| Just like all other things on earth have a name by which they are called and identified, Bassa villages, like other villages and towns in the world, have names by which they are identified. There are various ways reasons by which a village get its name. in the first place, a village is named by the people or person that is said to be its founder, the person that cleared the bushes and made his settlement first there. Thus in some cases a village is named and called by the name of its founder. This is done so as to immortalize the founder. Thus even when he inevitably eventually passes away, his name lives forever until, maybe in later centuries, the village dies. There are therefore villages bearing such human names like Dangara, Ushiyigo, Udaku, etc. one observation made is that such are normally names of male human-beings. This is so as it is usually men that are credited with the founding of villages. Bassa villages are also named after the name of the clan that is said to have first settled there. For example, if a man that first settles in a place is from the Ugwushi, clan, he could easily name the new village by that Ugwushi. There are therefore villages that bear such clan names as Ugwushi, Utundo, Ashashama, etc. This is despite the fact that other clans may also be there in great numbers. The first statements of people when they first arrive at the site of the place they are said to be the founders are also turned to be the name of that place. For example, if a person gets to a place, builds a houses, and says “N jiye” (I have come home), such statement are used for the name of the place been referred to. Thus such village names like Njiye (now referred to as Toto), Rubochi, Kenyefu,ect have come to be. Village names are also gotten from the description of its location. A village could be also built on a flat land, a hill, a rock, ect., and its name taken from that. For example, the village name Dausu (though this is actually supposed to be written Ndansu) evolved from the fact that the village is located on a flat piece of land; likewise the village called Akpakpata is so named because it is built on a rocky (though not hilly) ground. Available prominent physical features like tress, rocks, animals, etc. are also used for the name of a village. For example, such village names like Awawa, O’wubwo, etc. are names of trees that are found in great number where the village is built. The village name Ogusu is the name of animals called Ogusu (Lions) that were the common feature of the place where the village is now situated. Villages are also named after the activities that its inhabitants are known for. Example, the village called Ugba Ukunu (popularly called Gbokunu) might have got its name from the economic activities that might have been going on in the place in the earliest times, viz.: making and selling of ukunu (sweet grue) in large quantity on a daily basis. Everything on the face of the earth could be used for the name of a village. Living things and non-living things, human-beings and animals, plants seas and mountains, etc. all go for village names. Indeed thoughts and speeches, features and circumstances qualify for village names. |