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oba

American  
[aw-buh] / ˈɔ bə /

noun

  1. a hereditary tribal ruler among various peoples in the Benin region of western Africa.


oba British  
/ ˈɔːbɑː, -bə /

noun

  1. (in W Africa) a Yoruba chief or ruler

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of oba

First recorded in 1900–05, oba is from the Edo word ɔ́bá

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Both the Nigerian government and the oba of Benin, whose family ruled the historical Kingdom of Benin from which they were looted, claimed that they owned the items.

From New York Times Dec. 20, 2022

This image of the oba, or king, of Benin dominates the space, through which thousands of visitors pass every week, and draws the eye.

From BBC Feb. 19, 2022

"There is something very powerful about seeing an oba standing there next to the panel memorialising the Benin campaign," the cathedral's chancellor, Dr Paula Gooder, told the BBC.

From BBC Feb. 19, 2022

The British were looking for excuses to attack Benin, Nigerian historians say, because the oba had too much power.

From New York Times Jun. 23, 2021

We hab sarch all oba de place; call out his name in de store-rooms, an’ de coatyard, an’ de cattle closure—ebbery wha we tink of.

From The Death Shot A Story Retold by Mayne Reid

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