Greetings After Meal In Edo Culture By Uwagboe Ogieva

Egbe Omorotionmwan Rrie Evbare		Avbe Otue Edo Tue Vbe A Gha Rrie Evbare Ne
"Edo" is the name people of Benin Kingdom gave to themselves, their language, capital city and Kingdom. Renowned for bronze work, art of brass, ivory and their complex political structure through Africa and world history. Edo Kingdom is one of well known civilization of precolonial kingdoms in the Guinea Coast of West Africa. The Edo people developed a very rich culture of respect and appreciation through greetings and salutations. Bellow are some popular greetings of Edo people after meal and response to them.
1Kada Kada "Kada" greeting is usually directed to the head of the home, but any other person, male or female is entitled to it as long as they are older than the person offering the greeting at the end of a meal. Kada is like a prayer or wish. An abrreviation of the phrase "KO DIARE", from the sentence "U KOO UWA,U GHI DIA RRIOEE. Translates "You have created prosperity, may you live long to enjoy it. The man as the head of the house normally provides food, shelter, security, among others, to members of his household. This prayer or wishful presentation is given by male children of the household, as a prayer, wish or appreciation to the father that he may live long to enjoy the fruits of his labors. 2Erheghigbue	The Edo People or better known in history books as Great Benin have special ways they greet after a meal . " Otue ne Ivbie Edo tue vbe a gha rrie evbare fo ne, iyi Edo n'okhuokhua ere no. Wa gima gha rhoe"
Erhe Ghi Gbue This is a greeting of wives and female children of the household after meal. After a meal, wives and female daughters will have to say this to their husbands and father including to every other member of the house-hold or family who are older than they are. The full sentence and meaning is "ERHE GHI GBUE EMWIN NE U YA OBO RUE RU" meaning "May you not fall victim to ill plans of strangers and enemies. A wishful presentation to long life and prosperity.		3BUKPE Bukpe Obukpe are mostly by daugthers or females in a household after meal, The full sentence and meaning of "BUKPE" is "U BOO UWA NE,U GHI KPE VBO." meaning "You have created prosperity, may you live long to enjoy it." while male children greet "KADA". Female greet "BUKPE".

"Usomoisue" is also use by some families in Edo

Response To Greetings
Aremiegbe ------------ May you be nourished by what you have eaten. “I hoen koyo Urhuese----heard you, (name) thank you. I hoen Ovbimwen Akponmwen Osa ---I heard my child, To god be the Glory. I hoen otenmwen,Osa rhuese ra Akponmwen Oghodua--------I heard you brother/sister,we thank God.	Erhe ghi gbue is more populare amongst the female folks in the modern times because the daughters of a household copy their mothers in this particular greeting.It is high time we effect and know the difference to separate the wives from the daughters. Kada, Eregbue And Obukpe Kada is predominantly a male greeting while Erreghigbue and Obukpe are female greetings after meal