NAMES & NAMING IN OSOSO

 NAMES & NAMING IN OSOSO 

Why Some People Bears Name Of Animals, Things & Places.

By: Osheku Afoyan Isaac 

As known, a person's name is part of his or her cultural identity. Names are valuable source of information that indicate birth place, ethnicity, gender, religion and position within a family and society at large. Name has various deictic or mono-referential function. Naming was established to members of any community to identify and communicate with one another.

 They are form of historical traces and reading meaning to past happenstances within and outside families. A common genesis story across a range of different cultures: from the starting primordial animistic beliefs system to monotheistic religions.

Names and naming in Ososo can be related to equal historic/genesis of naming including a mythic perspective, the quasi-magical power of naming that left its mark through folktales and stories. As naming is a word or group of words used to refer to individual entity. 

Givers of names are commonly the parents, grand parents, religious leaders and in some cases extended relatives of a child. Mostly given on the 8th day after birth. Like it is in other ethnicity, Ososo name children specially in the time of past. Soothsayers, elders of families, religious leaders or whoever is required by the parent. Naming materials are presented during the naming which include native collar, sugar, honey, cowries, clothing and other meaningful things which all connotes different meaning accordingly.

In Ososo, there are names that sounds funny to this present generation. Instances are name of those bearing the names of animals, things and places. Such that sound scary and ridiculous. Wondering why parents of the past named their cherished children after places, animals and even things? Yes, a question should come to your mind when someone is called 'Irewu' (DEATH), 'Odumu' (LION), 'Epe' (TIGER), 'Utori,' 'Amene' (LIZARD), 'Ukia' (FLY) 'Eworo' (MOUSE), 'Orugbe, Ishiki' (FARM LAND AREA), 'Eka' (Monkey) and so on. _"In the past, Ososo people were careless of the pregnant women talkless of naming the child. Many men remain in the farm or bush hunting just to be told that their wives gave birth or died during delivery. There is no record to show that there used to be naming ceremony in Ososo after 8th day. Many names were meaningless or bad names were given just to make the child undesirable to the Demon." -Chief Patrick Okogbe._ 

It is noted that the people of Ososo (some) named their children in the past as a result of bad incidents, circumstances that surrounded their birth that results to the names. In situation were their children keep dying at a particular age, or being sick unnecessarily.

 They enjoyed not their children. Hence, they believed there was a demonic influence over the deaths of the children and those who were sicklers too. This families believed Demons were responsible for such happenstances so they alternate a way of protecting their children from being sick and even death. It was learnt that the Ososo people would consult soothsayers for which animal; a child's name be given accordingly. This was because they believed there is a strong spirit behind such animal and that animal cannot easily be harmed and or, otherwise.

Those who were named according to places are those who's birth took place outside the comfort wish of the mother because of lack of expectations of when the delivery would take place. There was no modern medicals to ascertain when a pregnancy is due, so pregnant women move around and do their daily activities until the moment they will be feeling pain of child delivery that is when they will know that it is time for delivery.There are some children that were given birth to in the farm and even inside market, such children were named after the particular farm or place where they were given birth to. Like those called Orugbe', Ishiki, Odo, Odugba, and the likes, where all given birth to in those places. It was a sad moment given birth in the farm even where there's no local child delivery assistant to care for the mother and new child but God being on their side, the delivery was always successful. Like it is being experienced in recent time where some young girls still pass through same thing simply because they have no access to antenatal or lack of fund and awareness.

Going deep to naming in Ososo, one would understand that there are common family names as heard in the present time. Names like Ojisua, Obaitan, Osheku, Orifa, Otaru, Agbaje, Ogedengbe, Oloke, Buoro, Okokoro, Aiyejina, Akinyesi, Omoluwabi, Ogboase, Otagbo, Akosor, Ogborefor, Itomo, Okogbe, Akpologun, Ugah, Ajuloko, Salami etc Looking at these names one would wonder why there are some names belonging to the Yorubas, the reason for this is so unclear as most information about this naming pattern varies. In part, it is believed that Ososo people had much opportunity of traveling to the modern Ondo State where they source for livelihood so they return back home to name their children with Yoruba names. This is also traceable to the entire Akoko Edo where numerous people have this nomenclature of the Yorubas. Obversely, Ososo people has a relationship with the Yorubas following our historical stories of migration; a long history to be unveiled.

It should be noted that there are a group of people in Kenya called Ososo by name. They are described as people whose surname is primarily Christian (100%) in Kenya. 

Common individual names in Ososo are as follows: Mazornobe shortened as Mazor, Ogbogboyan, Omokhovah, Omokheni, Omokheyan, Iche-Amameh shortened as Amameh, Omokhode, Asena, Marobhe, Afomeyan shorted as Afoyan, Osonameh, Ogbogbotegboni, Afemikhe, Iburuvotse, Eveshomanifuo, Eveshoyan, Abuemumeh, Unyenikoshie, Eveshi-ategbeyan, Eveshoyan, Oyi-Eveshobhase, Afekhare, Omokhireyani, Omotso, Oyimeh, Oyimemitse, Irotso, Omagbo, Afetso, Oyimitso, Ochechogah, Iretenevesho, Ogboanako, Marabhe, Akodjimah, Michiogbo, Ochecheoyevesho, Akugbe, Afitafu, Ogbofame, Omokhafe, Omokheyan, Agbowero, Itotse, Eveshorema, Iyantse, Afebuameh, Orobe, Motieveshote, Eveshobhase, Omokhudu, Aminebue, Esobunu, Itotse, Omoremimeh, Omowero, Omokhubhase, Midjioyimeh, Imiefatse, Akirotso, Ogboase, Agbose, Annemonunu, Itegbemie, Ajimeyah, Ajimebue, Afoyani, Atorgbaya, Omokhagbo, Imiefuo, Itomuegbe, Efomhe, Oraresor, and a host of other numerous names.

These names has very deep meaning, some where given according to the mood of the parents, family dispute matters, attitude of negative attitude of wives before or on the time of birth, some according to conditions and some according to the leadership of divinity.

Ososo names are suitable, sound nice in pronunciation, they are engulfed with cultural values. Sustaining Ososo names and naming for our children and next generation is appreciably a pattern to be promoted.

© Osheku A. Isaac

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