Ọya

See also: ọya, oya, Oya, and -ʼoyą

Yoruba

Etymology

A common folk etymology links her name to ọ- (“agent prefix”) +‎ ya (“to tear, to rip open”), literally “She tore”, referring to her representation as violent whirlwinds. Also possibly from aya (“wife”), as she is strongly associated as the wife of Ṣàngó

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̄.jā/

Proper noun

Ọya

1. A female orisha and one of the irúnmọlẹ̀ in the Yoruba religion, she is believed to be the spirit of the Niger river, and is the goddess of storms, winds. She is the wife of Ṣàngó, and was also an ayaba (“queen”), when he was the Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́.
   • She is regarded as the favorite of Ṣàngó's wife because of their similar tempers.

   Ọyá pé méjì. Ọya kìíní ni èyí tí ó bá àwọn Irúnmọlẹ̀ wá sí ayé; èkejì sì ni Ọya tí ó jẹ́ ìyàwóo Ṣàngó Ìtí-olú Olúkòso tíí ṣe Aláàfin ní Ọyọ́-ilé

   There are two forms of Oya. The first Oya is the primordial deity who accompanied the four hundred other deities to earth, and the second is Oya the orisha who was the wife of Shango the Alaafin of Oyo

2. Niger (a major river in West Africa, that flows into the Gulf of Guinea in Nigeria)

   Synonym: Odò Ọya

Derived terms

• Odò Ọya (“The Niger River”)
• ọlọ́ya (“A devotee or priest of Ọya”)
• Ọya-pípè (“Chanting and invocations during the praise of Ọya”)
• Ọyábìyìí (“A Yoruba name meaning Ọya has given birth to this child”)
• Ọyábùnmi (“A Yoruba name meaning Ọya blessed me”)
• Ọyágbọlá (“A Yoruba name meaning Ọya received honor”)
• Ọyágbèmí (“A Yoruba name meaning Ọya has favored me”)
• Ọyátọ́pẹ́ (“A Yoruba name meaning Ọya is worthy of praise”)
• Òkè Ọya (“The northern region of Nigeria, the region of Nigeria above the Niger river”)