Glottolog:

Yoruba

RefLex:

Yoruba

Ẹ̄́gba. Remarks.- Dṣḗu· is about four miles from Ā́ke, the Ḗgba capital. Īgbóre is situate on the river Ū́bu, one day's journey from Ā́ke, or Alā́ke, the Ẹ́Ẹhgba capital, and only three hours' journey from the Dṣẹ́bu territory. N.B. Aku, or rather Ọ̄́ku, is a mode of salutation among all the tribes enumerated under No.1; and hence they are all of them designated in Sierra Leone “Akus,” not only by Europeans, but also and chiefly by the native population. It is, consequently, not the historical name by which these numerous tribes are united in one nation; but it is here retained because the historical name is not known at present. It may possibly be discovered, even if lost in the country itself, in one or another of the different appellations by which surrounding nations call the Akus. The Missionaries of the country ought to search after the proper national name of the whole Aku country. For the last few years they have very erroneously made use of the name “Yórūba” in reference to the whole nation, supposing that the Yórūban is the most powerful Aku tribe. But this appellation is liable to far greater objections than that of “Aku,” and ought to be forthwith abandoned ; for it is, in the first place, unhistorical, having never been used of the whole Aku nation by anybody, except for the last few years conventionally by the Missionaries ; secondly, it involves a twofold use of the word “Yórūba,” which leads to a confusion of notions, for in one instance the same word has to be understood of a whole, in another, only of part; and, thirdly, the name being thus incorrect, can never be received by the different tribes as a name for their whole nation. If, e.g., you call an Idṣébuan or a Yā́gban a Yórūban, he will always tell you, “Don't call me by that name, I am not a Yórūban ;” just, e.g., as the Wúrtembergians or Bavarians would never suffer themselves to be called Prussians.