AGBITE — An Edo/Bini Traditional Lexical Term Preserving an Older Edo Expression AGBITE is an attested Edo/Bini traditional lexical term recorded in an Edo-English vocabulary source with the definition: “A woman suffering from unceasing flow of blood.” The recorded spelling is AGBITE, without underdots. For contemporary English, the most careful explanatory rendering is: AGBITE — a woman experiencing persistent or unceasing bleeding. AGBITE IS NOT SIMPLY “A MENSTRUATING WOMAN” The surviving lexical description does not define AGBITE as ordinary menstruation. It specifically describes an unceasing flow of blood. Therefore, translating the word simply as “a menstruating woman” could distort the traditional meaning. Edomaye therefore preserves the original sense while using the cautious modern explanation “a woman experiencing persistent or unceasing bleeding.” We also avoid assigning a specific modern medical diagnosis to the traditional term. AGBITE AND TRADITIONAL EDO VOCABULARY The same Edo vocabulary source records other terms relating to bodily conditions and blood. For example, ADEN is separately glossed as “blood at childbirth.” This is important because it demonstrates that traditional Edo vocabulary could distinguish different circumstances associated with blood and the human body. AGBITE should therefore be preserved as a distinct lexical item. WHAT THE EVIDENCE ESTABLISHES The available evidence establishes that: • AGBITE is recorded as an Edo/Bini lexical form.• Its recorded meaning concerns a woman suffering from an unceasing flow of blood.• The recorded form contains no underdots.• The term should not automatically be equated with ordinary menstruation.• Its exact historical morphology and etymology remain open to further investigation. A NOTE ON SCHOLARLY VERIFICATION Edomaye has searched available University of Benin linguistic materials but has not located a published UNIBEN source that independently defines AGBITE. We therefore do not claim that UNIBEN has already verified the word. Instead, Edomaye classifies AGBITE as: ATTESTED LEXICAL ITEM — FURTHER SCHOLARLY VERIFICATION REQUIRED. This distinction is deliberate. Language preservation must distinguish between what the evidence establishes and what remains to be investigated. WHY THIS WORD MATTERS Traditional vocabulary contains knowledge about how earlier Edo-speaking communities understood and described their world. When an old word disappears, part of that linguistic record can disappear with it. Edomaye’s position is therefore simple: Preserve the word.Document the evidence.Investigate the meaning.Verify where necessary.Never invent what the evidence does not prove. RESEARCH STATUS Word: AGBITELanguage: Edo/BiniSpelling: AGBITEUnderdots: None in the recorded formRecorded gloss: A woman suffering from unceasing flow of bloodContemporary explanatory gloss: A woman experiencing persistent or unceasing bleedingEtymology: Not yet securely establishedUNIBEN direct verification located: NoResearch status: Attested; further scholarly verification required Source: Edo/Bini vocabulary compilation documenting the term and its English gloss. EDOMAYE LEGACY FOUNDATIONPreserving Edo Language. Documenting Benin Heritage. Inspiring Future Generations. Forward ever, backward never.

EDO/BENIN WARFARE VOCABULARY Weapons, Defensive Equipment and Warrior Protection The Great Benin Kingdom developed a distinctive military tradition involving close-combat weapons, projectile weapons, shields, firearms, and objects associated with the protection of warriors. The Edo language contains specific names for many of these objects. Understanding these terms requires more than simply translating an Edo word into English. The form, function, historical context, and cultural significance of each object must also be considered. Historical collections and modern digital research are particularly valuable in this work. Digital Benin’s Ẹyo Otọ project helps reconnect historical objects with their Edo designations rather than relying exclusively on terminology assigned by collecting institutions. This article presents an Edomaye teaching vocabulary for important Edo/Benin warfare-related terms. MASTER VOCABULARY Edo English Category Umozo Sword Weapon Ọpia Cutlass / machete Weapon Uhanbọ Bow Projectile weapon Ifẹnmwẹ Arrow Projectile weapon Asoro Spear Weapon Ẹkpede Crossbow Projectile weapon Asa Shield Defensive equipment Ẹgba Armlet / upper-arm bracelet Personal/protective object Ẹboo Charm / medicine Protective/medicinal object Akpalode Protective medicinal girdle Warrior protection Osisi Gun / firearm; ammunition Firearm The lexical meanings are principally grounded in Agheyisi’s Edo-English Dictionary (1986), while Digital Benin provides important historical descriptions of the objects, their forms and their uses. 1. UMOZO — SWORD Umozo means sword. Agheyisi records umozo as “sword.” Historical material associated with Benin also helps distinguish the cutting weapon from ceremonial or representational objects that may sometimes be described as swords in English. Teach: Umozo — Sword 2. ỌPIA — CUTLASS / MACHETE Ọpia means cutlass or machete. This is an important distinction because English terminology can vary according to the particular historical object being described. Teach: Ọpia — Cutlass / machete 3. UHANBỌ — BOW Uhanbọ means bow. This is an important correction to an earlier representation of the term. The bow and arrow form a system, but they are not one Edo vocabulary item. Uhanbọ refers to the bow, while Ifẹnmwẹ refers to the arrow. Teach: Uhanbọ — Bow Important: Do not teach Uhanbọ as literally meaning “bow & arrow” when identifying the individual object. 4. IFẸNMWẸ — ARROW Ifẹnmwẹ means arrow. It should therefore be taught separately from Uhanbọ. Historical descriptions place Uhanbọ and Ifẹnmwẹ within the Benin bow-and-arrow tradition. Historical records also describe the use of treated arrowheads in hunting and warfare. Teach: Ifẹnmwẹ — Arrow Thus: Uhanbọ + Ifẹnmwẹ = Bow + Arrow 5. ASORO — SPEAR Asoro means spear. This is an important Benin warfare term. Historical descriptions identify Asoro as a spear used as a weapon, with spear points made from materials including wood or iron. Teach: Asoro — Spear 6. ẸKPEDE — CROSSBOW Ẹkpede means crossbow. The crossbow represents another component of the Benin projectile-weapon tradition. Historical documentation places Ẹkpede alongside Uhanbọ and Ifẹnmwẹ within the broader Benin weapon tradition. Teach: Ẹkpede — Crossbow 7. ASA — SHIELD Asa means shield. The shield was defensive equipment used by warriors in battle. Historical Benin examples are associated with materials including elephant or crocodile skin. Teach: Asa — Shield 8. ẸGBA — ARMLET / UPPER-ARM BRACELET Ẹgba means armlet. Rather than using the vague English expression “arm band,” Edomaye teaching should preferably identify the object more precisely as an armlet or upper-arm bracelet. Historical descriptions associate Ẹgba with bracelets worn around the upper arm. Teach: Ẹgba — Armlet / upper-arm bracelet 9. ẸBOO — CHARM / MEDICINE This entry requires particular orthographic and cultural care. The form Ẹboo is recorded with meanings including charm and medicine. The term should not automatically be shortened to Ẹbo when this particular meaning is intended. Teach: Ẹboo — Charm / medicine However, students should understand that translating Ẹboo simply as “charm” can obscure its wider cultural meaning. In historical Benin society, medicinal and protective substances could have meanings and functions that do not correspond exactly to the modern Western idea of a “charm.” 10. AKPALODE — PROTECTIVE MEDICINAL GIRDLE This is one of the most important corrections to an earlier representation. The description: ❌ Akpalode — Charm bracelet should not be used in Edomaye teaching. Historical documentation places Akpalode within Ugbẹkun, the category of girdles. The Akpalode is described as a leather girdle produced by the royal leather-working guild, infused with herbs and medicine and worn by warriors for protection. Teach: Akpalode — Protective medicinal girdle worn by warriors This description is substantially more informative and historically appropriate than “charm bracelet.” 11. OSISI — GUN / FIREARM An earlier representation gave: ❌ Osisi — Musket For general Edo vocabulary teaching, the broader form is preferable: Osisi — Gun / firearm; ammunition Agheyisi records osisi with meanings including gun and ammunition. Historical documentation groups Osisi/Etu among firearms while distinguishing Osisi from Etu, the cannon. Therefore, unless a particular historical firearm is specifically being discussed, Edomaye should not automatically restrict Osisi to “musket.” Teach: Osisi — Gun / firearm THE EDOMAYE MASTER CARD EDO/BENIN WARFARE WORDS Umozo — SwordỌpia — Cutlass / macheteUhanbọ — BowIfẹnmwẹ — ArrowAsoro — SpearẸkpede — CrossbowAsa — ShieldẸgba — Armlet / upper-arm braceletẸboo — Charm / medicineAkpalode — Protective medicinal girdleOsisi — Gun / firearm; ammunition TEACHING LESSON Teacher asks: 1. What is Umozo?Student: Umozo is a sword. 2. What is Ọpia?Student: Ọpia is a cutlass or machete. 3. What is Uhanbọ?Student: Uhanbọ is a bow. 4. What is Ifẹnmwẹ?Student: Ifẹnmwẹ is an arrow. 5. What is Asoro?Student: Asoro is a spear. 6. What is Ẹkpede?Student: Ẹkpede is a crossbow. 7. What is Asa?Student: Asa is a shield. 8. What is Ẹgba?Student: Ẹgba is an armlet. 9. What is Ẹboo?Student: Ẹboo is a charm or medicine. 10. What is Akpalode?Student: Akpalode is a protective medicinal girdle worn by warriors. 11. What is Osisi?Student: Osisi is a gun or firearm. EDOMAYE QUALITY-CONTROL NOTE The original vocabulary graphic contains useful Edo terminology, but it should not be reproduced as an Edomaye teaching authority without correction. The following forms are adopted for Edomaye teaching: SOURCES AND REFERENCES Agheyisi, Rebecca N. (1986) An Edo-English Dictionary.Benin City: Ethiope Publishing Corporation. Agheyisi’s dictionary provides

A Decade of the Reign of His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, CFR The ancient Benin Kingdom is preparing for an important royal milestone in October 2026: the 10th Coronation Anniversary of His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin. The anniversary celebrations are scheduled to take place in Benin City from 3 October to 25 October 2026, bringing together a programme of activities centred on the Benin monarchy, culture, history and the continuing life of the Kingdom. The central anniversary date is 20 October 2026, marking ten years since Oba Ewuare II assumed the throne of his ancestors in 2016. A Royal Milestone For the people of Benin, a royal anniversary is more than a ceremonial occasion. The Benin monarchy is deeply connected with the history, institutions, traditions and cultural identity of the Kingdom. The tenth anniversary therefore provides an opportunity to look both backward and forward: Backward, to remember the history of the Benin monarchy and the traditions inherited from earlier generations. Forward, to consider the continuing preservation and development of Benin cultural heritage for future generations. Ten Years of the Reign Oba Ewuare II became the 40th Oba of Benin in 2016. His tenth anniversary offers an opportunity for Benin people at home and across the world to reflect on the meaning of the monarchy and the enduring cultural institutions of the Benin Kingdom. The celebrations also provide an opportunity to place Benin history, language, traditional knowledge, arts and cultural heritage before a wider audience. Edomaye and the Anniversary For Edomaye Legacy Foundation, the anniversary is an important cultural moment. Our interest is not merely in reporting royal ceremonies. We are interested in documenting and teaching the wider heritage surrounding the Benin Kingdom—its language, history, traditional institutions, archaeological heritage, arts and cultural memory. The anniversary therefore creates an opportunity for responsible cultural education. As the celebrations approach, Edomaye will continue to examine the history and cultural significance of the Benin monarchy and present educational material for students, teachers, researchers and the wider public. A Celebration of Heritage The 10th Coronation Anniversary reminds us that the history of Benin is not confined to the past. It is a living heritage. The language is living. The traditions are living. The institutions are living. And the responsibility to preserve accurate knowledge of them belongs to the present generation. As Benin prepares to mark this royal milestone, Edomaye joins in recognising the importance of preserving the history and cultural heritage of THE GREAT BENIN KINGDOM for generations yet to come. Edomaye Legacy Foundation WE ARE IN BENIN. Forward ever, backward never.

Ẹ̀DO NAMES • PRINCEHOOD NAMES • REGNAL NAMES • REIGNS • LEGACIES Ẹ̀DOMAYE LEGACY PROJECT WE ARE IN BENIN The history of the Great Benin Kingdom is inseparable from the history of its Ọ̀bas. From Ọranmiyan, at the beginning of the Ọ̀ba dynasty, to Ọ̀ba Ẹ̀wuare II, the 40th Ọ̀ba, the royal history of Benin records centuries of political transformation, territorial expansion, military achievement, diplomacy, artistic excellence, colonial resistance, destruction, restoration and cultural continuity. This article presents the forty Ọ̀bas of the Ẹ̀wẹka dynasty, together with their known princehood names, regnal names, periods of reign and principal historical significance. Where a separate princehood name is not securely preserved in the historical record, it is identified as not securely recorded rather than being invented. THE 40 Ọ̀BAS 1. Ọ̀RANMIYAN Regnal name: Ọ̀ranmiyanPrincehood name: Not securely recordedPeriod: Traditionally placed at the beginning of the Ọ̀ba dynasty Ọ̀ranmiyan is traditionally remembered as the first Ọ̀ba of Benin and the founder of the royal line that continued through Ẹ̀wẹka I and his successors. 2. Ẹ̀WẸKA I Regnal name: Ẹ̀wẹka IPrincehood name: Ẹ̀wẹkaReign: c. 1200–1235 Ẹ̀wẹka I occupies a foundational position in the history of the Benin Ọ̀ba dynasty. 3. UWAKHUAHẸN Regnal name: UwakhuahẹnPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1235–1243 Uwakhuahẹn succeeded Ẹ̀wẹka I and belongs to the early period of the Benin monarchy. 4. Ẹ̀HẸNMIHẸN Regnal name: Ẹ̀hẹnmihẹnPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1243–1255 Ẹ̀hẹnmihẹn continued the early royal succession. 5. Ẹ̀WẸDỌ Regnal name: Ẹ̀wẹdọPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1255–1280 Ẹ̀wẹdọ was one of the important early rulers in the development of the Benin Kingdom. 6. OGUỌLA Regnal name: OguọlaPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1280–1295 Oguọla is traditionally associated with important developments in Benin’s defensive earthworks and territorial organization. 7. EDỌNI Regnal name: EdọniPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1295–1299 Edọni belongs to the early succession of the Benin Ọ̀ba dynasty. 8. UDAGBẸDỌ Regnal name: UdagbẹdọPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1299–1334 Udagbẹdọ belongs to the period of continuing territorial development of the kingdom. 9. Ọ̀HẸN Regnal name: Ọ̀hẹnPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1334–1370 Ọ̀hẹn ruled during a period of continuing consolidation and expansion. 10. Ẹ̀GBẸKA Regnal name: Ẹ̀gbẹkaPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1370–1400 Ẹ̀gbẹka belongs to the later pre-imperial succession. 11. OROBIRU Regnal name: OrobiruPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1400–1430 Orobiru was one of the final rulers before the transformation associated with Ẹ̀wuare the Great. 12. UWAIFIOKUN Regnal name: UwaifiokunPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1430–1440 Uwaifiokun was the final ruler in the commonly cited pre-imperial sequence. THE IMPERIAL ERA 13. Ọ̀BA Ẹ̀WUARE THE GREAT Princehood name: OgunRegnal name: Ẹ̀wuareReign: c. 1440–1473 Prince Ogun became Ọ̀ba Ẹ̀wuare, remembered as Ẹ̀wuare the Great. His reign marked one of the great turning points in Benin history. He is associated with political consolidation, military expansion, administrative reforms, urban development and the flourishing of Benin’s artistic and cultural traditions. The transformation from Prince Ogun to Ọ̀ba Ẹ̀wuare is one of the clearest examples of the distinction between princehood and regnal identity. 14. EZỌTI Regnal name: EzọtiPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1473–1474 Ezọti had an exceptionally brief reign. 15. OLUA Regnal name: OluaPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1475–1480 Olua succeeded Ezọti during the period following the reign of Ẹ̀wuare the Great. 16. Ọ̀ZOLUA Princehood name: OkpameRegnal name: Ọ̀zoluaReign: c. 1480–1504 Prince Okpame became Ọ̀ba Ọ̀zolua. Ọ̀zolua is remembered as a major warrior ruler during a period of Benin’s expanding political and military influence. 17. Ẹ̀SIGIE Regnal name: Ẹ̀sigiePrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1504–1550 Ẹ̀sigie’s reign is one of the most celebrated periods in Benin history and is closely associated with the historical memory of Queen Idia. 18. ORHOGBUA Regnal name: OrhogbuaPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1550–1578 Orhogbua ruled during a period of expanding Benin influence toward the western coastal regions and increasing contact with Portuguese visitors. 19. EHẸNGBUDA Regnal name: EhẹngbudaPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1578–1608 Ehẹngbuda continued the imperial development of the Benin Kingdom. 20. AHUAN Regnal name: AhuanPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1608–1641 Ahuan ruled during the continuing imperial period. 21. Ọ̀HẸNZAE Regnal name: Ọ̀hẹnzaePrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1641–1661 Ọ̀hẹnzae belongs to the seventeenth-century royal succession. 22. AKẸNZAE Regnal name: AkẹnzaePrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1661–1669 Akẹnzae continued the royal succession during the seventeenth century. 23. AKẸNGBOI Regnal name: AkẹngboiPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1669–1675 Akẹngboi ruled during the continuing development of the Benin Kingdom. 24. AKẸNKPAYE Regnal name: AkẹnkpayePrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1675–1684 Akẹnkpaye belongs to the later seventeenth-century succession. 25. AKẸNGBẸDỌ Regnal name: AkẹngbẹdọPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1684–1689 Akẹngbẹdọ was one of the rulers of the late seventeenth-century Benin Kingdom. 26. ORE-ỌGHẸNẸ Regnal name: Ore-ỌghẹnẹPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1689–1700 Ore-Ọghẹnẹ ruled during the transition into the eighteenth century. 27. Ẹ̀WUAKPẸ Regnal name: Ẹ̀wuakpẹPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1700–1712 Ẹ̀wuakpẹ belongs to the eighteenth-century royal succession. 28. Ọ̀ZUERẸ Regnal name: Ọ̀zuerẹPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1712–1713 Ọ̀zuerẹ had a very brief reign. 29. AKẸNZUA I Regnal name: Akẹnzua IPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1713–1735 Akẹnzua I ruled during the early eighteenth century. 30. ERESOYEN Regnal name: EresoyenPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1735–1750 Eresoyen continued the eighteenth-century royal succession. 31. AKẸNGBUDA Regnal name: AkẹngbudaPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1750–1804 Akẹngbuda had one of the longest reigns in the later imperial period. 32. OBANOSA Regnal name: ObanosaPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1804–1816 Obanosa ruled during the early nineteenth century. 33. OGBEBO Regnal name: OgbeboPrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: 1816 Ogbebo’s reign was exceptionally brief. 34. OSEMWENDE Regnal name: OsemwendePrincehood name: Not securely recordedReign: c. 1816–1848 Osemwende ruled for more than three decades during the nineteenth century. 35. ADOLO Regnal name: AdoloPrincehood name: Odin-O VDAReign: 1848–1888 Adolo ruled during the final decades before the British invasion of Benin. He is remembered in historical accounts for military campaigns, the establishment of settlements and markets, and concern for vulnerable members of his kingdom. 36. Ọ̀BA OVỌNRAMWẸN NỌGBAISI Princehood name: OvọnramwẹnRegnal name: Ovọnramwẹn

SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWSLETTER PRESERVING OUR LANGUAGE • PROTECTING OUR HERITAGE • EDUCATING OUR FUTURE “Forward Ever, Backward Never.” WE ARE IN BENIN FROM THE FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR A NEW MONTH, A CONTINUING MISSION September is another opportunity for us to look forward while remembering where we came from. At Ẹdomaye Legacy Foundation, our work is built on a simple conviction: a people cannot confidently build their future if they allow their language, history, traditions and ancestral knowledge to disappear. Our responsibility is therefore not simply to talk about our heritage. It is to document it, teach it, preserve it and make it accessible to the next generation. The Ẹdomaye platform continues to bring together language education, cultural documentation, historical storytelling and digital learning. Our work covers the Ẹdo language, Benin history, traditional knowledge, proverbs, numerals, music, festivals, arts and other dimensions of our cultural inheritance. This September, we renew our commitment to that mission. We invite parents to speak Ẹdo with their children. We invite young people to learn the language of their ancestors. We invite teachers to bring indigenous knowledge into education. We invite researchers to examine our traditions carefully and responsibly. And we invite Ẹdo people everywhere to become custodians—not merely consumers—of our heritage. Our heritage belongs to the generations before us, to us, and to those yet unborn. Forward ever, backward never. OTO THE WRITERFounder & Executive DirectorẸdomaye Legacy Foundation 1. THE ẸDOMAYE MISSION Ẹdomaye Legacy Foundation exists to help preserve and promote the heritage of the Benin Kingdom and the wider cultural and linguistic heritage represented through our work. Our programme areas include: LANGUAGE Preserving, teaching and promoting the Ẹdo language through lessons, vocabulary, numerals, pronunciation, greetings, proverbs and educational materials. HISTORY Documenting and presenting the history of the Great Benin Kingdom through accessible educational resources. CULTURAL HERITAGE Recording traditions, festivals, music, arts, oral history and indigenous knowledge. EDUCATION Developing resources for children, teachers, families, researchers and heritage learners. DIGITAL PRESERVATION Using websites, social media, digital publications and online learning to take Ẹdo heritage to a global audience. The Foundation’s public mission is centred on bringing the heritage and rich culture of the Benin Kingdom to wider audiences. 2. LANGUAGE IS HERITAGE If the language disappears, part of the memory disappears with it. One of Ẹdomaye’s strongest areas of work is the preservation and teaching of the Ẹdo language. Language carries much more than words. It carries: That is why learning Ẹdo is not simply learning another language. It is reconnecting with a cultural inheritance. Ẹdomaye continues to develop learning materials covering Ẹdo vocabulary, numerals, alphabetic and orthographic work, proverbs, expressions and practical communication. 3. OUR ANCESTRAL GREETINGS PROJECT One of the areas receiving particular attention is the documentation and study of Ẹdo ancestral greetings and family greeting traditions. Greetings are not merely polite expressions. They can reveal: Ẹdomaye’s objective is to document such traditions carefully rather than allowing important oral knowledge to disappear. Where questions of origin, meaning or historical development arise, the Foundation’s position is that such matters should be subjected to careful linguistic, oral-historical and scholarly examination. We preserve first. We investigate deeply. We teach responsibly. 4. THE GREAT BENIN KINGDOM A civilization worthy of serious study The history of the Benin Kingdom is one of the central pillars of Ẹdomaye’s educational work. Our publications and learning resources address subjects including: Ẹdomaye’s existing educational catalogue includes resources on the Ogiso Dynasty, the rise of the Oba system, the origin of the Benin Kingdom and Benin art. The purpose is not simply to celebrate the past. It is to understand it. 5. FEATURE: THE GREAT BENIN EARTHWORKS — IYA Africa’s Forgotten Monumental Heritage The Great Benin Earthworks—known in the Ẹdomaye research programme as IYA—represent one of the most important subjects in our continuing heritage documentation. The earthworks raise fundamental questions about: Ẹdomaye’s continuing work seeks to bring this subject into public educational discussion and encourage deeper documentation and research. OUR POSITION The story of Africa must not be told only through the records left by outsiders. African landscapes, oral traditions, archaeological evidence, indigenous knowledge and local historical memory all deserve serious consideration. IYA is not merely an earthwork. It is a question of memory, engineering, civilization and historical recognition. 6. THE BENIN BRONZES The Benin Bronzes are among the world’s best-known examples of African court art and historical craftsmanship. They are also historical records. Through plaques, commemorative heads and other works, Benin artists recorded aspects of royal authority, court life, ceremonies, lineage and political history. The 1897 British Punitive Expedition resulted in the looting and dispersal of thousands of objects from Benin, creating an enduring international debate over restitution and cultural justice. Ẹdomaye’s educational material addresses both the artistic significance of the bronzes and the continuing restitution discussion. For Ẹdomaye: Cultural heritage is not dead property. It is memory. 7. ẸDOMAYE DIGITAL ACADEMY BUILDING THE FUTURE OF ẸDO LANGUAGE AND HERITAGE EDUCATION The future of indigenous-language education must include digital technology. The Ẹdomaye Digital Academy is part of this vision. Our goal is to create accessible learning opportunities through: The Ẹdomaye website already presents language learning and heritage education as core elements of its platform. The objective is straightforward: Take Ẹdo language and Benin heritage into the digital age without losing their cultural identity. 8. TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION OUR CHILDREN MUST KNOW WHO THEY ARE A language survives when children use it. A tradition survives when children understand it. A culture survives when children inherit it with knowledge rather than embarrassment. Parents can begin at home. START SMALL: One Ẹdo word a day. One Ẹdo greeting every morning. One proverb every week. One family story every weekend. One traditional song. One historical lesson. Small actions repeated consistently can produce a generation that understands its heritage. Ẹdomaye’s educational resources specifically address the challenge of raising Ẹdo-speaking children, including the role of home routines, storytelling, cultural activities and digital tools. 9. EDO NUMERALS AND LANGUAGE LEARNING Language learning must include more than greetings

TRADITIONAL ẸDO/BENIN POST-MEAL GREETINGS:KADA BU KPẸ • ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ • AREMEGBE A DOCUMENTED CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC RECORD INTRODUCTION Among the Ẹdo/Benin people, eating is traditionally accompanied by forms of respectful greeting, thanksgiving, blessing and response. These expressions are not merely equivalent to the English phrase “thank you.” They form part of a wider system of respect and social relationship surrounding food, elders, household authority and wellbeing. Ẹdomaye Legacy Foundation records the following living Benin tradition while distinguishing it carefully from older historical documentation. THE LIVING TRADITION KADA BU KPẸ Traditional male post-meal greeting. In later Benin usage, KADA BU KPẸ is preserved as a fuller male form, while KADA is also commonly used as the shortened form. ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ Traditional female post-meal greeting. In the living tradition documented by Ẹdomaye, this is especially associated with women/wives in the household. ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ ENAEMWẸ NẸHÌ MWẸ This is the fuller traditional formula preserved in the living Benin tradition in which a wife/mother addresses her husband/father after a meal. The expression carries a protective and reverential character rather than functioning merely as an ordinary “thank you.” AREMEGBE This is the traditional response preserved in the living tradition. The historical form recorded by Melzian is “arè m-egbe,” which he explains as a formula meaning approximately: “May eating be good for the body.” Therefore, AREMEGBE is preserved here as the continuous traditional form, while the historical dictionary spelling is retained only as evidence for its older documentation. THE HISTORICAL RECORD Historical evidence confirms that post-meal greetings were an established part of Benin etiquette. Hans Melzian’s 1937 A Concise Dictionary of the Bini Language of Southern Nigeria records: KADA — a formula of giving thanks to the host after a meal, used by men. BUKPẸ — a formula of thanks given by women after a meal. Melzian also records AREMEGBE in the older form “arè m-egbe,” describing it as an answer to a junior person’s thanks for food and giving the sense: “May eating be good for the body.” J. U. Egharevba’s Benin Law and Custom independently records the post-meal distinction: KADA — male BUKPẸ — female Egharevba describes these as salutations of reverence after meals and records that the same salutations were also used when an elderly person sneezed. THE BUKPẸ QUESTION BUKPẸ must not be erased from the historical record. The older historical sources clearly document: KADA = maleBUKPẸ = female However, the living Benin tradition preserved by Ẹdomaye gives: KADA BU KPẸ = maleẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ = female Therefore, these forms must not be artificially collapsed into one form. The safest scholarly conclusion is that the Benin post-meal greeting system has undergone historical development, with different formulaic forms being recorded at different periods. BUKPẸ is historically attested as a female post-meal salutation. KADA BU KPẸ is preserved in later/living Benin usage as a fuller male expression. ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ is preserved in living Benin tradition as the female post-meal expression. THE MEANING AND FUNCTION OF ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ Historical linguistic evidence gives an important clue to the deeper meaning of the female formula. Melzian records the older form èrèè in connection with an unknown other person or hostile force. He specifically notes its occurrence in a female thanksgiving formula after a meal and gives the protective sense that the bad wishes of other people should not kill the person being addressed. This establishes an important semantic dimension: ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ is not simply a female equivalent of “thank you.” It belongs to a traditional system of protective and reverential blessing. Later Benin usage also preserves ẸRẸ GHÌ GBUẸ as the female counterpart of male KADA. ENAEMWẸ The expression ENAEMWẸ is especially important in the wife-to-husband formula. Ẹdo linguistic research from the University of Benin analyses ẸNA + MWẸ as “my owner” and discusses its use in respectful female speech toward a husband, recognizing his position as head of the household. Therefore, in the traditional formula: ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ ENAEMWẸ NẸHÌ MWẸ ENAEMWẸ carries a respectful husband/household-head relationship. The expression should not be casually reduced to the ordinary English word “husband,” because its traditional social meaning is broader. AREMEGBE AREMEGBE deserves special preservation. The living traditional form is: AREMEGBE NOT: Aremẹgbe The historical Melzian form is: arè m-egbe and its documented meaning is approximately: “May eating be good for the body.” The lexical element EGBE is independently associated with “body” in Ẹdo. Thus AREMEGBE is a traditional blessing-response concerning the beneficial effect of eating upon the body. THE TRADITIONAL EXCHANGE WIFE/MOTHER → HUSBAND/FATHER: ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ ENAEMWẸ NẸHÌ MWẸ HUSBAND/FATHER → WIFE/MOTHER: AREMEGBE CULTURAL FUNCTION The exchange demonstrates that traditional Ẹdo/Benin post-meal speech is more than a simple expression of gratitude. It combines: FOOD↓THANKSGIVING↓RESPECT/REVERENCE↓PROTECTION AND BLESSING↓WELLBEING OF THE BODY IMPORTANT SCHOLARLY CAUTION Ẹdomaye Legacy Foundation distinguishes between: Accordingly, Ẹdomaye does NOT claim that every syllable of: ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ ENAEMWẸ NẸHÌ MWẸ has been conclusively reconstructed word-for-word. The protective/reverential function of ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ and the husband-directed meaning of ENAEMWẸ are strongly supported by the available evidence. The precise grammatical analysis of NẸHÌ MWẸ requires further native-speaker and specialist linguistic verification. This distinction is essential for responsible documentation of Ẹdo/Benin heritage. FINAL ẸDOMAYE RECORD MALE: KADA BU KPẸ FEMALE: ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ WIFE/MOTHER → HUSBAND/FATHER: ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ ENAEMWẸ NẸHÌ MWẸ HUSBAND/FATHER → WIFE/MOTHER: AREMEGBE CONCLUSION The traditional Ẹdo/Benin post-meal greeting system is a culturally significant institution of respect, thanksgiving and blessing. The living tradition preserves a gendered exchange in which the female formula carries a protective/reverential force toward the husband or household head, while the male response AREMEGBE invokes wellbeing through eating. The historical record confirms that KADA and BUKPẸ were already established male and female post-meal salutations by the early twentieth century. The living forms KADA BU KPẸ and ẸRẸGHÌ GBUẸ should therefore be preserved as part of the continuing development and transmission of Benin cultural practice. Ẹdomaye Legacy Foundation presents this record as a documented cultural position, while leaving the remaining fine-grained grammatical questions open to formal linguistic verification. ẸDO/ BENIN CULTURAL HERITAGE MUST BE DOCUMENTED.WHAT OUR FATHERS AND MOTHERS

The Ẹdo/Benin morning family salutation known as ÙKHÙ is not merely an ordinary greeting. It can carry information about family identity, ancestry, communal background and/or place of origin. This is not simply an internet claim. It is documented in a 2020 University of Benin linguistic study by Osaigbovo Obed Evbuomwan and William Ighasere Aigbedo, Department of Linguistics Studies, University of Benin. 🔴 THE RESEARCH DATA The researchers collected data from 100 Ẹdo speakers from different family and communal backgrounds across: • Oredo• Egor• Ikpoba-Okha• Orhionmwon• Ovia North-East• Ovia South-West• Uhunmwode Their study identified 60 different ÙKHÙ salutations in the research corpus. ⚠️ IMPORTANT ACADEMIC CORRECTION: The published article does NOT print a numbered master list of all 60 terms. Therefore, nobody should manufacture a “UNIBEN 1–60 list” and falsely claim that the University published it. What we can responsibly present are the ÙKHÙ forms that the published paper explicitly discusses and analyses. 📜 FORMS EXPLICITLY DOCUMENTED IN THE PAPER Lá- forms LámógùnLáínìLáúgìèLágìtéLáùvbèLáìrénLámókùnLámóduLámùkóLáréndò Dè-Lá forms DèláìkùDèlákùnDèláùhèDèláìhònDèláìhèDèlágùnDèlálùDèlárù Other forms explicitly analysed LáméréLáògèlèLágièsànLáẹ̀bòDèláínìLáúghàLámólùLámórùLámèrìDèláéhòLáìréLálókèLágièrrùàLáòsòLávbiézèDèláòsòLámósùnLáìdùDèláìhè Some forms occur in more than one analytical category, so these examples must not simply be added together and called “the 60.” 🧬 WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SHOW? The study found that ÙKHÙ terms are generally built around: (Dè-) + Lá- + ROOT The root is associated with an important personality, place, deity, or position of authority connected with the history and identity of the group using the salutation. The researchers therefore treat ÙKHÙ as an honorific expression whose forms preserve historical and cultural information. 🔥 THIS IS THE BIG POINT A family salutation can therefore function as a cultural identity marker. When an Ẹdo person gives a traditional ÙKHÙ, that word may point beyond the individual being greeted — toward lineage, historical association, ancestral identity, place of origin, authority or communal affiliation. And there is another important point: One ÙKHÙ is not necessarily exclusive to only one family. The research specifically documents cases where a salutation is shared by more than one group. So we must distinguish between: “This is our family salutation.” and “This salutation belongs exclusively to only our family.” They are not automatically the same claim. 🏛️ OUR POSITION AT ẸDOMAYE LEGACY FOUNDATION We will preserve Ẹdo/Benin heritage with evidence. NO INVENTION.NO FALSE ATTRIBUTION.NO ALTERING OF ORIGINAL FORMS.NO TURNING ORAL HISTORY INTO FICTION. Where the University of Benin has documented it, we cite the research. Where the complete underlying field dataset has not been published, we say so honestly. That is how serious cultural preservation is done. 📚 PRIMARY RESEARCH SOURCE Evbuomwan, Osaigbovo Obed & Aigbedo, William Ighasere (2020). “The Internal Structure of the Ẹdo Family Salutation (ÙKHÙ).” University of Benin Journal of the Humanities, Vol. 8, No. 1. The published research records 60 ÙKHÙ terms from 100 Ẹdo speakers. The complete numbered 60-item field corpus is not printed in the article, so the responsible scholarly position is to distinguish the 60-term research corpus from the individual examples actually published and analysed. 🔥 THIS IS THE RECORD. WE ARE IN BENIN. ẸDOMAYE LEGACY FOUNDATION Forward ever, backward never.

MASTER EVIDENCE DOSSIER SURVIVAL • EVIDENCE • PRESERVATION • ACTION ẸDOMAYE LEGACY FOUNDATION “What survives today must become tomorrow’s evidence.” 1. PURPOSE The Great Benin IYA Master Evidence Dossier is an evidence-led record dedicated to documenting, understanding, preserving and monitoring the surviving IYA of the Great Benin Kingdom. Its purpose is not simply to tell the story of the earthworks, but to establish a responsible framework through which historical records, archaeological research, modern observations, remote sensing and future documentation can be brought together. This is a living evidence record. It is designed to be strengthened as new archaeological research, field evidence, maps, imagery and institutional records become available. 2. WHY THE IYA MATTERS The IYA represent one of the most extraordinary archaeological landscapes associated with the Great Benin Kingdom. Their significance is not dependent upon a single measurement or a single historical account. Their importance emerges from the accumulated evidence: early archaeological investigation → wider landscape surveys → heritage documentation → modern archaeological reassessment → satellite observation → archival research → future monitoring. The central question is therefore no longer simply: “Did the IYA exist?” The evidence overwhelmingly establishes that they did. The more urgent question is: “What survives today, where does it survive, what condition is it in, and how do we ensure that the evidence itself survives for future generations?” 3. THE EVIDENCE PRINCIPLE Ẹdomaye Legacy Foundation adopts a simple rule: WE DO NOT REPLACE THE EVIDENCE WITH THE STORY. WE BUILD THE STORY AROUND THE EVIDENCE. Every major claim should therefore be classified according to what the available evidence actually supports. ESTABLISHED — Supported by reliable documentary, archaeological or other appropriate evidence. CORROBORATED — Supported by more than one independent evidence stream. PROBABLE — Persuasive evidence exists, but further verification is desirable. REPORTED — A credible report exists but has not yet been independently verified. UNKNOWN — There is insufficient evidence to make a responsible determination. UNKNOWN DOES NOT MEAN DESTROYED. 4. THE MODERN SURVIVAL BASELINE One of the most important developments in recent IYA research is the 2025 archaeological study by Schepers and colleagues. The study represents the first new archaeological survey of the Benin City IYA since the 1960s and employed modern techniques including UAV photography, D-GPS, LiDAR, remote sensing and ground truthing. The researchers divided the Inner City IYA into 18 sections. Their reported baseline includes approximately: 12.4 KM of Inner City IYA assessed. ~6 KM of earth walls reported remaining. The study also documents varying degrees of preservation and significant threats associated with modern urban development. This provides a critical NOW baseline against which future monitoring can be conducted. 5. THE 16,000-KM QUESTION The frequently repeated figure of approximately 16,000 km requires careful explanation. The figure refers to the wider historical earthwork system/aggregate estimate recorded in the UNESCO Tentative List context. It must not be presented as: “A 16,000-km wall surrounding Benin City.” Nor should it be presented as a modern measurement of surviving earthworks. This distinction is fundamental to the credibility of the IYA record. Historical estimate ≠ modern surviving measurement. 6. UNESCO STATUS The Benin IYA / Sungbo’s Eredo property appears on Nigeria’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, with the submission dating to 1995. This is significant international heritage recognition. However: Tentative List status is NOT the same as World Heritage inscription. Ẹdomaye will therefore use the correct terminology consistently. 7. THE EVIDENCE CHAIN 1954–1955 — A. J. H. GOODWINEarly archaeological work and documentation in Benin City. 1960s — GRAHAM CONNAHEarly systematic archaeological investigation of the IYA. 1973–1977 — PATRICK DARLINGExtensive survey of the wider IYA landscape. 1975 — GRAHAM CONNAHThe Archaeology of Benin provides a major archaeological synthesis. 1980s — PATRICK DARLINGFurther publication and interpretation of wider survey material. 1995 — UNESCO / NIGERIABenin IYA / Sungbo’s Eredo enters Nigeria’s World Heritage Tentative List. 2021 — CONTEMPORARY URBAN RESEARCHAdditional evidence concerning modern land-use pressures and deterioration. 2025 — TOMOS L. EVANSGoodwin’s previously unpublished archival material is revisited in modern scholarship. 2025 — NASA EARTH OBSERVATORYSatellite imagery provides an independent remote-sensing perspective on surviving traces. 2025 — SCHEPERS ET AL.Modern archaeological reassessment establishes an important current Inner City IYA baseline. 2026 — TOMOS L. EVANSFurther Goodwin archival research expands the historical reconstruction. TOMORROW — FUTURE RESEARCHERSNew evidence is added to the record. 8. WHAT WE KNOW 9. WHAT WE DO NOT YET KNOW Responsible research also requires us to identify the unanswered questions. We do not yet possess a comprehensive modern survey establishing the exact present condition of every IYA throughout Edo State. Further research is also required concerning: These are not weaknesses to conceal. They are research priorities. 10. THEN • NOW • TOMORROW THEN Historical maps, photographs, excavation records, archaeological surveys, oral traditions and archival documents establish the earlier record. NOW Modern archaeological survey, field documentation, satellite imagery and contemporary evidence establish what can presently be demonstrated. TOMORROW Repeated documentation will allow future generations to measure change against today’s baseline. THEN → NOW → TOMORROW The objective is to prevent today’s evidence from becoming tomorrow’s missing evidence. 11. SURVIVAL: THE CENTRAL QUESTION The IYA preservation mission should be organised around SURVIVAL. For every documented feature, we should ask: This transforms heritage advocacy into an evidence-led preservation system. 12. THE IYA SURVIVAL ATLAS The proposed IYA Survival Atlas will eventually provide a structured record of documented earthwork features. Each feature should receive a unique identification number and an evidence card containing: The Atlas should distinguish between: SURVIVING • PARTIALLY SURVIVING • SEVERELY DAMAGED SURVIVOR • LOSS DOCUMENTED • UNKNOWN 13. DIGITAL EVIDENCE VAULT Evidence that exists only in social-media posts or on a single website is vulnerable. The IYA project therefore requires an organised evidence vault containing: Preservation principle: MASTER ORIGINAL → WORKING COPY → APPROVED PUBLIC COPY Future editions should retain a record of corrections and changes rather than silently replacing previous versions. 14. COMMUNITY SURVIVAL WATCH Local communities are essential to long-term survival monitoring. A simple reporting model is: SEE → RECORD → LOCATE → DATE →