Adọlọ [ádɔ̀lɔ́] n.
name of an Ọba of Benin who reigned from 1848 ― 1888. He was the father of Ọba Ovọnramwẹn (Egharevba: 1968, pp. 46-47).
Aduwawa [àdúwàwà] n.
name of an Edo village on the outskirts of Benin to the East.
Agbado [àg͡bàdò] n.
name of one of the oldest native markets of Benin City, situated along Akpakpava Road.
Agbaziro [ág͡bàzíɽò] n.
name of one of the local government areas in the Esan-speaking part of Bendel State.
Agbodo [àg͡bódó] n.
1. the name of a lake in Ugo.
2. general term for a cave or any deep and wide hollow in the ground.
Agboghidi [ág͡bóɣìdì] n.
the name of a famous and historic ruler of Ugo.
Akaẹrọnmwọn [ákaɛ́ɽ̃ɔ̃̀ɱɔ̃̀] n.
The Palace Court Jester.
Akẹngbuda [àkɛ̃́gbúdà] n.
the name of the Oba of Benin who reigned from 1750 to 1803 (Egharevba 1968: p. 74).
Akẹnzua [ákɛ̃́zuà] n.
the name of two past Obas of Benin: Akenzua I 1713 to 1734 and Akenzua II 1933 to 1978.
Akpakpava [àk͡pàk͡pávà] n.
the name of one of the streets in Benin City, it leads from the Ring Road to Ikpoba Slope.
Akpọlọkpọlọ [àk͡pɔ̀lɔ̀k͡pɔ́lɔ̀] n.
one of the praise titles of the Ọba of Benin: Ọmọ n’Ọba n’Ẹdo, Uku Akpọlọkpọlọ.
Arúkhọ [àɽúxɔ̀] n.
name of the ill-treated wife of Ogiso in Ẹdo folklore.
Arhuanràn [ářw̃ã́ɽã̀] n.
name of the historic giant sized brother of Ọba Ẹsigie.
Atakparhakpa [àtàk͡pářàk͡pà] n.
1. name of the legendary rogue who was reputed to be a most skillful robber:
Atakparhakpa ne ogie-oyi ― “Atakparhakpa, the chief of robbers.”
2. nickname for a thief.
Avbiama [àʋyámá] n.
the name of an Ẹdo-Speaking village.
Azama [àzámà] n.
the name of a deity of the Ọba, said to have been an historic royal courtier.
ebaba [èbàbá] n.
address term, used mainly by the young, for father. Other terms include evbavba; erha.
Edaikẹn [èdàíkɛ̃́] n.
the title of the heir-apparent to the Ẹdo throne; his court is at Uselu.
Edogun [èdógṹ] n.
title of a warchief.
Edọhẹn [èdòhɛ̃́] n.
title of one of the chiefs belonging to the Uzama.
Egọ [ègɔ̀] n.
a Bini village situated on the road leading to Siluko.
Eghaẹvbo [èɣàɛ̀ʋò] n.
the title of two sets of Edo chiefs: 1. Eghaẹvbo Nore, and 2. Eghaẹvbo Nogbe. The latter is made up of officials of the palace (eguae), while the former consists of town chiefs; such as Iyasẹ, Esọgban, Esọn and Osuma.
Ehaẹkpẹn [èháɛkpɛ̃̀] n.
title of a category of Edo chiefs.
Ehẹngbuda [èhɛ̃́gbúdà] n.
Name of a past Oba of Benin who reigned from about 1578 to about 1607 (Egharevba 1968:73).
Ehẹnmihẹn [èhɛ̃̀mĩ́hɛ̃̀] n.
name of a past Ọba of Benin who reigned in the first half of the thirteenth century (Egharevba 1968:73).
Ehọ [èhɔ̀] n.
Ehor, a town on the boundary between Ẹdo and Esan-speaking people.
Ehọndọn [èhɔ̃́dɔ̃́] n.
title of a chief whose special function is to oversee the slaughtering and butchering of sacrificial animals at all the Oba’s sacrifices.
Eka [èká] n.
The Ika people and their language. They are a branch of the Igbo-Speaking people.
Ekatakpi [èkátákpì] n.
a nickname for a short and fat person, with short limbs; it derives from a character in Edo folklore who was a stump.
Eko2 [èkó] n.
the Edo name of Lagos, which originated with the use of the territory as a war-camp by Edo warriors in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Emotan [èmṍtã̀] n.
the name of an Edo heroine of the 15th century commemorated by the bronze statue of a queen mounted in 1954 at her grave site where a sacred uruhe tree once grew, in front of the Ọba market; this had been cut down inadvertently by a construction firm. By Ewuare’s decree, the Oba makes sacrifices to it, and every traditional burial procession visits the statue and offers it cowries and chalk.
Erediauwa [éɽédyàúwà] n.
name of the reigning Ọba of Benin.
Eresọyẹn [éɽésɔ̀yɛ̃̀] n.
name of a past Ọba of Benin.
Esago [ésàgó] n.
the name of the god of thunder, Sango; (also esango; isango; & isago) (cf. Yoruba sango).
Esagho [ésàɣò] n.
the name of the chief wife of Ogiso, typically depicted in Edo folktales as ill-fated.
Esama [ésàmã́] n.
the title of the chief who performs the ama ceremony.
Esan [ésã̀] n.
the Ishan people, one of the tribes in the Edo ethnic group.
Esere [èsèrè] n.
the title of a senior chief of the Iwẹguae society.
Esọgban [ésɔ̀gbã́] n.
the title of a senior chief, who is a member of the Eghaevbo n’Ore, and who acts for the Iyasẹ in his absence.
Esọn [ésɔ̃̀ɔ̃́] n.
the title of a senior chief, who is a member of the Eghaẹvbo n’Ore.
Esu [èsù] n.
1. in traditional religion: the name of a harmful deity believed to be sent by the other gods to cause trouble: it cannot kill a man, but would lead him into danger or temptation;
2. In the Christian sense, the Devil; Lucifer.
Eyaẹn [èỹã̀ɛ̃́] n.
the name of a village on the outskirts of Benin along the Benin ― Auchi Road.
Ezọti [èzɔ́tì] n.
name of a past Ọba who reigned in about 1473. (Egharevba 1968:73).
Ẹbomisi [ɛ̀bómìsí] n.
name of an Ẹdo deity who is said to have transformed himself into the hill now known as Oke Ẹbomisi along the Benin ― Agbor road.
Ẹbue [ɛ̀buè] n.
name of Bini village.
Ẹdo [ɛ̀dó] n.
1. the native name for Benin City, as well as for the language of its inhabitants and environs;
2. the classificatory name for the group of related languages spoken in most of Bendel State, and which is a subgroup of the Kwa branch of the Niger ― Congo family;
3. the ethnic label for the speakers of the Central-Edo group of languages.
Ẹkẹhuan [ɛ̀kɛ́hwã́] n.
name of an Edo village.
Ẹribo [ɛ́ɽíbò] n.
the title of the second senior chief of the Iwebo society.
Ẹro [ɛ̀ɽó] n.
title of the chief whose court is at Urubi quarters in Benin City, and who is a member of the Uzama.
Ẹrriẹ [ɛ̀ryɛ̀] n.
the name of the street in which the first storey building in Benin City was constructed.
Ẹsigie [ɛ́sigyè] n.
name of a past Oba of Benin.
Ẹwẹdọ [ɛ́wɛdɔ̀] n.
name of a past Oba of Benin.
Ẹwẹka [ɛwɛka] n.
name of the first Oba of Benin in the present dynasty. The title was also assumed by the father of Ọba Akẹnzua II as Ẹwẹka II.
Ẹwuakpẹ [ɛ́wwakpɛ̀] n.
name of a past Oba of Benin.
Ẹwuare [ɛ́wwaɽè] n.
name of a past Oba of Benin.
Ibiwe [ìbíwè] n.
the name of one of the three palace societies. It is the one responsible for the harem.
Idogbo [idóg͡bò] n.
name of an Edo village.
Idọkpa [ídɔk͡pa] n.
name of an Edo village.
Idu [ìdú] n.
an older name for Edo people, still in use in some Igbo communities.
Igodomigodo [ìgòdòmigòdò] n.
an old name for the Benin Kingdom.
Igun [ìgṹ] n.
a quarter in Benin which was traditionally occupied by the guild of blacksmiths. They formed a sib, whose morning greeting is “laa ni!”.
Igbaghọn [íg͡baɣɔ̃̀] n.
1. the Edo name for the Jamieson river, near Sapele;
2. the name of the goddess of the river.
Igbankẹ [ìg͡bã́kɛ̀] n.
the name of a town inhabited by both Edo and Ika people, to the East of Benin City. It is a boundary town between the Edo-speaking and Ibo-speaking areas of Bendel State.
Igbekhuẹ [ìg͡bèxwɛ̀] n.
the name of an Ẹdo village, 25km. west of Benin.
Ihama [íhàmá] n.
the title of leader of the Ihogbe chiefs; he attends to the Oba’s ancestral shrines of the paternal side.
Ikpoba [ìk͡pòbà] n.
name of the river that runs along the eastern side of Benin City.
Ikpokpan [ìk͡pòkpã̀] n.
name of an old village component of Benin City which is now part of the urban complex.
Isẹkiri [ìsɛ̀kíɽì] n.
The Itsekiri people.
Iyasẹ [íyàsɛ́] n.
the title of the most important chief in Benin; he is the head of the Eghaevbo n’Ore.
Iyọba [íyɔ́bá] n.
(< iye-Ọba) “mother of the Ọba” the Queen-mother.
Odighi [òdìɣì] n.
the name of an Edo-speaking village to the West of Benin City.
Ogidigan [ògídígã̀] n.
a praise-name for Ọba Ewuare, which reflects his power and military exploits; equivalent of “the great”.
Ogiso [ògìsó] n.
the title of an early set of kings of Benin who are set to have reigned from about 900 ― 1200 AD.
Ogbe [óg͡bè] n.
the section in Benin where the palace is. Other important public facilities in this area are the Sports Stadium and the air-port.
Ogboni [ògbónĩ̀] n.
the name of a secret society.
Oliha [ólíhà] n.
the name of a chief who is first in rank at the Uzama.
Onioni [ónyónĩ̀] n.
the name of the son of Arhuaran who was noted for his excessive might.
Orhionmwọn [óřĩɔ̃̀ɱɔ̃̀] n.
the name of an Edo river after which a local govemment area has been named. Anglicized form is Ossiomo.
Orra1 [órà] n.
the Ora people and their language.
Osa [òsà] n.
the Supreme God; also Osanobua (esp. in the Christian context). (also Osalobua).
Osodin [ósòdĩ̀] n.
the title of a chief; he stands for the Oba’s departed father.
Osun [òsṹ] n.
the magical spirit of herbs from which herbalists derive their healing power. It is worshipped as a god.
Osuma [ósùmã́] n.
a chief, fourth in rank among the Eghaẹvbo n’Ogbe.
Ovọnrramwẹn [òvɔ̃́ráɱɛ̃̀] n.
(also written as Ovọramwẹn): the reigning Oba of Benin during the British “Punitive Expedition” of 1897.
Ọghẹnnẹ [ɔ́ɣɛ̃̀nɛ̃́] n.
1. the Ẹdo name for the Oni of Ife.
Ọhẹn [ɔ́hɛ̃̀] n.
the name of a past Ọba of Oba of Benin, who became crippled in the later days of his reign. He was the father of Ọba Ẹwuare.
Ọkhuahẹ [ɔ̀xùáhɛ̀] n.
1. the name of a river in an Edo village by the same name, situated along Benin-Asaba road;
2. the name of a famous magician during the reign of Oba Ewuare. He is said to have transformed himself into the river Ọkhuahẹ, and is worshipped today as a deity.
Ọmọ [ɔ̀mɔ̃́] n.
an appellation for the Ọba:
“Ọmọ n’Ọba n’Ẹdo” ― “Ọmọ, the ruler of Benin.”
Ọsẹmwẹndẹ [ɔ̀sɛ́ɱɛ̃̀dɛ́] n.
name of a past Ọba of Benin.
Ọvia [ɔ̀vyá] n.
1. the name of a river;
2. the name of the goddess of Ovia river, and the cult that worships it.
Ọza [ɔ̀zà] n.
the name of an Edo-speaking community, whose dialect of Edo is quite distinct.
Ọzọlua [ɔ̀zɔ̀luà] n.
the name of a past Oba of Benin. He was the father of Ọba Ẹsigie.
Udazi [údazì] n.
one of the praise titles for the Supreme Being which refers to his identity as the “Giver of life”: “Osa n’Udazi.”
Ugbẹkun [ùg͡bɛ̀kũ̀] n.
the name of a village.
uhẹ [úhɛ̀] n.
the Edo name for Ifẹ.
uhobo [ùhòbò] n.
the Edo name for the Urhobo people and their language.
Uku [úkú] n.
one of the praise-names for the Oba: “Uku-Akpọlọkpọlọ”.
Umogun [úmõ̀gṹ] n.
the royal family of Benin; their sib greeting is “Lamogun.”
Urhonigbe [ùřònígbè] n.
the name of an Edo town.
Usama [úsàmá] n.
a site at the Ọlọtọn quarter used for some of the ceremonies of the Oba’s coronation.
Use [ùsè] n.
the name of an Edo village.
Uselu [ùsèlú] n.
the quarter of Benin where the Edaikẹn has his court.
Uzama [ùzámà] n.
the council of seven chiefs made up of: Oliha, Edọhẹn, Ezọmọ; Ẹro; Ehọlọ n’Irre, Ọlọtọn and Edaikẹn.
Uzẹbu2 [ùzɛ̀bú] n.
the quarter in Benin where the court of Chief Ezọmọ is.