Skip to main content

In Defence of Edo Womanhood

I posted this article to heart beat news sometime ago. I have reworked and added a few things in view of the ongoing debate over prostitution by Edo girls.

The expanded form of the word Ogiso is Ogie-iso, which when tranlated in Edo means, king of the sky. The word Ogie means king, Iso means Sky or Heaven. Thus the Edo people believe that thieir kings come from the sky or more appropiately, from Heaven or from God. It is belief which explains why the Oba or king is the embodiment of the culture of the Edo people. The story of the people of the people cannot be written without reference to their king or Oba. Indeed, everything revolves round the Oba. For example, a matured man would be appropriately referred to as Okpioba(meaning Oba´s man)Conversely, a woman would be referred to as Okhuoba (meaning Oba´s woman).

The salutions or greetings of the Edo people have not excluded their Oba. Thus for "Good morning" Edo man or woman would say Oba Owie(meaning King of the Morning) "For good afternoon" they would say Oba Avan (King of the afternoon) and for "good evening" they would say Oba ota (meaning king of the Evening). The origin of the word Oba has been a subject of controversy.

The early kings in Benin were known as Ogisos. The succcesors were the Obas which began with Oba Eweka1. Some writers claim that the word Oba is a yoruba word which means King. Others insist that the word must have been derived from the Benin word O baa meaning "it is difficult hard or dificult or probably from an abbreviation of the original name of the first Ogiso Obagodo(Oba godo: Oba-King godo. high; thus High king). The long history of Edo people is reflected in their uniquely rich cultural heritage

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The origin Of Agbor

Agbor is one of the oldest vibrant towns in Nigeria, but may have been disadvantaged and eclipsed over the years by the world famous city of Benin, which is only 40 miles away and Asaba, two major towns in between which it is located, as they served as terminuses for east-bound ferry travellers. So much was not recorded about Agbor. The History of Agbor Kingdom like those of other African ancient kingdoms, empires and peoples, is based largely on oral tradition. Various oral accounts on the origin of Agbor and Ika people exist but the most credible being that “Ogunagbon” and his followers, who founded Agbor, came from Benin and first settled in “Ominije”, presently located in today’s Agbor-Nta. Following what can best be described as personal crisis between two princes in Benin and subsequent settlement of this dispute as agreed to by the chiefs and elders of Benin determined by casting of lot, led to one of the princes settling in what became known as ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Origin and meaning of Edo words

Ewuare the first Bini warrior king, was himself forced into exile as a young prince and nearly would not have ascended the Benin throne.  With death penalty hanging on his head as a result of some misdemeanor, he fled into the woods although regularly, secretly visiting the city of Benin at night. The elders (Edionisen) heard about his secret visits and set a trap to capture and kill him.  Just as he was about to be caught, he escaped to the home of Ogieva Nomuekpo, who hid him in a well covered on top with leaves.  Ogieva then went to invite the elders to come and arrest Prince Ogun as he was called then. While Ogieva was on his way to call the elders, Edo, the head servant of Ogieva's household alerted Prince Ogun about his master's diabolical plan and helped the prince to escape.  Ogieva returned with the elders to find that he had been betrayed and he severely punished Edo for this. After several years in the bush, Prince Ogun began to grow weary of his vaga...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Story of Emotan

Emotan a patriotic woman who traded in foodstuffs at the very spot where her statue stands in the 15th century. At that period,{11th} Oba Uwaifiokun {1430AD-1440AD} usurped the throne of the Benin kingdom in place of his senior brother,Prince Ogun who was the heir apparent. Ogun in those times of travail. paid secret and nocturnal visits to Benin from his exile. On many occasions,this market woman called Emotan warmed Ogun of impending dangers and advised him against interacting with some treacherous chiefs who may reveal his presence. On one occasion Emotan actually hide prince ogun from his adversary. Some Historians are of the view that Emotan was a market woman who took care of little children whilst their mothers were away buying and selling their wares in oba market they refer to her as the market woman who began the first "DAY-CARE CENTRE" in Benin City. When Prince Ogun eventually regained the throne and was subsequently crowned as the real Oba of Benin, he took th...
Post a Comment
Read more