Edo from SaoTome and principe

According to Ferraz (1978), The language that features most prominently in the Sao Tomense Portuguese based creole is Bini, better known as Edo ....and Kongo.

Ferraz's evidence shows that people from the Niger Delta and we can interprete his Edo in a broader sense to include other Edoid and related languages and dialects such as Edo(Bini), Isoko, Urhobo (all Edoid) Isekiri ended up speaking a kind of pidgin Portuguese. Proof of this is supplied by the impressive list of words of Edoid (especially Edo or Bini origin in Sao Tomense as reported by Ferraz (1978). Sao Tome and Principe is an island on the Gulf of Benin and situated near modern-day Gabon.

Item

Sao Tomense(ST)*********** Glossary *****************Edo(Bini)

1. Lele **********************Accompany, follow** *********Le`le

2. punda ********************Because, because of **********rhun-da(runuda)

3 lululu *********************dark (of the sky before rain)**** duduudu,nununu

4 fofo **********************blow (of wind) ***************ho`ho _____cf.Yekhee(auchi) fo`fo

5. ubwe ********************Body ***********************gbe

6. oko *********************Calabash ********************Uko

7. bobo ********************carry an infant on the back. *****oo(vo`vo)vbovbo

8. go ***********************shout ***********************go`

9. ize ***********************small crayfish found in rivers ****ize

10. potopoto ****************ideophone of drenching ********ijo potopoto (ideophone of mudiness)

11. dede ********************embrace ********************de`de

12. we ***********************eye ***********************Gbari:we Twi hwe, Edo (he)look

14. akele *******************frog *************************Ekire(Ekile)__ yor:Akere ,Igbo:akiri

15. lolo ********************lick **************************la`lo

16. idu *********************louse *************************Iru`

17. odo ********************mortar ************************odo ,Yor: odo, Urhobo:odo 

18. utu ********************mould (fungus) ******************utu, otu

19. yo *********************to please ***********************yo "high"

20.dumu ******************to pound ***********************duu dumwun

21. ye *********************to please *********************** ye

22. a **********************pronoun unmarked for person or number*** a (common edoid form)

23. ko *********************resemble ***********************xo kho

24. -o *********************respect tag in greetings ************Edo(bini) form not given___ cf Esan dialect: Bodia ye- how are you?

25. ku ********************rubbish *************************ku

26 galo ********************search,look for ******************gwalo

27. kwe ********************seed ,grain, pip, berry *************ikpe

28. va **********************spilt ***************************va

29. muja *******************wait, stand **********************mudia, Esan: mudia Agbede, mujia

30.budu *******************stone ***************************Grebo bodo stone (but cf Edoid udo stone)

31. oka *********************a big tree ***********************oka

32. Aba ********************branch, Twi: *********************aba, Igbo:aba

33. ubwa *******************fence, enclosure *******************ugba

34. obo ********************wilderness ************************ogo .

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Are we surprised that the people of the Islands Sao Tome and Principe speak Edo language? San Tome and Principe was the maritime headquarters of the Portuguese during the 14th through 16th century as they traded with the Edos. Since the Oba of Benin was the most powerful paramount ruler in Southern Nigeria before the intervention of the British, the Portuguese had a strong link to the Edos and Benin City.

There were movements of the Edos either as freemen or slaves to work in Portuguese ships and farms. They stayed, lived and died there. When they left Benin, they took Edo language and culture with them. It is their descendant ( Edos) that we are talking about today. They are speaking the language of their forefathers. There is even doubt in some historical quarters that, when an Oba of Benin was reportedly sent to Portuguese schools in Lisbon, it may have been the Island of Sao Tome and Principe. The majority of the inhabitants of these two Islands are Edo derived.

Iyi Eweka