Alright...

I have the intention of putting this across a long while ago, I believe now is the time. So how did the word Oyinbo crept up in Yoruba lexicon? This piece might help. The Yoruba has been familiar with different races from the onset of time. The Yoruba were a race of diverse races at one point in their history. To the Yoruba ancestors, the white were not always "Oyinbo", the most tenable word for a white person with the ancient Yoruba is Ofun.

Originally however, the parent word for 'Oyinbo' may have come from the Fon kingdom of Dahomey, who contacted the white folks first after the long seperation from that race. The Fon for a white man is 'Yevo'. This word is derived from 'Oye' and 'Ovo', meaning, "of different shade".

To the Fon, mankind is called Gbetor, meaning 'father of life', now the word in full is a phrase, 'Gbetor-yenor' meaning, 'a shadow (or replica) of the father of life'. That establishes 'ye' as in 'yes' as shade or shadow in that language. For instance, Yesehmeh in that language stands for 'shade's transit point'. Again, racial shade is known to this people.

To the ancient Yoruba, white- man is 'e fun', we still say it in Yoruba language as 'Oyinbo-alawo-funfun'. That's a long-tail-expression however. Some Yoruba ancestors were white-skinned. It shows in the way Yoruba peoples named them afterwards based on their colour.

For instance, the word Efunyela simply means "white skin is befitting to Ela". The Yoruba perception of their ancestors can also be observed in the way Yoruba sees the albino. They says, owo koko lafii wogi, owo Orisha lafii wo afin. Afin are spotted with Orisha, who are Yoruba ancestors.

The Yoruba equally have black heros. One of the black hero in annal of Yoruba history was Odu. And in that regards is the folksong, "eye melo t'olongo wale?"...'Okan Dudu-Aro, Okan Sese Osun'. Hope you don't take the nursery rhyme as worthless. 'Duduaro' in another way round is 'Odunaro' a Yoruba surname spotting with a black thinker in annals of Yoruba history.

"Sese Osun" is also a historical phrase, we speak of Osun as "Osun-se-ngese, Olooya 'yun" and also 'etu obeje elese osun', a totem of mother Osun, the matriarch of Yoruba race. Osun was a black beauty of Yoruba history, hence it is said, 'Odu eleyinju ege'. Osun is o su, that is of dark shade. Another way of putting it clearer is O du.

The Yoruba are familiar with races as of old.
I will surely come back to put more live into this.
But before then, enjoy.

I love expository write-ups like this..

Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.

........

kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.

Ok.

Now, the Yoruba have penchant for creating alternative words to convey their ideas beyond reasonable doubt. In respect to 'Oyinbo', it simply means 'oyin bo', which means 'honey-deficient' or 'honey peeled off'. Yoruba equates Oyin with Adun. As a resault of this, we therefore have the phrase 'Oyinladun'. 'Adu' (Odu) is a variant of Adun (Odun). The Yoruba of old equate the black melanin with honey. They thus have the idea of 'sexual chocolate' before our time. Oyinbo thus mean 'drilled of honey', in Yoruba. Is all of this possible within Yoruba thought system? A Yoruba proverb to that effect says 'irini si nisoni lojo' meaning: 'appearance will tell what you are described as'

I have read about the origin of the word oyinbo but I can't recall it right now . Some how I think it got it origin from the Portuguese. I heard their words sounds somehow like pigin. I read about a captured American pilot who survive the second world War said he was able to escape because he understands what the enemies were saying because it sounds somehow like pigin and he understands Africana. The origin of pigin is in a wayrelates to the Portuguese language and local languages. It some how relate to the the word oyinbo Potokry(Portuguese)

kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.

I look forward to hearing/seeing the evidence on which this postulation is based.

kaorama:
Oyinbo was rather a derogatory remark made by the early white slave merchants to refer to an Ibo slave. It was transliterated Onye Ibo which means Ibo man. The early Whit slave merchant could not hide their preference for Igbo slaves whom they saw as hardworking. To register that preference, the whites usually asked for Onye Ibo which they themselves mid pronounced as Oyinbo. I have researched widely on this and can prove the word has its root in the Igbo history.

so it is d white man that created d word?oyinbo has no origins in ibo,even ibos dont call it oyinbo but oyibo,if u did ur 'research' properly,u would know the white man name for the ibo tribe was 'eebo' not onye whatever.try again next time and 'research' properly

Radoillo:


I look forward to hearing/seeing the evidence on which this postulation is based.

I'm afraid that my Igbo brothers will one day send you to the west. Tribalism is inevitable though, but it shouldn't be too apparent as if its a trophy. Knowledge is the principal thing. At the other thread, tribalism made the apparent so elusive, which is that, maybe the word Oyinbo/Oyibo is some of the 'common ancestral words' that has survived in the environ, but no one think in that direction, someone must win someone.

ladionline:
I'm afraid that my Igbo brothers will one day send you to the west. Tribalism is inevitable though, but it shouldn't be too apparent as if its a trophy. Knowledge is the principal thing. At the other thread, tribalism made the apparent so elusive, which is that, maybe the word Oyinbo/Oyibo is some of the 'common ancestral words' that has survived in the environ, but no one think in that direction, someone must win someone.

I also wondered why it didn't occur to anyone that the bolded might have been the case.

Oh, well, i'll be silently observing this thread like I did the other one.

Radoillo:


I also wondered why it didn't occur to anyone that the bolded might have been the case.

Oh, well, i'll be silently observing this thread like I did the other one.

Most of us write like 'when politicians become historians' dangerously. Thank God for the few other guys that are umbiased, (like yourself and some other guys at other thread). I don't know where I belong either. The word 'OnyeOcha' rhymes with 'Osha' (Orisha) which is connected to Afin (Albino). 'Sa' is Yoruba equivalent of 'bo' which is when you lose pigmentatation. For instance, bo ra is bleach skin. It is plausible that Osha were Ocha, and that 'Ibo' of old have bleached skin.

ladionline:
Most of us write like 'when politicians become historians' dangerously. Thank God for the few other guys that are umbiased, (like yourself and some other guys at other thread). I don't know where I belong either. The word 'OnyeOcha' rhymes with 'Osha' (Orisha) which is connected to Afin (Albino). 'Sa' is Yoruba equivalent of 'bo' which is when you lose pigmentatation. For instance, bo ra is bleach skin. It is plausible that Osha were Ocha, and that 'Ibo' of old have bleached skin.

LOL. I honestly really doubt this.

ladionline:
Most of us write like 'when politicians become historians' dangerously. Thank God for the few other guys that are umbiased, (like yourself and some other guys at other thread). I don't know where I belong either. The word 'OnyeOcha' rhymes with 'Osha' (Orisha) which is connected to Afin (Albino). 'Sa' is Yoruba equivalent of 'bo' which is when you lose pigmentatation. For instance, bo ra is bleach skin. It is plausible that Osha were Ocha, and that 'Ibo' of old have bleached skin.

Guy you totally misunderstood the idea behind Orisa.
you use it in such an unclear way like it's one figure/person in reference to Afin. It's Obatala (Orisa nla) that is specific to Afin not jst Orisa
And I doubt that ibo are the orisa of old

ladionline:
I'm afraid that my Igbo brothers will one day send you to the west. Tribalism is inevitable though, but it shouldn't be too apparent as if its a trophy. Knowledge is the principal thing. At the other thread, tribalism made the apparent so elusive, which is that, maybe the word Oyinbo/Oyibo is some of the 'common ancestral words' that has survived in the environ, but no one think in that direction, someone must win someone .

Lmao "

macof:


Guy you totally misunderstood the idea behind Orisa.
you use it in such an unclear way like it's one figure/person in reference to Afin. It's Obatala (Orisa nla) that is specific to Afin not jst Orisa
And I doubt that ibo are the orisa of old

Ibo (people) is not Orisha of old. I compared 'bo' with 'sha'. I am implying that Osha is similar to Ocha as with Igbos (as in Onitsha) to speculate that 'Ibo' may have derive from bleach skin, (assuming that bo is alternative to sa), not Ibo being Orisa. Ibo simply mean 'where?' in Yoruba. Meanwhile, as to Afin, the Yoruba says 'aro-kese', 'abuke-Osin', 'aku-warapa', 'afin-Orisa', 'afinOjeyo'. 'afin-orisha' is custom made, they never mention Obatala, so you must be restricted to the given phrase. On Obatala, the Yoruba says Obatala Obataisha.

ladionline:
Ibo (people) is not Orisha of old. I compared 'bo' with 'sha'. I am implying that Osha is similar to Ocha as with Igbos (as in Onitsha) to speculate that 'Ibo' may have derive from bleach skin, (assuming that bo is alternative to sa), not Ibo being Orisa. Ibo simply mean 'where?' in Yoruba. Meanwhile, as to Afin, the Yoruba says 'aro-kese', 'abuke-Osin', 'aku-warapa', 'afin-Orisa', 'afinOjeyo'. 'afin-orisha' is custom made, they never mention Obatala, so you must be restricted to the given phrase. On Obatala, the Yoruba says Obatala Obataisha.

I take it you've never heard Afin omo Orisa Igbo wuji . Orisa igbo wuji is Obatala

macof:


I take it you've never heard Afin omo Orisa Igbo wuji . Orisa igbo wuji is Obatala

I have not heard that word combination before. I am familiar with 'Afin awo Ilode, adia fun Ajibola...' I know of afin as attached to Obatala, what I am saying in essence is this sir: I restrict myself only to the very word or phrase I'm interpreting, not to stretches or list of words that the same word connects to that is not needed in the discourse.

ladionline:
Most of us write like 'when politicians become historians' dangerously. Thank God for the few other guys that are umbiased, (like yourself and some other guys at other thread). I don't know where I belong either. The word 'OnyeOcha' rhymes with 'Osha' (Orisha) which is connected to Afin (Albino). 'Sa' is Yoruba equivalent of 'bo' which is when you lose pigmentatation. For instance, bo ra is bleach skin. It is plausible that Osha were Ocha, and that 'Ibo' of old have bleached skin.

@bold...a bleached skin only alters the outer appearance of the user, bleaching does not alter the internal genes of the person. What am I trying to say? A dark-skinned person who bleaches to become lighter still carries his dark-skinned DNA, and thus his children will be born dark-skinned, except they bleach too. Now, we do know that bleaching creams were non-existent during old times, but the light-skinned nature of some Igbo was very well documented during the slave trade. Thus, ancient 'bleached' Igbo could not have continued to give birth to light-skinned progeny generation after generation. By now, 'red ibo' should be very much familiar to you, a phrase used by other africans to refer to the 'light-skinned' Ibo slaves.

I have heard a lot of ridiculous 'theories' from people trying to 'explain' away the colour variation of the Igbo. Maternal DNA studies on the Igbo show that they share a similar gene with the Egyptians. The MtDNA is transmitted from mother to children exclusively, and despite being 50-50 in contribution from both parents, every individual carries a tiny part in him which he got exclusively from his mother - the mitochondria. Such gene, when traced back, can detect a common maternal ancestry of peoples. Now, ancient Egyptians often drew pictures of themselves as a brown-skinned people, especially the women and the men were sometimes represented as more brown-skinned. With common maternal ancestry between Igbo and Egyptians, deciphering the actual skin colour make up of the ancient egyptians may not too far to fetch after all - they might have been a people with skin colour variation ranging from dark-skinned to light-brown skinned, just like the Igbo, a people who outsiders, not used to Igbo traditions and cultures, often think are 'biracial' because of 'light-skinned' people among them. In other words, the skin colour variation of Igbo today might represent the skin colour variation of ancient Egyptians, yet they were not mixed.

What am I trying to say? The skin colour variation among the Igbo has been part of them before the slave trade. Very few slave traders dared venture into Igboland to scout for slaves but restricted their sales to Opobo and Calabar ports in the Niger Delta. Thus, this explains away any 'mixed' theories one might think of. The survivial of the phrase 'red ibo'/'red bone' till today is a reminder of the genetic make up of the Igbo since before the slave trade.

'Oyibo' is an Igbo word originating prior to the slave trade period of Igboland (1600 - 1800). The earliest record of 'oyibo' being of Igbo origin, not 'oyinbo' can be found in the biography of Olaudah Equiano's of blessed memory (an ex-Igbo slave) written in the 1700s, during which as early as the 17th century, the Igbo were already using it to refer to 'light-skinned' people found amongst themselves long before the white men came.

Excerpts from Olaudah Equiano's book:

As we live in a country where nature is prodigal of her favours, our
wants are few and easily supplied; of course we have few manufactures.
They consist for the most part of calicoes, earthern ware, ornaments,
and instruments of war and husbandry. But these make no part of our
commerce, the principal articles of which, as I have observed, are
provisions. In such a state money is of little use; however we have
some small pieces of coin, if I may call them such. They are made
something like an anchor; but I do not remember either their value or
denomination. We have also markets, at which I have been frequently
with my mother. These are sometimes visited by stout mahogany-coloured
men from the south west of us: we call them Oyeeboe, which term
signifies red men living at a distance. They generally bring us
fire-arms, gunpowder, hats, beads, and dried fish. The last we
esteemed a great rarity, as our waters were only brooks and springs.
These articles they barter with us for odoriferous woods and earth,
and our salt of wood ashes. They always carry slaves through our land;
but the strictest account is exacted of their manner of procuring them
before they are suffered to pass.

https://archive.org/stream/theinterestingna15399gut/15399.txt

If you're still in doubt, read more closely the context of usage in which he used to refer to the men as 'Oyeeboe' because they had 'mahogany-coloured skin colour' (we all know that the colour of mahogany is reddish brown) and his rendering of the meaning of the word as 'red men'. Interesting, light-skinned Igbo were referred to as 'red eboe' in America and the Caribbean, a term which has still stuck till today.

'Oyinbo' might be a corruption of the original word, 'oyibo' given that Yoruba is a nasal language. The Igbo war chant, Nzogbu Enyi mba Enyi when rendered/written by a Yoruba as seen online is, 'Nzogbu Eyin mba Eyin', adding an 'n' to the 'Enyi' word, in line with the language's nasal feature. Therefore, it comes as no surpise if the word was adapted and 'n' added to it in line with its tonal feature. For example, Nwantinti = wantintin in Yoruba. It is always about the 'n'.

Today, you would find several Igbo people bearing 'Oyibo' or any of its variants (such as Oyibolalu, Okwuoyibo) as either first or middle name in Igboland but such is extremely rare in Yoruba land, maybe except those with Igbo mothers. My paternal grandmother born at the same time as queen elizabeth of England (almost 90 years old today) bears 'Oyibo' as her middle name and 'Agnes' as first name.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Obuohas-Heart-Songs-N-S-O-Obi/dp/1860335624
http://www.informationng.com/tag/oyibo-ahaneku-nwaneri
http://ugobueze..com/2010/04/profile-of-oyibo-ekwulo-odinamadu-nee.html

So far, there is no evidence that the word originated from Yoruba. I have provided evidence that shows the usage in Igboland to as early as before 18th century, and the pervasive use of the 'word' in Igbo names, thus making it likely originating originally from Igbo land and spreading to other areas.

ladionline:
Most of us write like 'when politicians become historians' dangerously. Thank God for the few other guys that are umbiased, (like yourself and some other guys at other thread). I don't know where I belong either. The word 'OnyeOcha' rhymes with 'Osha' (Orisha) which is connected to Afin (Albino). 'Sa' is Yoruba equivalent of 'bo' which is when you lose pigmentatation. For instance, bo ra is bleach skin. It is plausible that Osha were Ocha, and that 'Ibo' of old have bleached skin.

LOL! Absolutely false theory. Trying to explain away 'ibo' using yoruba, while forgetting that the correct pronunciation has always been 'Igbo' only spelt 'ibo' because the white people could not pronounce 'gb' correctly.

bigfrancis21:


LOL! Absolutely false theory. Trying to explain away 'ibo' using yoruba, while forgetting that the correct pronunciation has always been 'Igbo' only spelt 'ibo' because the white people could not pronounce 'gb' correctly.

I dont guarantee my theory as absolute truth, but explaining Ibos away is not in my character. @Bigfrancis, 'b.i.g., p.p.a., you use to do see things too much', I imagine you in Nigeria army, God! You will make an excellent career coupist, only to 'step aside' after you have bamboozle everyone right, left and centre. Bad guy.

ChristyG:
so it is d white man that created d word?oyinbo has no origins in ibo,even ibos dont call it oyinbo but oyibo,if u did ur 'research' properly,u would know the white man name for the ibo tribe was 'eebo' not onye whatever.try again next time and 'research' properly

He might actually be closer to the truth what ladionline is saying. Oyibo might have originated from mimicking the funny way the white man tried to pronounce 'onye igbo' thus pronouncing 'oye eboe' and the phrase stuck. 'A classic example would be 'nyamiri' - word used by Hausas to refer to Igbo, of which legend says was as a result of the first Igbo travelers who on arrival to the North were thirsty and on meeting the Hausas asked for water in Igbo, 'nye m mmiri', which was mispronounced by Hausas as 'nyammiri'. The phrase, sounding foreign to the Hausa speakers, stood out and was one of the first phrases the Hausas used to refer to 'those people' whom they had just encountered. It would be safe to conclude that 'nyammiri' is of Igbo origin. 'Oyinbo' might be another similar example.

Referring to people the way they pronounce a certain word is definitely not a new thing to you and me. In my secondary school days, we would jokingly refer to ourselves by the random 'ogbu' or English blunder we commited while speaking English.

In the biography work of Olaudah Equiano written in the 18th century, he mentioned that his people referred to a light-skinned person as 'oye-eboe', which may have been the original word thus shortened over the generations to 'oyibo' in Igbo language.

ladionline:
I dont guarantee my theory as absolute truth, but explaining Ibos away is not in my character. @Bigfrancis, 'p.p.a., you use to do see things too much', I imagine you in Nigeria army, God! You will make an excellent carrier coupist, only to 'step aside' after you have bamboozle everyone right left and centre. Bad guy.

Colonel bigfrancis! I will shoot every moving thing in sight! Baddo

bigfrancis21:




Colonel bigfrancis! I will shoot every moving thing in sight! Baddo

You really have incredible power to be invincible since forever, I don't know how you often work your mysteries out, but I am sure that cockroach is part of the juju things you use, even if you want to telegram Benji Scorpion to me. I will go to shrine, you cucu know Yoruba na, if counter thread did not work, afro will work on Col.Bigfranc de Flawless. It is time to crush the Igbo Emperor.

In the Yoruba Language:
Oyinbo = oyin (bee | honey | melanin) + bo (bleach | peel off). Oyinbo means lack of melanin.

The color of native honey is as dark as Melanin.

In Yoruba Ibadan dialect, Oyinbo is shortened to eebo

kabiyesiii:
In the Yoruba Language:
Oyinbo = oyin (bee | honey | melanin) + bo (bleach | peel off). Oyinbo means lack of melanin.

The color of native honey is as dark as Melanin.

In Yoruba Ibadan dialect, Oyinbo is shortened to eebo

Thats fact.

As at the time of Balogun Ogunmola (1845), the army of Ibadan has been able to sack Ijaye, and one of the captive of Ibadan army was a white man, a clergy by name Edward Nofer. Ogunmola instructed him to tender his poultry if he is too frail to till the ground like a black man.

At last, it took the effort of Hinderer, (a clergyman like Edward Nofer) to mediate in the issue that earn Nofer his freedom when letter came from Alaafin. Hinderer has earlier begged Ogunmola to release the man to him, and he said no way. So he went to high official, Alaafin.

Ogunmola has sought to punish Nofer for the atrocities of the white mercenary fighting in the army of Ijaiye on the side of Kurunmi, which includes Petiford and the likes.

Before the clash between Ogunmola and Kunrumi Henry Bascom, the Methodist clergy did met Kunrunmi and ask him to choose peace with his fellow Yoruba, Kurunmi refuses. He did have a bible, but he has chosen gun at this time.

What did these leaders call the white men they were dealing with at this time?

PEOPLE CALL ME OYINGBO, OCHA, AFIN AND I DON'T LIKE IT

Well done African historians/linguists!!!

ok

...

Elypsis:
I love expository write-ups like this..

but did you read it? Most times ftcs do not read the posts before commenting.