UHUNMWUN 18

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IKỌ KEVBE IDOBO

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VBE ni miẹn ikọ kevbe idobo vb' ẹdẹ esuku mwẹn, eriọe bvii

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miẹn vb' ẹghẹ ni na gha gbẹn ebemwẹn (Ekhere vb' Itan Edu

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A Short History of Benin kevbe Uhi kevbe Uyinmwẹn Edo Benin

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Law and Custom ).

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I khare wẹ, 1914, i ke suẹn emwanmwan ebe gha gbẹn y' otọ

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kherhekherhe rhi-rin-rin--i te do suẹn gha gbọn-ẹn y' ebe na

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tie vbe 1921 (Ekherhe vb' Itan Ẹdo.). I gbọn-ẹn y' ebe vb' ukpo

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ni, i ma mu ẹtin yaẹn egbemwẹn ghi rẹn emwin rhunmwund'

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ọni, i ke ghi bu ọsemwẹn ọkpa na tiere Nọwanrẹn Sawyer

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vbe PWD--ọ kakabọ rẹn emwin ẹsẹsẹmwẹnse--nọ tiere nọ

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gumwẹn dọlọe yi. Sokpan, ọkpia na ke ghi khamamwẹn wẹrẹ,

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'irẹn khian miẹn obọ ya rue rhunmwunda, ugbẹnsọ, iran

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wina 'over time'. Ọ ke wẹ ni bu Nọwanrẹn C. J. Smart, i gha

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s' evba ni su eni irẹn ọ gha rhie iyobọ mẹ vbọ. Ugbẹn vbi ghi

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gele s' evba, ọkpia ina ke ghi gele miẹnmwẹn yi. Ọ te miẹnmwẹn

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ebe ni, ọ ke ghi fianmwẹn ikpọn isẹn, i na hae ikpọn eha nẹ-ẹn

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vbọ; ọ na suẹn ọnrẹn gha wina y' ekhọe emwanta dọlọe yi.

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Vb' uwuẹre ni, ẹzọ otọ eso ke ghi s' unu vbe Koko; iran na we

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nọ gbẹn ebe n' iran. Ebemwẹn ni ọre o lele nọ ya gbọn-ẹn n' iran

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na haere ikpọn ugie. Ọ ke ghi ru emwin ọmwanta, ọ ma rhie

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igho ni lere mẹ rhunmwunda, ebemwẹn ọ re ọ ze ghọ setin gbọn-

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ẹn miẹn igho ni. Vbiyeke ọni, dẹghẹ ọmwan k' ọmwan ghi

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khian gbẹn ebe vb' obọre, ọ we nọ bumwẹn gha de ni gue gbọn-

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ẹn rhunmwunda, i rẹn uro esi na gbẹn ebe laọ. Ọ wẹ ebemwẹn

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mobọ gia lele rhunmwunda, i rẹn vbe na ya muẹn ẹmwẹn gh'

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ukhunmwun muẹn gh' otọ hẹ. Sọkpan, ọ ghi sẹ 1927, i gha ghi

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s' ọghẹe, ọ gha mu ebe ni lere mẹ; ọ na gha gbọn-ẹn y' ebe

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ọvbehe yae khin ọghẹe. Nọwanrẹn C. E. Olotu kevbe Nọwanrẹn

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Iranmwinran Osula, iran ọre ọ y'ere ike wẹ nọ gbọn-ẹn nọ yaee

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khi ọghẹe ghọ rẹn ebe ẹsẹsẹmwẹnse ghi ma rẹn ebe vbare:

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'rọn-ẹn ne B.A. Ọkpia na ina te ho nọ ru vberiọ, sokpan, ugbẹn

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vb' iran ghi kpikpiẹe w' iran gha rhie iyobo nẹ-ẹn, ọ na ru vberiọ.

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Vbiyeke vbi ghi rẹn, i na gha l' ọde hia ni miẹn ebemwẹn weri-

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egbe. Ọ ghi s' edọkpa vbi ye post office, i ke de-kun Nọwanrẹn.

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Olotu 'vba vbọ 'post' ebe ni weriegbe gumwẹn. Ugbẹn vbọ

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ghi sọmwẹn obọ, i ke ghi miẹn wẹ, oghomwẹn nọ ni mu nẹ-ẹn

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nọ dọlọ yi. Ọ mu weriegbe re sokpan, nọ dọlọ yi vbọ na y'

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emasini (typewriter) gbẹn, ọ mu ya khiẹn ọghẹ. Ohu ke ghi

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mumwẹn yọ ẹsẹsẹmwẹnse vbi miọn-ẹn vberiọ rhunmwund'

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ọni, i na gbẹn ebe gie D. O. (Nọwanrẹn Asher) nọ r' Ẹdo ẹghẹ

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ni vbekpae're. Nọwanrẹn Asher miẹn ebe ni vbe tiẹre, ọ na

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fieghe uhunmwun; ọ na wẹ, ọmwan olighi ọre Smart gele khin.

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D. O. ke ghi bumwẹn ude ni bu Omugui McCormick rhunmwun-

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da, ọ gha sẹtin sumwẹn. I na gha khian. I ghi s' ọghọ Omugi ni, ọ

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ke ghi khamamwẹn w' irọn-ẹn zẹgiẹgiẹ rie Warri ni mudia khẹ

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irẹn. Sokpan, ọ ghi te weriegbe re, ọre i na ya khama Edaikẹn

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(Akenzua). Ọ ke ghi rinmwianmwẹn ni ghẹ tiẹre ẹzọ ra, deghe

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i tiẹre ezo nẹ, ni ya kiẹre weriegbe rhunmwunda, ọse irẹn nọ

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kevbe wẹ, 'rẹn ọ ma emwin vbe Kings college vb'eko rhunmund'

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ọni, ọ na bu erha irẹn gha de. A miẹn gh' ẹzo ọkpa ka s' unu, a

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gha kha gh' erha irẹn kpokpẹe, ọmwan nọ lele irẹn khian vbe

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kpokpẹe gh' irẹn mwẹn obọ vbọ ni lahọ ni hẹ wẹ. Ọre i na ru

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vberiọ sokpan, i na ghi gbẹn ebe ya muẹn-re imu wẹ, ẹghẹ k'

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ẹghẹ nọ rhirhi ya gbẹn ebe ni ladian, i gha guẹe gui ẹzo. Uwuẹre

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ni, ọ ke ghi lẹ kpao vb' Ẹdo gha rie ehe ọvbehe; ọ ma ghi weri-

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egbe re rhin-rin-rin--y' owaro ukpo ọkpa.

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Vbiyeke ọni, i na do tobọmwẹn weriegbe gha gbẹn ebemwẹn

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dọlẹe yi. I ghi gbẹn fo nẹ fẹfẹfẹ, Edaikẹn na we ni mu-re n' irẹn

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ghẹre; i na mu giẹe. Uwu ẹghẹ nọ na gha ghẹre ni, emwin ọkpa

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ke ghi sunsun y'ore aro vbe vbọ. Ọni ke gha r' eni avbe Ọba hia

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ni re gbera. I na khama ọnrẹn dẹghẹ Ọ khian gualọ otọre, nọ z'

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ọmwna na tie Ihogbe ọ re eva nọ ra eha. Ọ ke ghi gele ru vberiọ zẹe

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ni khare; ọ na z' emwan na tie iran (Eguobadia kevbe ogieva'-

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re); iran na do vbamwẹn vba. Ọre ọ na nọ iran eni avbe Ọba ni

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re hia, ọre 'Guobadia na suẹn gba nana-ẹn de zẹe vbe ni gbẹn

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iran y' ebe ọkade-ọkade. Ọ ke ghi kakabọ yaẹn ọnrẹn unu-a.

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Iran ghi khian gha rie owa, ọre i na mu unu y' Edaikẹn ehọ nọ

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k' ehu ri' iran. Ọ na rhie ọgọ ebiẹ (Beer) vb' ikpẹ ẹvbẹ eva n' iran.

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Ọ ghi se March 15, 1930, i ke ghi khama Edaikẹn wẹre ebe ni,

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i ho ni ya tiẹre ma ọmọ n' Ọba (Eweka II) nọ sumwẹn gha khian.

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Edaikẹn ke ghi gele kue yọ. 'Ma ghi s' evba, ọ na miẹn ima yi,

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'ma na suẹn gha tiere ma ọnrẹn. Emwin ọkpa ke ghi rọ n' Edaiken

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vbe gumwẹn mua vb' ebe ni ni gbẹn yọ. Ọni ọre eni ovbi-aruaran

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na tiẹre Onioni no khare wẹre Oruoru no. Ugbẹn vb' ima ghi

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tiẹre khian vb' odaro ọmọ, 'ma ghi tie s' evba, 'ma na tie Oruoru,

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ọre ọmọ na wẹ, ẹi r' Oruoru gh' Onioni nọ. Ọwarọkpa ni

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Edaikẹn ke ghi khama erhae wẹ, Onioni i te ka gbẹn yọ sokpan,

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'rẹn, ọ wẹ ni fiẹweriẹ ye' Oruoru. Ọmọ n' Ọba na wẹ ohoghei

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nọ ghe ni tae ọre emwanta. 'Ma ghi tie ebe ni fo nẹ, ọ ke ghi

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rhomwẹn ẹsẹsẹmwẹnse khamamwẹn ni gha rie ehe n' irẹn ye

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gbugbehia.

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Ugbẹn vbọ ghi s' ẹghẹ ọkpa, Edaikẹn na wẹ 'rẹn gha rie

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iyobọ mẹ vbi rinmwian-ẹn wẹ, i ma miẹn igho ya 'priti (print)

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ebemwẹn ladian. I na khẹkhẹkhẹkhẹ, gbe-i.

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Vbe uki May 1932, Resident nọ r' Ọyọ (Nọwanrẹn Ward

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Price), na rie Ẹdo do n' ọta emwin eso; Ọba k' edaemwẹn hia

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fẹfẹfẹ na gba vbe Hall. Ebemwẹn ni o mu ladian nọ tiere na ya

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gualọ otọre. Uki ni dandaandan vbe 1932, ọre Edaikẹn miẹnm-

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wẹn ebe ni wirẹn khian ghemwin ọkpa vbọ. I na khẹkhẹkhẹkhẹ

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... uzọla ọkpa, uzọla eva, uzọla eha, uki ọkpa uki eva, di eha,

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uki enẹ nọ mu ebe ni weriegbe gumwẹn, ọ ma mu gumwẹn.

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Rhunmwund ọni, i na zegiẹgiẹ rhie ọvbehenọ guemwẹn gie Ohẹn

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Payne nọ 'Priti' ẹre. Ọ ke ladian vbe Febuary 1933: i ke vbe

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rhie ọkpa giẹe (Edaiken) vbe vbọ. 1936, ọghe ebo nọ rọ (A

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Short History of Benin) ladian. Iran hia ni te mudia yọ n' iran

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gumwẹn sinmwiọn-ẹn, ọ na yan ehia unu-a.

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Ugbẹn vbi gbẹn uhi kevbe uyinmwẹn Ẹdo y' ebe nẹ (Benin

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Law and Custom ), vbe 1945, i ke ghi mu giẹ ọmọ n' Ọba

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(Akenzua II) nọ gbẹn 'introduction' yọ mẹ. Ọ ghi tiẹre fọ ne

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fẹfẹfẹ, ọ na wẹ, ọ kakabọ ma ẹsẹsẹmwẹnse gh' irẹn gha gbọn-ẹn

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yọ mẹ. Ọ ghi kpẹ fua rhin-rin-rin, i gha ghi s' Eguae ya nọ-rẹn

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ebe ni, ọ gha khamamwẹn gh' irin de. Usu ẹmwẹn n' ọmọ n'

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Ọba gbẹn kaẹn na khin wẹ: ọmwan gha rhie egie vb' Ẹdo, eni

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egie ni a tiẹre, ai ghi tiẹre eni obọre. Ọwẹ, sokpan, 'me gha gbẹn

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'Chief Egharevba, gbugbehia. Ọ wẹ, i ma ghi ye gh' eni egie

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ni a tie Chief mu. Sokpan, ogbẹnebe nọkhua ọghe Daily

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Times--ẹi zẹdẹ r' ọmwanmwẹn--ke ghi waniọn-ẹn wẹre, ẹi

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r' emwẹn ni gbẹn ọre ọ rhie ewaniẹn yi rhunmwunda,

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ọgh e egie ma mwẹn vbọ de kaẹn vbekpae're. Ọ na wẹ, a gha

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vbe wẹ ọghe egie nọ, ọghomwẹn o gbae rhunmwunda vbọ,

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ọmwan nọ rie egie ni ọre 'Chief', ẹi r' eni egie ni kekan. Ọ ghi

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kpẹ fua kherhe vb' imuaẹmwẹn na ghi dọ yọ, i na do priti

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ebemwẹn ladian vbe March, 1946. Deghẹ ẹi re masini (Printing

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Press) ọghe obọmwẹn ni ya priti ẹre, ẹi ghe he kẹmwẹn ya ruẹ

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rhunmwunda, i he ye miẹn igho. Osanobua ke ghi ruẹ, ọ

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na y' ekhue mu esu. Ke 1945 ni ghẹ de, ọre i ghi ke gha khian

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kuegbe mu vb' ehe nọ ye. 'Mẹ ọ ghi yae re gha tie Chief gina

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eni omwan vb' Ẹdo k' ẹghẹ ni gha de.

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Na viọ vb' ebemwẹn ọre i gha ru uegamwẹn Aruosa do sẹ-ẹdẹ n'

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xxx

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ẹrẹ kevbe wẹ, ẹmwẹnta eso na rhie vbọ ọre a ya mu ẹyotọ're gbọ

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rhunmwunda, vbe na tie Osanobua hẹ, tie Olokun hẹ, ehia

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fẹfẹfẹ ọre i gbẹn y' ebe ni (Benin Law and Custom). Ohẹn-Osa

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nọ rọ (Nọwanrẹn Asuẹn) ke ghi r' ọmwan ẹmwanta rhunm-

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wunda, inugba nọ rhirhi miẹnmwẹn ọre o ya tuẹmwẹn y' okha

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Edo ni gbẹn rhunmwund' iyobọ n' ebe ni rhie n' iran.

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Ọ kere n' emwan hia rẹn iwina ni wina-ẹn, ei r' ẹtin ra

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ẹwaẹnmwẹn o sẹ vberiọ sokpan, vbe n' Osanobua giemwẹn ọre

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i ru: n' emwin hia na dina odẹ mẹ. Rhunmwunda, agbọn te

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wẹ ni ghẹ rie evbare hiebie, a vio ọkpan ema kevbe uwawa

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uwọnmwẹn yọmwẹna 'khara; iran wẹ ni ghẹ wọn amẹ, a mu ọgọ

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'winsiki (whiskey) yọmwẹn etebu (table) rhie ekalaka bare : i re,

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i dae, i ya ghae. Agbọn wẹ na ghẹ họn ẹmwẹnmwẹn vb' Ẹdo

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ra, vb' otọ Ẹdo. A họn emwẹnmwẹn vbe Nigeria hia, Afrika

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(Africa) hia, Europe hia, Australia hia, Amerika (America) hia l'

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uhunmwun otọ agbọn hia fo fẹfẹfẹ. Agbọn suamwẹn khian-

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khuankhuan ni miẹn ehe na de. Sokpan Osa yọmwẹn obọ, i

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ma de. Gha ru ọna mẹ? Enoyanmwẹn. Nọ levbasevba, iwina

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Ọnren ke r' ọyunu-a. Ẹdẹ n' ẹre na, i gha wu, uwu esi i wu

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rhunmwunda, uhunmwun n' Osanobua giẹmwẹn re, i wina-ẹn

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s' otọ mẹ. Ra deghe ẹi r' emianmwẹn ni khuọnmwin na, ti

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gha te gha gọlọ yo gọlọre, tie ọse tie edogbo n' iran do gha re,

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n' iran do gha da, na gha gbe we so ihuan uyi vbenia:

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Uyi nọ oo, uyi nọ oo,

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Uyi nọ n' Osanobua mwẹn

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Uyi nọ oo, uyi nọ oo,

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Uyi nọ n' Osanobua mwẹn

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Ekpọnmwẹn nọ

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N' Osanobua mwẹn

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Urhọmwẹn nọ

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Uyi nọ

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N' Osanobua mwẹn.

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Rhunmwunda mẹ n' Egharevba ọ yae z' ere wẹ: Ulẹlẹfe

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nọ gha rhuẹ ẹrhu, eni gha kpanọ-ẹn kua igba iwenẹ, tọ gha yẹ

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rhuẹ ẹrhu ni vb' ẹtin Osa. Ere na ke ghi khe kẹ wẹ, ọmwan n'

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Osa gie nọ dọ ru emwin, ei ruẹe bakun rhunmwunda, zẹ vbe

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ni miẹn ikọ kevbe idobo sẹ vb' iwina na, eriọ i vbe ya miẹn ẹtin

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nọkhuọkhua vb' Obosa ya ru arusotọ.

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