Uma ne Edo hia no re Sipeni(Spain)

Éweré Éweré

Cultural song during Igue festival

 The Ewere Ewere Leaves

The Ewere leaves are extraordinary leaves in ´Biniland´, the leaves personify love, peace, unity, community cohesion and deep affection. Do you think we have accorded this leaf its pride of place in our annual celebration?

The Bini people are very distinctive tribe, they can identify their citizens around the world through ukhu na tue vbedo but, what we are not doing as a tribe are countless. I am concerned about the  low keyed celebration accorded to Ewere festival in our traditional and cultural calendar. The Ewere festival is a carnival of love that is not celebrated in Biniland in ostentatious and flamboyant form by the custodian of this unique culture. The Ewere festival is not related to any deities or occultism. The Ewere leaf itself is an adorable and serene leaf amongst leaves, it grows only in a virgin thick foliage and shrubbery of uncultivated green rain forest, the aroma of calmness the Ewere leaves induces in the tropical rain forest or in the river side is magnificent. The origins of Ewere, Ewere nor yo yo festival is shrouded in mystery but the idea and purpose are indeed overdue for collective discussion, I think it was introduced due to political upheaval, perhaps a member of this forum can tell us the inception and purpose of Ewere festival and how it compliment igue festival; but what can we do to add colour and glamour to its exceptional role in Biniland, can we elevate it to a carnival status like the Notting hill and Rio de Janiro carnivals?

´everything that is our heritage have been left to aliens and alien cultures to desecrate, some of our sons and daughters who have been indoctrinated that alien religion and way of life are superior than the Bini civilizations are community workers for foreign civilization and way of life lamented Benson Osayomwanbor Ibude. Now our highly rated  ancestral architectural buildings along Akpakpava road, Mission road, forestry road, Sapkoba ooad and Sapele Road have been sold to alien financial institutions so providentially, my grand father´s house with four Oteghodos is still intact along Igbesanmwan street.´

The Ewere festival is the only festival of love that is not properly celebrated, everything that is our heritage have been left to aliens and alien cultures to desecrate, some of our sons and daughters who have been indoctrinated that alien religion and way of life are superior than the Bini civilizations are community workers for foreign civilization and way of life. Now our highly rated ancestral architectural buildings along Akpakpava, Mission road, Forestry Road, Sapkoba Road and Sapele Road have been sold to alien financial institutions, providentially my grand father´s house with four Oteghodos is still intact along Igbesanmwan street, it is a shame that some of my uncles houses have been sold to this manacing alien culture, Benin City ancient mud family homes should be left alone; stop destroying our ancestral homes, create financial street along Ikpoba river. What about the Biniman´s apparel, our traditional dresses and our distinctive fanciful beads are not related to any culture on earth, we also have special cuisines, vegetables, root crops that are only ever exclusive to the Bini people.

I am not saying here that we are superior to any tribe but the Bini people have a responsibility to preserve what has been bestowed to us from time immemorial. Again two years ago, I complained about the dearth of probity and good governance at Oredo local government and other Bini local government – Egor, Ikpoba Okha, Orhionwon, Ovia North East, Ovia South West and uhumwinde LG. I wrote later that we should establish a distinctive socio-political association that would train Bini leaders and assigned them, since then that wish has been gathering momentum under the auspices of  Edo associations.

I will not write about what i cannot attest to in this forum, the Ewere festival is a harbinger of peace, the maiden who are the messengers of peace would wake up early in the morning to collect fresh Ewere leaves, they would dance and sing sonorous traditional praise songs from house to house to wash away the past ills and they would sing and dance to eulogize God almighty - Osanoghodua or Osanudazie not any deity or idol; the Bini man is not an idol worshipper as regularly misrepresented by many of our critics, a highly civilized Biniman who knows his culture worship Osanudazie by being morally upright or through adopted alien gods, most deities and mini gods adopted by the Binis are alien to the Bini people. The songs of praises of the Ewere maiden dancers would change to crave God Almighty to bestow peace, progress and prosperity for their host who will give them a token for their prayers in exchange for a portion of the Ewere leaf. After the Ewere procession my late grand mother madame Iyegbekokun Osaigie nee Ekhator Ugboma would make or re Ewere presence of 42 native and hausa kolanuts to our neighbours, uncles and well wishers – top on the list were the Omoguis, The Ighodaros, Uduevbo, Aburimen, Osagie, Agharevbo, The Fadakas, Noruwa, Odia, Ehanire and all the known Ugbomas at Ogbe. My brothers and i who were the gift bearers are affectionately called oviedede - the child of an old woman to these days.

The uniqueness of our civilization and our way of life are preserved in our culture and Edo vocabularies. The Biniman is liberal, equitable, reasonable, fair and a very good administrator, you may laugh if i opined here that Oba ya oto se evbebo- Our king own the land that  stretched to the whiteman´s land,  it depicts that we have always lived independently, we never migrated from any place;  Edoesiagbon – that Benin city some people deliberately made impoverish is the beginning of the world; so any councillor or the chairman of Oredo local government should be a seasoned administrator, somebody that knows our history, values and the authority of that office, not a thief or some migrants whose father´s house is not within the radius of Oredo or a personality who will not be mindful of bringing shame and disrepute to their family names and our people but only interested in amassing wealth and powerful status that is not relevant to Oredo and the Edo people. Those who could have taken the rein of leadership from a very tired Dr Osaigbovo Ogbemudia bought the position and brought shame and disrepute to their family and the Edo people; it is not really safe to say that most past Edo politicians were not really interested in performance and preserving their good name by engaging in meaningful development, but they don´t have the intuitive political knowledge. Politics is meant for those who have political vision to make contemporary changes. If the people´s governor takes the searchlight to other Edo south senatetorial local government, the level of treachery and dishonesty are even higher than Oredo, like the Ping-Pong or pepper soup politics current being politically made correct by Edo state House of assembly, every development project in the State has been frustrated by members, we are aware that they do not use the same road as us as 4x4s and hilux deeps would fly on our pot-hole dotted roads effortlessly but what about our children, they need that Universal primary Education fund money? Silient you! our honourable members will not send their children to our dangerous primary schools, not even our UNIBEN that has been conquered by aliens, all their children are in private schools abroad.

Finally, the Ewere festival will be bigger than Notting Hill and Rio de Janiro somedays because, Bini people have every reason to bring their people together, celebrate and take stock of their progress.

.

Benson Osayomwanbor Ibude

0161-682-2925

07931912023

 

(1) EDO

 

 

ENGLISH

RIVER

·         River that covers the earth! Rivers that covers the earth!

·         River water never gives heat and has no enemy.

·         Its dept trembles.

·         Water in food, we drink and wash our body.

·         First in the morning, afternoon and night.

·         Great rivers of the earth, no living thing can exist without you.

·         The cloud, winds and snow are incomplete without you.

·         Animals and plants don’t grow without you.

·         Boats and ships on your head.

·         Fishes and all creations in water world reside on your belly

·         River that covers the earth! Rivers that covers the earth!

SPANISH

RIO

·         ¡Río que cubre la tierra! Ríos que cubre la tierra!.

·         El agua de río nunca da calor y no tiene ningún enemigo.

·         Su departamento tiembla.

·         Riegue en alimento, bebemos y lavamos nuestro cuerpo.

·         Primero por la mañana, la tarde y la noche.

·         Los grandes ríos de la tierra, ninguna cosa viva pueden existir sin usted.

·         La nube, los vientos y la nieve son incompletas sin usted.

·         Los animales y las plantas no crecen sin usted.

·         Barcos y naves en su cabeza.

·         Los pescados y todas las creaciones en mundo del agua residen en su vientre.

·         ¡Río que cubre la tierra! Ríos que cubre la tierra!.

FRENCH

FLEUVE

·         Fleuve qui couvre la terre ! Fleuves qui couvre la terre !.

·         L'eau de rivière ne donne jamais la chaleur et n'a aucun ennemi.

·         Son département tremble.

·         Arrosez en nourriture, nous buvons et lavons notre corps.

·         D'abord le matin, l'après-midi et la nuit.

·         Les grands fleuves de la terre, aucune chose vivante peuvent exister sans vous.

·         Le nuage, les vents et la neige sont inachevés sans vous.

·         Les animaux et les plantes ne se développent pas sans vous.

·         Bateaux et bateaux sur votre tête.

·         Les poissons et toutes les créations en monde de l'eau résident sur votre ventre.

·         Fleuve qui couvre la terre ! Fleuves qui couvre la terre !.

By

©Uwagboe Ogieva

13 june 2008

 

“Ikp’émwen vbe Eh vbayaré kha / Words & Meaning  used on above Poem will be present on the Evbonaze logistik vision 2020 Edo tourist guide in Edo, English, Spanish and French language. New word like Ý like in (1)“Iýan” = yam or  (2)iýen /matter or case/ while “y” as in iyobó, yo etc. Others like ah, eh will also be elaborated.

Join us achieve this great objective by sending your comments, opinions, information, advice or share your materials with us signing in: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Evbonaze-nEdo/join”

Edo wa Óbokhian.

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(2) UKI NE KHUI / DARK MOON

By
Ikponmwosa Osemwingie.

Ebo n’ohon Edo
Emwen rue ye mwen
Ebo n’oz’Edo, / Ebo N’ogben’ Edo
Emwen rue ye mwen
Gu’ezo ekotu me
We n’iguese n’okhua
Gha ma uwe Edo mwen,
Uwe n’omwan n’ofia
Oyunua onakhin
G’hugele hon Edo
T’okpa Edo hia odin,
L’Eka ya se’Udo
Igua l’aro rue o
Nu kodo gha de.
Ade ghu we eo!
Ra tu gh’uz’ebo, n’uwa tiere no!
Me ghi gha die Ebo,
Igio tue Ewolfu, Omo ogidigan.
K’Apkata n’ofu
N’e re Michigan

Submitted by
Tina Iyare,

Ekhara n’Edo - Dedicated to late Dr. Moses Osaghae

(President of Umagbae World Association)

Ósemwen ne ih rhuémwen onren

Moses Osaghae

EDO

Yen ghi vbo! yen ghi vbo! éi ghi setin van tie,

vbe ih hoen wéré uh yagbe bae enikao.

ódamwen ran ran ran wéré óh ma ke ima ya guanfo émwen n'ima gba ta.

 

Osemwen ne ih rhuémwen onren! Osemwen ne ih rhuémwen onren!

Moses ne ovbie Osaghae! Vbua ghi rieeeeee?

ah khian ghi mudia ye ke n'uh ye?

Uh ri owa nian vbe n'óh mose sokpan emwin esi kevbe

eni esi ne uh sé rae ma i ghi sétin mian mian.

 

Orionmwen hia kevbe uki  tiere oghóghó wé.

Óna okpia étin vbe orion ne óko.

Ósemwen ne ómó n'uwa, Érhinmwin n'uh ye evbu evbu!

 

ENGLISH

Where is he! where is he! was what I could shout 

hearing you have join the ancestors.

It pains me; we did not complete our discussion

 

My lovely friend! My lovely friend! Moses Osaghae!

Where have you gone? who will stand in your position?

You've gone home for good but your good works and

name has left us not to be forgotten.

 

The stars and moon have called for your smile.

what a mighty man of valor

My great friend! may your soul rest in peace

 

Spanish

¡Donde está él! ¡donde está él! era lo que podría gritar

oyéndole tenga ensamblar a los antepasados.

Me duele; no terminamos nuestra discusión.

 

¡Mi amigo encantador! ¡Mi amigo encantador! ¡Moses Osaghae!

¿Adónde usted ha ido? ¿quién se colocará en su posición?

Te has ido a casa para los buenos pero sus buenos trabajos y nombre nos ha dejado que no se olvidarán.

 

Las estrellas y la luna han pedido su sonrisa.

¡Qué hombre poderoso de valor?

¡Mi gran amigo! puede su alma descanse en paz.

By

©Uwagboe Ogieva

06 March, 2009

http://www.ilasting.com/mosesosaghae.php