THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD akwünaakwüna (prostitute)

THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD akwünaakwüna (prostitute).

The Akunakuna are an ethnic group of Nigeria and Cameroon, closely related to the Efik and Ibibio peoples, mostly inhabiting the area around the Cross River. Recent figures have indicated that there are around 370K Akunakuna people.

The Igbo word akwünaakwüna was obtained from Akunakuna people.

Note that before the arrival of the British, Igbos had no prostitute .

Igbo had no word for prostitute because before the arrival of the British, Igbo had no prostitute. Our OMENALA/OMENANI/OMENANA was advanced and strong.

According to the book ‘New Dimensions in African Linguistics and Languages’, during World War I, married and unmarried women from Akunakuna were recruited to serve in the West African Frontier Force and later in the Expeditionary Force into Igboland as cooks and as soldiers’ comfort (sexual pleasure).

Ever since then, the word akwüna, shortened from akwünaakwüna, has referred to a prostitute.