Family Morning Salutation In Edo Kingdom

The generally acceptable Edo greetings, including for visitors are (
1) Ọbowiẹ - Good Morning
(2) Ọbavan - Good Afternoon
(3) Ọbota - Good evening
(4) Koyo - Hello. However, bellow are structured family greeting in relations with all clans and chieftaincy of the Benin Empire.

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FAMILY MORNING SALUTATIONS IN EDO KINGDOM

The following morning salutations are associated with the various families in Edo Kingdom:
Family Name	Salutation	Some Traditions and Customs Associated With Chieftaincy The strict adherences to the custom and spirituality observances of the Edo land have always played a dominant role in the life of Edo people. It is therefore no wonder that most of these observances developed from their innate consciousness of their beliefs in their creator (osanobuwa orOsanobua or Osanoghodua) who they say can only be reached through the spirits of their ancestors or their departed parents or elder they term Enikaro (The originator). In like manner, the Edo have associated themselves with the past and it is not uncommon to find that every family is therefore traced to its original forebear; a fact which is borne out by their family morning salutations. In most cases, these morning salutations are interlinked with the various chieftaincy titles of the land. A common saying in Benin is that those who have no family salutation are either stranger or else not freeman, but even those who are supposed to belong to these groups (of strangers or non freeman) usually take the morning salutations of their masters as the case may be. ======================== Other Recommended articles: - Greeting After A Meal : Celebrating Edo Culture And Tradition
1 Royal family (First royal period from Ogiso era)	Delaiso (Laiso)
2 Oba Ewuare	Lamogun
3 Iyase of Benin	Lavbieze
4 Oliha of Benin	Laogele
5 Edohen of Benin	Latose
6 Isiemwenro	Latose
7 Ezomo of Benin	lagiesan
8 Ero of Benin	Lamosun
9 Eholor Nire of Benin	Laire
10 Oloton of Benin	Lamehi
11 Elema of Benin	Lagba
12 Ogiamen of Benin	Laire
13 Ogiefa of Benin	Larendo (Laidu)
14 Ine N'Igun of Benin	Delani (or Lani)
15 Osa of n'Igun	Delaiki (or Laiki)
16 Osuan of Benin	Labo
17 Enogie of Ugo N' Iyekorhionmwon	Labo
18 Osenugba	Labo
19 Odionwere N'Idumwun Edo	Labo
20 Iyase of Udo	Lagiewan
21 Enogie of Ugo N'eki	Delakun (or Lakun)
22 Enogie of ute	Lagite
23 Ise of Utekon	Laeru
24 Iyase of Uselu	Layede
25 Elawure of Usen	Delauhe (Lauhe)
26 Ezima (or Ojima) of Okeluhen	Layeru
27 Enogie of Uvbe	Lauvbe
28 Enogie of Ehor	Dalaeho (or Laeho)
29 Eholor of Igieduma	Delaihon (or laihon)
30 Olokhunmwun	Delagun (or Lagun)
31 Umodu	Lamodu
32 Emezi	Lamezi
33 Eni of Uzae (Ijare)	Lamore
34 Aide	Laide
35 Olumoru	Lamoru
36 Oloke	Laloke
37 Ughe	Laughe
38 Igie	Laigie
39 Ugha	Laugha
40 Ohenukoni of Eviekoi	Delaihe (or Laihe)
41 Enogie of Irhue	Delalu (or Lalu )
42 Enogie of Evbokabua	Lavbiuwa
43 Emeri	Lameri
44 Agia	Lagia
45 Eze	Lamero
46 Emehe	Lamehe
47 Akpan	Delakpan (or Lakpan)
48 Umolu	Lamolu
49 Ize	Laize
50 Umokun	Lamokun
51 Ureni	Lareni
52 Idu	Laidu
53 Iren	Lairen
54 Igiena	Laigena
55 Emekon	Lamekon
56 Enogie of Erua 57 Igiete  58 Descendants of Iken  59 DeLai's returning from Ife  60 Osas of Benin  61 Uselu  62 Otue 63 Iyehun 64 Akun	Lagierua Laegiete Laivbieken DeLai-uhe Delaiki Layede Lavbotue Laoyehu Lakun

Courtesy: Origin of Benin chieftaincy titles - Prince Ena Eweka (Edited By Uwagboe Ogieva).http://ihuanedo.ning.com

The Benin Palace

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Greeting After A Meal : Celebrating Edo Culture And Tradition

Greeting After A Meal

"Edo" is the name that the people of the Benin Kingdom give to themselves, their language, and their capital city and kingdom. Renowned for their art of brass and ivory and for their complex political organization, the Edo Kingdom of Benin is one of the best known of the precolonial kingdoms on the Guinea Coast of West Africa. From at least the fifteenth century, the Benin Empire held varying degrees of authority over neighboring peoples, including the western Igbo, northeastern Yoruba, and various related Edo-speaking groups. In 1897 British-colonial forces conquered the kingdom and made it part of the Niger Protectorate. Today it is incorporated into the modern state of Nigeria."http://ihuanedo.ning.com/profiles/blogs/what-do-you-know-about-benin

.The Edo People or better Known in history books as Great Benin have special ways they greet After a meal.

(1) Kada:

This greeting is expecially directed to the Head of the home.But any other person,male or female is entitled to the greeting as long as they are older than the person offering the greeting and present it at the end of the meal.
Kada is a prayer and an abrreviation of the phrase "KO DIARE",which is an abbreviation of the sentence "U KOO UWA,U GHI DIA RRIOEE.Which Translates to "You have created prosperity,may you live long to enjoy it.
The man as the head of a househole provides food,shelter,security, among others,to other members of the home.This prayer is given by the male children of the household,that he may live long to enjoy the fruits of his labors.

(2) BUKPE:

This is a prayer by the daugthers of the household after meal,Like Kada.The full sentence and meaning of "BUKPE" is "U BOO UWA NE,U GHI KPE VBO."This is "You have created prosperity,may you live long to enjoy it."while male children greet "KADA".Female greet "BUKPE".

(3) ERHE GHI GBUE

This is a greeting of the wives of the household after meal.After a meal,the wives will have to pray to their husbands and for every other member of the house-hold who is older than they are.The full sentence and meaning is "ERHE GHI GBUE EMWIN NE U YA OBO RUE RU"This means "May you not fall victim to the plans of ill wishers who would not want you to enjoy the fruits of your labors".

These Three greetings have the smae undertone,but are expressed differently.The one the comes out from the lips of the woman makes one to know immediately if she was a wife or a daughter of he house,no matter the age.

Response to the greetings

"Aremiegbe" ---- May you be nourished by what you have eaten.
I hoen koyo Urhuese----heard you,(Hello),thank you.
I hoen Ovbimwen Akponmwen Osa ---I heard my child, To god be the Glory.
I hoen otenmwen,Osa rhuese ra Akponmwen Oghodua--------I heard you brother/sister,we thank God.

NOTE: "Erhe gi gbue" is more populare amongst the female folks in the modern times because the daughters of a household copy their mothers in this particular greeting.It is high time we effect and know the difference to separate the wives from the daughters.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=16882&post=82257&u...

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After Meal Greeings in Edo Language - How Prayerful

 By Philip Orumwense

How richly prayerful the Edo after-meal greetings are. These greetings as far as my limited Edo vocabulary goes only extended to just 3 which are:

Kada, Eregbue and Obupke.

Kada is predominantly a male greeting whilst Eregbue and Obukpe I believe are female greetings.

At a reading I attended yesterday of the first of a three-part series of Edo Historical Fiction delivered by "Engr Solomon Uwaifo, the noted Edo author who has recently experimented with writing in Edo" (2011: Dr. Taiwo Idemudia). The reading which lasted over 2 hours was taken from "his next book which will be a compendium of Edo stories in alternate chapters of translation to the English Language" (2011: Dr. Taiwo Idemudia) was done completely in edo language and contained highly rich Edo folklore, totems, taboos, courtship, royalty, military excursions, marriages, lies and above all morality and good neighbourliness. The reading was delivered in front of so many Edo leaders including Engineer Bernard Woghiren - The Odionwere.  Sir Steve Igbe, Cllr David Obazee, Ms Felicia Thomas, Mrs Adesuwa Obianwu (Madam Aisuen) and Helyn Woghiren amongst many others were in attendance.

I will urge us all to look out for these books when they are published.

I digressed - so back to the Edo after meal greetings that I was talking to.

At this reading and for the first time I heard a new greeting which was different from the three I re-called above and the greeting was eloquently delivered by no other than than our beautiful,lovely and forever young mummy - Madam Aisuen.

This greeting was "Usormoisue" and I thought 'how wonderfully prayerful this is  - to be told this after every meal means that one will never endure any suffering on behalf of our children.

I guess there may be many other such after meal greetings out there - if there are then let's discuss.

Madam Aisuen - uruese kakabo and Dr Idemudia thank you for hosting such a wonderful learning event and I could have paid inner cycle fees to watch the banter between Sir Steve Igbe and Cllr David Obazee when the former called the latter a refugee - some lite hearted humour amongst our elders - children watch and learn - our elders can poke fun at each other too.

Sincerely,

By Philip Orumwense 

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A Brief history of UHEN town. 

The history of Uhen Town, is a very interesting story, with a hidden past treasure,  the Benin kingdom will not want to hear.  Before i start with this brief history of UHEN,  first i will like to draw your attention to these already exstablished fact. 

(1) If EDIAKEN of Uselu means DIAYINIKEN, where are the IKEN'S descendances or family.

(2) In Edos morning greetings, LAVBEKEN which simply means carry go the children of EKEN,
which is not so popular in Benin.

(3) In Edos greetings LAIMOHEN, which simply means carry go the children of OHEN,
which is not so popular in Benin.

(4)That, it is not AKINMOKUN who came to UHEN, it was his decedants.
who identified themselves as the children of AKINMOKUN.

(5)That, UHEN is the old land route from Benin to OWO.

The first settler of the present day UHEN were two brother and their loyalist, ARAZUWA and EZEGBUGHE.
ARAZUWA was well trained warrior and EZEGBUGHE was a gifted herberlist. They were sons of a prince from OWO royal house, and also great grandchildren to Edo princess called EKEN. At the time of this article, i have not be able to get the name of their father. According my research, EKEN was the daughter of Oba Ohen, and was married to the king of OWO. She had many children, among whom are ARAZUWA fore father, AKINMOKUN, E.T.C.,

So ARAZUWA fore father and AKINMOKUN were siblings. AKINMOKUN was the heir aperrant to the thrown of OWO kingdom, for the fact that his mother is a non native, him was sent to the battle field with the hope he won't come back. Few years later his father died, his brother from a yoruba woman was crowned the king of OWO. EKEN and her children were asked to live the palace, they went and seek refuge in UTE. which is a few miles away, waiting for AKINMOKUN to return. On AKINMOKUN return,The mother and her children return back to OWO.
His brother (the king )wanted to step down for him, but the elders said a king has been crown and the king shall remain, so, AKINMOKUN accept his fate and remain a common citizen,
but refuse to potrait for his junior brother (the king) in any gethering, with this, the elders of OWO see as disloyalty to their king, with this AKINMOKUN and his siblins were banished from the land OWO. Princess EKEN arrived Benin with her children (ARAZUWA'S fore father, AKENMOKUN E.TC) , Her father(Oba Ohen) allocated a place for them at the present day ALAKA street, which was a mile from the oba's palace, EKEN was the most loved child of her father that is why she was name Eken(EGG) meaning (precious, fragile,clean,future).

Due to the circumstances surrounding the death of Oba OHEN, and the banishing of prince UWAIFIOKUN and prince OGUN by the UZAMAs, most Benins were not happy with the UZAMAS. so, instead of going to the palace for a meeting, they were going to the princess EKEN house at ALAKA, This become a threat to the palace authority combine with her warriors sons. The UZAMAS were becoming scared daily of the princess and, that,
her warriors sons might revenge the death of their grandfather. so they were asked to move out benin. The Benins thought the EKEN's are not going to take it litely, and that, is going to be very bloody, every body were asked to stay indoor, no market,no farm,no party no fetching of water from the river for days.

The EKEN's left Benin peacefully. when they have left without any bloodshed, the Benins pour out on the street to celebrate and decleared that, such day should be observed throughout the kingdom,(EKEN DAY) EDEKEN. EKEN and her people decide to go back to UTE, so they went toward the west of Benin, as they get to the present day USELU, the princess was sick over food poisoning from expired yam cake(ESIKOLO) she eat during the journey. The journey from Benin to Uselu usually two to three days as then. (that is the reason to this present day, yam cake is used during burial ceremony in Akinmokun family) AKINMOKUN decide to take care of his mother and settle at USELU,so it is the pincess and his sons who found USELU.
Few months later she died at USELU. while the others lead by ARAZUWA 'S fore father continue their journey, hence they were not the real one who have problem with the OWO people.When they arrived at OWO, the people did not accept at once, they where asked to stay at the present day OKELUSEN(OKENOHEN).(the camp of OHEN poeple). After many years, they were not getting any respond from the OWO's, so many people decide to emmigrate,
as a result of this, the Arazuwa's left their birth place and put their junior brother incharge of OKENOHEN. And went to settle in the present day UHEN. AKINMOKUN flourished, blessed with wives, children, well trained army and riches. He name his eldest son EKEN in the memory of his late mother(mispronounced IKEN). USELU became a commercial town in the kingdom, a gateway town to Benin from the west, and stop over town to and from BENIN.


For the fear of war from benin, he have his army well trained, and ready for any war from his neighbours . When Oba EWAURE. , became the king in benin kingdom, he formed an ally with his nephew AKINMOKUN. AKINMOKUN was to tackle any enemy from the west. After Oba EWAURE and AKINMOKUN era, IKEN became the leader of USELU, the Benin have a conflict with OWO kingdom, the Benins were ready to go war with OWO kingdom, on the other hand, the OWOS were prepared for them, the OWOs has place a curse in OWO that any soldier
who is not an OWO blood will not go home alive. When the Benin discovered the plot, they decide to used IKEN a true blood of OWO, They negotiated with IKEN, he accepted it at once, first ,to revenge his father, and to show his greatness. On consulting his oracle, he was warned not to fight his roots, though he will be victorious in the battlefield, but he will loose all his possession, and he will end up a wonderer, On this ground, he decide to renegotiate with Oba to refuse his offer; but the Oba made a promise to safeguard IKEN palace on his absents,
and that he is going to assigned his eldest son to mind his palace on his behalf.
Oba did as he promised, and put his eldest son in charged of USELU( DAIYINEKEN).,
With such assurance he went to war with his army, everything was victorious in OWO.
He captured many kings and princes around OWO. He held many captives and was bringing them to Benin, on get to the present day OGBOWO, the Benin crowned prince was waiting with his army to assassinate IKEN in order to take possession of his kingdom. The battle lasted for days or months, but no winner ,no looser.

Most captives escaped and try to go back to their home and end up in middle of
nowhere e.g EGBETA, USEN, UTESE, E.T.C.(these are the benin yoruba speeking ethnics).
Iken and his loyalist decide to stay for a while,with the hope of get a massage to the OBA who sent him on errand. For many years it was impossible to get his massage to the Oba. It was during their staying in that particular area, that people going or coming from Benin was describing that area as UGBIVBUOWO,(the Owo people farm). IKEN hope was lost when he got the information that the crown prince has become the Oba. Iken and his people have to run for their safety, they were herding for OWO, which was their accestorial homeland. IKEN told his followers that if he die, they should take his body to OWO to be buried. So when he died, his people have to dig a chamber inside his grave and buried in the chamber, so as whenever they want to continue their journey they will dig it up and the body will remain in one piece. After some years, the Iken's decide to continue their journey, they dug Iken body, in other to fulfill Iken wish, and token it along with them. At first they settle in the middle of the forest,which is today called IGUOGHO(IGUEOWO). (that is the reason today the IGHUOGHO people buring their dead in chambered grave). Iken remains is a god in IGUOGHO town.