Names That Kenyans And Nigerians Share

CORD Leader Raila Odinga with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. | image source: gettyimages.com

Radiojambo.co.ke recently interviewed Radio Jambo Breakfast Show presenter Gidi (Joseph Ogidi) and in the course of that conversation, something interesting was noticed by both parties; there is a place in Nigeria known as Ogidi.

The place is found in Anambra State and is inhabited by the Igbo people. Ogidi is also the birthplace of the late Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe, and as it turned out following a further research by radiojambo.co.ke, Ogidi is not the only name that is share by Kenyans and Nigerians.

If you may remember past football encounters between Kenya and Nigeria, in particular their November 14 2009 meeting at the Moi International Sports Centre - Kasarani, Super Eagles fans have been notorious of carrying banners, and also chanting, that proclaim "Odinga (Raila) is a Nigerian".

There is no doubt that CORD leader Raila Odinga is one of the most famous Kenyan citizens and therefore him being known by Nigerians is not surprising. What was surprising though was what made the Nigerians claim him as one of their own when clearly there is nothing Nigerian at all about Raila.

The tongue-in-cheek action by the Nigerians would not have passed over the heads of many Kenyans had there a Nigerian named Odinga who has achieved global fame. The name Odinga, as it turns out, is not just limited to members of the Luo community in East Africa but is also a common name among the Igbo people of Nigeria. However, the name Odinga among the Igbo people is a shortened version of the name Odingalomeghi which means "Is there anywhere that He (God) does not shine."

As with the Luo, and a few other Kenyan and East African communities, most names among the Yoruba and Igbo people with the letter "O" hence raising questions if need there is connection between the Luo people of East Africa and their Nigerian counterparts. Irish people also have names starting with letter "O" but it would insane to suggest any anthropological connection inasmuch as "O'leary" and "Olare" sound almost the same.

Knowing the convoluted migration pattern of many African communities, it would not be surprising if it is discovered that the Luos of East Africa and the Igbos of Nigeria settled at the place at one point in time. The two communities not only share names which have same spellings but some of the names also happen the same meaning. An example of such a name, as a blogger on writes, is Akomo which among the Igbos means someone born during harvesting whereas as among the Luo, as this Wikipedia  puts it, means someone born at a time of prosperity.

Other names which are common between Kenyans and Nigerians include Ngige (as if by coincidence Anambra State, where the place named Ogidi is found, was named Chris Ngige), Nduku (it is a place in Nigeria's Adamawa State and also a person's name), Nduka (football fans should be familiar with the name Nduka Ugbade), Obachi, Odiaga, Omoro, Amadi, Odede, Odidi, Odera (usually a short form of the name Chukwudera which means "God writes"), Osoro, Agasa, Ogada (also the name of a place), Oburu (Nigerians can clearly claim the whole Odinga family in Kenya at this rate) and Oguda (a place in Lagos and also a person's name).