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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Culture / How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon (12270 Views)
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How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Edeyoung: 12:44pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Like i have always defended benin-ife relationships was a madeup tales for political ambitions which we hope to correct by enlightenment and not with insult..... History is to be revaluated from the basis of truth Like the old tales believed, oromiyan had introduced the title oba to benin, the contention here is why the title oba became the general title for kingship in yoruba . Shouldn't it be ooni ? Why not kabeysi, or probably ooni of ife kabeysi Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II Since he his the first..... Or probably Alafin since he is the last or probably the other yoruba titles in the other yoruba kingdom why was oba the general word kingship then... Benin in this history is nether the first or the last or even culturally closer to the other yorubas, then why was the title for kingship in the general yoruba context come from benin This leaves a big question mark unanswered Orun oba ado When this site was dugged it was found empty this lives another question mark, how come again the oba of benin was the only one again request to summit his head for kingship approval even when he was not the last of the yoruba monarchy, i guess they were others younger than the oba of benin they should have also summited thier head too for approval ....... Something sound fishy We may never know lets hear from our yoruba colleagues gomojam DonCandido Amujale macof Sewgon79 lx3as Opiletool nisai 2fine2fast Aphrygian Olu317 Obalufon geosegun TAO11 1 Like |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Raymeskey: 12:46pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Hmmmm I'm waiting to hear more |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by LorrdSky: 12:49pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
The Benin Empire colonized the YorubaLand so the Yorubas adopted the tradition of Benin people. Yoruba people in Togo went as far as renaming their country from Dahomey to Benin Republic. 5 Likes |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 1:15pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
What is the etymology of the term 'oba'? Where does the term 'oba' originate? |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 1:22pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
LorrdSky: Practically, for the amount of Yoruba speakers in Benin Republic, the obvious choices was to retain the Republic of Dahomey or possible Republic of Yoruba. However, according to history, the only reason they named it the Republic of Benin was because "Benin" was deemed politically neutral for all ethnic groups in the state, whereas "Dahomey" recalled the Fon-dominated Kingdom of Dahomey and Yoruba already has a huge demographic elsewhere. Are you forgetting that this all occured under colonisation? It leaves a distastefullness in mouths of many historians how they distrupted our somewhat perfect territorial nations on the continent. It isnt anything to celebrate. 3 Likes |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by scholes0(m): 1:27pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
This is just a very silly thread... It is like asking why Eni or Okan means one in Yoruba or why Enu means mouth in Yoruba or why Ada means machete in Yoruba and Obe means Knife. How can you be asking 'why' a word means something in a language it is native to? I don't get it. It just is. 8 Likes |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by scholes0(m): 1:30pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
LorrdSky: Stoopid. So Benin 'colonized' Yoruba and Yorubas adopted Oba, but the neighbouring Esan, Afemai, Isoko, Urhobo people that speak similar languages and share similar customs from the start could not adopt it? lol.... shouldn't that tell you that it is actually a word that came from the Yoruba direction? Oba is a Yoruba word planted into Benin just like many other Yoruba traditions and Vocabulary now replete in the Bini language.... Like Kpataki, Ogede, Itan, Aga, Ada, Olori (Oloi), Ogun, Ago, Olo (grinding stone), kpekpeye, Esu, Olokpa..... and countless more.... in fact, ethnolinguists have estimated that at least 14%-16% of the modern Edo (Benin) language are borrowings from Yoruba. 15 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 1:33pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Here a the list of Yoruba speaking states in Republic of Benin: Borgu(Shaworo) Collines Donga(Bassila) Plateau Weme Five out of the twelve departments are Yoruba speaking ones. These your campaigns are counterproductive to Nigeria, Africa Concentrate our focus on discovering our hidden history as it has to relate to the world. Instead of attempting to bastardise history. In case you have failed to realise, the history of the people in Nigeria predates both Asia and Europe. Perhaps we ought to devote part of out time to investigate the accurate connections of our offspringd that formed into the outside world. Perhaps we ought to be investigating history that will uplift our people. |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by LorrdSky: 1:33pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
scholes0: Those tribes you mentioned were not inferior, they were part of Edo the Benin Empire. Argue with your ancestors 2 Likes |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 1:34pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
What is the oldest civilisation in Europe? What is the oldest civilisation in Nigeria? |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 1:35pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
What is the oldest civilisation in Asia? What is the oldest civilisation in Nigeria? |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by duro4chang(m): 1:40pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Trash! |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by scholes0(m): 1:47pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
LorrdSky: Stop fooling yourself. They were all inferior to Binis because at the apex of the Benin kingdom was the Benin royal court and chieftain followed by the Benin people. That is why Benin did not allow any other traditional ruler in that area to bear OBA as a title. Something they themselves got from the Yorubas. That is why they would use urhobos as human sacrifice and why they would sell Afemais into slavery. The entire Benin court culture was imported from Yorubaland. ![]() A Benin troupe still performed 'Ijesu N'Ogie' or 'Jesus is King' at my company's december gala. That is the default word for king in the Benin language EXCEPT when they are specifically referring to the palace court of the Omonoba which then they use 'Oba'. 10 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Edeyoung: 1:49pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
scholes0: We are assuming it is yoruba, but why was the name adopted for generality |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by scholes0(m): 1:55pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Edeyoung: No assumptions. It is simply Yoruba, no arguments. All those other words (or Appellations) you are quoting do not mean King. Kabiyesi does not mean King. It means - "Must not be questioned" Ooni which is short for "Owoni and derived from an even older Yoruba term "Oghonne" does not mean King. Alaafin does not mean King. These are all just regional identifiers for various Obas. What is King in Yoruba language is "Oba". The prmordial Yoruba Orisha "Obatala" means the "King of purity". Oba meaning king, and Ala meaning purity. There is also Obaluaye, Obalufon etc. All meaning King of different things/entities/concepts. 8 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by RamessesIV(m): 1:57pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
OLDEST CIVILISATION IN EUROPE Minoans (3000BC-1200BC) location:aegean sea,crete OLDEST CIVILISATION IN ASIA Indus valley(3300BC-1300BC) Location:western part of the indian-subcontinent OLDEST CIVILISATION IN NIGERIA Nok culture=(1500BC-500AD) Location=Northern Nigeria Amujale: Amujale: |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Edeyoung: 2:39pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
scholes0: Wow so oromiyan left the ooni of ife and called benin king 'oba' meaning king..... Lol Again why did oromiyan do this.....? Why didnt eledumare crown ooni as king(oba) rightfully king, literally ooni means king anyhow you are putting it Kaybiyesi :must not be questioned, royal highnes, king,and so on..... it is a genral word the yoruba use to adress thier king unlike thier respective title that alone should have made yorubas adopt the wold kabiyesi for kingship in a general term Oba in benin does not mean king literally liks you equate kaybesi but it is representing king in benin, oba literally means[b] to shine[/b] illustriously it represents the topmost ruler of benin So kaybesi could have gone like that too Why did oromiyan leave the other yorubas and called oba of benin king? 4 Likes |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by lx3as(m): 3:05pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Edeyoung: I don't like wasting my time to respond to very unintelligent write up by emotional fellas. However, because you're as confused as the thread itself and your comments..I will try to explain below: OBA in Yoruba means one who presides, reigns or in charge; the verb is 'ba' (to preside) while the noun is 'oba'. Hence, the names likes, OBAsanjo, OBAyemi, etc, also words like IjOBA(reign, ruling), OmOBA(prince), OmOBAbinrin(Princess), etc. Kabiyesi, Kabiesi is gotten from 'ka bi ọ́ o si', meaning ' there is no one like you'. It's a praise word or greetings for Oba/king or God. Oòni, Alaafin, Ewi, Ọwá, Olu.., Oni..., are different tittles for different Oba/king in Yorubaland to identify their territories. Linguistically or generically, King simply means Oba. Try and translate this sentence into English language: Oba ba lori ohun gbogbo (you're analysing as if you understand the language; if you don't, look for someone to do that for you) The word for King in Igodomigodo is Ogiso and the related words in recent Edo are Onogie, Ogie, etc use for rulers and dukes. It's foolhardy for one to tell Yorubas that have word for everything that they don't have word for king and trying to make silly suggestions when you don't even understand the language. 7 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Sammy07: 3:06pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
lx3as: If the guy doesn't understand this, then don't respond to him anymore You've explained in details 7 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Edeyoung: 3:22pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
lx3as: Again i know all this but why was benin giving the title oba and was only asked to bury thier predecessors head only Many people use the title emir Eledumare or the person who gave the title to the various yoruba kings could have just given oba to all rulers to signify king just as emir Kaybesi, and the word oba are praises in thier respective dialect and they are used to honour royalty so i believe kabiyesi should have been the proper word for king in yoruba land |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by lx3as(m): 3:23pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Sammy07: My brother, I don't understand why these guys are so emotional and childish. They are even disgracing themselves on internet opening threads that Yorubas are from Bini without shame and as if they don't give birth there. How could Yorubas in hundreds of LGAs, in about 8 States and indigenous to many countries come from Bini that has not grown beyond 7 LGAs? Ijaws and Yorubas are even native to some of these 7 LGAs like Ovia. 9 Likes 1 Share |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by lx3as(m): 3:41pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Edeyoung: Last reply bro. I now know you don't understand Yoruba language if you still don't get the words 'ba' and 'oba' (a verb and noun) and you're seeing it as praise. How do people greet Oba? Is it 'oba, oba or Kabiesi, kabiyesi'?. After I'd explained that Kabiesi(ka bi ọ o si) is not a word but a sentence, you're still confused. You can go ahead and do change of names for people like Obatala, Ọbàlùfọ̀n, etc.. Firstly, Oba is not a praise. Also, Emir means an Islamic religious leader not king and finally, Oranmiyan left his son, Eweka in Edo when he had to return to Ìfẹ. His son was 'Omo Oba ni Edo', the son of Oba Oranmiyan in Edo/Igodomigodo. When the father left, he became Oba. Edo language is different to Yoruba, it's left to them to form whatever title they wish or like, it's not Yorubas' duty and the Igodomigodo people seemed to be comfortable with the word king or Oba. 5 Likes 1 Share |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by RedboneSmith(m): 4:46pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
A little question, please. If Oba is the generic Yoruba word for King, what about Olu? It is just a mere synonym, or are there differences between Olu and Oba? Or is the difference one of dialect, where Oba is prevalent in one part of Yorubaland and Olu is prevalent in another? 3 Likes |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Edeyoung: 5:23pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
RedboneSmith: Nice question |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Edeyoung: 5:36pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Every yoruba who have answered is still beating round the bush..... The question goes in two pair one the reason why oba" is a generic term in yoruba language the other is why only the oba is been buried in ife..... You cant answer one and leave the other..... Most of the questions answered is relating to the oba title both questions must be answered before the true meaning can be interpreted 1 Like |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 5:43pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
RamessesIV: Some of the dates arent accurate You are correct that the oldest civilisation in Europe is Minoan. However, the dates are as follows: Minoans c.2700 toc.1450 BCE location:aegean sea,crete The oldest civilisation in Asia is the summer civilisation (3300BC-1300BC) The Indus valley is connected to Africa by the hip. Our scholarship suggest that there are two many connections for them to be down to coincidence. Eventhough there's proof of earlier dates i will go with Profesdor S A Akintoye and Clyde Winters. The Yoruba, Edo, Igbo, Urhobo, Nupe, Tiv, Igala, Idoma, and so on, from our archeological research and linguistic research, we believe that though all those peoples evolved along the banks of the Middle Niger up to the confluence with the Benue and that at some point in 5000-3000 BCE they began to spread out from there and gradually, the Yoruba, Edo, Nupe, Igbo, Igala, Idoma, Igbere evolved, and so on. According to Dr Clyde Winters West Africa owns the oldest form of developed writting systems anywhere in the world. |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Sammy07: 5:44pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
RedboneSmith: Olu of warri is a title. All Yoruba kings has their own title. Ile - ife --- Ooni of ife Oyo -- Alaafin of Oyo Akure --- Deji of Akure Ondo --- Osemawe of Ondo Offa --- Olofa of offa Ado @-- Ewi of ado Oshogbo --- ataoja of Oshogbo Ede ---- Timi of Ede Ibadan ---- Olubadan of Ibadan Ogbomosho -- Shoun of Ogbomosho As you can see, each and every town and city has it own title... Oba is the word used before their names. In English it'll be His Royal Highness/ Majesty Ademuyiwa Olakunmi In Yoruba, it'll be Oba Ademuyiwa Olakunmi. When Ooni of ife visited Olu of warri In his words he said. He said: “In about 1480AD, the founder of Warri Kingdom, Olu Ginuwa the First, was the first son of Oba Oluwa of the then Benin kingdom. Ginuwa left Benin to found Warri, and since then, Warri kingdom has produced the 20th Olu of Warri in Ogiame Ikenwoli. 4 Likes 1 Share |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 6:23pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
We need to take in mind that humanity begins in Africa and that both Asia and Europe have a 2000 year head start due to the slave trades. According to their own records, the current stock of Asians and Europeans werent around 100,000 years ago. The oldest ancient tool found in West Africa dates over 1 million years old. |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 6:26pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
RedboneSmith: You are absolutely correct. Oba is the generic Yoruba term for king. Olu is the generic Yoruba term for Lord. 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 6:29pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
What is the etymology for the term 'Oba'? |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Edeyoung: 6:32pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Amujale: Lord and king what is the difference Pls you guys shouldnt get me started My conclusion is the word oba is not yoruba No true answer have been giving so far To connect if ife really had contact with benin 1 Like |
Re: How Come The Title Of Oba Became The General Word For King In All Yoruba Lexicon by Amujale(m): 6:36pm On Apr 30, 2020 |
Oba (ruler) Oba is the word for King. Kings in Yorubaland are known as Obas, for example Oba Sijuade of Ile ife, Oba Aromoralan of Ijeshaland, Oba Adeyemi of Oyo, Oba Eriediewa of Benin. Similarly, i personally represent the essence of the spirit of a famous seat of an Oba. The Benin people adopted the word from the Yoruba. The Benin word for King is Ogie or Ogiso changed to Oba when Eweka l son of yoruba prince Oranmiyan came to the throne in Benin. Aristocratic titles among the Yoruba. The Yoruba chieftaincy system can be divided into four separate ranks: royal chiefs, noble chiefs, religious chiefs and common chiefs. The royals are led by the Obas, who sit at the apex of the hierarchy and serve as the fons honorum of the entire system. Oba Beaded Crown "Ade" of King Onijagbo Obasoro Alowolodu, Ogoga of Ikere. I pay my homage to the Crown, I digress. There are two different kinds of Yoruba monarchs: The kings of Yoruba For example, the king of Iwo - bears the title "Olu'wo" (Olu of Iwo, lit. Lord of Iwo). The first generation towns of the Yoruba homeland, which encompasses large swathes of the said countries of Benin, Nigeria and Togo, are those with obas who generally wear beaded crowns; the rulers of many of the 'second generation' settlements are also often obas. Those that remain and those of the third generation tend to only be headed by the holders of the title "Baale" (lit. Father of the Land ), who do not wear crowns and who are, at least in theory, the reigning viceroys of those who wear crowns. I bow to the ways of the Crown. 2 Likes 1 Share |
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