Ọba
/ɔ̀.bá/noun
A king or traditional ruler, especially in Yoruba-speaking regions of West Africa.
Did you know?Ọba is a Yoruba royal title associated with sacred kingship, and the title is also found in related West African traditions, including the Edo kingdom of Benin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Yoruboid
Proto-Yoruboid
*ọba
“Reconstructed term associated with a ruler or king”
Precolonial period
Yoruba
ọba
“King, monarch, or traditional ruler”
Precolonial period
Edo
oba
“King; a royal title used by rulers of Benin”
19th Century
English
oba
“A West African king or ruler, recorded in English descriptions of regional societies”
Modern English
English
oba
“A traditional ruler, especially among the Yoruba or in Benin-related contexts”