an ugie [ ˩ ˩ ].
ɛhã [ ˥ ˩ ] buffalo; cf. Yor. ɛfɔ̃ [ ˧ ˩ ].
ɛhae [ ˩ ˩ ] forehead.
ɛhexue [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ] green pigeon, Vinago
calvus.
ɛhɛ [ ˩ ˩ ] yam-heap.
ɛhɛ̃ [ ˩ \ ] yes (as reply to a
question).
ɛhi [ ˩ ˩ ] (1) one’s personal guardian
spirit; ɛhi is believed to live in
the ɛɽ̃iʋ̃i [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ]; it “prays in ɛɽ̃iʋ̃i
for our long life”, and it is also
responsible for any lucky or
unlucky happenings. It is be-
lieved to be “with a man all the
day”, and at night it gives
account to Osa [ ˩ ˩ ]. The ɛhi is
represented by an object near a
man’s sleeping-place; the com-
position of this substitute seems
to vary according to the sib to
which the owner belongs. The
ɛhi does not want any blood
sacrifices. Uhuʋ̃u [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], the head,
is believed to be the ɛhi’s helper
and to render account of the
happenings during the day to
it; ob-ɛhi nɔ [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˥ ] it is the ɛhi’s
work (lit. “hand”): this is said
whenever a man has achieved
anything extraordinary, or has
had outstanding luck. (2) Ɛhi‿
ɔba [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˥ ] title of a chief, lit.
“the Ɔba’s ɛhi”; he is chosen
by divination to be the repre-
sentative of the Ɔba’s ɛhi, and
his main qualification is that the
oracle must have pronounced
him to grow very old. He has
great privileges, e.g. he can say
anything he likes to the Ɔba
without committing any offence.
Formerly, he had to die when
the Ɔba died; v. egi-egbe [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ].
(3) ɛhi n-oha [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ] lit. “bush-
