The Exploration Of
Afemai Language
- A language and culture rich in history, diversity, and significance. As we delve into the depths of Afemai heritage, we uncover tales of resilience, migration, and linguistic evolution that have shaped this vibrant community.
The Map Of Afemai
DISCOVER
Our History
Oral histories passed from generation to generation often lose its vital original core truth and pseudo-information may be added in its place. Sometimes it will generate too many versions which become confusing. One may have to critically analyze them to arrive at a more possible true history.
Various accounts on how the Afemai people left Benin have been narrated but the one which is believed to be more credible is what is presented here. It is difficult for any oral history not to distort as we all know. The people of AFemai are believed to have migrated from the Benin kingdom at about the 14th century A.D. They migrated for the desire for independent communities rather than being under the oppressive rule of the Oba of Benin. In addition, they quest for fertile soil for their farming purposes.
Though there are some little variations in dialects in the Afemai geographical entity, yet there is similarity in the language and character which is an indication that all Afemai are of one root. Almost all Afemai people speak Etsako. It is not difficult to link the people to the culture, tradition and ancestral mode of worship of the Benin kingdom.
Originally, Afemai was made up of Akoko-Edo, Etsako and Owan sub-regions, and it consisted of thirty-eight (38) clans. A clan is made up of people who trace their origin to a common ancestor’s name as it stands or combined with an affix, that the clan bears. The only exception is Igarra (Etuno), a clan which traces its descent to igala land of Kogi state and Idah is the seat of the people. Igarra is a corrupted form of Igala. And with the exception of Igarra, all Afemai people form one of the Edo-speaking groups.
The most popular history of Afemai teaches that; Adaobi was a warrior in the palace of the Oba of Benin Kingdom. Due to tyrannical rule from the Oba, group of individuals believed to be of one kindred approached the warrior Adaobi, that they were dissatisfied with the situation of oppression. They wanted liberations by mass exodus of these people.
Adaobi saw to their plight and pledge to take them out of bondage of oppression. He volunteered to lead them to a place where the Oba will not be able to reach them. The ancestors of the Etsako, the Owans and the Akoko Edo formed the exoduses which are the present day Afemai. The word Afemai means OUR FAMILY or OUR TRIBE. That means the people are of one root, or of a family. Another version says that the different families that form Etsako, Owan and Akoko-Edo left in different groups. Adaobi asked the Etsako/Owan people to get prepared within 5 days for the exodus. The move took them to Obada, some twenty-three miles off Benin. After their stay in Obada for a period of time, the Oba heard where they encamped and vowed to extend the law to them. So, upon this knowledge, they move again further north to a place now called AVHIELE. From this settlement, families begin to found their communities.
Adaobi was known and respected as a warrior, leader of the Afemai people in their mass movement from Benin kingdom to the present day Afemai. His last place of abode was round IVBHIARO, where we still have IVHIADAOBI (children of Adaobi). He had his shrine at Ukwe Adaobi near IVBHIARO and there is a shrine at IVHIANOKPODI in Weppa Wanno dedicated to the worship of Adaobi. This was because he was sited at the spot in Ivhianokpodi. In order to honour a “GENERAL” known by all as their messiah who led them out of bondage, the shrine was established.
Another version says that Adaobi was to be crowned a ruler of Afemai people by the Oba of Benin, but his people were not present, so he was never crowned. Some say Adaobi went to the Oba’s palace to be crowned; others say the Oba came to his abode to crown him. Another story says that out of feat of anger, he disappeared into the forest and was later found to turn into a python with human head. The stories were not authenticated.
Two sets of people formed the Akoko-Edo: the OKPAMERI that migrated from the Benin Kingdom, just as the Etsako and Owan people and the IGALA (Etuno), a clan which traces its descent to Igalaland in Kogi State.
Afemai people are predominantly farmers from the origin. The farm produce are yam, cassava, rice, groundnut, maize, beans and cocoa. Palm fruit for the production of palm oil, kernel is also available in Afemai. Limestone is found in large quantity around Okpella and this gave rise to the Okpella cement factory.
The Name
Afemai
The Edo North Senatorial District was previously named “Kukuruku Division.” The name Afemai connotes “our family” and was given in 1956 by the then Western Region House of Assembly. The word Kukuruku is a derogatory name given to the Afemai people by the Nupe slaves invaders during the slave trade era.
For the sake of clarity, the term “kukuruku” was a nickname or derogatory name given by Nupe/Hausa slave traders who invaded the area during the slave trade era. The Afemai people during the invasion will scream an alert by shouting “OKOGOGO OO” meaning ‘TERRIBLE’ on sighting the invaders for the people to go into hiding. These Hausa/Nupe invaders who do not understand Etsako language interpret the word as “kukuruku”. The alert of Okogogo sends a signal to others to run for safety.
Kukuruku division which comprises Etsako, Ivhiosakon and Akoko-Edo, was formally renamed Afemai division in 1956 by the then Western Region House of Assembly. The first District Council Election in the then Western region in 1954 gave birth to Etsako District Council. Akoko-Igarra (or Akoko-Oki) was renamed Akoko-Edo in 1963 when it was carved out of Afemai Division as an independent Division. Etsako and Ivhiosakon united under Afemai Division until 1968 when Afemai division was further split into two separate divisions: Etsako and Ivhiosakon (renamed Owan at its creation)
THE NAME ETSAKO
ENE TSAKO (Those who carve teeth)
Carving of teeth was an old practice cherished in Afemai land to mark and celebrate holy matrimony. A bridegroom who found his bride to be a virgin will joyfully bring a professional teeth carver to carve his bride’s front down teeth in those days, it is not every lady who goes into the husband’s home a virgin. Afemai men, as a matter of joy and pride, will get up in social gatherings to declare “I carved teeth for my wife” to challenge another who did not. That is how the word Etsako was established and became the name of the people.
THE NAME
AFEMAI LANGUAGE
Afemais speak a common language called Etsako but some erroneously call it “YEKHEE” and this is wrong. There is no such language as Yekhee in Edo state because the languages of the people are the name of the people. Yoruba people speak Yoruba, Igbo people speak Igbo; Hausa people speak Hausa, Etsako people speak Etsako and not Yekhee. There are dialectical variations such as Auchi, Uzairue, South Ibie, Uwepa-Wanno, Avhianwu (Fugar), Avhiele, Owan or Ekperi dialect. The people of the various sub regions as dictated by proximity, however speak closely related dialect and have a common culture.
And since there is no common language for the people of Afemai, it became necessary to pick one dialect to be called Afemai central language. The Akoko-Edo and the Owan people do not understand the Agbelos and the Etsako. The Etsako people do not understand the Owans and there is none that is central. Each of the clans in the Afemai District speak their different dialects, so there is need to accept one dialect as the Afemai language; just as other tribes in Nigeria have done.
THE APPROPRIATE FOR AFEMAI
ETSAKO LANGUAGE
Etsako dialects spoken in the four local government areas is developed by Etsako Language Research and Development Centre for the purpose of having a central language for the Afemai people. The development of Etsako is a systhesis and fusion of all the dialect in the six local governments of Afemai people using Etsako as the main. The development of a new numeral, “Etsako New Numerals and Words” gave credence to this concept of a unified language. It made the counting broad and advanced that it broke the barrier that had limited the numeral prowess of our land. Today Afemai is known as the language with the highest numeral in the world with 3604 digit figures.