GA –YORUBOID RELATIONS(SCIENTIFIC OVERVIEW)

GA –YORUBOID RELATIONS(SCIENTIFIC OVERVIEW)

There are many stories of the Ga of Ghana having relations either with Ife, Oyo, Benin or Isekiri; or having historical relations at one time with all or either of them (Egharevba 1948, Johnson 1921, Fage 1969, Honsbira and St. Ifa 2008 etc).  An analyses of Ga and the Yoruboid languages – Yoruba, Isekiri, Igala, Ebu , Olukumi etc will scientifically highlight this relationship.

SN	English	Ga	Yoruboid	Explanation
1	Take	Kor	Ko(pack)	All Yoruboid
2	Steal	Dzu/juu	Ji	All Yoruboid
3	Welcome	Ekwaaba	Ekabo	Oyo Yoruba
4	Black	Edin	Adin(black pomade)	Yoruba
5	Black	Edin	Uden(black pomade)	Isekiri
6	Left	Abeku	Abiku(negative child of the left)	All Yoruba
7	black	Edin	Din(night fall)	Isekiri
8	Coconut	Akokoshi	Kokodie(Isekiri)	Possibly a lone from Portuguese. Isekiri and Ga had ancient contacts with Portugal
9	Rudeness	Atua	Atua(Extreme suffering /rudeness/insult	Isekiri
10	Judge	Kodjolor	Kwejolor(remove the case)	All Yoruboid
11	Aroma	Nma	Emi	All Yoruboid. Emi is aroma in Egyptian
12	Mother	Nye	Iye/iya	All Yoruboid
13	Mat/bed	Saa	Su(sleep) all Yoruboid	Mat/bed used for sleeping. Su is to sleep in Kamitic
14	Cry	Fo	Fo(talk) all Yoruboid	Crying and talking – all sounds made by mouth.
15	Prison	Kpabu	Kpabu(arrest/seize)	Isekiri
16	Prison/jail	Mon	Mu(arrest)	Oyo Yoruba. Mu is to grasp in Kamitic
17	Oil	Mu	Omi(water) all Yoruboid	Oil and water are all liquids
18	Spirit	Mumor	Mumor(brain) Isekiri	Brain and spirit are all inner faculties. Mumor corresponds with the Kamitic
19	Breathe	Muu	Mi( all Yoruboid)	Presence of the consonant. M is the sound for water and breath  in Egyptian
20	Grandmother	Nana/naa	Nene(Isekiri/Igala)	Presence of the same consonant
21	Water	Nu	Eno(water god) Isekiri	Presence of the consonant , the name corresponds with the Kamitic
22	Wife	Nya	Aya	All Yoruboids
23	Wife	Nya	Yawo	All Yoruboid
24	Fishing season	Obue	Obue(rainy season	Isekiri
25	Meaning	Shishi	Shishi(having the same meaning)	Isekiri
26	Definite	Shishi	Shishi(it is like)	Isekiri
27	Love	Sumo	Sumo(near)	SY. Suma is near in Egyptian
28	Ear	Toi	Eti(All Yoruboid)	Presence of the consonant
29	Attend/go to	Ya	Ya(fast)	All Yoruboid
30	Eat	Ye	Je(all yoruboid)	J and Y interchangeable like Yaqob and Jacob
31	Ask	Be	Be	All Yoruboid
32	Stars(many)	Otukwadzan	Utukpa(light)	All Yoruboid)
33	Black	Edin	Edun	Isekiri. Dudu is the black image of Osiris
34	Grey/dark	Wansu	Esu(dark god) Si dye the hair	Ife/Isekiri. Sut is an evil deity in Egypt
35	Barren	Kene	Agan	K interchanging g
36	Sea/ocean	Nsao	Osa(tide)	All Yoruboid). Osa is tide in Egyptian
37	Royalty	Ablade	Ade	Ife
38	Creation	Adeboo	Ade(created) boo(come forth)	SY
39	Creation	Adebolo	Ade(create)boo(come forth) lo(surpass)	SY
40	Monkey	Adun	Edon	SY
41	Crown	Akekre	Akoro(crown for all)- kings of the second migration from Ife	Ife
42	Palanquin	Akakpai	Kpakpo(plank)	All Yoruboid)
43	Witch	Ajer	Ajer	All Yoruboid
44	Child	Bi	Bi – to give birth	All Yoruboid. Bi is to give birth to a child in Egyptian
45	Darkness	Dunn	Dun(black)	Isekiri/Olukumi
46	Dance	Dzoo/joo	Zo(dance),Jo(dance)	Olukumi/Yoruba
47	Bad	Efon	Ifon(craw craw)	SY
48	Broken	Eku	Ku(broke)	SY
49	Easy	Ewa	Ewa(beauty)	SY
50	Better than	Fe	Fe(like)	SY
51	Untie/unravel	Fene	Fene	Isekiri
52	Run	Foi	Fo(fly) all Yoruboid)	This tallies with the Kamitic
53	Lung	Fuflaa	Foghofogho(lung)	All Yoruboid)
54	Road	Gbe	Gba(to take a street)	All Yoruboid
55	Death	Gbele	Gbele(burial ground)	Isekiri
56	Dry	Gbin	Gbe	Yoruba
57	Hill/mountain	Gon	Go(high)	All Yoruba. This has similarity to the Egyptian ka, go
58	Hazzi/hajji	Twins	Eji(two) ibeji(twins)	All Yoruba
59	Jealousy/hate	Hetse	Etse(evil)	All Yoruboid
60	Bite	Koo	Koo	Isekiri

Conclusion

A picture is worth a thousand words. The picture drawn shows that Ga-Adangme people of Ghana have close historical relationship with Nigeria and more especially to the Yoruboid peoples- Yoruba, Igala, Isekiri. Further exploration in the linguistic elements show the relationship of Ga and the Yoruboid goes back to the days of ancient Egypt, as words that link the Ga and the Yoruba in most cases, also link them to the Kamitic language of the ancient Egyptians. The Ga like the Nupe and Ebira are Yorubanised, but not Yoruboid. Perhaps they were initially Yoruboid, but corrupted by Ghanaian ethnics – Akan Ashanti, guan etc. further research should be carried out – genetics and linguistics etc – concerning this wonderful people of Ghana.

By

Oritseweyinmi Oghanrandukun Olomu(St.Ifa)