ALAGO GREETINGS
By Mustapha Eladoga Ari.
Unlike other tribes, ALAGO as a nation is unique. In other tribes like the English, the general greetings in the morning and afternoon are “Good Morning” and Good Afternoon respectively.
In Hausa Language, people are greeted “Inakwana” in the morning and “Inawuni” in the afternoon. Interestingly, Alago people are greeted specially, with passion.
The morning, afternoon or evening greeting that are widely observed in other languages are also practiced in ALAGO societies.
Here, we have “Ogboshini” in the morning and “Eneyoni” in the afternoon/evening. It should be noted that “Ogboshini” is a greeting extended to the junior ones by the seniors. It’s therefore a taboo for the junior to greet his or her senior “Ogboshini”
Below are male and female greetings, based on the various clans and origins of the Alagos.
- OGAKU/OGOGA (ATUKPA)- Keana
- OGAWUNU/OWAJI (IPWOTE) -Keana
- OKAKU/OWAYU (OWEJI) – Keana
- OBANDE/ AGBADU (OGWU) -Keana
- OGAWUNU/ OWIGYE (IDEBA) -Keana
- OGYE/ OWAJI – Keana,Aribya,Akani
- ANAWO/AYOKA- Aloshi, Olonya, Igbabo
- AYIZE/ONOWA – Agaza
- AJIGA/ONOWA – Olosoho
- AMOYI/ AGABI – Obi
- OSHIDA/OYISHI – Ibi
- OWUNO/ OWAYO – Odobu
- OJIH/EDEH – Owena
- OWUNO/OLOWO – Kadarko
- OZAGBURUSU/EGYEGBULO – Okpari
- OMOKI/ AGABI – Opkadobu, omagede
- OGAH/ OWAJI – Obu (Ebu)
- OMWEKI (OMOKI)/EDEH – Owusakyo
- ADEGBO/OYINZE (OBUSHUGU) – Doma, Okwanta, Iwashi
- ADEGBO/ EDEH (INUMAKWE) – Doma
- OGA/OWAJI (AYIGOGA) – Doma
- AYIZE/OMWA (INUMAKWE) -Doma, Alapwo
- OGYE/OWAJI – Doma, Oduma
- OGOGA/AGABI (AYIGOGA) -Doma
- OBANDE/OLAWU – Ataya, Alagye
- ASHAMA/ OGBAYI – Ole-gowuse, Doma.
- AYIZE/OYISHI – Ediya (Yelwa), Alakyo.
- OBANDE/EDEH – Ogeyisa (Owena), Ana, Agbashi
- AYIZE/OSHIGBOWU – Idadu
- ASHAMA/OLAWU – Rukubi
- OBIYA/EKO – Ipwonu
- AYIZE/ONYOKWA – Akpanaja
- ASHAMA/ONOWA – Akpanaja
- OSE/ONYETE – Agyema
- AYIZE/ONYOKWA – Ijiwo
- OYEBE/OYINZE – Ogungba
However, there are greetings that are meant for traditional tiltle holders, and every title holder is expected to be identified with his or her greeting.
For example, if a person is installed as a traditional ruler, his greeting will automatically be known as “Abaaga eduh”, while the wife is Ekooooo, then traditional title holders, which are the Abaagaeduh council members, are greeted based on their titles.
Titles and their corresponding greetings differ from one town to another. A few examples of titles of those that are second in command could be seen thus:
In keana, “Osuza” is the second in command, with the greeting of “Adenya” while “Osiki” is “daudu”. In Aloshi, Agaza, Olosoho, Odobu and kadarko, the second in command is “Osude” with the greeting of “Kaura”.
In Doma, the second in command is “Osabonya” and he is greeted “Oji” and the next to him is “Osala” with his greeting of “Azanza”, while “Owuse” is the most senior title from the maternal side and he is greeted “Kaura” just as “Ogbole Osuko” takes “Zaure” in Obi.
Female titles have their corresponding greetings also. The leader of women which is “Omugaja” is greeted “Ogado” and the wife or wives of the chief are greeted by “Eko”. In keana, a queen-inole is the leader of the salt village, Akyana, and she takes the greeting of “Owaji”.
Suffice it to say that the jukun people have similar ways of greeting. The jukun are traditionally located in Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau and Gombe states.
However, it is only the “wanu”, the reverine Jukuns that practice this. Though the “Wapan” Jukun like Akwana, Arufe, Kente, Riti, Surundi, Andoyaku, have a general greeting for women as “Awayu”, the men don’t have, except the title holders.
So the predominant way of greeting here is “Kyabera” and “Kweyinura” in the morning and afternoon respectively.
It should be noted that the Alagos have different titles for their chiefs-Owena (Osena), Owusakyo (Osakyo), Keana (Osana), Ibi (Osibi), Doma (Osidoma, Andoma) Olosoho (Osoho), Obi (Osuko), Odobu (Osagye), Obu (Osobu) etc. They are greeted the same way, that is “Abaaga eduh”!.
Unlike the Alagos, the title of chiefs of various towns and villages in Jukun traditional settings differ. Generally, the chief of Abinse is addressed as “Abiseku”. The greeting of “Abiseku” from “Akpoko” ruling house is “Aseebeh”, while other “Abiseku” from other ruling houses are greeted differently.
For example, the Abiseku from “Agaa” ruling house is greeted “Oji”. The second in command to Abiseku is “Akinda” with greeting of “Ajoko”. Other villages are “Agbodoh” with “Awaseh” as the title of the chief and “Angya” is the greeting.
Ogyogo (Anakpa) chief is addressed with the greeting as “Onah”. In “Andosede”, the chief is addressed as “Asede” with the greeting of Angya”.
There are two leadership positions of women who coordinate the general affairs of women in the tradition of the jukun of Abinse. These are “Anyawune” and “Angajiya” with no special greetings. So the title holders of these positions maintain their clannish greetings.
The chief of wukari’s title is “Aku Uka” and he is greeted “Angya” the second in command is “Abo-Acho” with the greeting of “Mashayi”. Furthermore, the Jukuns that practice clannish greetings like Alago are hereby identified in their male and female greetings respectively as follows.
- ABINSE (AKPOKO)-AGBO/AGODO
ABINSE (ALLO)- OBANDE / AGODO
ABINSE (AGA)- OJI / AGBAYI - AGYOGO – AGBO/ ANYETE
- AMWO – OBANDE/ AWAJI
- AGBODO- OKAKU/ AWAYU
- AJOKO (ANAKPA)- AGOGA/AGBADU
- ABWENI- AGOGA/AGBADU
- ANDOSEDE- OJI/ AWIGYE
- ANDOKACHE- ONAH/ AWAYU
- ASHUTU- ONAH /AWIGYE
- AKUZU- AGBO/AWIGYE
- AZAMINDO – AGOGA/ AGBADU
- ANUHWA- ONAH/AWAYU
- AKATSU- ANGYA/EKO
- ANYESHI- ANGYA/ EKO
Few other tribes like the Gwandara and Agatu are into this practice, though not in all the towns and villages. For instance, in Giza-Gwandara, there is “Owuno/Owayo” and “Ashama/Ogbayi”, while Akpoko (Agatu) village has “Ayikwa /Ayina” as their greetings for men and women respectively.
Awaja and Okashi greetings are set aside for the female descendants of the Alago people irrespective of the sex category.
By Moustapha Eladoga Avosokaki Ari.
