Numbers Pool – Álúkà

Historical Background

Since the beginning of time, the Ígáláà have evolved a system of counting that  stretches to large numbers beyond the imagination of the modern Igala youths and adults. Through this ancient system, Igala ancestors, who were predominantly farmers, were able to take record of their properties: the heaps they constructed in one day, the harvest of yam tubers, sacks of grains, and, of course, the cowries earned at the end of a market day. At home, they gratefully counted their blessing, saying: “Ọ́jọ́ agba-oo.” (God, I thank You).

Cowry Currency

The counting of cowry shells –  (Cypraea moneta), ‘ẹ́yọ́-ọkọ́’  in Ígáláà – assisted our ancestors to digitize the  ordering of counted items. Counting commences from a single unit (òké), leading to one ten (ẹ̀gwá), twenty (ógwú/ọ̀gbọ̀lọ̀ – shortened ‘ọ̀gbọ̀), fifty (óóje; ólí), hundred (ógwúẹ́lù), two hundred (ọ̀gwọ́kọ́), two hundred (íchámúù) and a thousand, (àdò or íchámú-nyí-ọ́gwọ́kọ́),as we’re going to see shortly.

As a legal tender in several parts of the world, cowries were obtained in abundant quantities from the Maldives Islands in Sri Lanka, South Asia.

Medieval African Market

The members of the British Expedition to the River Niger that visited Ídá in 1841, in its report, observed that: “Everything is conducted with the greatest order and with less  noise titan one expects in an African market…Hundreds of men are to be seen counting their bags of cowries.”

Copper Bracelets

As generations rolled by, cowry shells ceased to be a means of exchange, replaced by brass or copper bracelets, called  ‘Údẹ.’ The manila was used both as legal tender and as body ornament. For instance, important men wore ‘údẹ’ on the arm, while ladies wore them as bracelets and anklets. The term, ‘íkọ́bọ̀,’ which was used in the colonial period  in Nigeria for one penny (1d) derived its name from ‘copper.’

The British Pound Sterling

When the British flag, the  Union Jack, was hoisted in Nigeria on 1st January, 1900, it marked the change to a new administration. With it came a new currency, the Pound Sterling, which the British Empire introduced in its Nigerian colony.

The denominations of the British currency, as they were called  in Igala language,  are as follows:

 (i)  1d  (One penny) was                called íkọ́bọ̀, while half            a penny was called                   ‘Ógwúmẹ́lū),  meaning              ‘Twenty units in five                 places.                                                                                     (ii)    2d  (Two   pennies or               two pence) was ‘íkọ́bọ̀               méjì. (Casual: ‘kọ́ọ̀ méjì).                                                       (iii)  3d  (Three pence) was              named ‘ítọ́lọ́’ (from                   ‘tọ́rọ́,’ as it was called               elsewhere in Nigeria then.                                                     (iv)  6d  (Six pence) was                 ‘íchíchì,’ from ‘sísí’ as it           was called nationwide.                                                   

(v)  9d  (Nine pence), which            the natives called ‘ínányí,’        (nine).                                                                                  (vi) 12d (Twelve pence) was          equal to ‘1s’ (One                     shilling), called                           ‘Òlìyá kāà.‘.                                                                        (vii) 10s (Ten shillings) was             called either ‘ọ́kọ́ mẹ́gwā’         or ‘òlìyá mẹ̄gwa.’                                                               

When the volume of trade increased worldwide, Cowry shells (Cypraea moneta), called ‘ẹ́yọ́-ọkọ́’  in Ígáláà,  became the medium of exchange in many countries of the world. In medieval times, cowries were imported from the Maldives Islands in Sri Lanka, South Asia.  

When the members of the British Expedition to the River Niger visited Ídá in 1841 A.D., they described the decorum with which trade was carried out, saying that “Everything is conducted with the greatest order and with less  noise titan one expects in an African market…Hundreds of men are to be seen counting their bags of cowries.”

Cowries, as the years rolled by, gave way to brass/copper bracelets (Údẹ), which was used both as legal tender and as body ornament. For instance, important men wore ‘údẹ’ on the arm, while ladies wore them as bracelets and anklets.

British Pound Sterling

During the colonial period in Nigeria, the British Pound and shillings were introduced to the colonies of the British Empire in these denominations:

  (i)    1d   (One penny) was                called íkọ́bọ̀ (derived                from ‘copper’), while half            a penny was called                   ‘Ógwúmẹ́lū),  meaning              ‘Twenty units in five                 places.                                                                                 (ii)    2d  (Two   pennies or                 two pence) was ‘íkọ́bọ̀               méjì. (Casual: ‘kọ́ọ̀ méjì).                                                    (iii)   3d  (Three pence) was              named ‘ítọ́lọ́’ (from ‘tọ́rọ́,’          as it was called                          elsewhere in Nigeria.                                                    (iv)  6d  (Six pence) was                  ‘íchíchì,’ from ‘sísí’ as it              was called nationwide.                                                   

(v)  9d  (Nine pence), which            the natives called ‘ínányí,’        (nine).                                                                                  (vi) 12d (Twelve pence) was            equal to ‘1s’ (One shilling),        called ‘Òlìyá kāà.’.                                                              (vii) 10s  (Ten shillings) was             called either ‘ọ́kọ́ mẹ́gwā’         or ‘òlìyá mẹ̄gwa.’                                                                  (viii) 20s (Twenty shillings),              which was equal to £1              (One pound), was called          ‘Ípámū kāà.’

 (ix)  £2 (Two pounds) was                called ‘ípámú mējì,’ while          £20 ̀was ‘Ípámū ogwú.’                                                        (x)   £10 (One hundred                     pounds) was called                   ‘Àkpúlùú káa.’ 

   Cardinals 

  In mathematics, words used for counting are called cardinal numbers. In Ígáláà, counting begins with ‘Òké,’ (a single unit), as in Òké ‘káà/ mejì/mẹ́ta, etc. (One/two/three units).                                                                                          ‘Òké ‘káà,’ as a counting form, is collapsed to ‘òókáà.’ However, when counting things serially from the beginning, ‘Ényẹ́’ (One) is preferred; as in: Ényẹ́, èjì, ẹ̀ta, ẹ̀lẹ̀, ẹ̀lú, ẹ̀fà, èbie, ẹ̀jọ, ẹ̀lá, ẹ̀gwá. (One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten).    

  Ordinals

 Words indicating order or sequence of occurrence are called ordinal numbers.  Igala ordinals begin with ‘Òókáà’ or ‘Éjódùdu,’     (First), an adjective of number. In Igala speech, it is usually placed before a noun that it qualifies, E.g. ‘Ẹ́nẹ ejodùdu‘ (First person) or ‘Èyí ejodùdu’ (The first one). However, in English, the adjective comes after the noun.  After the first number, the particle, ‘ẹ̀kẹ́,’ is adopted and  prefixed to the numbers that come immediately after ‘Éjódùdu,’  as in ‘ẹ̀kejì’ (second), ẹ̀kẹ́ta (third) etc. 

Cardinal Numbers 

Ordinal Numbers                            

 (Twenty shillings), which was equal to £1 (One pound), was called          ‘Ípámū kāà.’

 (ix)  £2 (Two pounds) was                called ‘ípámú mējì,’ while          £20 ̀was ‘Ípámū ogwú.’                                                           (x)   £10 (One hundred                     pounds) was called                   ‘Àkpúlùú káa.’ 

Àlí Ọ̀chẹ́ja Ọ̀bàje’s Legacy

The penultimate Àtá-Igáláà, Dr. Álíyù Òtúlúkpé Ọ̀chẹ́ja Ọ̀baje (1956 – 2013), before joining his ancestors, advocated for a clean, unadulterated Igala counting system that would be rid of the intrusions of Hausa words.  

   Cardinals 

  In mathematics, words used for counting are called cardinal numbers. In Ígáláà, counting begins with ‘Òké,’ (a single unit), as in Òké ‘káà/ mejì/mẹ́ta, etc. (One/two/three units).                                                                                          ‘Òké ‘káà,’ as a counting form, is collapsed to ‘òókáà.’ However, when counting things serially from the beginning, ‘Ényẹ́’ (One) is preferred; as in: Ényẹ́, èjì, ẹ̀ta, ẹ̀lẹ̀, ẹ̀lú, ẹ̀fà, èbie, ẹ̀jọ, ẹ̀lá, ẹ̀gwá. (One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten).    

  Ordinals

 Words indicating order or sequence of occurrence are called ordinal numbers.  Igala ordinals begin with ‘Òókáà’ or ‘Éjódùdu,’     (First), an adjective of number. In Igala speech, it is usually placed before a noun that it qualifies, E.g. ‘Ẹ́nẹ ejodùdu‘ (First person) or ‘Èyí ejodùdu’ (The first one). However, in English, the adjective comes after the noun.  After the first number, the particle, ‘ẹ̀kẹ́,’ is adopted and  prefixed to the numbers that come immediately after ‘Éjódùdu,’  as in ‘ẹ̀kejì’ (second), ẹ̀kẹ́ta (third) etc.   

Cardinal Numbers 

Ordinal Numbers