Ọlọ́fin

Pronunciation

Meaning of Ọlọ́fin

1. King, royal one, god-king 2. A shortening of longer names referring to god(s) named Ọlọ́fin like Ọlọ́fínṣawo, Ọlọ́fínjóùnbọ́, Ọlọ́fínṣọpẹ́, etc

Extended Meaning

Ọlọ́fin (also spelled as Ọlọ́fịn) is a word coming from the ancient Proto-Yoruba root *ọfin, which originally referred to anything associated with royalty. While ọfin is not used in modern Yoruba, (it can be found in the related language Igala), it is preserved in words like ààfin (palace), and the title Ọlọ́fin, which means king or royal one. In the past, many ancient king-warriors who were also believed to be divine, were referred to as Ọlọ́fin, especially in oríkì (praise poetry). This includes kings like Odùduwà (Ọ̀ọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀), Aremitan (first Ọwá of Ìdànrè), Ọ̀sángangan Ọbamakin (another ancient Ọ̀ọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀), Ọbàlùfọ̀n, Ògúnfúnminíre (founder of the Àwórì people), and others. When these respectives kings died, they were deified as ancestral gods, often associated with royalty, kingship, and fertility, and were called Ọlọ́fin. Thus, many different towns have gods named Ọlọ́fin, but these gods, while perhaps representing similar things, are often different entities with different oral poetries, histories, and methods of worship. Thus, the Ọlọ́fin worshipped in the town Ìdànrè, (representing the deified Ọwá Aremitan), and referred to in names like Ọlọ́fínghàká and Ọlọ́fínwadénù, is a different god from Ọlọ́fin worshipped in the nearby town of Ìlárá-Mọ̀kín (who is referred to as Ọlọ́fin Ufẹ̀ and represents a deified king of Ifẹ̀ like Odùduwà), who is referred to in names like Ọlọ́fínmẹ̀yẹ, Ọlọ́fíndáre, Ọlọ́fínṣínọ̀, etc.

Morphology

oní-ọfin

Gloss

oní - one who owns
ọfin - royalty, title, palace (related to ààfin)

Geolocation

Common in:
AKURE
EKITI
ONDO
GENERAL