Phla- Phera People of Benin, Togo , Ivory Coast and Nigeria, West Africa.
Monday, October 18, 2021
Phla- Phera People can be found in Benin , Togo , some parts of Southwestern Ivory Coast and Southwestern Nigeria . Phla Phera are also known as Xwla , Xwera or Xwela People , they are part of the Gbe speaking people and they are related to the Ewe, Ga of Aneho known as Gen or Guin People and Fon People.
It is believed Phla Phera People has similarities with the Ewe and Yoruba language furthermore , Phla Phera are mainly located in Alada which is in the Southwest Nigeria, Southeast of Porto Novo , Toli or Tori atlantique and Weme Province , west of Alada area . Kotafon Mono Province , Benin, Gbesi Mono Province , north of Aheme Lake Benin and other areas.
It is said Phla -Phera language is spoken mostly in the Mono , Atlantique, Oueme Provinces of Benin . Alada , a lect that is considered as the Phla - Phera group, is spoken in Southwestern Ivory Coast , Southwestern Nigeria , Southeast of Porto Novo in Benin . Another Phla Phera is spoken known as Xwla or Popo in the west of the Mono river , along the coast of Aneho , Togo and Grand Popo , Benin.
It is believed Ewe and Fon its various shapes , representing another branch of Gbe which is dominant in this area and communities of Phla- Phera speakers which are scattered across the Fon area in Dahomey Present day Benin.
It is said Phla- Phear are grouped into two major groups such as Eastern Phla- Phera or Eastern Xwla Gbe and Western Phla- Phera or Western Xwla Gbe , Phla- Phera include a total of 37 language varieties it is believed reflecting on a discontinuous settlement history , Phla- Phera is spoken along the coast of Togo , Ivory Coast , Nigeria and Benin during the 17th and 18th Centuries their populations were displaced to the north and east by the Dahomey expansion .
In the turn of the dynastic traditions from Present day Notse in Present day Togo and Grand Popo in Present day Benin , In 1670- 1690 , It is claimed Akinjogbin migrated with them Tado then to Notsie spelled as Notse furthermore , to Dahomey Present day Benin , Present day Ivory Coast before some of them fled to Present day Nigeria in 1697 later some settlement in Porto Novo.
It is said Phla- Phera claimed their genealogical ancestry from Oyo and Ketu in Yorubaland by the extension of the ancient Ife . According to Ndimele Lendzemo , Phla- Phera belongs to the Gbe which is also referred as Gungbe which Include Ajara , Alada, Seto , Toriko, Ajketa and the relationship between Phla- Phera , Aja and Yoruba dates back to the wave of migrations of the 18th- 20th Century which brought them into contact or a strong relationship.
Others believed Phla- Phera migration started in Present day Badagry in Nigeria between the Gun People influence of the Aja in Badagry is believed to be traditional politics such that all the eight major chieftaincies Including overall head , the Akran titles . Some believed historically . Akyems and Phla- Phera could have migrated southwards after the fall of Songhai Empire , Others suggested Phla- Phera and Ewe once lived in Ketu as One People in a Yoruba town in Present day Benin before they moved South, and some of the Phla- Phera settled at Tado near the Mono river .
Phla- Phera settlement is associated with the Aja and Ewe cluster . It is said during Phla- Phera migration to Present day Aneho and Notsie their Ancestors had fled from Notsie during the reign of King Agorkoli of Notsie, some of the Phla- Phera group went further and settled in Ivory Coast and Aneho , Togo before the Alada Kingdom was founded and The Phla- Phera language has some words in Ewe, Aja and Yoruba.
According to John Kofi Abbrey ‘s account , Phla- Phera are descendants or have Ewe, Yoruba , Guin( Ga) Ancestors , Under the Influence of the Islamic Kingdom of Umar Tal of the 19th Century.
It is believed Europeans such as Danish , German , French and Dutch sailed to the coastal regions of Phla- Phera, Danish and French were the first to have captured Phla- Phera followed by Spanish as slaves to Present day Haiti , Present day Jamaica, Argentina, Colombia, Guyana, Brazil , Ecuador , México , Guadalupe and other parts of the Diaspora.
The European Missionaries arrived in the mid 1800s in Kpalime , Togo and Agou . The Berlin Conference led to the annexation of what is now Togo as Schutzgebiet protectorate in 1884 , Under the leadership of Captain Gustav Nachtigal Initially the treaty negotiated covered only the coastal region , though over the next 15 years the German Colonial administrators moved their Capital from Zebe to Lome and extended control north as far as Present day Burkina Faso .
Phla- Phera Oral History Narration from Ife in Nigeria , Tado in Togo , Notsie in Togo and settlement and Migration to Benin , Togo , Ivory Coast and Nigeria .
Phla- Phera originally came from Ife , Nigeria , but were eventually forced to migrated westward as a result of the Dahomey expansion . Others believed Phla Phera originated from Songhai Empire and Phla- Phera fled to Tado in Togo , Aneho in Togo before Kpalime in Togo and settled in Notsie . During the reign of King Agorkoli they eventually were divided into two groups such as Eastern Xwla and Western Xwla and migrated to Present day Benin and Ivory Coast while the Ewe People had already migrated from Notsie before the Phla- Phera began their migrations from Tado , Aneho , Kplaime , which has a few people of Phla- Phera , Benin which have a higher populations of Phla- Phera and same as Ivory Coast and Nigeria which Nigeria some were left behind during their migration in the Southwestern Nigeria of Alada in the 16th Century .
According to Nos Protegons account on Phla- Phera People of Togo, Benin , Nigeria and Ivory Coast , It is claimed Phla - Phera came from Southern Mali before their migration to Nigeria , Togo , Benin and Ivory Coast became their settlements in the 7th and 13th Centuries followed by their Guin ( Ga) Ancestors from Accra Present day to Aneho Present day Togo later Tchokossi arrived at about the same time from the Ivory Coast region , and Mobas from the Sahel region of Burkina Faso which Nos Protegons account is not yet confirmed as an accurate source .
The Kingdom of Oyo was founded by the Yoruba ethnic group of Nigeria in the 1300s. Established by Oranmiyan , Phla- Phera , Ewe, Fon , GA were all one with the Yoruba People during the Kingdom of Oyo , Oyo quickly grew to become one of the most powerful States.
From Its Capital City of Oyo- ILe , It is believed this State became weak in the early 1500s, had by 1550 conquered two neighboring Kingdoms , Borgu and Nupe , to become the most dominant political entity in the region . It is believed Oyo was ruled by Alafin who shared power with the Oyo Mesi , aristocratic leaders from each of Oyo City’s seven wards .
It is said Oyo Mesi were responsible for the selection of the Alafin . Under the Alaafin Obalokun, Oyo expanded Southwestward to the Atlantic coast , and became part of the Atlantic Ocean trade system . Oyo trading mainly Ivory and was able to acquire much needed as exchange during the 17th and 18th Centuries , Oyo further expanded westward under Alaafin Ajagbo ,becoming a major Empire , but never encompassing all the Yoruba Speaking People . In response to the Nupe’s attack , Oyo became much more warlike , reorganizing Its Cavalry and Infantry in the 16th Century during Phla- Phera’s final settlement in what is now Benin , Togo and Ivory Coast . The Calvary became the foundation of the army.
It is believed became of Its Atlantic ports , Oyo was able to obtain horses for its Calvary . Some Alafins wanted to use the wealth to main the army and expanded the geographical area of the State , Others wanted it for conspicuous consumption . These differences led to Civil wars as rivals competed for control of the throne and of Oyo’s vast treasury . This period of the Internal Strife ended with Alaafin Abiodun from 1754- 1789 who reduced the power of the army.
The downfall of the Kingdom of Oyo was described as rather swift . Alaafin Abiodun , concerned with little other than grand displays of royal wealth , allowed the Oyo Army to disintegrate . This is in turn allowed weaker peripheral states to break free of Oyo’s control . One of those states , Dahomey , In the Southwest, Soon became a Military rival and a political rival . Oyo was also affected by Fulani Jihad waged by Muslims on Its northern frontier . Eventually these provinces broke free as well . By the Beginning of the 19th Century Oyo lost control of lucrative trade routes which had been a major source of State revenue . By 1837, the Kingdom of Oyo had collapsed .
Phla Phera People follow the Patrilineal line , the first founder of their community established a Chief and It is traditionally , that Phla Phera who want to be the next Chief are succeeded by their Paternal relatives . Phla Phera grow crops such as Cocoa, Cotton , Cassava, Plantains, Rice , Groundnuts , Maize and other crops . It is believed they usually have two or three meals , each contain Cassava , Rice , Plantains, Maize with a Spicy sauce which consist of Sheep , fish , goat and guinea fowls and often rich in palm red oil.
It is believed food does not served a significant ceremonial function , except perhaps in terms of their tradition , when animals such as Sheep , goat and guinea fowls are prepared , cooked and served . It is said Phla Phera are mixed of Ewe , Yoruba , Adja and Guin ( Ga) Ancestry due to Intermarriages and the Phla Phera language mostly has a lot of Ewe words and Yoruba words as well .
In Phla Phera Society Kings or Chiefs and Vodu Priests known as Houngan or Vodu Spiritualists plays a big role some referred them as Vodu Sofou also spelled as Vodu Osofo or Vodu Asofo by their Guin or Ga Ancestors in Aneho which is also used by Phla Phera as well . Asofo , Sofou or Sofo was considered to be African Traditional Spirituality Title for Bokor or Okomfo before the arrival of Christianity and Islam .
In Phla Phera Culture , In the absence of the husband , the wife Senior brother or husband Senior can take care of the, due to the extended family relationship . Polygamy is part of their tradition , bride wealth is needed not a dowry it remains throughout many centuries . In Phla Phera Concept , Maxwe also spelled as Mave which is Mawu among them , Mawxe or Mave is the Creator God , who created numerous lesser deties known as Xrowo or Trowo that serves as the Spiritual vehicles and powers that Influence of a person’s destiny.
Maxwe and Lisa which is Liza among Phla Phera , Maxwe is considered to be Creator associated with the sun and moon same as the Fon Spirituality and Ewe Spirituality known as Vodu . It is believed Maxwe is a he and she who gave birth to Liza in other accounts of Phla Phera People , both deities are aspects of a two- spirited deity known as Maxwe- Liza . others said Maxwe and Liza are the children of Nana Buluku which is Nanan Bulukou among Phla Phera , and are the parents of Xevioso also spelled as Xewioso who is considered to be the God of thunder and lightening among Phla Phera People . After Maxwe- Liza created the earth and life and everything else on it , Phla Pheras believed that Maxwe- Liza became concerned that it might be heavy , so Maxwe- Liza asked Axido also known as Aido , to curl up beneath the earth and thrust it up in the heavens .
Axido asked Awe which is spelled as Axe among it was believed she created, to help out and make some more animals out of the clay , Axe boasted to the other animals to challenged Maxwe God of Creation if the animal can .
Gbadu also spelled as Gbaduru among them , the first woman of Maxwe creation , Gbaduru saw all the chaos on earth and warned her children and reminded only Maxwe can give and take away life . Sekepoli is known as Serkpoli the breath of life , Phla Phera Mythology is said to have similarities with Adja / Aja Mythology . Phla Phera wood carvers can find dyed fabric batiks that represent the styled and colored scenes of the ancient times and It is said Phla - Pheras were part of the Oyo Kingdom of Oyo Empire and Allada Kingdom before their settlements in their Present day homelands. In Phla Phera tradition.
Their Compounds houses are rectangular shaped with walls made of dried mud and gable roofs covered by Iron . When a Phla Phera men and woman marry , they will move to live near the father of the groom and can also inherit his property .
Among Phla Phera men they must not refuse a wife offered to him and divorce can only be granted if the family of the wife initiates a request . Phla Phera are farmers , fishermen and market women . Division of labor is categorized by gender , Phla Phera women make material to build huts , care for butchered meat , and carry out most agriculture work .
Phla Pheras are also in charge of the market work and both men and women participate equally in lives of their children . Although the mother , father and grandparents take active parts in the raising of their Children , Old Siblings take especially good care of them . Phla Phera Elders and fishermen often sit around and play board games and dance with the young ones .
Phla Phera Cultures and Traditions passed down by their Ewe , Yoruba , Adja and Guin (Ga) Ancestors .
Funerals in Phla Phera Culture are one of the most Important part of a member’s history . Phla Phera are hired and dances may be held for days in a row to mourn the death of a loved one . Phla Phera believed that part of the person is lost in death but there is reincarnation and the person can choose to come back in the soul of the next child born to the family . Cotton , Gold , Limestone , Iron , Crude , oil , Palm products , and Cocoa are the major exports .
Phla Phera used musical Instruments such as Xalam , flute , bells , drums and different types of musical instruments , Phla Phera celebrate festivals such as Zwe Egbe Festival , Yam Festival , Rice Festival , Zangbeto Mask Festival , Fire and Rain Festival , Gelede Festival and other types of festivals and They performed traditional dances such as Tchegbe , Kpehouhuon , Adevu , Atsia War dance and other types of dances .