THE IJO GENESIS

THE ORIGINAL ANCESTORS AND

THE GENESIS OF THE IJOS

BY Benaebi Benatari (Oct 2006)

The Ijos (Ijaws) of the Niger Delta are the descendants of the autochthonous people or ancient tribe of Africa known as the (H) ORU. they were known by this name by themselves and their immediate neighbours. The Ijos have kept the ancient language and culture of the ORU. It was during the time of King ADUMU-ALA (alias ODUDUWA), that ORU Princes who derived ultimately from Nubia (ancient Sudan) established city states in the Southern Nigeria region. Their names have come down to us as the ancestors ADUMU, ASARA, UJO, IGODO, NANA, ALA-FUN. These city states gave birth to different ethnic nationalities through the process of fusion and ethnic intermarriage. This is reflected in the ancestral traditions of the Ijos.

THE SYMBOL OF THE PERSONAIFIED COLLECTIVE ANCESTOR serves to unify newly formed communities who are related through ethnicity, family ties, intermarriage and common interests. The Ijo ancestors who settled the Southern portion of the Niger-Region (Nigeria) have been summarised through the ancestral mythology as the ANCESTOR UJO (IJO, ORU) giving birth to children and grandchildren. The ancestor Ujo or Ijo (Izon) is the symbolic personification (mythology) of the time (650 AD) when the Ijos became differentiated or separated as a distinct people on the West Coast of Africa. Prior to this time the Ijos were a part of the ancient ORU and KUMONI of the ancient tirbes of Africa that integrated with others to give birth to the ethnic nationalities of Southern Nigeria

Being a collective symbolic personfication of the various ancestors, FATHER UJO (IJO) is narrated in ancestral tradition as having derived from DESCENDED FROM THE SKY (HEAVEN), ANCIENT SUDAN, ANCIENT UPPER EGYP AND PALESTINE (NEAR MECCA OR ARABIA) THROUGH LAKE CHAD REGION (BORNU), ON TO THE BORGU/NUPE REGION, ON TO THE IFE AND BENIN REGIONS BEFORE SETTLING IN THE NIGER DELTA AS THE ABORIGINAL ANCESTOR. This is a reflection of the main ancestral actors in the aboriginal habitation of the Niger Delta during antiquity. The earliest aborigines settled the Niger Delta duirng antiquity and were believed to be of divine origin (spiritual initiates). Immigrants arrived from Upper Egypt via Ife and Benin, while final Ijo settlement of the Niger delta took place with the Ijos who were the aborigenes of Benin region, leaving that area and settling permanently with their kith and kin in the main delta and eastern/western delta coast fringe.

THE PRIMARY ANCESTORS OF THE IJOS ARE AS FOLLOWS

THE ANCESTOR UJO ALSO KNOWN AS IJO, UZON, IZON, IZONOWEI, KALASUO, ORU, INDO-ORU, OGULABIOWEI, IDEKOSEROAKE THE FIRST PERE (RULER) and collective ancestor of the whole ethnic nationality.

THE ANCESTOR ASAIN, Seer and priest, companion to FATHER UJO and founder of the aboriginal Ijo communities at Abo

THE ANCESTOR GBARAN, collective ancestor of GBARAN TOWN (APOI), GBARANMATU, AROGBO, TUOMO, KABO, KUMBO AND GBARAN CLANS & EFFURUN (URHOBO) OF WARRI.

The ancestor OPU-BENI, collective ancestor of MEIN, IBENI (BENI OR OYAKIRI), OBOTEBE AND KALABARI CLANS.

The ancestor OPU-OKUN, collective ancestor of the OPUKUMA CLAN.

The ancestor KALA-OKUN (ALIAS ALUKU-DOGO), collective ancestor of the KOLOKUMA, APOI, IBANI CLANS, AND SECTIONS OF NEMBE, TUNGBO, BUSENI AND OKORDIA CLANS.

The ancestor APOI, collective ancestor of the APOI, UKOMU AND AKASSA CLANS.

The ancestor TARA, collective ancestor of the TARAKIRI & ANDONI CLANS.

The ancestor OPU-OGBO, collective ancestor of the EKPETIAMA, SEIMBIRI, EPIE-ATTISSA CLANS AND SECTIONS OF WAKIRIKE (OKIRIKA) AND NKORO.

The ancestor KALA-OGBO (ALIAS OGURU), collective ancestor of the IDUWINI & EGBEMA CLANS.

The ancestor OPORO, collective ancestor of the OPOROMA, OPEREMO, BASAN, FURUPAGHA AND OGBE-IJO CLANS.

The ancestor OLODI (ALIAS IGEDIGBOLO), collective ancestor of the OLODIAMA CLANS AND SECTIONS OF NEMBE.

The ancestor OGULA, collective ancestor of the OGULAGHA CLAN.

The ancestor KURU, collective ancestor of the KRUS OF LIBERIA.

The ancestor OYAN, collective ancestor of the OGBO-OYAN (OGBIA) CLAN.

The ancestor BOMOU, collective ancestor of the BOMA CLAN.

The ancestor IBI (OBI), collective ancestor of the OGBOIN, WAKIRIKE CLANS & SECTIONS OF NEMBE.

The ancestor KENI-OPU-ALA, collective ancestor of the KE.

The ancestor ORU, collective ancestor of the KULA, BILLE ETC

Some secondary ancestors

The ancestor OPOROZA II, collective ancestor of the KABO, KUMBO, AND GBARAN CLANS.

The ancestor MEIN, collective ancestor of the MEIN CLANS & KALABARI CLAN.

The ancestor PEREBO-KALAKEBARI (KALABARI), collective ancestor of the KALABARI CLAN.

The ancestor KALA-BENI (ALIAS ALAGBARIGHA), collective ancestor OF THE IBANI AND OPOBO CLANS

The ancestor OPUBO-PEREKULE, collective ancestor of the OPOBO CLAN.

The founding ancestor UJO (IJO, ORU) represents, symbolises and summarises the period between 500 BCE to 1200CE (AD) when known, unknown and forgotten ancestors settled the central Niger delta and other strategic locations and decided collectively to form viable communities as one people. The ancestors who lived during this period are narrated as being BROTHERS, SONS AND DAUGHTERS of the collective ancestor, while ancestors who lived during the period 1200 - 1500 CE (AD) are narrated as beiing grandchildren or descendants of the collective ancestor. This then is the GENESIS of the IJO (IJAW) PEOPLE.

THE IJO GENESIS

(A Short Discourse)

CONTENTS:

ANCIENT AUTOCHTHONOUS MIGRATIONS

THE PEOPLING OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA

THE FORMATION OF ETHNIC NATIONALITIES

THE ORIGINAL ANCESTORS & THE GENESIS OF THE IJOS

THE FINAL MOVEMENT OF THE IJOS FROM THE BENIN REGION

THE IJO ETHNIC NATIONALITY EVOLUTION OF THE CLANS

THE PEOPLING OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA

We will proceed with our historical studies based on the following foundational premises:

From the Monogenetic origins of humanity in the area of the Great Lakes region of East Africa, the prototype humanity or proto-humanity was naturally dark skinned or pigmented (black), and that it was only later due to environmental factors, humanity differentiated into three main races of Negro (Black), Caucasian (White) and Mongolian (Yellow). Human beings are just variations of the three main races. That the differentiation into the Caucasian and Mongolian races occurred outside of Africa due to extreme environmental factors and genetic isolation. That Africa was populated or inhabited solely by the Negro (Black) Race up to the historical times of 3000 BC. That there were ancient migrations out of, into Africa and across the African continent by the Black race during prehistory and ancient antiquity. That the main language differentiation of African languages took place during prehistory (cir. 10,000 BC) due to the oral and hieroglyphic (pictorial) mode of communication. That It was only recently phonetic or alphabetic forms of writing were invented that standardised languages. The language differentiations took place in the Great Lakes region of East Africa, the Ancient Sudan and the Ancient Sahara grasslands of Northern Africa. That the West Africa region was the last to be populated by original autochthonous peoples, going back not more than 7000 years.

What is Autochthonous?

The term “autochthonous? means native, aboriginal, indigenous original. The available anthropological and archaeological evidence at our disposal makes it clear that the settlement of the Southern West Africa region is a recent event, going back not more than 5000 years. While the Northern part of West Africa, may stretch back to 7000 years, if we take into consideration the Sahara grassland of antiquity.

Who were the original autochthonous (Ancient African) peoples that settled the Lake Chad, Upper Niger and Niger/Benue confluence regions of West Africa? We can gain some insight into this question through the study of language differentiation, ancestral tradition, anthropology and archaeology.

The so called Proto-Niger-Congo language is divided into the following language groups - Kordofanian, which split into Kordofanian and Mande-Congo, which also split into Mande and Atlantic-Congo, which also split into Atlantic, Ijoid, Dogon, and Volta-Congo. Volta-Congo split into North Volta-Congo and Benue Kwa, which split into Kwa and Benue-Congo. Now according to the theory, the Ijoid language split into Ijo and Defaka, while the Benue-Congo split into Yoruba, Igala, Edo and Ibo and some other southern Nigerian languages. According to the Encyclopaedia of Precolonial Africa-Archaeology, History, Language, Cultures and Environment, edited by J O Vogel (1997, p172);

“?The indigenous languages of western Africa belong to three of the four phyla of African languages established by J H Greenberg in 1963: Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan, and Niger-Congo??Consequently, the homeland of Niger-Congo is normally placed in western Africa, whereas those of Nilo-Saharan languages and Afro-Asiatic are sought farther to the east and northeast respectively. From time to time, suggestions have been made that Nilo-Saharan and Niger-Congo are ultimately related. Recently Roger Blench has proposed that Niger-Congo is simply a branch of Nilo-Saharan, most closely related to the Central Sudanic family of Nilo-Saharan in the centre of the African continent. If this view is correct, Niger-Congo would have originated farther east than is usually assumed, perhaps to the northwest of the present-day central Sudan. The Congo family, in Sudan, is assumed to have moved eastwards. The other families of Niger-Congo presumably were gradually compressed into West Africa as a result of the desiccation of the Sahara. As Western Africa became more crowded, Adamawa-Ubangi and Bantu expanded southwards into central Africa and later, in the case of Bantu, into eastern and southern Africa?.Two relatively small families, Dogon and Ijoid, are thought to have split off next. Dogon with little internal differentiation, remained on land, south of the bend in the Niger, while Ijoid, with somewhat more internal differentiation into Defaka and the Ijo group, moved down the Niger to its confluence with the Benue and then either directly along the Niger or via the Benue and Cross River to the Niger Delta and associated waterways where it is found today?.?

If Niger-Congo is a branch of the Nilo-Saharan proto-language, as has been suggested, then it points to the fact that the ancient language differentiation of Africa took place in prehistory in the regions of the Nile-Valley and the Ancient Sudan, and not in the vicinity of the Niger-Benue confluence.

Since, according to the language studies, Ijo and Dogon branched from the Niger-Congo at a very early stage (5th generation) it demonstrates the relative antiquity of the Ijo and Dogon language groups in time, compared to Yoruba, Igala, Edo and Igbo which formed in the 8th generation. Cultural and language studies of the Ijo and Dogon link them up to the founders of the Ancient Nile Valley Civilisations from about 10,000 BCE . Thus it seems that the language differentiation of Ijo and Dogon from a parent language derived from the Nile-Saharan proto-language, took place in the ancient Sudan in the valley of the Nile from whence the ancestors dispersed to different parts of the African continent. Of course other factors were at play that led to language differentiation, such as the use of specific cultic terminology. What the aforementioned demonstrates is that the ancestors of the Ijos have lived in isolation of the Yoruba, Edo, Igbo and Igala for generations before meeting up again in the vicinity of West Africa (Niger Benue region). If the language differentiation took place in West Africa there would not be a deep time separation between Ijo and the rest of them. Thus the languages were already differentiated before the ancient peoples met in the Niger/Benue region.

The absence of the anatomical remains of early human beings, and the lack of evidence for stone-age and bronze age cultures in the West Africa region, rules out any claims by a group of people, to be truly autochthones or aboriginal to West Africa. All West African peoples migrated to the area at one time or another, from North, East or Southern Africa. As such, West Africa has been peopled at different times by successive waves of migration from East Africa and North Africa/Sahara region respectively. Consequently it is factual to assert that ?ALL NIGERIAN ETHNIC NATIONALITIES (TRIBES) ARE A MIXTURE OF AUTOCHTHONOUS (ANCIENT AFRICAN) PEOPLES THROUGH SOCIAL FUSION IN DIFFERENTIAL MIXTURE VARIATIONS, AND ADAPTATIONS TO DIFFERENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI. THIS GAVE RISE TO THE VARIOUS ETHNIC NATIONALITIES, THEIR LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.?

Who were the original autochthonous peoples that settled the Lake Chad region, Upper Niger and Niger/Benue confluence to give rise to the ethnic nationalities of Southern Nigeria? Taking the combined evidence of language studies, ancestral tradition, anthropology and archaeology, it is certain that by at least 2000 BCE the West Africa region was being peopled. As to who arrived first is of no consequence as the landmass is too vast for any one group of people to lay claim to ownership. By 1000 BCE we have the emergence of the Lake Chad civilisation of Daima and the Nok Culture of the Niger/Benue Confluence. We can discern a number of ancient peoples who entered the area of the Niger & Benue roughly about the same time epoch, they include the following:

The Ancient ORU People. From language and cultural studies they seem to have been related to the founders of the Great Nile Valley civilisation complex (and possibly the lake Chad complex). They immigrated into West Africa from the Nile-Valley during antiquity. The ORU people who went and founded the Nile-valey civilisation complex of ancient Egypt and Sudan were also known as the ONU or ANU people or followers of HORU (HORUS). Another of their names seems to have been KUMONI.

The Ancient KWA People. They seem to have been the founders of the Nok civilisation complex. They immigrated into West Africa from East Africa during antiquity. The KWA people branched out further to produce the UGBO people and the EFA people.

Lastly the Ancient Bantu People, who migrated from into West Africa from East/Central Africa. The Bantu and Semi-Bantu people were the proto-ancestors of other Nigeria peoples that lived side by side with the Major Ethnic nationalities of Southern Nigeria.

There were, of course other ancient peoples who were migrating into the West Africa region, but the aforementioned ones serve the purpose of tracing the origins of the Ijos, Yoruba, Edo, Igbo and related groups.

Starting from about 1000 BC (although the peopling of West Africa goes back to at least 2000 BC) various ancient African peoples indigenous to the continent started to densely settle the Lower Niger, Savannah fringe and forest regions of present day Southern Nigeria. These ancient peoples had come from different parts of Africa namely the old Sahara grasslands, North Africa, North east Africa (Nile-Valley) and the East African Great lakes region: which were the homes of more ancient civilisations going back at least 10,000 years. For our research purposes we have identified distinct ancient peoples or autochthones, that combined (fused through intermarriage) and came together in various ways to give birth to the kingdoms and city states of Southern Nigeria. These ancient people have been identified thus:

1. The ORU PEOPLE they were mainly an aquatic based culture, settling the banks of rivers and watersides. They were indigenous to the Nile Valley and Lake Chad regions before migrating to the Niger/Benue region in antquity.

2. The KWA PEOPLE, made up of the; Ugbo and Efa

3. The UGBO (also known as OOYELAGBO), they were land based. They were originally indigenous to East Africa, before migrating to the Niger/Benue region in antiquity.

4. The EFA, they were also land based. The EFA & UGBO descended from a people once known as the KWA or KWARA people, who inhabited the Middle Niger region (hence its original name of Kwara river).

5. The BANTU & SEMI BANTU of unknown names, also from east and central Africa.

The facts that we have gained through the understanding of the related traditional narratives of the Ijos, Urhobos, Binis, Yoruba and Igbo has enabled us to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the emergence of ethnic nationalities, the City State complexes of Ife, Benin and the Niger Delta. Our outline throws light on the seemingly confusion of the ancestral traditions of the aforementioned peoples and demonstrates that instead of looking at the traditions as isolated events, or at worst invented fables, we should view them as the individual perspectives of the whole story that has until now, not been fully told. So let the full story unfold.

THE FORMATION OF ETHNIC NATIONALITIES

Based on the research we have done we are bold to assert the following.

The period between 500 BC & 700 AD was a time of great demographic change and population migration into West Africa. From a central location situated within the Niger/Benue confluence valley, some sections of the KWA people namely the IGBO (UGBO) and EFA started to migrate and settle the now Western and Eastern Nigeria regions. Also around about this period, from the Nile Valley and Lake Chad regions, the ancient ORU people started to settle the middle Niger, Lower Niger and Mid-west regions of present Nigeria. Some, even settling and making their way to the Niger Delta coast.

As to what time the ancient ORU people started to settle the Niger Delta is not clear as language studies cannot properly indicate when a people settled a region. What is known is that they have existed as a distinct language and ethnic group for upwards 5000 years. Their settlements in the Benin region, Lower Niger & Niger Delta were aboriginal (i.e. being the first) and by 500 BC they may have started inhabiting the Niger Delta. The traditional Ijo narratives refer to the ancestors (the Oru-Otu) or the ancient people (Tobu?Otu) who descended from the sky (were of divine origin). They are also referred to as the WATER-PEOPLE (Beni-Otu). It is ORU who established the ancient communities of mask-spirits and mermaids (mami-water) dedicated to spiritual initiation culture. We will have much to say about this later.

By about 500 AD scattered primordial isolated communities of all the aforementioned autochthones or ancient peoples began to come into being throughout the Southern Nigeria region. This isolated and stateless existence situation was changed with the arrival of fresh immigrants from the Nile Valley due to the Arab onslaught from about 640 AD. In the various traditions these immigrants are referred to as having came from EGYPT, SUDAN, & ARABIA (MECCA). To clear up this point, the use of the term “NEAR MECCA? or “NEAR ARABIA? is just a reference to the ancient Nile Valley, While references to Egypt and Sudan have more factual foundation, as these civilisations were clearly indigenous Black African civilisations up until their colonisation by the Arabs. The migration route of these streams of refugees fleeing the upheavals of North East Africa was through the Lake Chad ? Middle Niger (Borgu/Nupe) then on to the Ife, Benin and Lower Niger regions. The migrating refugee groups were made up of an assortment of indigenous Black Africans natives to the Nile Valley & Arabia, and mixed race Habiru (Hebrews) who resided in the Nile valley. These were all completely absorbed into the aboriginal West African populations.

There is not enough evidence traditionally, archaeologically, anthropologically or otherwise, to suggest that the Ijos originated wholly from the city of Ijon in ancient Palestine, or that the Ijos wholly constitute the remnants of the lost Israelite tribe of Dan. Nevertheless there may be a core of historical truth imbedded in this historical theory, based on two premises, which are: Some of the ancestral Ijos may have derived from the Canaanites the original owners of the land of Palestine who were absorbed and intermarried with the Hebrews, who then took over their cities and then modified their religious culture. We can compare the Ijo term for Great Chief or Lord “ALA? with the Canaanite “AL? and the Israelite “EL? meaning GOD or LORD (plural ELOHIM). Some of the ancestral Ijos derived from the resident Hebrew populations of Upper Egypt based at Yoba (Yeb) that fled the land into inner Africa during the Arab invasion, and migrated with other Africans to the West Africa region. In traditional history we have it that a people known as Eburu-Otu (Eburu people) came with other ancient ancestors and settled the area now known as Burutu (hence its name), from whence some moved on to the Kalabari-Ijo and Efik areas of today. If this is the case, of which there may be some validity in it, then these Eburu or Hebrew people were incorporated into the ancient Ijo population that settled the Niger Delta.

The fusion of these newly arrived immigrants with the older ancient communities was like a seeding process, causing a condensation of populations to converge in city-state communities. It was this process that gave birth to the first dynastic City State centres, of which Borgu (Bussa, Kiama), Nupe (Gbara), Yoruba (Ife), Benin and Ijo were the most prominent. From the ancestral traditions and contemporary scholarship we can reconstruct the following facts regarding the foundation of Nupe, Borgu, Ife & Benin.

By 500 AD a branch of the UGBO referred to as OOYELAGBO started to arrive in the Ile-Ife region, from an ancestral home situated in the Niger/Benue confluence region . They set up dispersed communities within the now Ile-Ife region. Shortly afterwards (650 AD) a branch of the ORU known as the KUMONI, migrated from Upper Egypt and Sudan (Nubia) first to the Lake Chad region, then on to the Bussa region (these were the Namurudu and Kiri-Asara or Kisara migrations told in ancestral history) . In the Bussa and Nupe regions they fused with the local populations and established the BUSSA OR BORGU and NUPE OR NUPA (from NUPATU OR NAPATA of NUBIA) Kingdoms. From the Bussa and Nupe regions a section decided to settle in the Ile-Ife region and establish a City state to be known as YOBA (YEBA) derived from the original name of the Upper Egyptian province that they had hailed from (YEB, YEBA OR YOBA).

According to the traditional stories told, Namu or Namurudu (also pronounced Lamururdu) was the provincial ruler of the Upper Egyptian territory of YEB (YOBA)in about 640AD. By this time Ancient Egypt had since decayed and had been colonised several times over. Many of the aboriginal Black founders of this great civlisation had relocated into Nubia (Lower Sudan) and inner Africa (West Africa), but a large remnant remained. Due to the Arab invasion of lower Egypt, the decision was taken to relocate once and for all to inner Africa, hence the immigration to the lands of West Africa. The immigration continued from 640 up to 10,000 AD.

Namurudu and his people made their way from Upper Egypt first to the Lake Chad region and then to the Bussa and Nupe regions on the middle Niger. It was here that they made a temporary home. Other key actors who have been remembered as ancestors include ADUMU (ADIMU) eldest son to NAMURUDU and his close companion ASARA. While Namurudu died at Bussa and Asara settled permanently Bussa, Adumu led a group of immigrants to explore the southern forest lands and eventually choose the Ife region as a place to establish a permanent community. But already established in the land, in scattered communities were the Ugbo (Ooyelagbo) who had arrived earlier from the area between the Niger/Benue confluence. While some of the Ugbo welcomed the newly arrived settlers and supported the foundation of a city-state, others opposed it. Thus the City-state of Otu-Ife, later to be known as Ile-Ife was founded through the warfare of two opposing factions.

The establishment of this new city was opposed by certain sections of the OOYELAGBO communities led by the chief Obatala priest ORELUERE, who argued that since it was they who arrived first, the king of the city must be from amongst them. This led to a war told in the ancestral traditions as the “war between ODUDUWA & OBATALA? In reality it was a conflict between two theocratic systems of government. On the one hand we had the new form of centralised Government based on a theocratic monarchy focused on the SUPREME MOTHER GODDESS (Woyingi in Kumoni language & Oduduwa in Ugbo language) . The OOYELAGBO form of traditional chief?s council opposed this with the head chief being focused on the GODHEAD (Obatala).

With the help of dissatisfied sections of the OOYELAGBO communities, led by Oba-Meri, and also ORU people living in the Nupe region; the leaders of the KUMONI people headed by Prince ADUMU went to war and defeated the opposing factions of Ooyelagbo. He then established his centralised city-state government. Prince Adumu was also a priest of the SUPREME MOTHER GODDESS LODGE (known in Kumoni language as Woyingi, and in Ooyelagbo language as Oduduwa) and at the same time, a high initiate of the ancient ADUMU (ADUM) spiritual Initiation lodge of ancient Egypt.

Before the final setting up of the new government, Prince Adumu invited the leaders of the hostile Ooyelagbo communities and his own allies (the Oru-Kumoni and Ooyelagbo supporters) to a constitutional conference. It was agreed to form a confederacy where all the communities living in the area would swear allegiance to Prince Adumu, but have control over their own internal affairs. At that conference Prince Adumu was declared the ?ALA ? AFIN? i.e. LORD OF THE FORTRESS (ALA-lord or chief, AFIN-fortress), ?ADUMU ? ALA? i.e. ADUMU THE LORD, and King of Otu-Ife, henceforth to be addressed as “ALA-AFIN ADUMU-ALA? modified to OLOFIN in present Yoruba language. He was also addressed as the alias ?ODUDUWA?, as it was the term in the Ooyelagbo language for the Mother Goddess of which he was a priest, even though his actual name and title was ADUMU-ALA

“…Our conclusion is that the name Oduduwa belonged originally to a divinity and not to the personage to whom the name was later given. It was this divinity who came into conflict with Orisa-nla…..In Ado, Oduduwa is indisputably a goddess. She is said to be the first of seven divinity-children…The male conception of Oduduwa has very likely arisen in this way then. Oduduwa was the priest of the goddess as well as the head of his dynasty. At the time of his death he won the respect of people far and wide, so that it was an easy matter for him to become an Ancestor deserving a cult. Before very long, however, he became identified with his own divinity and entered the pantheon on her attributes….”

“?.Now these dear old pagans are said to given the name of their Creator ?Odudua? to the leader of the Bornu immigrants whose real name has been forgotten?

“?Odudua, however was not the real name of the leader of the Bornu immigrants. His name, togother with those of his wives and children and companions are entirely lost, and his descendants many ages after his death designated him Odudua i.e. ODU-TI-O-DA-WA, which means a “self existing personage?. He is also called ADUMILA ??

“? The place where the palm sprung up from the water afterwards became Ife, and some time after three brothers set out from there in different directions to make fresh discoveries. When they went away they left Adimu to rule Ife during their absence??

“?Oodua tried war efforts which won him victory over the Ooyelagbo communities, but failed to subdue them. Oodua being a wiseman applied other tactics. Instead of sacking them, he invited the Ooyelagbos to build a single community at a point known as Ita-Ajamo where each of the communities was empowered to rule over his domain but with allegiance to Oodua who was then proclaimed the OLOFIN ADIMULA - the supreme Oba of Ile-Ife. It was after this that the ?Oduduwa? empire started to expand?..?

Even though through superior warfare tactics King Adumu had established his city-state, he could not subdue all the opposing sections of the Ooyelagbo communities who continued to trouble the new city from the surrounding forests. At this early stage, even while unification was yet complete, some sections of the KUMONI-ORU left Ife to establish themselves elsewhere, after accomplishing their task of setting up the City state with King Adumu (alias Oduduwa) as the first dynastic king. These included groups led by the following leaders who were said to have been princes of King Adumu; Prince Ujo (alias Idekoseroake) who led a migration to the present Benin region and finally central Niger Delta: Prince Nana who led a migration to the present Ghana region: Prince Igodo who led a second group to the present Benin region, and established a centralised government to become the first ruler or OGISO: Prince Ogbogbodiri (alias Ala-fun or Lufon I) who first established at Old Oyo (Oyokoro) and was called back to become 3rd King at Ile-Ife:

BIRTH OF THE IJO PEOPLE OR ORUS

The 1st migration out of Otu-Ife (or Ile-Ife as it was later to be known) was led by Prince Ujo (alias Idekoseroake) mentioned in the ancestral tradition as being the first son of King Adumu . Prince Ujo along with the warlord Ogu (Ogun) were war commanders in the military alliance, who took part in the battles that were fought to subdue the hostile Ooyelagbo communities and establish the Yoba Kingdom. Between 650 ?700 AD Prince Ujo led his migration out of Ife to the Benin region, where he encamped and established a settlement (Uzama) that later was to become the basis of Benin City. At this time other ORU people, as well as the EFA people were settling the Benin region.

Prince Ujo?s instructions were to go to the Niger Delta, and establish a strategic base from which to defend the coastal region. Clearly his father King Adumu, regarded the whole southern region as a virgin territory which he would bring under his direct control. Prince Ujo proceeded to the central Niger Delta with his followers and came across isolated ancient communities of ORU people in remote settlements of the central delta. Together with these people they formed viable communities in the central delta originally based on the City-state formation. This was the birth or genesis of the Ijo people. The Kumoni-Oru who settled the Niger Delta with the most ancient inhabitants known as the ORU (TOBU OTU) gave birth to the Ijos. The original settlements were in the western & central delta, from where they spread out to people the whole Niger Delta. This period has been estimated to have occurred between 500 BC to 1000 AD. These original ancestors were spiritual initiates of the ancient African spiritual initiation system of the CREATOR TEM (TEMUNO). They made heavy symbolic ritualistic use of the water, and hence have been referred to as the ?water people? ?beni-otu?. Later on between 1200 ? 1600 AD the Ijos of the Niger Delta received immigrants from their relatives living at Benin and the lower Niger regions, who were fleeing the various upheavals and power struggles of Benin city during the time of the 2nd dynasty. They collectively gave birth to the Ijo nation with its City-states and collective Clan communities. This is the birth of the Ijo people, otherwise known by the ancient name of ORU.

Some of the Kumoni/Oru remained behind at Benin region, indeed a section of the Oru known as the Beni, who had come from the Sudan (NupaTU or Napata) through Nupe, gave the name Beni to some of the newly emerging settlements. These were the Oru or Ijos of Benin City who later on between the 12th ?15th centuries AD fled into the delta to escape the upheavals of Benin City. Along with the EFA people they were quite prominent at Benin during the 1st kingdom between 650 ? 1150 AD.

BIRTH OF THE YORUBA PEOPLE

In order to unite the opposing factions of Ife, King Adumu and his wisemen invited the main opposition cult (the Ogboni) after defeating them, to take part in the new government of the city ad by decreeing intermarriage. This is told in the tradition as the marriage between Obatala & Oduduwa with the birth of the sixteen gods and goddesses. It is also told as the story of the fusion of the tribes Olokun (lords of the sea), Oduduwa and Obatala. Indeed Prince Adumu took several wives from the local Ooyelagbo women as well as his own Kumoni/Oru women. This policy was adhered to by his successors. King Adumu (alias Oduduwa) administered the new City state (military & theocratic confederacy) so skilfully that he was remembered in ancestral tradition as the ancestor of the YOBA NATION, meaning the ORIGINATOR OF THE YOBA NATION.

It was decided that a son whose mother was an Ooyelagbo should occupy the throne, after King Adumu and Ogu (the Chief war officer of King Adumu), and so Prince Ogbogbodiri (alias Ala-Fun or Lufon I) was recalled from Oyokoro (Old Oyo) assumed the kingship thus becoming the 3rd King. After King Ogbogbodiri (Lufon I) those who ruled Ile-Ife have been lost to time and the kinglist becomes hazy until the time of Lufon II (about 12 century AD 500 years afterwards). Thus there is a 500 year gap in the records of Ife that corresponds to the time of the Ogisos at Benin and the Nupe ruling dynasty at Gbarra.

The fusion of the two main ancient peoples that had settled at Ife gave birth to the Yoruba people. This was how the first Yoba (Yoruba) nation came into being and how Ife became the centre of the 1st dynastic city-state in Southern Nigeria. This was also the Ife of the 1st dynastic period ruled by the Ala-Afin?s. Later on YOBA was corrupted to YORRIBA (YORUBA) by the Hausa neighbours and the term applied to all the people who spoke related dialects/languages, who had centuries later integrated to become one people. The Ooyelagbo bequeathed their ancestral language with modification by Kumoni language and maybe other ancient languages to form the present day Yoruba dialects. This is the birth of the Yoruba people.

BIRTH OF ADO (EDOS)

Prince Igodo (Godo) led a 2nd migration from Ile-Ife to the Benin region. At the death of King Adumu, Igodo was sidelined in the scheme of things. It seems that what happened at this point in time was that King Adumu?s chief warlord Ogu (Ogun) temporarily took over the reigns of government until a successor could be chosen. Prince Igodo and companions decided to leave Ile-Ife for good, acquiring the mystic source of powers which aided his father in the defeat of the hostile Ooyelagbo, Prince Igodo migrated to the Benin region and met up with the followers of Prince Ujo who remained behind In the Benin region and had established settlements at Benin (Uzama, Ogiame, etc). Later on like his father before him, Prince Igodo centralised the existing ORU and EFA communities and was proclaimed the 1st PRINCE OF THE REALM or OGI-SUO (OGISO). Also like his father he allowed the existing communities internal autonomy, thus the leader of the EFA communities was proclaimed OGI-EFA. These communities later on came together to give birth to the 1st dynastic state of Benin Kingdom (IGODOMIGODO). The 1st Ogiso dynasty lasted 500 years. The ancient quarters of Benin City prefixed (Idumu, Idunmu) such as Idumu-Igun (metal workers quarters) were the original settlements of the ancient Oru that formed the old Benin City of the Ogiso period. Others include, Uzama (Ujo?s town). This is the birth of the Edos.

THE URHOBOS:

Some of the Orus that remained behind at Benin, intermarried with Efa women. The offsprings of these intermarriage referred to themselves as “ORU-BO? meaning “AN ORU PERSON?. It was from the term ORU-BO, that URHOBO was derived. As a people they slowly lost the use of the original language through taking on their mother tongue. This language was common to them and the Ijos (Orus) who were established in the main central delta. These people left Benin for the western delta uplands during the second period of Benin Kingdom. Furthermore Ijo men who has fled the upheavals of communities in the central delta and elsewhere during the epoch of the slave trade, also intermarried with Efa women. The offspring of these intermarriage referred to themselves as “UJO-BO? or “UZO-BO? meaning “AN UJO PERSON?. It was from the term UZO-BO, that UZOBO OR SOBO was derived. Hence the term SOBO also refers to the Urhobo people. In their isolation from the main body of Ijo people, they intermarried more and more with Efa people. In so doing they lost their Ijo culture and adopted the culture of the Efas.

Traditional history maintains that at a point in time a common language existed between, not only the Ijos and Urhobos, but also the Benis (Benin Kingdom of the 1st Ogiso period). This language was a proto-Ijo language, which is now only spoken by the Ijos. This is the birth of the Urhobo people.

Events at Ife and Benin

The 1st Adumu dynastic state of Ife and the Ogiso dynastic state of Benin existed for upwards 500 years starting from about 650 AD. Later on new conquering forces that came from the Niger/Benue heartlands of Igala of the ancient UGBO overthrew them.

We now know that at about 1150 AD a conqueror remembered as ORANJAN (ORANMIYAN) from Takpa-land of Igala (situated in the Niger/Benue region) took over the Old Oyo kingdom which was closely connected to Ife. Ife was attacked next, but the old Adumu dynastic rulers were not deposed, but made to pay tribute to ORANJAN at his base in Oko of the ancient Ugbo (hence them being describes as slaves to Obatala). It was from this Ugbo base that ORANJAN made war on Benin, which had by this time fallen into decay with the fleeing into exile of the Ogiso Prince Kaladiran (Ekaladerhan in the Benin narratives). It took several attempts for the Oranjan forces to gain control of Benin. When they did gain control, they changed the title of the Ogiso kings to OBA. Eweka was the first Oba of the 2nd Benin dynasty (1170 AD).

These new immigrants from Ugbo and Igala and elsewhere, eventually fused with the Efa and Oru people of Benin to give birth to the present Edo nation of today.

Meanwhile at Ife the Adumu dynasty was finally overthrown, with the exiling of the Lufon II descendants, and the instalment of Lajamisan who claimed to be a direct grandson of Oranjan. This last group of immigrants fused with the older populations and together they constitute the Yoruba nation of today.

In order to gain real legitimacy at Ife, Oyo and Benin, the new dynastic fraternity of Ife, Oyo and Benin was mythologised (distorting history in the process) as the last sons of King Adumu (alias Oduduwa), the founder of the first Yoba kingdom of Ile-Ife, even though at least 500 years separate the period of the establishment of the city state of Ife by King Adumu (alias Oduduwa) around 650 AD, and the emergence of Oranjan (Oranmiyan) in about 1150 AD. Oranjan originated from the Igala region,and did not come from Ile-Ife as is commonly supposed.

By the time of the Oba kings of Benin (13th century AD), the Ijo speaking element of Benin had become a minority in the Benin region, due to intermarriage with the EFA and migration to the Niger Delta. This intermarriage gave birth to the Urhobo (& Isoko) nation of today. Some members of the Eweka dynasty, along with other immigrants from Igala and elsewhere (from Yoruba land) made their way to the Niger delta coast. Initially they settled with the Ijos of Warri region. These people gave birth to the Itsekiri people of today. And lastly the ancient Igbo (Ugbo) people east of the Niger river fused with Bantu speaking people and some ancient Oru communities living along riverfronts to give birth to the present Ibo (Igbo) nation of today.

Conclusion:

As we go further and further back in time, we cannot talk of the Ijos, Yorubas Binis, Edos, Urhobos, Igbos etc as we now understand them as ethnic groups in this present time. We have established that certain autochthones or ancient African people?s settled in the Southern Nigeria region and gave birth to new ethnic groups. These ancient peoples were known as

The ORU,

The KUMONI (a part of the ancient ORU)

The OOYELAGBO and UGBO (a part of the KWA OR KWARA)

The IGBO (a part of the KWA)

The EFA (A part of the KWA)

The BANTU and SEMI BANTU

Of the above the ORU and KUMONI were aquatic previously living in the Nile-Valley Upper Niger and Lake Chad regions. While the KWA and BANTU formally lived in the East Africa and Nok regions.

Scientifically speaking, in the Southern Nigeria region these people fused in the following manner to produce the following major ethnic groupings.

In the Niger Delta - KUMONI + ORU = IJO (some intermarriage with EFA women and Bantu). The historical birth of the Ijo People is in the following manner. Their ORU ancestors originated from the Sudan and settled the Lake Chad region then, Nupe region, then Benin region, Lower Niger and Central Niger Delta in antiquity. They were joined by other ancestors (KUMONI) from Upper Egypt via Borgu, Ife and Benin region in about 650 AD. In about the 12th and 16th centuries AD the remaining ORU and KUMONI ancestors who lived at Benin settled with their relatives in the Niger Delta. (Ruled by the Pere?s and Ala?s) They collectively gave birth to the Ijo People as we know them today.

In the Ile-Ife region - KUMONI + OOYELAGBO + (UGBO) + OTHERS = YORUBA (some of the sub groups are less mixed than others). The historical birth of the Yoruba Peoples is in the following manner. Their UGBO ancestors originated from East Africa and settled the Niger/Benue (North) region in antiquity. Then finally they settled the Ile-Ife region. They were joined by other ancestors (KUMONI) from Upper Egypt, via Borgu region in about 650 AD. This was the 1st kingdom of Yoba with capital at Ile-Ife (the Ala-Afins ruled). In about the 12th century AD they were joined by other ancestral UGBO from the Niger/Benue and Igala regions. This was the 2nd kingdom of Yoba with capital at Oyo (the Ala-Afins ruled at Oyo, while at Ile-Ife title changed to Ooni). Plus other immigrants they collectively gave birth to the Yoruba People as we know them today.

In the Benin region - KUMONI + EFA + UGBO + OTHERS = EDO (Bini, etc). The historical birth of the Edo People is in the following manner. Their Efa ancestors originated from the Niger/Benue (North) region in antiquity after splitting from the UGBO. They settled the Benin region about the same time as the ORU. They were joined by other ancestors (KUMONI) from Upper Egypt, via Borgu and Ile-Ife in about 650 AD. This was the 1st kingdom of Beni (ruled by the Ogisos). In about the 12th century AD they were joined by other ancestral UGBO from the Niger/Benue and Igala region who had established themselves the new rulers of the Yoba (Yoruba) kingdom of Ife. This was the 2nd kingdom of Beni (ruled by the Obas). Plus other immigrants they collectively gave birth to the Edo People as we know them today.

In the north-west delta region - KUMONI + ORU + EFA + IGBO = URHOBO & ISOKO (Oru men marrying Efa women and children speaking mother tongue!). The historical birth of the Urhobo People is in the following manner. Their ORU ancestors originated from the Sudan and settled the Lake Chad region then, Nupe region, then Benin region in antiquity. They intermarried with the Efa. Their Efa ancestors originated from the Niger/Benue (North) region in antiquity after splitting from the UGBO. They settled the Benin region about the same time as the ORU. They were joined by other ancestors (KUMONI) from Upper Egypt, via Borgu and Ife in about 650 AD. During the 12-16th centuries many of these people left Benin and settled the southern forest region, to be joined by Ijos from the Niger Delta, and Igbos from east of the Niger. They collectively gave birth to the URHOBO (ORUBO) and ISOKO Peoples as we know them today.

East of the Niger - ORU + EFA + UGBO + BANTU + OTHERS = IBO (IGBO). Their UGBO ancestors originated from East Africa and settled the Niger/Benue (North) region in antiquity. Before settling in the eastern region. . Their ORU ancestors originated from the Sudan and settled the Lake Chad region then, Nupe region, then Benin region, Lower Niger. Their Efa ancestors originated from the Niger/Benue (North) region in antiquity after splitting from the UGBO. Their Bantu ancestors originated from east and central Africa in antiquity. While others originated from ancient Palestine. They collectively gave birth to the Igbo People as we know them today.

The above relationship between the various peoples that became known as the IJO, EDO, AND YORUBA, can be summarised in mythological ancestral history as follows.

“THE DIRECT SONS OF KING ADUMU (ALIAS ODUDUWA) WERE UJO (IJO) THE ANCESTOR OF THE IJOS OR ORUS, ALAFUN THE ANCESTOR OF THE YORUBA, AND IGODO THE ANCESTOR OF THE BENIS (EDOS)?. Which is to say it was the same people who derived from Upper-Egypt in about 650 AD who settled amongst the ancient aborigines of Nigeria the ORUS, UGBOS AND EFAS and OUT OF THAT INTERACTION THEY CONDENSED AND CREATED city state formations that eventually give rise to the present ethnic realities of today.

Here the term ANCESTOR means THE FOUNDER OF A NATION STATE, THE INITIATOR OF ETHNIC SOVEREINTY, BRINGING TOGETHER DIVERSE GROUPS OF PEOPLE UNDER ONE ETHNIC IDENTITY. This must be understood, as those who mythologised understood it as such. The ANCESTOR serves the function of unifying groups of people through time by transcending blood relationships. This was how communities were formed and how they remained dynamic and unified.

The common thread of KUMONI accounts for the prevalence of Nile Valley (Upper Egypt & Sudan) traditions of origin from the Ijo, Urhobo, Benin, Yoruba. The common thread of UGBO accounts for the similarity of language and culture between the Yoruba, Benin (Edo) Urhobo and Igbo. The minority of the Ugbo in the Ijo ancestral lineage accounts for the wide language and cultural divergence of the Ijos (hence the emphasis on aboriginal descent of the Ijos).

The principle ancestors connected to the Adumu (Oduduwa) migration from Upper Egypt bore names of which only the Ijo people of today still bear. These include ADUMU OR ADIMU, first king of Ife, his close companions such as ASARA, who settled at Borgu (note in the Borgu country we have a Kaiama, just like we have in the Delta, we also have a town called ASARAMA founded by an ancestor named as ASARA), UJO OR IJO nicknamed IDEKOSEROAKE an old Ijo title, the first Ogiso of Benin IGODO, the second Ogiso of Benin ERE, and many others, Prince NANA who settled the Ghana country. The historical presence of the ancient Kumoni-Oru;?s in the aforementioned regions which are now termed Yoruba, and Bini or Edo can be discerned by the underlying names of several towns and villages such as Idumagbede (Idumu-Agbedi) “the ward of smiths? in Ondo land, Idomowo (Idumu-Owu)”the ward of masks? in Sagamu area, Idumagbo (Idumu-Agbo) and Iga-Idugaran or Idumu-Igaran “the ward of peppers? both in Lagos, plus host of ancient quarters prefixed Idumu in Benin City such as Idumu-Igun or “the ward of metals” and Idumu-Owina “the ward of carpenters”, Idumu-Ebo and Ujo-ama or Uzo-ama (Uzama) to name a few. (The Kumoni and Oru were the first people to penetrate the coastal swamp forests stretching from Lagos (i.e. Kurama) to Calabar).

THE ORIGINAL ANCESTORS & THE GENESIS OF THE IJOS

The Ijos of the Niger Delta are the descendants of the autochthonous people or ancient tribe of Africa known as the (H)ORU. They were known by this name by the immediate neighbours up until the arrival of the Europeans. The Ijos have kept the ancient language and culture of the ORU. It was during the time of ADUMU-ALA first king of Ife, that ORU princes who derived ultimately from ancient Nubia (Sudan) established city states in Southern Nigeria. These city states gave birth to different ethnic nationalities through the process of fusion and ethnic intermarriage. This is reflected in the ancestral tradition of the Ijos.

The ancestor who is known as Ujo or Ijo is also known in traditional Ile-Ife history as Idekoseroake. He is also known by the titles “Kalasuo? and ?Indo-Oru?. His identification as ORU, means that he was of the tribe of Oru (maybe his mother was Oru). His identification as Kumoni, means that he was of the tribe of Kumoni (the section that hailed from Upper Egypt), therefore he was Kumoni-Oru. In Ife traditional history it is believed that he died before his father. It is also stated that he died at Ife, although it is not known for sure that he did. All that is known is that King Adumu (alias Oduduwa) lost the service of a number of powerful and warlike sons early on during his reign. Where they went or what happened to them has never been explained by contemporary accounts at Ife. On the other hand Ijo traditions maintain that Ujo (i.e. Idekoseroake) migrated from Ife along with some brothers and a large entourage. Since these traditions are accurate and can be corroborated in regards to the foundation of Benin and Ife , then we can take it that they are also true in regards to the origins of the ancestors of the Ijo people.

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 UMU-ORU or CHILDREN OF ORU) and Kumoni (in Ijo). 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…”

“..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??

“?.July 2:?Some of the neighbouring chiefs of ORU came off, with whom we had conversation about legal trade??

“?November 3: weighed early this morning, and anchored of Agberi, the first ORU village below the Aboh district??

“?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??

The formation of the Ijo ethnic nationality was in three major phases. We have the first phase between 500 BCE and 700 CE (AD), when the proto-Ijos or “ancient people? (Tobu Otu) or ancestral people (Oru) who derived from the ancient Sudan, settled the lower Niger, Benin region and head of the central delta. Then we have the second phase between 700 and 900 CE (AD), where we have the ancient Kumoni-Oru personified by the ancestor Ujo, who derived from Upper Egypt, migrating through Ile-Ife and other places such as Gbara in Nupe, establishing further settlements in the western & central delta. It was from here that the bulk of the ancient ancestors fused and founded the first CITY STATES REMEMBERED AS AGADAGBA-BOU, AND ORU-BOU (ORUBIRIBAU-BOU). Lastly we have the third phase between 1000 and 1600 CE (AD) where ancestors living in the Benin region moved into the main delta and joined their kith & kin, and dispersals caused the formation of the present clans.

In traditional history these three phases are summarised under the symbol of the FOUNDING ANCESTOR UJO migrating from a number of places such as Palestine , Upper Egypt, Ife, Nupe or Benin or descending from the sky, depending on the narrative. Thus the founding ancestor UJO (IJO) or ORU represents, summarises and symbolises the period from 500 BCE to 1600 CE (AD) when known, unknown and forgotten ancestors settled the central Niger Delta and other strategic places and decided to collectively form viable communities as one people. The ancestors who lived during this period of 650 ? 700 CE (AD) and helped establish new communities are narrated as being BROTHERS, SONS & DAUGHTERS of the collective symbolic ancestor. While ancestors who lived during the period starting from 1200 ?1500 CE(AD) are narrated as being descendants or grandchildren of the collective ancestor.

The ancestor Ujo or Ijo is the symbolic personification of the time when the Ijos became differentiated or separated as a distinct people on the West Coast of Africa. Prior to his time, as mentioned above, the Ijos were a part of the ancient Oru and Kumoni, of the ancient tribes of Africa that integrated with other ancient people to give birth to many of the ethnic nationalities that inhabit the Niger/Benue region of today. Being a collective personification, the ancestor Ujo (Ijo or Izon) is narrated as having come from Upper Egypt or Sudan, Ife, Benin, the City of Ijon in ancient Palestine or descended from the sky, as the case may be in ancestral tradition. This is a reflection of the main ancestral actors in the aboriginal habitation of the Niger Delta during antiquity. The earliest aborigines settled the Niger Delta during antiquity from ancient Sudan, and were believed to be of divine origin or spiritual initiates, thus the came down from heaven so to speak. The next phase saw immigrants arriving from Upper Egypt via Ife and Benin, while the final phase sees Ijos who previously lived at Benin City, leaving that city to settle permanently with their related communities in the main delta.

The symbol of the COLLECTIVE ANCESTOR serves to unify newly formed communities who are related through ethnicity, family ties, intermarriage and common interests. The ancestors who settled the Benin region, the central delta and some strategic location in the west and eastern delta have been summarised through the mythology as the ancestor UJO, IJO or ORU giving births to children and grandchildren. These primary ancestors are named as follows

The ancestor UJO, IJO (alias IDEKOSEROAKE), also known as UZON, IZON, IZONOWEI, KALASUO, ORU, INDO-ORU & OGULABIOWEI. THE FIRST PERE (RULER) and ancestor of the whole ethnic nationality.

The ancestor ASAIN seer/priest and companion to UJO and founder of the original Ijo community at Abo

The ancestor GBARAN, ancestor of GBARAN town in Apoi (Southern-Ijo), GBARANMATU, AROGBO, TUOMO, KABO, KUMBO AND GBARAN CLANS.

The ancestor OPU-BENI, ancestor of the MEIN, IBENI (OYAKIRI), OBOTEBE KALABARI CLANS

The ancestor OPU-OKUN, ancestor of the OPUKUMA CLAN

The ancestor KALA-OKUN (alias ALUKU-DOGO), ancestor of the KOLOKUMA, APOI, IBANI CLANS, and sections of NEMBE, TUNGBO, BUSENI, OKODIA

The ancestor APOI, ancestor of the APOI, UKOMU & AKASSA CLANS

The ancestor TARA, ancestor of the TARAKIRI, & ANDONI CLANS

The ancestor OPU-OGBO, ancestor of the EKPETIAMA & SEIMBIRI, EPIE-ATISSA CLANS and sections of WAKIRIKE & NKORO

The ancestor KALA-OGBO (alias OGURU), ancestor of the IDUWINI & EGBEMA CLANS

The ancestor OPORO, ancestor of the OPOROMA & OPEREMO, BASAN, FURUPAGHA, OGBE-IJO, CLANS

The ancestor OLODI (alias IGBEDIGBOLO), ancestor of the OLODIAMA CLANS, and sections of NEMBE

The ancestor OGULA, ancestor of the OGULAGHA CLAN

The ancestor KURU, ancestor of the KRUS? of Liberia

The ancestor OYAN, ancestor of the OGBO-OYAN (OGBIA CLAN)

The ancestor BOMOU, ancestor of the BOMA CLAN

The ancestor IBI (OBI), ancestor of the OGBOIN, WAKIRIKE CLANS, and sections of NEMBE

The ancestor KENI-OPU-ALA, ancestor of the KE

The ancestor ORU, ancestor of the KULA CLAN

Some Secondary ancestors

The ancestor OPOROZA II, ancestor of the KABO, KUMBO AND GBARAN CLANS

The ancestor MEIN, ancestor of the MEIN & KALABARI CLANS

The ancestor PEREBO-KALAKEBARI (KALABARI), ancestor of the KALABARI CLAN

The ancestor KALA-BENI (alias ALAGBARIGHA), ancestor of the IBENI (IBANI, OR BONNY) CLAN

The ancestor OPUBO-PEREKULE, ancestor of the OPUBO (OPOBO) CLAN

THE LOST CITY OF UJO (IJO) 650 ? 10,000 CE (AD)

After establishing at Igbedi creek (the lost city of Ujo or Agadagba-bou), Ujo sent for more of his people who were at WARI-IFE and WARI-IGE and UJAMA UZAMA (i.e. Ado or Beni. Legend has it that the ancestor Ujo founded a city-state in the central delta area of Igbedi Creek remembered as AGADAGBA-BOU, now inhabited by the Kolokuma Clan. Other towns established by the early ancestors include ORU-BOU (also known as OPAN-BOU and ISOMA-BOU) all within the same central delta axis, and KE & KULA in the eastern delta coast. Ancestors would have converged into these new city-states with the common objectives of taming the hostile Niger Delta environment and utilising the natural resources for their daily living. Centuries later all these ancient towns were abandoned because of several reasons such as civil strife, fishing expeditions and population migration.

Legend has it that there were small communities of spiritual initiates already in the delta at the time of the arrival of father Ujo and his expedition forces. The legend states, he was promised by his father King Adumu, that in the place of his final settlement in the Niger Delta, he would find a crown of cowries. He did find a crown, but it belonged to priestesses of the water (mermaids in the legend), of which he seized and enforced his right to rule over the Niger Delta region. The lost City of Ujo and other settlements within the Igbedi Creek area and central delta under one central unified authority (The Pere, The Indo-Oru) would have existed from upwards 400 years starting from about 670 AD to about 1070 AD. During this time the ancestors evolved the Ijo ethnic identity, so that by the time they started to disperse, the ethnic identity had become fully established, customs and culture evolved in harmony with the delta water environment, so that their descendants described themselves as such, The Ijos

THE PRIMARY DISPERSAL 700 ? 1200 CE (AD)

The PERE OR INDO-ORU 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 Ijo clans. Keni Opu Ala or Keni-Ala, the holy seer (Asain) of Adumu, the Supreme Intelligence, 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.

According to tradition, after many years of rule father Ujo the Pere or Indo-Oru left his headquarters in Igbedi creek in charge of the Agadagba of Egbesu (military officer), and decided to go back to Otu-Ife (Ile-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. Prince 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 also 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..

SECONDARY DISPERSALS 1200 ? 1800 CE (AD):

From primary dispersal centres such as Isomabou, Orubou, Obiama, Gbaran Town, Ke, Oporoza and others, ancestors migrated for several reasons to establish new towns and eventually new clans. They were joined by ancestors who previously lived in the Benin region.

FINAL MOVEMENT OF THE IJOS FROM BENIN CITY

1200 ? 1600 CE (AD)

The ancestor of the Ijos namely the ORU and KUMONI-ORU people were the first autochthonous inhabitants of the site of Benin City. In ancestral tradition the symbolic ancestor of all Ijos PRINCE UJO, left one of his brothers or sons, known as OPU-BENI or PRINCE ORUBO (in the Urhobo traditions) at the site of Benin City itself these ancestors founded a settlement known as UJO-AMA (UZAMA), and other settlements within the same vicinity. Within the same period the ancient people known as the EFA people settled the upland portions of the Benin region. When PRINCE IGODO another younger brother to PRINCE UJO, left Ife in about 670 CE (AD) period, after inheriting the mystic warfare powers of his father KING ADUMU (alias ODUDUWA) arrived in the Benin region, by which time PRINCE UJO had departed on his exploration of the Niger Delta, he centralised the existing communities and formed the first City State of Benin, otherwise known as IGODOMIGODO OR ADO. The descendants of Prince OPUBENI otherwise known as Prince ORUBO and IGODO (OGISO) continued to live at Benin. Some of them intermarried with the EFA?s and other immigrants to form the URHOBOS , while other left between 1200 and 1600 CE AD to the western, central and eastern Niger Delta to form communities with the ethnic kith & kin. The immediate cause of their leaving Benin has to do with the displacement of the OGISO DYNASTY in about 1170 CE (AD) and the land confiscation and civil wars fought in Benin by new OBA kings between 1500 ? 1600 CE (AD), notably the civil war between Oba Esigie and Prince ORU-AYAN.

In Benin traditional history the Ijo autochthonous inhabitants of Benin (Beni-Ijo), ancestors of some sections of Ijos are represented by the UZAMA (UJO TOWN) & OGIAME (CHILDREN OF OGISO) elements. Establishing the identity of the Uzama & Ogiama- According to P A Talbot (The People?s of Southern Nigeria 1926 pp31-153

“The Benin country appears to have been inhabited by a people called Efa, the ancestors of the present Edo and ruled by a large number of petty chiefs, those at Benin City being the Ogiame, and the Uzama Nihino (The seven Uzama). By some accounts the later arrived from Ife at a later date?.

It was the Uzama and Ogiame people that put up the most critical resistance against the invaders (These invaders were not from Ile-Ife as is commonly supposed, but from another Ife to the north-east situated near the Igala country). These group of invaders that displaced the Ogisos and introduced the Oba title, forced themselves onto the people in about 1170 AD. These people are erraneously referred to as the Yoruba element, their actual name was IWERE. In fact they came not from Ile-Ife, as is commonly narrated, but from Igala country. These people also had to conquer the Ile-Ife region and establish the Oranmiyan (Oranjan) dynasty.

According to the records, the last Ogiso prince, Kaladiran (Ekaladerhan in the Benin records) became a victim of pilitical intrigue and was exiled from Benin City. He fled into the delta and founded the town of Igodo with his retinue of exiles. When the Ogiso Prince Kaladiran and his people fled into exile, he founded the town of Igodo (now Ughoton) south of Benin. It seems that it was from this place that many people who were part of the Ogiso dynasty migrated first to Oproaza to settle with their Ijo relatives, and then finally into the Eastern Niger Delta to form a section of the Kalabari Clan of Ijos (The Igodo-ame and Ogiso-ame or Ogi-ame) .

Oranjan (Oranyan), on his first attempt to conquer Benin, encountered resistance at the Ovia river by the Ijos. After several attempts Oranjan circumvents the Ovia river route and conquers Uzama. It is at Uzama that he sets up base, but due to stiff opposition from the people he is forced to leave. By the time he has left with his entourage, he has formed an alliance with the Uzama chiefs (the seven Uzama) and also some of the leaders of the Efa (i.e Ogiefa). It is whilst here that Oranjan has a son by an Efa woman. This son is named Eweka. Eweka also encounters opposition in trying to establisha dynasty at Benin. It is only after the forth Oba Ewedo that they gain some success in establishing dynastic control over the whole of Benin City. Which is to say that before Ewedo, the previous Obas did not really exercise monarchical power over Benin City.

Ewedo also encounters major resistance from the Ijo ferrymen of the Ovia river complex and also the inhabitants of Ogiame (Ogiame). It was during this decisive battle that Ewedo obtained the royal stool of the Ogisos from the Ogiame. The remaining leaders of the Ogiame, custodians of the Ogiso stool and the leaders of the Uzama were then invited to form a government with Ewedo. The Oranjan or Eweka dynasty becomes established at Benin city. But resistance was still put up by some sections of the kingdom.

The Eweka dynasty was not fully accepted. It faced increasing resistance from the City of Udo, which was west of Benin across the Ovia river. Due to this resistance ditches were dug around Benin. Oba Ogula marries one of the daughters of the ruler of Udo to secure peace but to no avail. During an intense campaign against Udo, the resistance is destroyed, leading to many of the indigenes fleeing into the main delta. From time to time the leaders of the Uzama presented resistance to the illegimate regime at Benin. The Eweka dynasty only becomes fully legitimise when Ogun (Ewuare) ascends the throne. Ogun it is stated was the child of a noble woman who descended from the Ogisos, ie to say she was an Ogiso princess, an Ogiame so to speak. This may have been a deliberate process on the part of the indigenous element to put in place a ruler who was favourable to their interests (Ogun was earlier banaished), for Ogun ascended to the throne after a great battle that lasted two days and two nights. So Ogun ascended the throne of the Ogisos and united in himself the two dynasties (the older indigenous Ogiso dynasty and the younger Oranjan-Eweka dynasty from an Ife near the Igala country). It was during Ogun?s time that the trouble ceased. It was from his time that the monarchy became legitimate and stablised by Ogun creating a state council integrating the Indigenous chiefs in a power sharing arrangment.

By the time of the Oba kings of Benin, the Ijo speaking element of Benin had become a minority in the Benin region, due to intermarriage with the EFA amongst other things. This intermarriage gave birth to some of the Urhobo clans so to speak.

Subsequently the Oranmiyan-Eweka dynasty started confiscating the land of the true owners of the Benin region, which led to massive migrations out of Benin . We have mentioned the battles between the new ruling Oba-Eweka dynasty and the Uzama/Ogiame indigenous ruling element of Beni, descendants of the ORU/Kumoni and EFA aborigines of Benin kingdom, that led to some of them leaving Benin for the Niger Delta.. Hence the Ijo narratives from Mein-Ijo and other clans which attest to such actually happening. Many of these people moved into the main central delta and coast to join their kith & Kin already estabished in the region. (Historians need to question why was it that Mein fled Benin into the central delta from Aboh, which at the time was still Ijo speaking? Why is it that the Urhobo maintain fraternal relations with the Ijos up till the present day? This is the reason why between the 12th to 16th centuries, a large section of the Ijo ancestors who once lived at Benin, migrated into the Niger Delta.

THE IJO ETHNIC NATIONALITY EVOLUTION OF THE CLANS

The original ancestral settlements founded by the proto-Ijos in the Niger Delta were, Agadagba-bou (first home of Ujo in the central delta) in Igbedi Creek, Isoma-bou (Opuan-bou) along the Nun river, and Orubiribua-bou, also in the same area. Abo with its villages, such as Atani, further up the Niger. We also have Amatu in the western delta, Ke in the eastern delta and Wari-Ife & Wari-Ige in the western delta. And lastly we have the Lagos region of Lagos Island itself, formally inhabited by Proto-Ijos before being absorbed into the later immigrant cultures.

APOI EBE - CENTRAL AND WEST: The Apoi took their name from Apoi (Opoi) the son of Kala-Okun, who accompanied his grandfather Ujo on their way back to Otu-Ife or Ile-Ife. In a group of nine they got lost in trying to trace the route back without the aid of a navigator. So they decided to settle within the vicinity of the Nun river (Apoi creek), where the present village of Apoi is situated. Ujo who bore the title Kalasuo (KALA-SUO or KALUSO i.e. small god,), died here and his grandson inherited the title. Subsequently Kalasuo became a royal title passing through the family lineage of Apoi. The nine lineage?s formed out of the migrating group founded nine quarters (Idumu), of which only five are remembered, these include, Ogboinbou, Apoi, Okoto-aza or Okoto-aja (the original home of Kalasuo or Ujo himself and the site of one of his ancestral shrines called Oborowi), Umgbuluama, and Inikorogha. Some descendants of Gbaran migrated from Gbaran settlement within the same area, and with the Apoi founded the villages of Keme-Ebiama, Ajama or Azama, Kassama, and Ogboinbiri, Kolokologbene, and Sampou. Together with Gbaran town, these have collectively become known as Apoi Ebe.

The western Apoi who derived from the Okoto-aja or Okotoaza, Umgbuluama, Apoi and other Idumu’s, migrating with the royal family first settled at Ukomu in the area of Furupagha in the western Niger Delta. They stayed here for a long period of time but had to leave due to the activities of soldiers from the Benin empire (this was the time of the expansion of the Benin empire 1500 AD onwards). Most of the ancestors moved on westwards to found the town of Akpaka. After the reign of Five Kalasuo’s (approx. 150-200 years) a gradual process of dispersal set in causing the foundation of the towns of Igbobini, Igbotu, Oboro, Ojuala (Oju-Ala), Gbekebo and Kiribo. The royal family moved from Akpaka to found Toru-Abukuba (Apukuba or Opukuba). Later on Toru-Abukuba became the towns of Oboro and Shabomi.

The Western Apoi call Kalasuo, Kalashuwe and Oborowi, Oborowe, and they no longer speak Izon language, but a dialect made up of the fusion of Izon and Yoruba. Of late they have moved on to adopting the general Yoruba which most of them do speak. At a later stage as part of the Yoruba influence, the rulers took on the Oba title, before switching back to the ancient titles of Kalasuo and Opuasa. As children of Ujo, at Ile-Ife the ancestral traditions name them as one of the sub-tribes that sprung from King Adumu-Ala (alias Oduduwa). The Apoi are pre-14th century.

AKASSA EBE: The founding ancestors of the Akassa came and settled that area pre-14th century, before the place was abandoned, and then during the 17th century from Kassama of the Apoi central. The leader of the migrants was on La or Lar. They had migrated from their ancestral home during the time of the slave trade, due to insecurity in the area. La and followers migrated south and settled at Opu-Akassa on the eastern bank of the Nun estuary. His son Emere expanded the village and it eventually became a town from which various migrants left to found the various villages of Akassa in the central delta coastal islands. Some ancestors came from Igbematoru in Boma Ebe, due to a slave raid on that village by a people called Tobukigi. These founded the towns of Kamatoru and Sangana. One Opunama son of Emere, signed a treaty with the British in 1863.

GBARANMATU EBE: Gbaran a senior son of Ujo was left with Kala-Ogbo (Oguru) the ancestor of the Iduwini Ebe, Ogula and his wife Ereara the ancestors of the Ogulagha and others such as Kuru the ancestor of the Krus of Liberia, to guard the mouth of the Escavos Forcados estuaries. These early ancestors may have met other proto-Ijos living in the region, hence their name “Tobu-Otu? or “ancient people?. Gbaran gave his name to the clan.

While these ancestors remained in the area, the descendants of Gbaran travelled up to the settlement in Igbedi creek, before travelling down again to found a settlement in the Apoi area, named after their ancestor Gbaran. (Ujo-Gbaran also spelt Gbara). Ujo-Gbaran (used to differentiate it from Gbaran Ebe), grew to become a town. At a later stage some of the ancestors left to found Oporo-aja or Oporo-aza (Oporoza or Oproza) in the Escravos area of the western delta. This is reflected in the traditions collected in the 1920-30s. According to the tradition as collected in a British colonial report of 1930 pp1-8;

“…The clan name takes its origin from its mother town i.e. GBARA, a flourishing town which was visited whilst on field work, and situated in the little known area to the westward of EKOW in the old Brass Division… The clan name GBARAMATU consists of two words GBARA-AMATU. The latter word signifies ” first town” or first settlement”. Thus the name means GBARA, the first settlement. The GBARAS themselves are Ijaws of the western Ijo Sub tribe, and it was found that their language was practically the same as the western clans of Gulani (Ogulagha) and Iduwini…… “With the increase in population of Gbara, congestion became acute, and dissatisfied families began to look elsewhere for space. Thus then, it is asserted that one Osako, [i.e. Esiaku or Usiaku], Son of OGBEYAMA, together with his family, left the parent town and finally made his new home on the river Escravos where the village of OPURAJA [i.e. Oporoza] now stands… The first exodus occurred when one group left Opuraja and joined their former towns people at Arugbo. Some time later, a general emigration took place and the villages of KUNOKUNAMA, AJATITON, BAKOKODIA, BENIKURUKURU, OGOBE and OKERENGHIGHO were founded…”

The leading ancestors in a direct line of descent were Oporo or Oporo-aja (Oporo-aja or Oporo-aza), the founder of Oporoza village) the son of Kenibira, the son of Usiaku (Esiaku), the son of Ogbeyama, the son of Fieowi, the son of Gbaran. Others include Labiri, Akpobiri, and Perebeinmo the son of a priest ruler or Pere at Gbaran town, named as Ogbunu. The bulk of the ancestors settled at Oproza, later on the following towns were founded, Kunukunama, Okrika, Benitu and Benikurukuru. From Kunukunama, Bakokodia and Ikantu were founded. Benikurukuru was also the parent of Ajama or Azama. The foundation of the Gbaranmatu is between 700-800 CE (AD), i.e. pre-14th century.

AROGBO EBE: The founding ancestors of the Arogbo were part of the same migration from Gbaran town. After a brief stop at Oproza, led by Perebeinmo they went on to Ukparomo (now occupied by the towns of Akpata, Opuba, Ajapa, and Ukpe). They stayed here for some time, about the length of the reign of two Agadagbas (military priest-rulers of the shrine of Egbesu). They then moved to the present site of Arogbo. From this place descendants spread out to found the Arogbo Ebe. It was from Arogbo that some ancestors migrated northwards up the old course of the Forcados river and settled near the site of Patani. Living nearby in the upland region were proto Edo or Efa people called Erowha. These ancestors later on intermarried with them and gave birth to the Uvwei and Effurun (Efferun or Efferu the ancestor of the Effurun or Ephron was a descendent of Gbaran) sections of Urhobo people.

During the time of the expansion of the Benin kingdom(1550), the Benin invaded Ukoruama (Lagos). The Arogbo sent soldiers to defend the Ijo living in that region. Their army camp became known as Idumu-Arogbo later shortened to Idumagbo. The Arogbo also successful halted the advance of the Benin army into the western delta and subsequently the whole of the Izon Ebe. The foundation of the Arogbo Ebe is clearly pre-10th century.

TUOMO EBE: The ancestors of the Tuomo (Tuama) were part of the same migration group that left Gbaran town at the same time as the Gbaranmatu, and Arogbo. They accompanied the Arogbo on their journey, before settling at Ukpe. From Ukpe some ancestors migrated up the Forcados river to the Patani area and founded a settlement near the Erowha (an aboriginal Edo people). Later on due to the slave raiding activities of the Okumbiri Mein, among other circumstances, they were forced to flee the area. They and a section of the Erowha community migrated and settled at the present site of Effurun (Efferun or Ephron) (later on Efferun was to become Edo speaking i.e. Urhobo speaking). The later ancestors of the Tuomo first lived at Effurun (upper Warri area, at this time the Effurun were still Izon speaking) but later moved to Aboh. They left Aboh due to the activities of slave dealers, and went and lived at the site of the Tarakiri west village of Isampou, before finally settling at the present site of Tuomo town, which was then called Toru Aghoro because ancestors from Okun-Aghoro (Aghoro by the sea) had founded it (Okun-sea in old Izon). Later on ancestors arriving from the Patani section of Kabowi Ebe settled with them collectively giving birth to Tuomo Ebe.

Tuomo got its name from Tu, who was one of the ancestors who left Aboh. His son Osuku founded Tuomo i.e. Tuama. Some of their other towns include Torugbene, Tugbene, and Tamiegbe. The migrations from Aboh and Isampou and the subsequent foundation of Tuomo Ebe is post 14th century. The ancestors that remained at Effurun became the Izon ancestors of the Effurun, Uvwei and Okpe section of Urhobo people..

KABO KUMBO AND GBARAN EBES: The ancestors of these three Ebes were part of a family of 18 that left Oproza (Oporo-aza or Oporo-aja) town situated along the Escravos coast, around the later part of the 15th century. About this time (1480) the Portuguese were visiting the delta coast trying to make contact with Benin city. Since they were in the habit of raiding for captives, and upsetting the peaceful existence of the coastal communities, they caused a troubled insecure situation in the area of the Forcados/Escravos. So a descendant of Oproza, simply named Oproza II, after the town, decided to migrate up north with his entire family (18 in number). These included his wife Mboara, son Okita, grandsons and granddaughters, wives of the grandson’s and so on. They migrated up the old course of the Forcados river till they came to the territory of the Erowha, which was inhabited by the Erowha and the Izon ancestors of the Effurun and Uvwei. Not feeling secure with the environment, they travelled back down the river and eventually settled at an area between the present site of Amatebe (Tebe- head, Ama-town, there it means headquarters) and Kolowari. At the time the Forcados branch of the river Niger was flowing through its old course ( what is now the small Kabobolou creek.).

Okita the son of Mboara and Oproza II had three prominent sons Kumbo, Kabo, and Gbaran, and a number of daughters. Okita the father died before the grandfather Oproza, and so on the death of their grandfather, Kabo, who was the eldest assumed the leadership of the settlement, which was the only settlement below the Erowha and Effurun, as the ancestors of the Tarakiri west had not migrated to the main Forcados river from their Igbedi creek residence.

Kabo, the story is told, being the eldest was believed to be closest to the departed ancestors. He was very powerful, a man of strong personality and domineering character. He was also cruel and very unpopular with his brothers and sisters. Before their grandfather had died he could be tolerated. But as soon as the man died, things took a turn for the worst and open confrontation erupted. Kabo being the senior, no marriage of his sisters or brother’s daughters could take place without his consent and blessing. It was also the duty of him to arrange the marriages of his younger relatives. If he had made a wise use of his responsibilities all would have been well , instead he abused his privileges. He was always in the habit of contracting marriages of his sisters without their knowledge. He also arranged the marriages of his younger brother’s daughters without their knowledge. He even went as far as to sell some of his brothers daughters into servitude and slavery. Kumbo and Gbaran found Kabo’s dealings with them to be very oppressive.

The above atmosphere led to the eventual break-up of the whole family. Gbaran left with his household and travelled down the Nun river and settled opposite the present site of Kaiama town. From here he founded a settlement which was named after his son Okoti, called Okotiama, From Okotiama other villages were founded by his descendants these are Ogboloma, Nedugo, Koroama, Obinagha, Agbia and Ibiaye, which later became Poloaku and Okolobiri.

Next, Kumbo decided to leave, but did not settle far off as he was very mystically attached to the first settlement. He left with his five sons and remaining daughters to settle at the site of which Amatebe now stands. The five sons of Kumbo were Angi the ancestor of Angiama, Agolo the ancestor of the Agoloma, Apele the ancestor of the Apelebiri, Agbedi the ancestor of the Sagbama and Tungba the ancestor of the Tungbabiri. After the death of Kumbo, and when the families had became quite large, the ancestors left the Kumbo settlement to found the towns of Angiama (Toru and Bolou) , Agoloma, Apelebiri (Toru and Bolou), Sagbama, and Tungbabiri. Those who stayed at Kumbo settlement made up the village of Amatebe.

One Ofoma or Ofomo who was of the Agolo and Angi lineage(he lived at the old site of Agoloma), left with a family group to the present area of Okparabe in southern Urhobo country. The reason for their leaving was of a quarrel with the Kabo. By this time the sections of Oproza had intermarried with each other. The marriage custom of that time was that children of small dowry marriage were the responsibility of the mothers parents and brothers (matrilineal descent). And so they had the responsibility of arranging marriages circumcision etc. for the daughters and sons. The Kabo went about changing this ancient custom, by insisting that they have the sole responsibility over the children born to them by Kumbo women. This did not go down well with certain sections of the Kumbo, particularly with Ofomo who was a priest at the time. A fight broke out causing Ofomo and family to migrate. They ended up in the Okparabe area, inter-married with Edo speaking groups and gave birth to the Okparabe section of Urhobo people. Ofomo subsequently became the first Pere or Ovie of the Okparabe, retaining his priestly title.

The Kabo remained at the settlement of the grandfather Oproza, under the leadership of first Obodangha, the son of Kabo, and then his son Eleme, where gradually they multiplied and migrated to found the various towns and villages of Elemebiri, Ekperiwari, Asamabiri, Torufani, Adagbabiri, Patani, Abari, Kolowari etc.

The original settlement founded by Oproza was situated in what is now the Kabobolou creek. This was formally the old course of the Forcados branch of the Niger, but was diverted by the Kabo and Kumbo for fear of being enslaved by European slave raiders when they received news from the seaside communities that the European slave ships where coming up river to enslave anybody they could lay their hands on. The formation of the Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran is post 14th century i.e. late 15th century.

OLODIAMA EBE CENTRAL AND WEST: The Olodiama Ebe took their name from Igbedigbolo alias Olodi or Olode, who was an elder son of Ujo left in the Benin region of Ado. As soon as a settlement was established in the central delta, Olodi and family and others left the Benin region and moved to the Nun area of the central delta. Some dropped off on their way from Beni e.g. Ikoro, who founded the town of Ikoro near Benin city. At first all the ancestors lived at the same settlement which was the site of Oporoma (which was a settlement founded by proto-Ijos in antiquity). The children of Olodi later left to found their own settlement (Olodi-Ama). Olodiama was later abandoned and other settlements founded, these include Ikebiri (founded by Ike or Neiama the brother of Ikoro), Ondewari, Olugbobiri and Ikeingha. Later on Korokorosei was to be founded by ancestors from Kabo and descendants of Olodi. Some of the descendants of Olodi also went and founded Olodiama (Olodiamabiri) in Nembe, and Onyoma, also in Nembe.

The western Olodiama were as a result of migration of descendants of Olodi back to Ikoro founded by a son of Olodi when the family was emigrating from Ado (i.e. Benin). Pereziagha a descendant of Neiama or Ike, decided to pay a visit to Ikoro. On getting there he found out that it had been taken over by Efa (Edo) speaking people. He returned to the central delta and reported the matter to his relatives. Taking with them reinforcements, and together with his son Pereowi, Ogboinkoto, Atu of Ikebiri, Betidon and Kurokeaki, they subdued the Edo group and took back the village. This breech of the peace in the area was reported to the then King of Benin and Pereziagha was summoned to Benin The Oba of Benin invoking the ancestral traditions and the spirit of the ancestors settled with Pereziagha as a brother, and then they swore a peace accord, an Edo will not kill an Ijo and an Ijo will not kill an Edo.

The Olodiama were well established in the area since it is on record how Oba Orhogbua (1550-1578) on his way from a campaign in Lagos and Mahin, stopped at Ikoro to consult Egbesu and solicited the help of the Olodiama to put down a rebellion at Benin city.

The foundation of Ikoro is pre-14th century, but the establishment of the Olodiama as a clan is prior - 14th century onwards while that of Olodiama central is clearly pre-14th century.. Some of the towns founded by the western Olodiama include Ikusangha, Geleglegbene, Oboro and Inikorogha.

OPOROMA EBE: Oporoma Ebe took their name from Oporo a proto-Ijo ancestor of whom tradition has shrouded in mystery (it says he descended from the sky, therefore he was of divine origin and was a proto-Ijo). But since the Olodiama say that the ancestors of the Olodiama and Oporoma were brothers, we take it that Oporo was either a contemporary of Olodi, or that Olodi and family came to live in the settlement founded by Oporo. Oporo?s settlement became known as Oporo-ama, contracted to Oporoma. From this settlement descendants founded towns such as Angiama, Onyoma and Osokoma. Oporoma being the site of the original settlement of the Oporoma and Olodiama, the high priest of Boupere the ancestral deity of Oporoma, had to visit the shrine of Olodiama Egbesu at Ikebiri as part of his periodic visits of all Oporoma settlements. This was due to the fact that the ancestors of the Olodiama had brought Olodiama Egbesu from its original home in Oporoma. From Oporoma some ancestors left and settled upland among Efa speaking people to form the Ugbe (Ukpe) section of Urhobo people. From Onyoma ancestors left and founded Onyoma or Onyomabiri, one of the original towns that became the Nembe city state. The foundation of Oporoma Ebe is clearly pre-14th century, far back in antiquity.

OPEREMO EBE: The founding ancestors of the Operemo came from Oporoma. Led by one Ekere (Akere), they had fled the town of Oporoma due to their being defeated in a bloody conflict with another section of the town (Angiama), who at that time were all living at Oporoma. They migrated and settled first at a place which they named Oru-Ekereama or Oru-Ekeremo. The dominant lineage settled at Amabilo, bringing with them a lodge of the shrine of Egbesu (now called Ekeremo Egbesu). From Oru-Ekeremo, descendants founded the towns of Ndoro and Ekeremo, while others moved on to settle in Ogbe Ijo. From Amabilo the present town of Ojobo was founded. Time of foundation about 14th century, i.e. Just before 1400 CE.<