Ejigbo

Yoruba

Etymology

There is some historical significance to the name of this town, it features in a legendary ancient market of Ifẹ̀, Èjìgbòmẹkùn, which features prominently in Yoruba oral history. In addition, several other locations throughout Yorubaland bear an alternate version of the name, Ìjìgbò, which is almost always used interchangeably with Èjìgbò. Èjìgbòmẹkùn in Ifẹ̀ oral tradition is regarded as the first market in Ifẹ̀, is closely associated with many Yoruba divinities, including Ajé, Ọ̀rúnmìlà, and features prominently in many verses of the Odù Ifá. While there is a clear relationship between the name Èjìgbòmẹkùn and the locations known as Èjìgbò or Ìjìgbò, the historical relationship between them are not clear, except that like many Yorùbá towns, most ones named Èjìgbò claim to be descended from Ifẹ̀. The name Ùgbòmẹkùn, an ancient name for the region that is now Ifẹ̀, is also clearly related. Thus, a link between Èjìgbò and the Ùgbò people has also been hypothesized, which is the most common explanation for ancient Ifẹ̀ terms with "gbò," see Ọ̀ṣẹ̀rẹ̀màgbò.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /è.d͡ʒì.ɡ͡bò/

Proper noun

Èjìgbò

Ejigbo (a town in Nigeria)

Derived terms

Eléjìgbò