it is not part of their title from time
immemorial.
“For instance, the one they call the Oba
of Lagos, these are recent adaptations. In
the 50s, there was no Oba of Lagos, what
we had was the Eleko of Eko. That is the
title of the King there. In Ibadan, you
have the Olu Ibadan. You come to
Abeokuta, you have the Alake of Egba
land. You come to Oyo, you have the
Alaafin of Oyo. In Ilesha, you have the
Owa-Obokun of IIesha. So no Yoruba
monarch had as part of his titles the
word Oba except the Oba of Benin.
“That word Oba is indigenous to Benin.
It is only in recent times you find
everybody bearing Oba. When the
Western Regional conference of
traditional rulers took place in Benin
City in 1942, go and check the
attendance, there was no other monarch
in the whole of the Western Region then
that bore the title of Oba, except the Oba
of Benin.
“So it is an unnecessary excursion, an
unnecessary attempt to turn history
upside down by the Alake by classifying
the Oba of Benin as third in the
hierarchy of kings. “Our own traditional
history says that the Ooni of Ife was a
Benin Prince who wandered from here
to Ife, settled there and became the ruler
there. That is the position, if they don’t
know, they should send people here; we
will teach them.
“We will show them landmarks. So this
is unnecessary misrepresentation of
history. Maybe the Alake wanted to
mention a different place and not Benin.
“The monarchical rulership in this part
of the world started from Benin during
the era of the Ogisos. It was the son of
the last Ogiso, Owodo, that wandered
from here to Ife and he became a ruler
there, carrying everything about the
Benin monarchical system to that place.
There is no basis for such classification.
“The Ooni of Ife by historical facts, is a
son of the Oba of Benin, so they are not
in the same class

OYO EMPIRE...A YORUBA KINGDOM CREATED ON PAGES OF YORUBA HISTORIANS TEXTBOOKS AMIDST, GLARING CONTRADICTIONS AND PALPABLE FALSEHOOD:
(1). Their story of kingship began with an Edo prince called Izoduwa as recorded by unimpeachable historical records and corroborated by Benin recorded History.

(2). Ayayi Crowder,a recaptured Yoruba Slave who later became a bishop said, little were know about yoruba existence, clearly meaning they were not originally part of the Nigeria of today and neither were they settlers within its geographical boundaries but were in small settlements close to Dahomey. Most Yorubas today are either Muslims or Christians and those with African traditions copied or got them from Benin civilization. It doubtful if they are not immigrants from dahomy mixed with Benins or other fulani-hausa from Niger . Bishop Samuel Adjayi Crowther (c. 1809 – 31 December 1891) Was the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria. Born in Osogun (in today's Iseyin Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria). His grandson was Herbert Macaulay

(3). Yoruba have dublicity of kingships with the process highly polarized than being traditional.A system they tried to copy from Benin but have not been able to get right like the Benin Kingdom. Edo Obaship is one of the most revered institutions in the world because of the way it has sustained its awesome prestige with strict and meticulous attention to ancient traditions of valour, discipline and integrity. Edo chieftaincy titles cannot be bought or conferred on non-indigenes or frivolously. Every Edo chief performs a peculiarly sacred duty and responsibility to the people of Edo. It does not make sense, therefore, to think that a people who would not and have never conferred their chieftaincy titles on non-indigenes, would voluntarily invite, accept, or surrender to non-indigenes as their kings. Note that due to celestial and customary taboos,the Edo monarch cannot eat out and cannot be diverted from full time palace duties to hustle things that have no beneficial value to his domain.

(4). Most traditional religions being practiced by the Yorubas today are of Benin Origins.Olokun, Ogun, Iha oguega(ifa), oronmila, Esago(shango), Ayelala etc.Benin traditions,mystic and spirituality are stillfully documented and yorubanized by Yorubas in positions of affluence. Edo people today are predominantly Christians with some denying their traditional religious origins. But,it has not been possible to exterminate our traditional practice because it is embedded firmly in our ways of life.
Although the Great Edo (Benin) Kingdom was not major participant in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, because the Obas (Kings) believed that their subjects were too valuable to sell away, and their noblemen had need of war captives on their own farms, the influence of Edo religion and medicine have still been substantial on the people of the Americas.
According to Mason (1996), it has been widely accepted that Olokun (god of the sea) worship originated with the Edos and spread to the Yoruba (p.2). In fact, the most prominent part of Edo cultural traditions that has made its mark in the New World is Olokun worship. Olokun (god of the Waters, known as Osiris in Egypt) worship originated from Urhonigbe and then became prominent at Ughoton,around the Ethiope (Olokun) River. The priesthood and rituals were firmly established at the time. Some of the possible points of contact happened early. During the Ogiso Period, trade with the Yoruba and Igbos was quite extensive. Olokun worship may have spread to those areas through traders. Prior to the Oba Period,Ekaladerhan Izoduwa was initiated into Olokun as a chief Priest while he stayed at Ughoton, before his moving westward with his followers to establish Ilefe (Ero,1999,p.108-109).
Once he arrived, Ekaladerhan Izoduwa brought Edo traditions to those areas and was a King of his new community called Ilefe, which could be what yoruba call IFE. . From Ekaladerhan Izoduwa’s loins, the Yoruba dynasties may have began. However, it is certain that Olokun is an Edo divinity whose worship spread to the outlying Yoruba areas. During the trans-Atlantic slave trade, slave raids were launched upon Yoruba and Ibo territories. Europeans were able to obtain some of the greatest amounts of West Africans from both Yoruba and Ibo land (Crosby,1992, p.136). In the 18th century in Iboland at Isseke, slave raiders took a famous Edo subject named Olaudah Equiano, who later wrote about the encounter. Olaudah traveled to the New World and then to England, learned to read and write English, and shared his religious and cultural experiences.
Many Edo traditions were directly and indirectly incorporated into the New World through its far reaching colonies. The Edo Kingdom extended from the boundary with Oyo in the north (Otun) to the Atlantic in the south, beyond Asaba to River Niger, and up to Eko (Lagos) in the west. Both Edo religion and medicine have already been taken to those domains, following traditional practices originating in Edo land.

(5). Benin ruled over what today known as Yorubaland, IFE, EKITI, LAGOS, OGUN, OWO, ONDO ETC

(6). Benin through Oba Orhogbuan founded lagos and ruled Lagos through royal viceroys whose descendants are today the traditional rulers of Lagos.The rights of who owns Lagos is not disputable.Lagos was a Benin town with a Benin Duke who paid tribute to the Oba of Benin indeed his chiefs were the descendants of noble Benin families. The Benin empire ran Lagos for over 400 years before the colonial powers took over.

Though there were some migrant yorubas from togo during british presence in lagos, but they formed not the rulers of the town but the subjects of the Oba just like we find in the United Kingdom today where people are subjects of the queen of England and not citizens. We will explain citizenship rights to you later in another treatise.

(7). Benin first to meet Europeans

(. "Oba" is a word adopted from Benin and not Yoruba as many made us to believe. There is no king of Yoruba's people. and if there is, what was his title?;how many Yoruba prominent traditional leaders/rulers carried the title Oba? since when?.if Yoruba calls their king Oba,it doesn't mean we derived our king's name (N'Oba) from them. Everyone has a name for king in the their native language/tongue. The Oba of Lagos is Eleko of Eko not Oba, the British change it to Oba. the Origin of word "oba" is Benin

(9). They never conquered any territory but rather struggle with their neighbours before and after the first encounter with Europeans slave hunters.

(10). "Edo" have no linguistic relationship with Yoruba. Words like Eko,Idu Ganran,Yaba,Oshodi,Osa,Eti-Osa,idu-magbo,Idu-mota have no Yoruba origin but Edo's.

(11). Note history is subject to scientific diagnosis and many historic writtings in the past about Benin-yoruba have been proved by archaeologies and scientist as erroneous and false.

(12). Many Yoruba being those in the forefront of Nigeria history writers wrote history textbooks used in Nigeria institutions and thus had the benefit of making their yoruba look like leading culture with the richest history for nigerians.

(13). Yorubas exploiting their privilege of imbibing the whiteman's education first have been peddling falsehood in Nigeria,British and other western universities misleading Africans with grammar and academic titles. They confuse other external scholars about the true realities of African history, implanting those false history into African -America books without the knowledge of the Edo King.

(14). Yorubas engaged the highest in slave raiding in their togo-oyo region which stretched to lagos during slave trade. see http://ihuanedo.ning.com/…/to…/yoruba-enslavement-of-african

(15) Yoruba never colonized Benin but Benin colonized many Yoruba settlements.

(16) Yoruba is not in anyway related to Igbo ancestral history

(17) Yoruba was not in anyway related to itsekiri history. There could be later migrants during the European exploration and commerce but not related to the itsekiri ancestral lineage. Never mind all the title of "Olu" in the region,it is a title contrived to replace the original which is "Ode" of Itsekiris.

(18) Bishop Ajayi crowder and Obafemi Awolowo made Yoruba known today as an ethnic group in Nigeria

(19) How can an Empire be inside an Empire? Many so called yoruba territories of today never existed in the past but were invented and stillfully documented into dubious historical records.

(20) Most of their books and publications are mere opinions of the writers concocted inside their rooms without scientific researches or facts-finding visits to Ancient Benin for archaeological veracity. Covered up with self hate, jealousy and envy of the Great Benin, bias and leftish in many of their so called Nigerian history,they tried to re-invent a history that diminishes our political greatness.

(22) Many Yorubas in Lagos today came as migrant workers for British companies and their construction projects.That is why you have a lot of their photographs with whites. Britain also used them as colonial officers.

(23) Before Britain or before the punitive expedition of 1897, Yorubas have no mega state to be found as the recognized major ethnic group in lagos were Edos.

(24) Where is Yoruba ancient flag or before 1897?

(25) Their loyalty to slave masters, British merchant gave them the huge presence in lagos, Americas and England

(26) The word Yoruba has it's roots in Yoruba.The fulani used to call the Oyo people Yoruba.There was no really united Yoruba nation till awolowo came with a cooked up Oduduwa myth with the intention of uniting them under them with advent of Egbe omo Oduduwa clearly for political mileage.The ones that came to the Americas were identified as lucumi which is corrupted from olukumi.

(27) The Ooni of Ife,the Alake of Abeokuta ( Egba), the Olubadan of Ibadan,the Oba of Oshogbo, the Deji of Akure,the Oba of Lagos,the Ugbo of Ugboland,the Owu of Owo etc have no historical records that they were ever ruled by an empire with such name. Rather,the Oba of Lagos,the Deji of Akure and all the traditional rulers in present day ondo and Ekiti states have indubitable records that they were once part of the old Benin empire.

(28) The capital of the fathom Oyo empire is alleged to be Oyo-Ile. This is a community that is not as big as Uromi township. It is smaller than many headquarters of south western city states currently existing. It is not as big as Eyaen in Benin city. How come the capital of such great empire ( sic!) is so small and a far cry from any that is known in history? The false historians failed woefully to cover this jigsaw puzzle.

(29) The Kingdom of Nupe was an acephalous community but in the 17th century,it sacked Oyo . Evicted it from Borgu and made it to relocate its capital to OYO Igoho, another hamlet community that can never qualify as capital of a dukedom let alone an empire. Now, most of the communities of Nupe were tribute payers to the Benin empire and never Benin conquerors.

(30) It is on incontrovertible record that,the colonialist never met an empire called Oyo when they came to Nigeria but they did meet the Benin Empire in all her glory having Suzerainty over many Yoruba speaking city states like Lagos,Akure,Ado,Idoani,Ondo,Igbokoda,Owo,Ifon,Ekiti,Owu etc. infact, it is the admission of the fact by many of these coastal states that their overlord is the Oba of Benin that led to the European interest to visit the Oba and settle supremacy once and for all. Oba Ovoramwen Nogbaisi was the one they eventually clashed with. Recall that as early as the 14th century, the Oba of Benin has had positive and co-equals interactions with the Portuguese Empire.

proxillin:
[size=15pt]was Benin even half of what the great Oyo empire was ? Noise makers[/size]

shut up. What bloody Oyo empire are you talking about? The whole of modern day Southern Nigeria was under the Benin empire. Benin empire is amongst the greatest empires of medieval times. Oyo empire was never mentioned. Stop trying to twist people's history. The Binis never came from any yoruba.

femi4:
What's this one saying? Benin is part of the Yoruba kingdom

in your smelly ewedu dreams abi?

This yoruba people are very foolish I swear. I've never met a tribe as dumb as yoruba people. No yoruba king or monarch is up to the Oba of Benin.

martha89:
@ The op might be Igbo pretending to be Edo.

it's obvious you're very silly. See this one. Igbo indeed.

*Oba of Benin greater than any Yoruba monarch — Esogban *Says Ooni of Ife hails from Benin; Yoruba Obas keep mum *South West leaders split By Simon Ebegbulem, Gbenga Olarinoye, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke BENIN CITY—The Palace of the Oba of Benin has stoked controversy over the supremacy of Obas in the South West, saying it was not true that the Benin monarch was the third in the ranking of kings in the region as declared by the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo. The Esogban of Benin and Odionwere of the Kingdom (traditional head), Chief David Edebiri, yesterday, said the Alake of Egbaland, goofed when he said the Oba of Benin was third in the hierarchy of Obas. He explained that the Ooni of Ife was a son of the Oba of Benin, adding that the stool of the Oba of Benin could not be compared with that of any Yoruba King. Esogban, third in command in the palace of the Oba of Benin, said: “We wanted to discard this report as something that was not necessary at all. We do not see how the Alake of Egbaland suddenly woke up to think that the Oba of Benin is also a Yoruba Oba. “There is no basis for such classification; Oba of Benin has nothing to do with the Yoruba Obas. It is simply unnecessary, unless they simply want to stir up an unnecessary controversy. “We are not in Yorubaland. To be frank, it is because many of them are not willing to come up with the truth, the word Oba is alien to Yoruba monarchy; it is not part of their title from time immemorial. “For instance, the one they call the Oba of Lagos, these are recent adaptations. In the 50s, there was no Oba of Lagos, what we had was the Eleko of Eko. That is the title of the King there. In Ibadan, you have the Olu Ibadan. You come to Abeokuta, you have the Alake of Egba land. You come to Oyo, you have the Alaafin of Oyo. In Ilesha, you have the Owa-Obokun of IIesha. So no Yoruba monarch had as part of his titles the word Oba except the Oba of Benin. “That word Oba is indigenous to Benin. It is only in recent times you find everybody bearing Oba. When the Western Regional conference of traditional rulers took place in Benin City in 1942, go and check the attendance, there was no other monarch in the whole of the Western Region then that bore the title of Oba, except the Oba of Benin. “So it is an unnecessary excursion, an unnecessary attempt to turn history upside down by the Alake by classifying the Oba of Benin as third in the hierarchy of kings. “Our own traditional history says that the Ooni of Ife was a Benin Prince who wandered from here to Ife, settled there and became the ruler there. That is the position, if they don’t know, they should send people here; we will teach them. “We will show them landmarks. So this is unnecessary misrepresentation of history. Maybe the Alake wanted to mention a different place and not Benin. “The monarchical rulership in this part of the world started from Benin during the era of the Ogisos. It was the son of the last Ogiso, Owodo, that wandered from here to Ife and he became a ruler there, carrying everything about the Benin monarchical system to that place. There is no basis for such classification. “The Ooni of Ife by historical facts, is a son of the Oba of Benin, so they are not in the same class. The Oba of Benin is the only one that answers Oba, the rest don’t. But today, we hear Oba here and there, they are all recent adaptations. I am saying categorically that the word Oba is indigenous to Benin and not to Yoruba nation.” Yoruba Obas keep mum Most traditional rulers in Yorubaland who were contacted for their reactions on the issue declined making any remark, saying since the Alake had spoken on the issue, they would not want to be drawn into any controversy. Specifically, one of the monarchs who occupied a prominent office of a national forum who does not want his name in print, said the 1903 gazette spoke extensively on the issue. But the Olowu of Owu-Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyetunde, said the ranking by the Alake was not new. “Even the colonial masters have done the ranking. Spiritually, Ooni occupies the territory of Oduduwa. So, he is the landlord of Oduduwa House. I don’t think there is any controversy,” he said. He advised all Yoruba sons and daughters to support the incumbent Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, in his on-going efforts at uniting the Yoruba race. South west leaders divided However, mixed reactions trailed the remarks made by the Alake of Egbaland over the supremacy of the Ooni of Ife over the Alaafin of Oyo and the Oba of Benin. Let’s ignore issues capable of causing disharmony—Adebanjo In his remarks, a chieftain of Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said: “The Obas should make peace although the Benin Kingdom has never accepted superiority. That is a historical fact. The world is very dynamic and as such, issues that are capable of causing disharmony among the ethnic groups in Nigeria should be de-emphasised. The Obas should talk among themselves. As far as I am concerned, that is not an issue because the country is currently facing economic crisis that requires the concern of every Nigerian.” Alake stated the obvious — Odumakin On his part, Afenifere spokesperson, Mr Yinka Odumakin said Alake of Egbaland stated the obvious fact. Odumakin said: “The supremacy of the Ooni of Ife among the Yoruba by all account is not contestable and I think the Alake of Egbaland stated the obvious. I think what the present Ooni of Ife is demonstrating at the moment is unity among the monarchs by the way he has been going to meet the Alaafin and other Yoruba monarchs. “The history is not contestable but what is important at this stage is for all hands to be on deck for co-operation, for unity so that the vision for development can take place but you cannot lose sight of history as a guide,” he said. The controversy is not healthy— Babatope In his reaction to the controversy, former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said he would not like to dabble into the controversy among the kings. His words: “Honestly, I feel this kind of controversy is not healthy at this time and I won’t like to comment on it.” What the Alake said It would be recalled that the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Sunday, declared that the Ooni of Ife remained the highest in the ranking of Yoruba obas. Oba Gbadebo who stated this while receiving the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in his Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State palace, said the Ife monarch is the highest of the five principal Obas in Yorubaland. The Alake, who said there were five principal obas in Yorubaland, listed the other Obas below the Ooni to include the Alaafin of Oyo and the Oba of Benin in second and third positions, respectively, in the order of ranking. He listed his own title, the Alake of Egbaland as the fourth while the Awujale of Ijebuland occupies the fifth.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/supremacy-rating-benin-palace-takes-on-alake-of-egbaland/

OYO EMPIRE...A YORUBA KINGDOM CREATED ON PAGES OF YORUBA HISTORIANS TEXTBOOKS AMIDST, GLARING CONTRADICTIONS AND PALPABLE FALSEHOOD:
(1). Their story of kingship began with an Edo prince called Izoduwa as recorded by unimpeachable historical records and corroborated by Benin recorded History.

(2). Ayayi Crowder,a recaptured Yoruba Slave who later became a bishop said, little were know about yoruba existence, clearly meaning they were not originally part of the Nigeria of today and neither were they settlers within its geographical boundaries but were in small settlements close to Dahomey. Most Yorubas today are either Muslims or Christians and those with African traditions copied or got them from Benin civilization. It doubtful if they are not immigrants from dahomy mixed with Benins or other fulani-hausa from Niger . Bishop Samuel Adjayi Crowther (c. 1809 – 31 December 1891) Was the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria. Born in Osogun (in today's Iseyin Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria). His grandson was Herbert Macaulay

(3). Yoruba have dublicity of kingships with the process highly polarized than being traditional.A system they tried to copy from Benin but have not been able to get right like the Benin Kingdom. Edo Obaship is one of the most revered institutions in the world because of the way it has sustained its awesome prestige with strict and meticulous attention to ancient traditions of valour, discipline and integrity. Edo chieftaincy titles cannot be bought or conferred on non-indigenes or frivolously. Every Edo chief performs a peculiarly sacred duty and responsibility to the people of Edo. It does not make sense, therefore, to think that a people who would not and have never conferred their chieftaincy titles on non-indigenes, would voluntarily invite, accept, or surrender to non-indigenes as their kings. Note that due to celestial and customary taboos,the Edo monarch cannot eat out and cannot be diverted from full time palace duties to hustle things that have no beneficial value to his domain.

(4). Most traditional religions being practiced by the Yorubas today are of Benin Origins.Olokun, Ogun, Iha oguega(ifa), oronmila, Esago(shango), Ayelala etc.Benin traditions,mystic and spirituality are stillfully documented and yorubanized by Yorubas in positions of affluence. Edo people today are predominantly Christians with some denying their traditional religious origins. But,it has not been possible to exterminate our traditional practice because it is embedded firmly in our ways of life.
Although the Great Edo (Benin) Kingdom was not major participant in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, because the Obas (Kings) believed that their subjects were too valuable to sell away, and their noblemen had need of war captives on their own farms, the influence of Edo religion and medicine have still been substantial on the people of the Americas.
According to Mason (1996), it has been widely accepted that Olokun (god of the sea) worship originated with the Edos and spread to the Yoruba (p.2). In fact, the most prominent part of Edo cultural traditions that has made its mark in the New World is Olokun worship. Olokun (god of the Waters, known as Osiris in Egypt) worship originated from Urhonigbe and then became prominent at Ughoton,around the Ethiope (Olokun) River. The priesthood and rituals were firmly established at the time. Some of the possible points of contact happened early. During the Ogiso Period, trade with the Yoruba and Igbos was quite extensive. Olokun worship may have spread to those areas through traders. Prior to the Oba Period,Ekaladerhan Izoduwa was initiated into Olokun as a chief Priest while he stayed at Ughoton, before his moving westward with his followers to establish Ilefe (Ero,1999,p.108-109).
Once he arrived, Ekaladerhan Izoduwa brought Edo traditions to those areas and was a King of his new community called Ilefe, which could be what yoruba call IFE. . From Ekaladerhan Izoduwa’s loins, the Yoruba dynasties may have began. However, it is certain that Olokun is an Edo divinity whose worship spread to the outlying Yoruba areas. During the trans-Atlantic slave trade, slave raids were launched upon Yoruba and Ibo territories. Europeans were able to obtain some of the greatest amounts of West Africans from both Yoruba and Ibo land (Crosby,1992, p.136). In the 18th century in Iboland at Isseke, slave raiders took a famous Edo subject named Olaudah Equiano, who later wrote about the encounter. Olaudah traveled to the New World and then to England, learned to read and write English, and shared his religious and cultural experiences.
Many Edo traditions were directly and indirectly incorporated into the New World through its far reaching colonies. The Edo Kingdom extended from the boundary with Oyo in the north (Otun) to the Atlantic in the south, beyond Asaba to River Niger, and up to Eko (Lagos) in the west. Both Edo religion and medicine have already been taken to those domains, following traditional practices originating in Edo land.

(5). Benin ruled over what today known as Yorubaland, IFE, EKITI, LAGOS, OGUN, OWO, ONDO ETC

(6). Benin through Oba Orhogbuan founded lagos and ruled Lagos through royal viceroys whose descendants are today the traditional rulers of Lagos.The rights of who owns Lagos is not disputable.Lagos was a Benin town with a Benin Duke who paid tribute to the Oba of Benin indeed his chiefs were the descendants of noble Benin families. The Benin empire ran Lagos for over 400 years before the colonial powers took over.

Though there were some migrant yorubas from togo during british presence in lagos, but they formed not the rulers of the town but the subjects of the Oba just like we find in the United Kingdom today where people are subjects of the queen of England and not citizens. We will explain citizenship rights to you later in another treatise.

(7). Benin first to meet Europeans

(. "Oba" is a word adopted from Benin and not Yoruba as many made us to believe. There is no king of Yoruba's people. and if there is, what was his title?;how many Yoruba prominent traditional leaders/rulers carried the title Oba? since when?.if Yoruba calls their king Oba,it doesn't mean we derived our king's name (N'Oba) from them. Everyone has a name for king in the their native language/tongue. The Oba of Lagos is Eleko of Eko not Oba, the British change it to Oba. the Origin of word "oba" is Benin

(9). They never conquered any territory but rather struggle with their neighbours before and after the first encounter with Europeans slave hunters.

(10). "Edo" have no linguistic relationship with Yoruba. Words like Eko,Idu Ganran,Yaba,Oshodi,Osa,Eti-Osa,idu-magbo,Idu-mota have no Yoruba origin but Edo's.

(11). Note history is subject to scientific diagnosis and many historic writtings in the past about Benin-yoruba have been proved by archaeologies and scientist as erroneous and false.

(12). Many Yoruba being those in the forefront of Nigeria history writers wrote history textbooks used in Nigeria institutions and thus had the benefit of making their yoruba look like leading culture with the richest history for nigerians.

(13). Yorubas exploiting their privilege of imbibing the whiteman's education first have been peddling falsehood in Nigeria,British and other western universities misleading Africans with grammar and academic titles. They confuse other external scholars about the true realities of African history, implanting those false history into African -America books without the knowledge of the Edo King.

(14). Yorubas engaged the highest in slave raiding in their togo-oyo region which stretched to lagos during slave trade. see http://ihuanedo.ning.com/…/to…/yoruba-enslavement-of-african

(15) Yoruba never colonized Benin but Benin colonized many Yoruba settlements.

(16) Yoruba is not in anyway related to Igbo ancestral history

(17) Yoruba was not in anyway related to itsekiri history. There could be later migrants during the European exploration and commerce but not related to the itsekiri ancestral lineage. Never mind all the title of "Olu" in the region,it is a title contrived to replace the original which is "Ode" of Itsekiris.

(18) Bishop Ajayi crowder and Obafemi Awolowo made Yoruba known today as an ethnic group in Nigeria

(19) How can an Empire be inside an Empire? Many so called yoruba territories of today never existed in the past but were invented and stillfully documented into dubious historical records.

(20) Most of their books and publications are mere opinions of the writers concocted inside their rooms without scientific researches or facts-finding visits to Ancient Benin for archaeological veracity. Covered up with self hate, jealousy and envy of the Great Benin, bias and leftish in many of their so called Nigerian history,they tried to re-invent a history that diminishes our political greatness.

(22) Many Yorubas in Lagos today came as migrant workers for British companies and their construction projects.That is why you have a lot of their photographs with whites. Britain also used them as colonial officers.

(23) Before Britain or before the punitive expedition of 1897, Yorubas have no mega state to be found as the recognized major ethnic group in lagos were Edos.

(24) Where is Yoruba ancient flag or before 1897?

Juxtified:
There should be a conference of traditional rulers from Bini & Yorubaland to discuss and put this issue to rest

binis are not disturbed. It's the yorubas that are trying to rewrite the history of bini. Didn't you see the statement made by the alake that was countered by the Esogban of Bini kingdom earlier? Until yorubas stop trying to lump binis into their dirty map, Binis will continue to show them who's boss.

vault:
what's all this nonsense...... who gave you this super fiction

binis have always been superior to the yorubas from time immemorial. 1 million yorubas are just a finger in comparism to a man.

(39) All European explorers arriving West Africa Maps have no record of Yoruba as a people or Empire but have that of Benin

(40) Real Yorubas are from dahomey while others from the north, never was an Empire of that name in any time of West Africa history.

(41) Language is a legitimate tool for constructing history and all the names
associated with Oduduwa have deeper roots in Edo language than in the Yoruba. The Arabs or the Yoruba, do not have words like ‘Uhe’ (the sacred name for Edo and Ile-Ife, or words ending with ‘duwa,’ ‘noyan’ or ‘miyan,’ which are typical Edo vowels. ‘Uhe’ is perhaps the most powerful and revealing of all the Edo names associated with Ile-Ife because depending on how it is pronounced, it could refer to something sacred or taboo (such as Virgin or Virginity or Vagina),
interpreted as innocence, source, birth canal.

(42) "Eko" in every Edo dialect means settlement or military camp. And Eko is the indigenous name of Lagos. It was in 1974 that approval was granted Dahomey by Oba Akenzua II to change the name of the country to Republic of Benin. This shows that Benin Empire stretched beyond the entire Yorubaland!. why did Republic of Benin not go to yoruba their closer Neighbours?

(43) YORUBA NEVER HAD ANY CIVILIZATION, BUILT ANY MONUMENT OR ANY WORLD SITE THAT TELLS OF AN EMPIRE OR GREAT KINGDOM LIKE BENIN. An Empire is always self evidence

(44) Benin and Yoruba people obviously have same roots but in this case as evidenced by true historical records,it is the younger Yoruba settlers that migrated from the far older benin empire.

(45) YORUBA WAS NEVER AN ETHNIC RACE!!!!!! PRE-BRITISH HISTORY OF NIGERIA
We will leave the Yoruba to defend themselves about questions concerning origins of the name "Yoruba." As far as Usman is concerned, that name was an imperial donation from the North. We are intrigued by Usman’s argument on this score. Note his words. He said " The fact is that, the earliest record we have of the use of the very name "Yoruba" was in the Hausa-Fulani language and it seems to have applied to the people of the Alafinate of Oyo. This came from the writings of the seventeenth century Katsina scholar, Dan Masani (1595-1667), who wrote a book on Muslim scholars of the 'Yarriba.' But it was from a book of the Sarkin Musulmi Bello, written in the early nineteenth century, that the name became more widely used. The Bishop Ajayi Crowther, the Reverend Samuel Johnson, and his brother Obadiah Johnson, among others, came, in the nineteenth century, to widely spread this Hausa name to the people who now bear it, in their writings. Usman’s proof that the name "Yoruba" is an "Hausa name and It is so, the earliest record we have of the use of the very name 'Yoruba' was in the Hausa-Fulani language.

(46) ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD YORUBA (Yoruba) is revealed in the 19th Century.: The word 'Yoruba' was first recorded in reference to the Oyo people only, in a treatise written by the 16th-century Songhai scholar Ahmed Baba. It was popularized by Hausa usage and ethnography written in Arabic and Ajami during the 19th century, in origin referring to the Oyo exclusively.
The extension of the term YORUBA to all speakers of dialects related to the language of the Oyo (in modern terminology North-West Yoruba) dates to the second half of the 19th century. It is due to the influence of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first Anglican bishop in Nigeria. Crowther was himself a Yoruba and compiled the first Yoruba dictionary as well as introducing a standard for Yoruba orthography.It's like classifying all of Northern Nigeria as Hausa. The presence of yoruba inflence in most places today claimed as yorubaland can be traced back to the propaganda of Ajayi Crowther and most Yoruba historians.

(47) Do you believe ODUDUWA is the ancestral father of the Yoruba people?
Many Yoruba scholars claim oduduwa fell from the sky to Yoruba land. Where actually did he land? , Any sign ?. Others say he came from the east, ok, did he meet people in the so called Yoruba land? If yes, then how can oduduwa now be their ancestral father?

(48) Do Yorubas have any historic monument like the pyramid structures in Old Benin, Great Benin Moat, Zimbabwe and Timbuktu in Mali? Not talking about clay molded or primitive bronze artifacts many claim dating back to 10BC), or the story of slave raiding westward, east ward or northward. I mean physical structures that tell of an ancient civilization?.The two most relevant structures in Oyo-lle, the Alaafin palace and his village market as claimed by Yoruba Historians ?

(49) When and where was Yoruba presence first felt in West African history? Why no reflection of Yoruba in many ancient maps of West Africa?

(50) Was Yoruba territory in British pre- Nigeria creation-1600-1900, same with, 1914 and again in 1960 to 1967? What expanded it and why? Were there aborigines in those territories say owo, kwara, ondo and Lagos before their presence during the British colonial period? If there were aborigines, then who were they?

(51) “Edo are not in Yorubaland. To be frank,
it is because many of them are not
willing to come up with the truth, the
word Oba is alien to Yoruba monarchy;
it is not part of their title from time
immemorial.
“For instance, the one they call the Oba
of Lagos, these are recent adaptations. In
the 50s, there was no Oba of Lagos, what
we had was the Eleko of Eko. That is the
title of the King there. In Ibadan, you
have the Olu Ibadan. You come to
Abeokuta, you have the Alake of Egba
land. You come to Oyo, you have the
Alaafin of Oyo. In Ilesha, you have the
Owa-Obokun of IIesha. So no Yoruba
monarch had as part of his titles the
word Oba except the Oba of Benin.
“That word Oba is indigenous to Benin.
It is only in recent times you find
everybody bearing Oba. When the
Western Regional conference of
traditional rulers took place in Benin
City in 1942, go and check the
attendance, there was no other monarch
in the whole of the Western Region then
that bore the title of Oba, except the Oba
of Benin.
“So it is an unnecessary excursion, an
unnecessary attempt to turn history
upside down by the Alake by classifying
the Oba of Benin as third in the
hierarchy of kings. “Our own traditional
history says that the Ooni of Ife was a
Benin Prince who wandered from here
to Ife, settled there and became the ruler
there. That is the position, if they don’t
know, they should send people here; we
will teach them.
“We will show them landmarks. So this
is unnecessary misrepresentation of
history. Maybe the Alake wanted to
mention a different place and not Benin.
“The monarchical rulership in this part
of the world started from Benin during
the era of the Ogisos. It was the son of
the last Ogiso, Owodo, that wandered
from here to Ife and he became a ruler
there, carrying everything about the
Benin monarchical system to that place.
There is no basis for such classification.
“The Ooni of Ife by historical facts, is a
son of the Oba of Benin, so they are not
in the same class

(25) Their loyalty to slave masters, British merchant gave them the huge presence in lagos, Americas and England

(26) The word Yoruba has it's roots in Yoruba.The fulani used to call the Oyo people Yoruba.There was no really united Yoruba nation till awolowo came with a cooked up Oduduwa myth with the intention of uniting them under them with advent of Egbe omo Oduduwa clearly for political mileage.The ones that came to the Americas were identified as lucumi which is corrupted from olukumi.

(27) The Ooni of Ife,the Alake of Abeokuta ( Egba), the Olubadan of Ibadan,the Oba of Oshogbo, the Deji of Akure,the Oba of Lagos,the Ugbo of Ugboland,the Owu of Owo etc have no historical records that they were ever ruled by an empire with such name. Rather,the Oba of Lagos,the Deji of Akure and all the traditional rulers in present day ondo and Ekiti states have indubitable records that they were once part of the old Benin empire.

(28) The capital of the fathom Oyo empire is alleged to be Oyo-Ile. This is a community that is not as big as Uromi township. It is smaller than many headquarters of south western city states currently existing. It is not as big as Eyaen in Benin city. How come the capital of such great empire ( sic!) is so small and a far cry from any that is known in history? The false historians failed woefully to cover this jigsaw puzzle.

(29) The Kingdom of Nupe was an acephalous community but in the 17th century,it sacked Oyo . Evicted it from Borgu and made it to relocate its capital to OYO Igoho, another hamlet community that can never qualify as capital of a dukedom let alone an empire. Now, most of the communities of Nupe were tribute payers to the Benin empire and never Benin conquerors.

(30) It is on incontrovertible record that,the colonialist never met an empire called Oyo when they came to Nigeria but they did meet the Benin Empire in all her glory having Suzerainty over many Yoruba speaking city states like Lagos,Akure,Ado,Idoani,Ondo,Igbokoda,Owo,Ifon,Ekiti,Owu etc. infact, it is the admission of the fact by many of these coastal states that their overlord is the Oba of Benin that led to the European interest to visit the Oba and settle supremacy once and for all. Oba Ovoramwen Nogbaisi was the one they eventually clashed with. Recall that as early as the 14th century, the Oba of Benin has had positive and co-equals interactions with the Portuguese Empire.

(31) Look closely at the map in pix one hereto. That is the colonial Map of Benin. It is less than half of what it was before the whiteman came. Still at that, it shows the whole of the current Midwest,nearly the whole western states including the whole Lagos, some eastern states and north central communities as part of the empire of Benin they met. Now, tell me, where is the geo-political delineation of the mythical oyo empire created by Ola Biola,Olatun Bonsun et al?

(32) How come Oyo-Ile the capital of the contrived OYO is today not the most important city in Yorubaland as Benin city is in Edo. Many old cities that survive still remain the seats of governments. Sokoto,Benin city etc. but the alleged Capital of old oyo hardly ranks as a local government headquarters. This is not consistent with the Yoruba nature which accords much respect to traditional authority and culture. The explanation is simple. There never was such an empire with such a small community as capital city. The proud Yoruba man can never accept such scandal. The capital of their city states like Ibadan,Abeokuta etc is enough to take care of their territorial pride,not the scandalous hamlet of OYO-Ile.

(33) Do you know that there is hardly a Yoruba community except the much mentioned Oyo-Ile,that has no exclusive language of its own that is not Yoruba. These various Yoruba languages are mutually unintelligible to each other. The current general Yoruba evolved from markets that was then mainly that of slave trading.

(34) Now, unlike the Benins and most indigenous Nigerian kingdoms,the Yorubas have the most exported slaves in diaspora. They are very many in the Caribbeans and in Brazil. Do you know why? This is because,it is easy to sell people who are not from the same stork with you.except for criminals,Benin and other kingdoms do not sell their citizens. This again clearly show that a monolithic oyo empire was a lie. The Yorubas had warring and hostile city states and were never united under one pre-colonial power. Chief Awolowo was once rejected by them at the polls as Ijebu( fake) Yoruba. Ironically, it was the same man that came out with the concept and in fact united them as one common political people. That is why they worship him second only to Oduduwa.

(35) Do you know that even their historians admitted the truth in their text books that Oramiyan after leaving Benin founded OYO empire. It is very obvious that Benin is older by far than the fathom Oyo Empire. What is however curious is that, if Ajaka,Shango,Ogun all later children of Oramiyan were deified to be worshipped by the Yorubas, how come Oramiyan's eldest son ( Eweka) who established the most powerful dynasty on earth was not included in their list of deities. This further lend weight to the argument that the history of the Yoruba empire was all about tribal glorification. Anyway, Oduduwa their alleged founder was actually Prince Izoduwa ( Ekhalederan) the only son of the last Ogiso of the first Benin dynasty-Owodo who was banished so that his father could have other children. This is a story for another day.

(36) It still beat me why other Africa historical states only have Benin on their record not OYO empire. Dahomey the alleged neighbour of old OYO recognized Benin as not only its cradle but its main powerful neighbour. Find this extract from Wikipedia interesting..

(37) According to the Wikipedia article on the People’s Republic of Benin, the new name was chosen to reflect the Benin Empire “that had once flourished in neighboring Nigeria.” Most sources, however, maintain that the new name referenced not the Empire but the Bight of Benin, the adjacent stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. The country’s new leaders rejected the name “Dahomey” because they considered it too ethnically exclusive, since the old kingdom of that name had been closely identified with the Fon people of the coastal zone. The new name, based on physical geography, seemed less divisive—even though the term “Benin” ultimate derives from the former Benin Kingdom of the Edo people in what is now Nigeria. The capital of that state, Ubinu, gave rise to the term “Benin City,” which was generalized to cover the entire kingdom, and was subsequently applied to the adjacent sea.

We have never doubted our relationship with the Yorubas. Everything natural points to the fact that they are our cousin. What We however disapprove is their attempt to use their privileged premier schooling by the whiteman to re-write history by distorting the true one and concocting a fake one that undermines the superiority of the old Benin empire over their city states.

(38) Here is a beautiful example of Rigobert Bonne's 1770 decorative map of West Africa. Covers from the Gold Coast (modern day Ghana), south around the Bight of Benin to Gabon, Congo and Angola. Includes the modern day countries of Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo and Angola. As with most maps of Africa, this map shows excellent detail along the coast and only speculation in the interior. Give evidence of significant Belgian mapping activities throughout the Congo. Names numerous African Kingdoms including Anzico, Mujaco, Bembe, Lubolo, Pemba, Dembi, Calbongo, Bake-Bake, Benin and others. Attempts to map the Niger River as to flows into the Desert de Seth or Saghara, but most of this cartography is speculative at best. Drawn by R. Bonne in 1770 for issue as plate no. B 30 in Jean Lattre's 1776 issue of the Atlas Moderne ." here there was no mention of any empire or people called yoruba or oyo empire
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/…/File:1770_Bonne_Map_of_West_…

OYO EMPIRE...A YORUBA KINGDOM CREATED ON PAGES OF YORUBA HISTORIANS TEXTBOOKS AMIDST, GLARING CONTRADICTIONS AND PALPABLE FALSEHOOD:
(1). Their story of kingship began with an Edo prince called Izoduwa as recorded by unimpeachable historical records and corroborated by Benin recorded History.

(2). Ayayi Crowder,a recaptured Yoruba Slave who later became a bishop said, little were know about yoruba existence, clearly meaning they were not originally part of the Nigeria of today and neither were they settlers within its geographical boundaries but were in small settlements close to Dahomey. Most Yorubas today are either Muslims or Christians and those with African traditions copied or got them from Benin civilization. It doubtful if they are not immigrants from dahomy mixed with Benins or other fulani-hausa from Niger . Bishop Samuel Adjayi Crowther (c. 1809 – 31 December 1891) Was the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria. Born in Osogun (in today's Iseyin Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria). His grandson was Herbert Macaulay

(3). Yoruba have dublicity of kingships with the process highly polarized than being traditional.A system they tried to copy from Benin but have not been able to get right like the Benin Kingdom. Edo Obaship is one of the most revered institutions in the world because of the way it has sustained its awesome prestige with strict and meticulous attention to ancient traditions of valour, discipline and integrity. Edo chieftaincy titles cannot be bought or conferred on non-indigenes or frivolously. Every Edo chief performs a peculiarly sacred duty and responsibility to the people of Edo. It does not make sense, therefore, to think that a people who would not and have never conferred their chieftaincy titles on non-indigenes, would voluntarily invite, accept, or surrender to non-indigenes as their kings. Note that due to celestial and customary taboos,the Edo monarch cannot eat out and cannot be diverted from full time palace duties to hustle things that have no beneficial value to his domain.

(4). Most traditional religions being practiced by the Yorubas today are of Benin Origins.Olokun, Ogun, Iha oguega(ifa), oronmila, Esago(shango), Ayelala etc.Benin traditions,mystic and spirituality are stillfully documented and yorubanized by Yorubas in positions of affluence. Edo people today are predominantly Christians with some denying their traditional religious origins. But,it has not been possible to exterminate our traditional practice because it is embedded firmly in our ways of life.
Although the Great Edo (Benin) Kingdom was not major participant in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, because the Obas (Kings) believed that their subjects were too valuable to sell away, and their noblemen had need of war captives on their own farms, the influence of Edo religion and medicine have still been substantial on the people of the Americas.
According to Mason (1996), it has been widely accepted that Olokun (god of the sea) worship originated with the Edos and spread to the Yoruba (p.2). In fact, the most prominent part of Edo cultural traditions that has made its mark in the New World is Olokun worship. Olokun (god of the Waters, known as Osiris in Egypt) worship originated from Urhonigbe and then became prominent at Ughoton,around the Ethiope (Olokun) River. The priesthood and rituals were firmly established at the time. Some of the possible points of contact happened early. During the Ogiso Period, trade with the Yoruba and Igbos was quite extensive. Olokun worship may have spread to those areas through traders. Prior to the Oba Period,Ekaladerhan Izoduwa was initiated into Olokun as a chief Priest while he stayed at Ughoton, before his moving westward with his followers to establish Ilefe (Ero,1999,p.108-109).
Once he arrived, Ekaladerhan Izoduwa brought Edo traditions to those areas and was a King of his new community called Ilefe, which could be what yoruba call IFE. . From Ekaladerhan Izoduwa’s loins, the Yoruba dynasties may have began. However, it is certain that Olokun is an Edo divinity whose worship spread to the outlying Yoruba areas. During the trans-Atlantic slave trade, slave raids were launched upon Yoruba and Ibo territories. Europeans were able to obtain some of the greatest amounts of West Africans from both Yoruba and Ibo land (Crosby,1992, p.136). In the 18th century in Iboland at Isseke, slave raiders took a famous Edo subject named Olaudah Equiano, who later wrote about the encounter. Olaudah traveled to the New World and then to England, learned to read and write English, and shared his religious and cultural experiences.
Many Edo traditions were directly and indirectly incorporated into the New World through its far reaching colonies. The Edo Kingdom extended from the boundary with Oyo in the north (Otun) to the Atlantic in the south, beyond Asaba to River Niger, and up to Eko (Lagos) in the west. Both Edo religion and medicine have already been taken to those domains, following traditional practices originating in Edo land.

(5). Benin ruled over what today known as Yorubaland, IFE, EKITI, LAGOS, OGUN, OWO, ONDO ETC

(6). Benin through Oba Orhogbuan founded lagos and ruled Lagos through royal viceroys whose descendants are today the traditional rulers of Lagos.The rights of who owns Lagos is not disputable.Lagos was a Benin town with a Benin Duke who paid tribute to the Oba of Benin indeed his chiefs were the descendants of noble Benin families. The Benin empire ran Lagos for over 400 years before the colonial powers took over.

Though there were some migrant yorubas from togo during british presence in lagos, but they formed not the rulers of the town but the subjects of the Oba just like we find in the United Kingdom today where people are subjects of the queen of England and not citizens. We will explain citizenship rights to you later in another treatise.

(7). Benin first to meet Europeans

(. "Oba" is a word adopted from Benin and not Yoruba as many made us to believe. There is no king of Yoruba's people. and if there is, what was his title?;how many Yoruba prominent traditional leaders/rulers carried the title Oba? since when?.if Yoruba calls their king Oba,it doesn't mean we derived our king's name (N'Oba) from them. Everyone has a name for king in the their native language/tongue. The Oba of Lagos is Eleko of Eko not Oba, the British change it to Oba. the Origin of word "oba" is Benin

(9). They never conquered any territory but rather struggle with their neighbours before and after the first encounter with Europeans slave hunters.

(10). "Edo" have no linguistic relationship with Yoruba. Words like Eko,Idu Ganran,Yaba,Oshodi,Osa,Eti-Osa,idu-magbo,Idu-mota have no Yoruba origin but Edo's.

(11). Note history is subject to scientific diagnosis and many historic writtings in the past about Benin-yoruba have been proved by archaeologies and scientist as erroneous and false.

(12). Many Yoruba being those in the forefront of Nigeria history writers wrote history textbooks used in Nigeria institutions and thus had the benefit of making their yoruba look like leading culture with the richest history for nigerians.

(13). Yorubas exploiting their privilege of imbibing the whiteman's education first have been peddling falsehood in Nigeria,British and other western universities misleading Africans with grammar and academic titles. They confuse other external scholars about the true realities of African history, implanting those false history into African -America books without the knowledge of the Edo King.

(14). Yorubas engaged the highest in slave raiding in their togo-oyo region which stretched to lagos during slave trade. see http://ihuanedo.ning.com/…/to…/yoruba-enslavement-of-african

(15) Yoruba never colonized Benin but Benin colonized many Yoruba settlements.

(16) Yoruba is not in anyway related to Igbo ancestral history

(17) Yoruba was not in anyway related to itsekiri history. There could be later migrants during the European exploration and commerce but not related to the itsekiri ancestral lineage. Never mind all the title of "Olu" in the region,it is a title contrived to replace the original which is "Ode" of Itsekiris.

(18) Bishop Ajayi crowder and Obafemi Awolowo made Yoruba known today as an ethnic group in Nigeria

(19) How can an Empire be inside an Empire? Many so called yoruba territories of today never existed in the past but were invented and stillfully documented into dubious historical records.

(20) Most of their books and publications are mere opinions of the writers concocted inside their rooms without scientific researches or facts-finding visits to Ancient Benin for archaeological veracity. Covered up with self hate, jealousy and envy of the Great Benin, bias and leftish in many of their so called Nigerian history,they tried to re-invent a history that diminishes our political greatness.

(22) Many Yorubas in Lagos today came as migrant workers for British companies and their construction projects.That is why you have a lot of their photographs with whites. Britain also used them as colonial officers.

(23) Before Britain or before the punitive expedition of 1897, Yorubas have no mega state to be found as the recognized major ethnic group in lagos were Edos.

(24) Where is Yoruba ancient flag or before 1897?

Some many of you nairalanders will be very curious on what really happened in Benin yesterday. It was reported that there was an explosion at Upper Sakponba, Zomi Street to be precise. A lot of questions have been asked on what truly transpired.

The answer is very simple. Ipob are responsible for yesterday's event. They've always wanted frustrate the efforts of PMB into releasing their director. This information is from a very reliable source. They've also hijacked a vessel and kidnapped some foreigners on board. They're also responsible for the blowing of the oil installations across the South South. The law enforcement agencies and the Nigerian army should look into this matter.

Oil has been the main source of income in this country. The discovery of oil has brought about wealth and poverty to this country. It's so shameful that the revenue generated from oil sales over the years that should have put this country amongst developed countries cannot be accounted. It ought not to be so.

Let's stop deceiving ourselves there's no unity in this country. The only time I've noticed a little unity is during football matches. Also, let it be known that there's no difference between the Hausas/Fulanis, Yorubas and Igbos. The three of them only care about themselves. Let no Niger Deltan be deceived by the sugar-coated tongue or by allowed to be cajoled by any group promising us heaven and earth.

This is a question I have for every Niger Deltan. What is the guarantee joining biafra won't amount to another mini Nigeria? What's the tendency they won't wipe out our identities by internal colonization? Why do you guys feel they badly want South South in their pipe dream? My brothers from the Niger Deltans open your eyes and read in between the lines. Our leaders whom ought to be representing us have failed us. They're part of our problems. Nothing good can come out from the likes of EK Clark, Tompolo, Ayiri, Osho Baba, Akpabio and co. The time have come for us to take our destinies into our own hands and stop depending on our leaders.

By Niger Delta I mean Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom.

Mods front page.

Hahahaha. Chei ipob youths fuckkking a goat.