Ijaw
History (From Ijawnation Yahoogroups archive - posted by Mr. Benaebi Benatari of IPA, UK.) |
The Ijaws are a nation of more than fourteen million people in the Niger
Delta region of Nigeria, the most populous
indigenous inhabitants of the Niger Delta and constitute the fourth largest
ethnicity within the borders of Nigeria.
The term Ijaw is the anglicised version of Ijo or Ejo,
a variation of Ujo or Ojo, the ancestor who gave the Ijo people our name. Other
modern variations include Izon (Ijon), Ezon (Ejon) and Uzon (Ujon) meaning the
same thing. Other names referring to Ijaw people are Uzo (at Benin), the
original ancestral name Oru (in Ijaw and Ibo land) and Kumoni (in Ijaw). These
names were applicable through the Niger Delta and environs as noted by early
British visitors;
"... The early British explorers applied the curious name
"ORU" to the Ijo west of Brass from the Nun entrance to Taylor creek, Dr Baikie
said of them in 1854. 'From the mouth of the river (NUN) up to this point
(TAYLOR CREEK), the country on either side is named ORU. The people are of the
same tribe as who inhabit the tract of country up to the Rio Formoso where
however they are called EJO or OJO by which name they are known at Abo, at Brass
and even Bonny, by English palm oil traders. They are often termed Jo-men.
Throughout this district but one language is spoken with but little dialectical
difference....Dr Bakie does not explain where he got the name Oru as the
appropriate term for Ijaw. the word means "a God" in Nembe and it is clear the
explorer did not get it from a Nembe source….In 1906 Major Arthur Glyn Leonard
listed a number of tribes of the Delta, distinguishing an Oru as well as an Ijo
tribe..."The Oru occupy the tract of country on each side of the Nun branch of
the Niger and along the coastline between it and the Ramos river. Then in the
triangle formed by the Nun and the Gana-Gana, also outside it, to a small
extent, both eastward and westward, dwell the Ijo the most important tribe in
the lower Delta, and indeed after the Ibo in the whole of Southern Nigeria..."[1]
“..About three hours from Sunday Island, we came to
inhabited villages; we induced two canoes to come off, from who we learnt that
the people between Brass and Aboh are called Oru…”[2]
“….July 2:…Some of the neighbouring chiefs of Oru came off,
with whom we had conversation about legal trade…”[3]
“…November 3: weighed early this morning, and anchored of
Agberi, the first Oru village below the Aboh district…”[4]
“…The Oru or Ijo or Udso of Koelle are identical with Brass,
at the mouth of the Nun on the coast, otherwise called Hebu or Nempe by their
Ibo neighbours. This language is spoken to the extent of 100 miles from the
mouth of the Nun, to the boundary of Abo territory: how far inland towards
Benin, on the right and towards the Ibo country on the left is yet
unknown…”[5]
The original collective names for the ancestors of the Ijos
were “Kumoni” and “Oru”, survivals of the ancient terms of “Khem-Anu” or
“Khem-Onu”, and “Horu” of the ancient Nile valley civilisations of Khem or
Kemetu (ancient Egypt) and Kush (ancient Sudan). The Kumoni-oru derived from
ancient Egypt via Ife, while the Oru derived from ancient Sudan. Now the
earliest ancestors of the Ijos, the “Orus” or “Tobu-Otu”, migrated from the lake
Chad aquatic civilisation of Daima region (c 5000-2000 BCE). Their settlement in
the delta was from the earliest of times. Unfortunately not much is known about
this period, only that traditionally it is said that these early ancestors
“dropped from the sky” (i.e. to say the Orus were of divine origin), and were
devotees of spiritual culture that made much use of the waters (hence the
mermaid and water people legends “Beni-Otu”) They were later to be joined by
other ancestors “Kumoni-Orus” from about 400 CE, and 650 CE (AD), who, after
settling first in the Nupe and Borgu regions, then the Ile-Ife region, moved to
the Benin region via Nupe, and Ife. In the Benin region they eventually settled
and launched expeditions into the Niger Delta, where they came across remote
settlements of the Orus, whom they termed “ancient people”. But because they
were also ultimately Oru, from the beginning they established communities as one
people. The Ijos were known by the two names of Kumoni or Oru up till the time
of the 19th century. European visitors noted the name Oru as a distinct term for
Ijaw. Likewise the compilers of the Izon/English dictionary noted that “to speak
Kumoni is to speak pure Izon language”. The term Ijo (Ijaw) or Izon evolved as
the name of the whole ethnic nationality through time, even though as a personal
name it derived from one ancestor who was known as Ujo, whom as we have
previously mentioned, represents the time when the Ijos evolved as a distinct
separate people from their neighbours.
The Formation of the Ijo ethnic nation was a gradual
process. We have the period prior to 400 CE i.e. 500 BCE to 700 CE (AD), of
which the proto-Ijos or “ancient people” ancestors (Tobu Otu) or Oru settled in
the central delta and fused with later immigrants. Then we have the time of;
700-1200 CE (AD), where we have the ancient Kumoni-oru ancestors who came with
the ancestor Ujo ultimately from Upper Egypt, migrating through Ile-Ife and
other places such as Gbara in Nupe, establishing further settlements at
Agadagba-bou in Igbedi creek, and the Nun river in present day Kolokuma Ijo. It
was from here that the bulk of the ancient ancestors fused and founded several
towns and clans and the beginnings of the Ijaw evolving as a distinct ethnic
nationality.
After establishing at Igbedi creek, Ujo sent for more of his
people who were at Wari-Ife/Warige and Ujama or Uzama (i.e. Ado or Beni). This
was at the very beginning of the foundation of Beni, and it is this account that
some traditions mention Benin as a place of origin (also a district around Nupe
was also called Beni, founded by the Beni clan of Kumoni, with capital at
Gbara);
“…The first place of Ujo’s encampment in his journey from
Ile-Ife was the site where Benin City now stands. Then like the Yorubas all the
tribes founded by members of Ujo’s retinue and by Ujo himself claimed that place
(Benin City) as the place of their original settlement whence they
emigrated….”[6]
“…The Origin of the Ijos. There are lots of different
opinions about the origin of the Ijos. Some anthropologist say that the Ijos
came from South Africa, some say from East Africa. Some say they are from a
district around Nupe province in Northern Nigeria and
some say that the Ijos came from Benin.... In general the Ijos themselves
believe that they came from Benin and in fact most of their traditional stories
and folklore refer to Benin. yet we are left to wonder the great difference in
language among the Ijos and Benin. If we should assume the belief that the Ijos
came from Benin according to the natives it might be that the Ijos left Benin
far earlier than any other tribe migrating from Benin...."[7]
The original ancestral settlements founded by the proto-Ijos
in the central delta were, Agadagba-bou (first home of Ujo in the central
delta), in Igbedi Creek, Isoma-bou along the Nun river, Opuan-bou in the same
area, and Orubiribua-bou, also in the same area, and Abo, with its villages,
further up the Niger.
When they came and settled in the central delta, the
ancestors personified by Ujo, after establishing their authority over
preexisting settlements (central delta), instructed an expedition force to go
and guard the mouth of the delta and other important places along the coast as
stipulated by his father King Adumu. These people became the ancestors of
several Izon clans. Keni Opu Ala or Keni-Ala, the holy seer (Asain) of Adumu,
the Supreme Intelligence symbolized by the sacred serpent python, was the
ancestor who founded Ke or Keni and its daughter towns. Kula and Bille were also
founded in this way. Ogulagha and Iduwini, were founded as a result of proto
ancestors settling in the western coastal delta, to guard that region. Oguru
(alias Kala-Ogbo who gave his name to Warri region (Ogbo Ijo) settled the area
now known as Warri region, these ancestors were to be joined by people from
Oporoma. Others such as Kuru, founded the Kru people (they seem to have been
proto-Ijos), who eventual migrated to the present day Liberia region, while some
ended up settling in present day Ghana region.
After many years of settlement Ujo left his headquarters in
Igbedi creek in charge of the Agadagba of Egbesu (military officer), and decided
to go back to Otu-Ife. He traveled with nine companions including his grandson
Apoi (Opoi) the son of Kala-Okun. Without a skilled astronomer they got lost and
decided to settle in a creek near the vicinity of the Nun river. It was here
they founded the village of Apoi. Ujo made his permanent home with his grandson
Apoi at the quarter now known as Okoto-aja. It was here that he died and was
buried. Ujo who was titled Kalasuo, gave the title to his grandson Apoi, since
then the rulers of Apoi clan have been titled “Kalasuo”. From the central Apoi,
a section migrated to the western delta, to found Apoi Ijo of the Ondo region.
Also from the central Apoi, was founded Akassa clan along the coast.
The ancient town of Ujo-Gbaran or Gbaran for short was
founded by Gbaran an elder son of Ujo. Gbaran was given the scepter of Ujo on
the death of his father. Later on his descendants went and founded the town of
Oporo-aja (Oproza) in the western delta region of Escravos, to give birth to the
Gbaranmatu and also Arogbo in Ondo area. Children of Ujo, Olodi and Oporo, went
and established a common settlement, from which descendants founded Oporoma and
Olodiama clans. From Olodiama in central delta, ancestors left to found Olodiama
in the western delta near Benin, and also ancestors left to found Olodiamabiri
and Onyomabiri and other towns, to form Nembe clan. From Agadagba-bou was also
founded Ogbia (Ogbo-Oyan) clan who are the descendants of Oyan. From the same
Agadagba-bou, led by Opu-Ogbo, was founded, Isoma-bou or Opuan-bou, from which
ancestors later migrated to found, Ekpetiama, and Seimbiri clans.
The last to leave the ancient town of Agadagba-bou, were the
ancestors of the Opukuma, Kolokuma, Tarakiri and Andoni. Opu-Okun was the
ancestor of the Opukuma, while Kala-Okun was the ancestor of the Kolokuma, both
were children of Ujo by the same mother. Tara a younger child of Ujo was the
ancestor of the Tarakiri, while Ayama the son of Tara was the ancestor of the
Andoni in eastern Ijo,. The Andoni (ruler known as the Andoni-Oru) town of
Asarama was founded by Asara or Assa an ancient ancestor descendant of Ayama..
At that remote period most of the ancestors lived in Igbedi creek at
Agadagba-bou and the immediate environs of the Nun river. Afterwards their
descendants migrated all over the delta. Lastly Abowi, the Asain (seer) of Ujo
who led the migration from Otu-Ife or Ile-Ife, journeyed up the river Niger to
establish a number of villages which gave rise to Abo and Atani (ruler known as
the Atani-Oru). Abo or Aboh and Atani no longer speak Izon language.
Lastly we have the 1200-1600 CE (AD) period; From these
early formations and migrations sprang other clans, while at the same time
ancestors joined the Ijo of the delta at the beginning of the 12th century up to
the 16th century CE or AD when the old Napata kingdom collapsed at Gbara, the
Adumu or Oduduwa dynasty was overthrown at Ile-Ife, the last Ogiso Kaladiran,
were overthrown at Benin City, and civil strife at Benin caused people to leave.
From the central delta Apoi, was founded the Apoi of the western delta area of
Ondo. From Oproza town in Gbaranmatu clan was founded at the end of the 15th
century, Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran clans, which was the result of a large family
migration from Oproza town about 1480. From Kumbo was founded Okparabe. From
Gbaran town in central Izon, was founded Effurun and Uvwie. Efferun a descendant
of Gbaran, elder son of Ujo, was the ancestor of the Effurun in upper Warri
area, while Owei was the ancestor of the Uvwei. Likewise from Gbaran was founded
via Efferun, the Tuomo clan. From Oporoma was founded the Operemo clan, and some
went to join the Ogbos, descendants of Kala-Ogbo to become the Ogbe-Ijo clan.
From the Isedani lineage of Kolokuma, led by Opumakuba and Alagbariye (alias
Kala-Beni), a migration to the eastern delta coast founded the Ibeni or Ibani
clan now known as Bonny early in the 12/13th century. From the Isoma-bou area
along the Nun, was founded Obiama, from which came Boma and Ogboin. Izon who
lived at Benin city later joined these ancestors. From Benin City, migrated
Beni-Izon people who were fleeing the local wars. They founded Obotebe, and Beni
(Oyakiri) clans. The ancestor Mein, who was Beni-Izon, i.e. an Izon citizen of
Benin, and his family migrated from Benin City because the reigning Oba had
started to confiscated the private lands and property for his own use. Mein
settled in Igbedi creek and founded the town of Ogobiri. From Ogobiri, was
founded the Mein of the western delta. Perebokekalakebari shortened to Kalabari
the grandson of Mein was the ancestor who founded Kalabari clan.
Basan, Furupagha and Tungbo was also founded about this
time, through ancestors coming from Nupe, Oporoma, Kolokuma and Ke. Other clans
include the Buseni and Okodia, who hailed from Kolokuma and Benin-Izon (Ado),
Egbema from Iduwini and Operemo. Okirika or Kirikeni hailed from Isoma-bou,
Andoni, and Ogboin,. Others include the Ndoki, who came from Isedani of
Kolokuma, but now speak Ibo, Nkoro or small Okirika, Zarama and Egbema of Imo
region, Opobo (1800), who hailed from the house of Opubo of Ibani (Bonny) and
Oruma, whose other name is Tugbene hailing from Oboloma. Altogether they
constitute the Ijo people who stretch from the eastern shores to the western
shores of the Nigerian coast.
References
[1] Alagoa E J (1964) The Small Brave City State, p7.
[2] Crowder S (1970 2nd Edition) Journal of an Expedition Up
the Niger and Tshadda [Benue] Rivers undertaken by Macgregor Laird in 1854 -
Missionary Research and Travels no.15, p10.
[3] Ibid, p13
[4] Ibid, p194
[5] Ibid, p199
[6] Owonaru S K, op cit, p118.
[7] Neiketien P B (1941) A Short History of Tarakiri Clan,
p27.
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