THE IJO GENESIS
The book of the History of the Ijo People, for understanding and gaining insight into the origins and evolution of the ethnic nation, clans and communities, and for imparting the culture and customs of the Ijo people to future generations.
The words of the universal ancestor, which were spoken concerning the origins and evolution of the Ijo People, our ancestors, clans, towns and villages. Words spoken to this effect, through ancestral communication, historical recitation and oral documentation. The words narrated in symbolic, mythological and scientific renditions in order to demonstrate the true and factual relationships between the clans, towns and villages of the Ijo People, that connect the Ijo People together as one nation & entity – Known as The Ijo Nation.
Izon Historical Documentation (IHD) is involved in the research and documentation of Izon (Ijo or Ijaw) ancestral traditions, customs and culture from the most ancient times to the present period. We aim to build on ancestral oral narratives, reports and records left by internal and external observers of Ijo society, so that the Ijo can have a correct frame of reference, and be able to determine how we fit into the present dispensation. Izon Historical Documentation effects this through the study of our authentic records from an Africa centred and Cosmo-logical perspective. For any comments and constructive criticism of our research documents, please write to;
Benaebi Benatari (Director of Research)
Izon Historical Documentation
b.benatari@yahoo.com
THE IJOS WERE THE FIRST TO SETTLE THE LOWER NIGER
The Orus or Ijos were the first to settle the lower Niger banks to the head of the main delta. This is born out by careful research which reveals that the Oru people where the aboriginal people of the lower Niger. Most of these ancestors migrated either into the main delta, or were absorbed into the neighbouring Igbo who were land-based. The Oru or Ijos founded such towns as Atani, Oyan and Aboh on the lower Niger, and were also absorbed into the distributaries creeks that are now a part of Igboland and Kwale.
QUOTE:
“…From here Ijo sent some of his followers to tour up the Niger. Those went and founded towns and villages along the banks of the Niger up to Atani. These are the Ibos of the lower Niger who now speak the Aboh dialect. Aboh was founded by Assain the accredited seer of Ijo….”
“….Umuoru is a town in Aboh district……..This settlement is known among the Abohs or Ibos as “Umuoru” meaning the people of Oru (Ijo)…”
“…The Aboh section of the Ibos was founded by some of the followers of Ijo from Ile-Ife with Assain, the accredited seer of Ijo, as the head of the settlement. The settlement increased and spread out along the Niger and the Indone Creek…..The Abohs call the Ijos Oru which is a corruption of Orun, one of the names of Ijo; while the Benis call the Abohs and Kwales Oru, presumably from the fact of Abohs’ original connection with the Ijos or the Orus…”
“ Concerning Aboh "... I cannot see why the place should bear the name 'little Ibo' since the people do not belong to the Ibo nation at all, and still speak the Brass language (i.e. Ijo). Only one of those who came on board was a real Ibo, employed in the service of Obi...." .
"...The Ijaw (i.e. Ijo) of Aboh had a middle road position between these two types of marriage...Like the House System, there is no doubt that the Ijaw marriage system corresponded perfectly to their indigenous socio-political organization..."
"... 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..... Records as Enugu show that certain peoples in the Orlu and Okigwi areas are called Oru, a name applied in Ibo to waterside people....”
“…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 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.
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.
BIRTH OF THE IJOS
The 1st migration out of Otu-Ife (or Ile-Ife as it was later to be known) was led by Prince Ujo (alias Etekuro and 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.
500 BC GOING BACK TO ANTIQUITY
The traditions of the movement of the ancestors of the Ijo people from the Benin region have obscured the older traditions of initial movement and immigration from Upper Egypt via Ife, and the Sudan via the Nupe area during antiquity. These movements took place during historical antiquity, and were the movement of the ancient Oru people.
According to authentic ancient traditions the Oru had an ancestral home in the regions of the Great Lakes region of East Africa near the Mountain of the moon (present day Uganda/Rwanda). From whence some migrated down the River Nile to Sudan and established the first civilisation on earth (Nubia). From Nubia they sailed down to Upper Egypt and finally the deltaic coast and laid the foundation of the great Nile Valley civilisation known as Kemet (ancient Egypt). Along with other indigenous black people they were the prehistoric and historic inhabitants of the great civilisations of the Nile Valley. During the various upheavals of antiquity some of the Oru left the Nile valley and made their way to West Africa, first to the Lake Chad and Upper Niger regions. From these regions some ancestors made their way down to the Lower Niger and settled the Nupe region, then the Benin region and finally the main lower Niger and central delta and established primordial settlements as fisher people, farmers and spiritual initiates.
Those that remained in the hinterland or interior intermarried with other ancient black peoples to give birth to some of the ethnic nationalities of West Africa. Those that settled the Niger Delta were the aboriginal ancestors of the Ijo people.
650 AD THE COMING OF THE KUMONI
The Islamic invasion of the Nile valley caused the departure of many of the indigenous Black people that formerly inhabited the Nile Valley who created the ancient Egyptian and Sudanese Civilisations. One such people were the Kumoni, an ancient sub tribe of the Oru. Formerly living in Upper Egypt and Nubia, they left for the West Africa region in about 640AD. They moved to the Lake Chad region where some stopped off and settled. Some settled in the Bussa region of Borgu, other stopped and settled in the Nupe region, while still others moved on to the Ife and Benin region, which was also being settled by other ancient peoples such as the Ugbo and Efa.
At Bussa the leader of the Kumonis known as King Namurudu died. Previously he had sent out expeditionary teams to explore the southern region down to the coast. They reported back him, about a place good for settlement but also inhabited by a people called the Ugbo. They also traced the main Great River down to its delta and observed settlements of the ancestrally related Oru headed by priestesses.
After the death of the king, Prince Adumu took over the leadership of the Kumoni. Adumu had a companion who was a priest by name of Asara, he remained the leader of the Kumoni at Bussa. Meanwhile Prince Adumu and his settlers established a settlement in the Ife region as guest of some friendly Ugbo people. Land was vast and there was room for all. Prince Adumu desired to set up a monarchy system of government based on the Mother Goddess (Woyingi) with himself as the head. This proposal did not go down well with the first settlers – the Ugbo (Ooyelagbo). But Prince Adumu had some secret alliance with sections of the Ugbo community who wanted such a government set up, and so a war was fought. This war is told in the traditions as the war between Adumu (alias Oduduwa) and Obatala of the Ugbo. Prince Adumu with the aid of his secret Ugbo allies and his own Kumoni/Oru army defeated the Ugbo. At the peace conference a constitution was drawn up with Prince Adumu as the head (King) and with the allowance of the original Ugbo communities (the Ooyelagbo) in a confederacy alliance and allegiance to him. Prince Adumu was declared “THE ALA-AFIN ADUMU-ALA” which is to say in Kumoni language “THE LORD OF THE FORTRESS, ADUMU-IS LORD”. King Adumu was also known as the OPU-SUO. This was the beginning of the YOBA kingdom with capital at Otu-Ife (Ile-Ife). Among the war commanders who helped defeat the Ugbo was Prince Ujo known as the KALA-SUO, the IDEKOSEROAKI and the ETEKURO. Ogu (Ogun) the warlord or General, Prince Igodo known as the OGI-SUO and Prince Nana. Prince Ujo left Ife with a large expeditionary force for the Niger Delta after having differences with his father King Adumu. Later on Prince Igodo also left Ife after the death of their father and set up his kingdom in the Benin region. Prince Igodo was the first OGI-SUO (PRINCE OF THE SKY in Kumoni language) of the Beni Kingdom. The term OGI-SUO was contracted to OGISO.
Prince Ujo and his expeditionary forces left Ife between 650-700 AD. They first moved to the Benin region where they encamped and met up with other Oru people. From the Benin region Prince Ujo launched expeditionary journeys to the coast, some to the western delta fringe to as far as Lagos lagoon, where some settled as the aboriginal Ijo people of Lagos Island. While himself at the head of the expedition they found their way to the central Niger Delta. It was in the central Niger Delta that Prince Ujo established his City State kingdom. Prince Ujo left some of his people behind in the Benin region under the headship of OPU-BENI. It was these people along with the EFA that Prince Igodo met and later organised into a confederacy to become the first Beni confederacy.
Preceding the foundation of the Ijo City State alliance we have the first legendary classical era where the Proto-Ijo aborigines known as the ORU-OTU or BENI-OUT (OWU-OTU) settled the Lower Niger and Niger Delta and established primordial settlements exploiting the environment as fishermen and spiritual initiates. Ruled by the Priestesses of Ziboara (Ziba) another form of Tamara. These head priestess was also known as the ORUYINGI (ALAYINGI).
Then we have the founding of the Ijo City State alliance with Prince Ujo (Ijo, Izonwei) as the founding Pere (King), the priest and seer Asain as the spiritual advisor and the Oruyingi the priestess mother from whose authority the King derived his legitimacy to rule the Niger Delta. There is still debate as to where he came from. But from ancestral tradition it is stated that he was of the tribe of Kumoni and one of the warrior sons of King Adumu who is the same as the legendary Oduduwa, the first King of Ife, said to have derived from Upper Egypt/Nubian kingdom about 640 AD. The Kumoni were a branch of the ORU that formerly inhabited ancient Egypt.
The Kumoni formerly lived in Upper Egypt in the province of Yoba (Yob, Yeba, Yebu). When the Arabs gained control of lower Egypt in about 640 AD (before the common era), the came in to conflict with the aboriginal Black Africans of Upper Egypt. Conflict arose and the Arabs gained the victory. So the Kumonis withdrew into Nubia (Lower Sudan) and from Nubia they made their way to the West Africa region. To the Lake Chad district they travelled first, where a multitude stopped and settled. Others made their way to the Nupe and Borgu (Bussa) regions of the middle Niger, following ancient trade routes. In the Nupe and Bussa regions they launched expeditions into the southern coastal forest to establish new settlements. At one place they settled was in the district of Ife, which was also populated by some aboriginal people known as the OOYELAGBO (UGBO). They also settled the Benin district was populated by kindred people the ORU and others such as the EFA. This took place about 641 AD.
Encamped in the Bussa region, the Kumoni sent out expeditions and discovered that the Ife region was a good place to set up a new kingdom. Prince Adumu sent message to his father at Bussa (Borgu) about the new place of settlement. But sadly his father the former governor of the province of Upper Egypt (Yoba) had died of old age.Prince Adumu left his companion and friend, the priest Asara in charge of the main Kumoni community at Bussa, while he proceeded with his plan to set up a new kingdom in the Ife region.
THE FOUNDATION OF THE OTU-IFE
YOBA CONFEDERACY 650 AD
Prince Adumu the OPU-SUO was the leader of the settlers who moved into the Ife region. On reaching the Ife region Prince Adumu and his people were settled on the uninhabited lands. Within this region were 13 pre-existing aboriginal settlemnst under the authority of Orisanla Chief Priest of the Obatala Lodge. Prince Adumu observed dissatisfaction with the rule of Orisanla and edecided to take advantage and set up his own kingdom based on the divine monarchy of the Great Mother Goddess (Supreme Being). He gained support from his Ooyelagbo friends, who formed an alliance with the Kumoni. In opposition to setting up the new kingdom was the Priest Orisanla and his supporters. This caused a war retold in the ancestral tradition as the war between ODUDUWA and OBATALA. I.e. to say a war between two competing political systems, one based on the mother Goddess (Oduduwa) and the other based on the Godhead (Obatala).
Prince Adumu and his alliance as symbolised by ODUDUWA defeated the Priest Orisanla and his people as symbolised by OBATALA..
At the peace conference the terms of agreement was to set up a kingdom where each local community was empowered to rule over their own district, but with supreme allegience to Prince Adumu, who was enthroned as the first King of the military/theocratic confederacy. At the coronation Prince Adumu was declared the “ALA-AFIN ADUMU-ALA” meaning “LORD OF THE FORTRESS ADUMU IS LORD). King Adumu is also known as ODUM ‘ LA and as the OPU-SUO the first Priest/King of Ife. He is also referred to by the term ODUDUWA in Ife traditional history.
King Adumu-Ala had a number of powerful sons and companions who helped him defeat the OBATALA alliance of the Ugbos. Some of his sons include the eldest Prince Ujo (known as Idekoseroake, Etekuro, Kala-suo, the Indo-Oru), Prince Igodo (the Ogi-suo), Prince Nana and Prince Ogbogbodiri (known as Ala-Fun or Lufon I). Prince Ajibo. We also have the war commander Ogu (Ogun) also known as Agada-Ogu, second in command to King Adumu himself.
During and after the reign of King Adumu the two major ancient peoples of the Ife region, the Ugbo-Ooyelagbo and the Kumoni intermarried with each other and gave rise to the YOBA people. Centuries later YOBA received more immigrants from beyond the Niger/Benue region. YOBA was corrupted to YORUBA.
We now go on to the legendary ancestor Prince Ujo (Ijo) THE KALA-SUO and how he left Ife to settle the Niger Delta. The narrative is adapted from S K Owonaro’s The History of Ijo (Ijaw) and Her Neighbouring Tribes In Nigeria. With modifications.
THE ANCESTOR PRINCE UJO AT IFE ABOUT 650 AD
Our founding ancestor Ujo (Ijo, Izonowei) was the first son of Adumu the first priest King of Ife. He was born on a bright sunny day, and being handsome as an angel and so bright in his looks like the sun that his father, who was a strict spiritual tradition initiate likened Ujo to the sun, and as a symbol of the life giving powers he named Ujo after the solar life force (Ujo-Urau) in the old Kumoni language.
THE MANHOOD OF UJO - Ujo grew up to be a stalwart man of exquisite physique. He was very powerful, warlike and brave. He gallantly fought with his father in many a battle to subdue their enemies. For such acts of valour, courage and power coupled with intelligence and amazing personality, Ujo became very important and respectable in the city.
As Adumu-Ala (Odum’la Opu-suo, Oduduwa) was becoming somewhat old, he desired his son Ujo whom he dearly loved, to understudy him in the management of the affairs of the city and the art of its government. Adumu thereon entrusted some of the important duties of the city to Ujo. At this Ujo became elated and began to pose as the Lord of the city, and he desired the people to recognise him as such.
His house was by the gate of the city [fortress]. As the citizens both male and female left and entered the city, he ordered them to remove their headdress and kneel down to salute him before passing. He made many such efforts to get the people to pay him obedience and homage as if he were the king of the place, he even went to the extent of monopolising the use of the water of the spring of the place.
When his father King Adumu-Ala heard all that, he sent for Ujo who appeared before his father with all the airs of defiance characteristics of a warrior. His father seriously reproached Ujo for those unbecoming acts and told him that he could only rule the people after the death of his father the king, and as such Ujo should wait meekly for his time. Ujo replied his father that he (the father) was getting rather to old and could not efficiently manage the affairs of the city and as such his father should step down and allow him who had the stamina and virility to rule the people more efficiently. This enraged King Adumu-Ala and a fencing duel between father and son ensued. Sharp arms were freely used in the combat but as both combatants were expert fencers no bodily injuries were inflicted on either of them before they were successfully parted. The priests and some elderly people in the town intervened in the matter and settlement was later made.
KING ADUMU-ALA’S COMMAND FOR UJO TO LEAVE ILE-IFE - After the incident king Adumu-Ala gracefully seated himself at his majestic palace or fortress (the Afin or Efin) and sent for Ujo. Ujo buoyantly appeared before the king, but this time with sobriety and reverence, and humbly enquired at the purpose of the call. His father the king, then said to Ujo
" My dear son, you are a powerful and warlike fellow. You have a fervent desire to rule, a burning love for authority and avidity for water and the living creatures therein. I have a majestic river (the lordly Niger) with numerous tributaries running most in a downward direction to a fathomless deep, the waters of the river, myriad of fishes abound and in the woods around its banks can be found abundance of wild animals for your food. Go and guard the mouth of this magnificent river with its beautiful sandbanks, its graceful delta and the valuable extensive land through which it glides down. For if this river is not guarded, foreigners will come to seize it and possess it. I give you nine days to prepare and leave the city and proceed to that part of the country and rule there”.
Ujo accepted the order with a nod, but asked for a sceptre to rule and as heir to the throne, he demanded the submission of the crown to him before setting out on such a far journey to an unknown destination. The king replied that his word was the sceptre and that a city such as his could not be without a crown and as such the crown could only be sent to him after the death of the king. The king also told him that the place of his final settlement would be indicated to him by the presence of cowries spread over the ground and at that place he would also find a crown to rule that part of the country.
King Adumu blessed Ujo and wished him to wax more and more in strength and endowed him with gifts of great powers known as Egbesu to vanquish his enemies. He however cursed him to receive no respect nor submission from his children who should be stubborn obstinate and unruly as he (Ujo) had been to his father. He pronounced that war and strife should haunt Ujo wherever he should go. The curse is believed to be responsible for the unruly behaviour of the Ijos and their insubordination to kings, but the endowment of power on Ujo by his father, King Adumu gave the Ijos that enviable strength mentally and physically.
THE DEPARTURE FROM OTU-IFE (ILE-IFE) 650-690 AD - After the expiration of nine days, Ujo left the city of Ile-Ife with a large retinue and the Seer Assain as a guide. They continued for several days, and the first place of encampment was the site where Benin City now stands. At this place of encampment Prince Ujo and his people settled. Later on this place was to become known as Ujo-ama (Uzama). Also in the same vicinity other settlements were also being established by the kindred ancient ORU people, who derived from the Sudan, and also the ancient EFA who had arrived from the north of the Niger/Benue confluence. All these settlements were later on joined together by Prince Igodo to form the foundation of the first Benin City. After some period of settlement Prince Ujo left some his people here under the leadership of Opu-Beni and moved in a southernly direction to get to the mouth of the Great River (Niger).
From here Ujo and his retinue wended their way southwards and taking a more easterly direction they got to the Sapoba river, the first of the lateral creeks and tributaries to the Benin river. Here the difficult task of crossing the streams confronted Ujo and his party as they could neither return nor proceed. At this juncture Ujo with his entourage felled trees to cross the swamps, legend has it that with the spiritual powers endowed on him by his father Ujo simply pronounced some words of incantation and land appeared across the stream. Along that land Ujo and retinue gleefully walked over to the other side of the stream and the land across the stream immediately disappeared. That same sort of power enabled Ujo with his people in overcoming other difficulties in his arduous and circuitous journey till they reached the banks of the main river Benin. Here at a spot the weary travelers sojourned. Through the advice of the seer, they undertook the manufacture of a wooden craft for their tour of exploration on the Niger. That gave birth to the art of canoe making in Nigeria.
The spot where the trees were felled and carved was called Wari-Igi and where the finished canoes were floated and fastened was called Wari-Ife. The two Urhobo towns of Warigi and Warefe derive their names from these two words- Warigi from Wari-Ige and Warife from Wari-Ife. Wari means house or home, Ige is an obsolete word for trees, Ife means bubbles in the Ijo language. The bubbles found along the beach of Warefe, that gave the town that name must have been bubbles formed by the splashes produced when the craft were pushed to the water after being finished. Others maintain that Wari-Ife is another form of Otu-Ife the same as Ile-Ife.
Here Ujo left some of his followers, who became the ancestors of some sections of the Urhobos, with an axe to carry out the trade of canoe making and collection of palm products as a means of providing themselves with a livelihood until Ujo and others returned from their tour of exploration. The explorers on leaving the place never returned and Ujo's followers, who remained there intermarried with some Efa people, became multiplied and founded the ORUBO (URHOBO) people.
EXPLORATION ON THE NIGER BY UJO AND HIS FOLLOWERS- Some of Ujos followers commenced their exploratory journey in the newly manufactured canoes in a southwesterly direction. After a long and arduous cruise, they were ushered as if by a magic wand, to the extreme northern end of Lagos lagoon.
As they drifted listlessly along the lagoon, their peeping eyes caught sight of a graceful archipelago. The Iddo island, the Lagos island and other adjoining isles stand as relics of that once picturesque archipelago. Being attracted by that scenic sight, they made their way to the island immediately following the mainland. This island, the Iddo island they so-journeyed and the temporary settlement became known as Ijora, being a corruption of Ujo-Urau the original name of Ijo. The title of chief Ojora of Ijora as a nomenclature for the head of Ijora family is simply reminiscent of the Ujos (or Ojos) first settlement at Ijora.
From Ijora, the Ijos crossed over to Lagos island which they named Ukoruama and on rising land they settled and cultivated a pepper farm. This farm became known as Idumu Iganran, meaning the land of pepper – Idumu being an old Ijo word for land and Iganran for pepper. Iga-Iduganran the famous palace of the king of Lagos was a contraction of Idumu Iganran. The chief attendant of the farm was known as Opu Odubo meaning great servant in Ijo language. The word Odubo is still retained and used as one of the titles of the chiefs in the palace. Those Ijos that remained in Ukoruama (Lagos) took to farming and fishing and flourished there. In the course of time about 1600 AD Benin or Edos (Efas) hunters and farmers filtered into Lagos. These were friendly and the Ijos willingly ferried them to and from the island across the lagoon. When the Edos immigrated to the island in overwhelming numbers, some of the Ijos migrated to the creeks near by these include the Ojos in Badagiri creek, the Ilajes and other Yoruba speaking people in the creeks near Lagos. Those who stayed on the island of Lagos (Ukoruama) were later fused and absorbed into subsequent immigrants who are now called Yoruba people.
From the Warigi & Warife region of the western delta the eventful journey of exploration was destined for further discoveries and further higher service in establishing the Ijos in the main delta. The ancestor Prince Ujo launched his expedition into the delta from Warife & Warige. Along tortuous creeks Ujo and his followers rowed and through weedy swamps they pulled till they emerged at the estuary of the Escravos River. Here also Ijo ancestors were settled and founded along the river villages the people of which are known as Tobu Otu (ancient people) among the other Ijos.
The appearance of numerous openings of various creeks along the route presented a rather tough and contesting task in the choice of the right course to take, however, the wise seer was alive to his job and ably guided the way. Through sinuous creeks highly clothed in dense vegetation they rowed and against impeding weeds, and adverse tide they plodded northwards till the got to a certain confluence in the Forcados branch of the Niger. There they found the water fresh and flowing in one downward direction, there they gazed at the branches of the river and observed them enclosing a graceful little delta like a giant mother fondly embracing a child, and the main river was seen to stretch far north and to be lost to sight in a hazy mist.
Prince Ujo was apt to maintain that they had reached the main river and felt inclined to settle there, but the discovery of the river Nun which was the main branch of the Niger to the sea at the time was bound to come, and on the advice of the seer, they pulled on. Coursing in a southeasterly direction they rowed from one river to the other of the deltaic rivers through the numerous inter-connected creeks till they emerged at the estuary of the Nun branch of the Niger. At a suitable spot in the hinterland in the vicinity of Ibiama they settled. A pepper plant that was planted there then it is said lives to this day and has grown up to the size of a very large Kapik or wild cotton bearing tree.
Prince Ujo and his explorers was not to rest until his promised land was reached. Consequently, after staying for some time he left there with his people and journeyed northwards up the Niger. As they advanced up the river the advantage of moving occasionally with the tide got lost to them and they were forced to face a forceful current flowing in only one downward direction. At certain projections the force of the current of the current was to strong for them and their canoes were forced backwards many a time but with dogged determination they plodded on. They had to improvise some bamboo poles, which greatly assisted them in pushing on their canoes faster when rowing along sandbanks and other shallow water.
The journey carried them to Emete creek where at the present site of the village Emete in Boma clan they settled. After some time they set out again on their tour up the Niger. The journey was directed northwards till they got to the site where the Aboh town of Onyan now stands. Here a wonderful confluence of the Niger was found. At this confluence four rivers namely the Niger flowing from the north, the Nun, the Ofoni-toru and the Forcados met.
From here Ujo sent some of his followers to tour up the Niger. Those went and founded towns and villages along the banks of the Niger up to Atani. These are the Ibos of the lower Niger who now speak the Aboh dialect. Aboh was founded by Assain the accredited seer of Ujo. Like other Ijos and Urhobos these people now claim direct descent from Benin city though a few who immigrated to this part later are right to make such claim. The apex of the massive delta of the Niger was just at a point opposite the present site of Onyan but it has been washed further down by the forceful current. The stream known as Ofoni-Toru was a large stream rising from the apex of the Niger and running between the Forcados branch of the Niger and the Nun which was then known as Ikolo-Toru. It is a wonder to see this Ofonitoru so completely silted up that navigation in it is absolutely impossible for even the tiniest fish during the dry season. It now leaves only a trait of its mouth in the form of a ravine near the Isoko town Canaan, and its course inland is just a chain of little lakes and ponds.
Into this Ofonitoru Ujo and the rest of his people entered. Along the stream they glided down till they got out to the Igbedi creek. They moored alongside a spot at the banks of this creek, and as they wandered about the bush, they discovered some cowries lying scattered along the ground and at this spot the crown too was found as promised by King Adumu. Here in the bush known as Agadagba Bou they settled. Legend has it also that after their settlement at this place, Prince Ujo was installed or crowned by the priestesses who were found dancing at a meadow on the banks of a river. These priestesses of the Goddess Ziba were of the spiritual initiation lodge of the ancient Oru that had settled the main central delta. Known as the ORUYINGI or ALAYINGI. In ancestral tradition these priestesses are known as the “MOTHERS OF THE WATER PEOPLE” or the “MAMI-WATER”. They vested in Prince Ujo the power to rule the Great River Delta. Prince Ujo was thus crowned the first Pere.
UJO AT HIS SETTLEMENT (the city of Ujo)- Here Ujo and his people prospered and became greatly multiplied. They begat many children and had many grand and great grand children. Ujo’s children and followers honoured him and wished him to live long. This they expressed in the Ijo language Indo O and Ujo became nicknamed "Indo" by some of his children while the Abohs call him "Indo Oru". At times Ujo's children called him "Kalasuo" meaning "Small God" and at times they called him "Ogulabiowi" at other times they called him "Kumoni”.
Some of the Ijos led by Keni-Opu-Ala who was a priest of the Adumu Lodge were dispatched to the eastern part of the delta to guard and rule the eastern regions. Others also departed the new city-state of Ujo and established their own settlements in the vicinity of the main river (Nun).
THE DEPARTURE OF UJO FROM HIS SETTLEMENT – In his old age Ujo left his new city-state and desired to trace his way back to his father’s city, Otu-Ife (Ile-Ife). Alas! There was no seer then to guide him. He took several companions with him along with his grandson Apoi, travelled along the creeks till he got fed up and gave up the determination. He finally settled and died at a place, called Apoi settlement named after his grandson Apoi [Opoi] in a creek by that name in the central Niger Delta.
Before the death of Pere Ujo, while he still reigned at his city-state, King Adumu died at Ife and envoys were sent to call back Prince Ujo to succeed their father the king in the reigns of the city of Otu-Ife (Ile-Ife). The envoys led by Prince Ajibo traced Ujo to the settlements of Warife/Warige, where the search party wer told that Prince Ujo had moved deep into the central delta in search of the main great river. Prince Ujo was nowhere to be found and the reigns of the place devolved on those who stayed at the city of Ife.
After the departure of Ujo from Agadagbabou, his younger brother assumed the reign of the place. Ujo’s younger brother was a very handsome being; his skin was excellently fair and was as almost light as that of a white man. After a short reign, he died without issue. Several generations later maybe 400 years after the death of Pere Ujo a confused state of affairs prevailed at Ujo’s city, in other words pandemonium ruled supreme among the Ijos. Strife, civil wars and rivalry among the descendants of Ujo and his followers causing them to separate from one another and to scatter away to different parts of the country and even to other countries such as the Gold Coast and Liberia.
The descendants of Tarakiri, Opu-Okun and Kala-Okun with a few other brothers were the last to leave the settlement founded by Ujo. They became so linked that they alone could tell that they were children of one father who was known to them as the Indo-Oru as stated in a previous chapter. The ancestors Opu-Okun and Kala-Okun who were born of the same mother named Yeitariere became more attached than others. However, after some time, the best three brothers (descendants) parted. The Tarakiris left for a certain creek in Western Ijo, The Opu-Okun’s moved afield and settled at a creek known as Ofonitoru but the descendants of Kala-Okun remained and settled at their father’s settlement of Agadagbabou.
The different names, nicknames and titles of Ujo, such as Ijo, Ojo, Orun, Oru, Ogulabiowei, Kalasuo, Indo, Kumoni, Izon and Uzon will, it is hoped, enable some sections of Ijo to tell whether the are direct children of Ijo by knowing one of these names to be a name of their ancesto. (adapted from SK Owonaro pages 3-19).
Under the administrative authority of jurisdiction of Prince, now Pere Ujo of the ancient Kumoni-Oru people and with administrative headquarters in the central Niger Delta at a place remembered as Agadagba-Bou (the lost City of Ijo) 9 lines of descent consisting of the original exploration party and other Oru aboriginal settlers came together and gave birth to the Ijo nation, with Prince Ujo (Ijo, Izonowei) as the first Pere (King) also titled the INDO-ORU, THE KALASUO, THE OGULABIOWEI, THE ETEKURO, and at Ife, THE IDEKOSEROAKE.
Organised into nine lines of ancestral descent, with all coming under the authority and tracing descent from the main ancestor UJO. These nine lines of descent are remembered and represented by the following primary ancestors:
- UJO, ASAIN AND ORUYINGI – the unifying administrative ancestors and source of political authority and legitimacy to rule the newly established political and social entity. Followed by the ancestors who helped establish the new political and social entity.
- GBARAN
- OPU-OKUN & KALA-OKUN
- TARA
- OPORO & OLODI
- OPU-BENI
- OGULA & KURU
- OYAN
- ORU (TOBU)
- OPU-OGBO & KALA-OGBO.
Stated in another form the aboriginal ancestors organised themselves initially into nine lines of descent for the purposes of administrative convenience and social unification. This organisation gave birth to the Ijo ethnic nationality. The ancestor OPU-BENI stayed in the Benin region and his descendants later joined their kith & kin in the main Niger Delta. While in the main central delta the ancient Kumoni-Oru formed the foundation of the Ujo kingdom comprising in the main the ancient settlements known as AGADAGBA-BOU and ISOMA-BOU/OPUAN-BOU (of present day Wilberforce island) and other ancient settlements within the vicinity.
From the study of the ancestral traditions it is understood that the Central Niger Delta and its immediate environment was administered as one political and social entity between 650 – 1050 AD, for approximately 400 years, before internal conflict, upheaval and economic necessity caused many of the ancestral lines to migrate to different parts of the Niger Delta. Some had left the central delta much earlier as far back as 700-800 AD such as the ancestors ORU (TOBU) who gave birth to the Ke and Kula. The ancient towns of Ke, Kula and Bille were founded when ancestors left the central delta and established the Adumu lodges along the eastern coast. Others such as OGULA, KURU and KALA-OGBO settled the western delta coast during the same period as instructed by Pere Ujo.
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 the priestess-mother of the water ORUYINGI (mermaids or mamiwater in the legend), of the spiritual initiation lodges (communities), of which he acquired and through marriage assumed the rights 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
From about 1050 AD onwards the unified political and social entity began to give way to more autonomous communities, which became the clans and kingdoms of Ijo. This was due to internal strife, military expeditions and economic necessity. The autonomous communities maintained relations with each other, but became politically independent of one another, still helping each other within the framework of their Ijo ethnic identity.
From time to time attempts were made to by force and social interaction to re-establish political unification, e.g. the Kolokuma, Boma, Nembe wars. We quote;
“Kala-Okun [the Kolokuma] settled within the vicinity of Ijo’s settlement and the settlement which Kala-Okun founded became known as Kala-Okun-ama which was corrupted to Kolokuma. Kala-Okun desired to rebuild their father’s lost city, and with that objective in view he sent out expeditionary forces to those his brothers….That expedition resulted in the Ibeni, Boma, and Okpoma wars with Kolokuma. ….”
The nine (9) ancestral lines with the Indo-Oru (Pere Ujo), the Priest and Seer Asain and the Oruyingi presiding gave birth to the following primary clans and communities between 650 – 1000 AD.
GBARAN = GBARANMATU & AROGBO
OPU-OKUN, KALA-OKUN = OPUKUMA & KOLOKUMA AT AGADAGBA-BOU
TARA = TARAKIRI AT AGADAGBA-BOU
OPORO & OLODI = OPOROMA & OLODIAMA.
OPU-BENI = BENI (BENI-IJO i.e. Ijos of Benin city).
OGULA & KURU = OGULAGHA & KRU.
OYAN = OGBO-OYAN (OGBIA)
ORU (TOBU) = KE, KULA, BILLE, KOU (COLLECTIVE KNOWN AS TOBU-OTU).
OPU-OGBO & KALA-OGBO = ISOMA-BOU (OPUAN-BOU) COMMUNITY, OBIAMA, IDUWINI & EGBEMA
The above primary clans and communities under the names of their founding ancestors are the most ancient of the Ijo communities.
From these primary clans and communities in the central delta, western delta, eastern delta and Benin region, and interaction and migrations between the related communities we have the secondary clans and kingdoms between 1000 – 1800 AD. These are -
Ancestors from
GBARANMATU (OPOROZA) founded TUOMO, KABO, KUMBO & GBARAN.
TARAKIRI (AT AGADAGBA-BOU) founded ANDONI
AGADAGBA-BOU & KOLOKUMA founded APOI AKASSA & UKOMU.
BENI & KOLOKUMA founded BUSENI & OKODIA
KOLOKUMA founded IBANI
IBANI founded OPOBO
KOLOKUMA, OLODIAMA & OBIAMA founded NEMBE (MADE UP OF OLODIAMABIRI, ONYOMABIRI, OBOLOMABIRI, OGBOLOMABIRI AND OKPOMA).
BENI founded BENI (OYAKIRI), OBOTEBE, MEIN
OPOROMA founded OPEREMO
OPOROMA & IDUWINI founded OGBE-IJO & ISABA
ISOMABOU (OPUAN-BOU) founded EKPETIAMA & SEIMBIRI
IDUWINI & MEIN founded EGBEMA
OBIAMA (IBIAMA) founded BOMOU
BENI & OBIAMA founded OGBOIN
ISOMABOU, ANDONI & OGBOIN founded WAKIRIKE (OKIRIKA)
WAKIRIKE founded NKORO (KALA OKIRIKA)
TARAKIRI & OBIAMA founded TARAKIRI CENTRAL
OLODIAMA CENTRAL founded OLODIAMA WEST
KOLOKUMA & OGBIA founded TUNGBO
OPOROMA, KE, BENI, AROGBO & APOI founded BASAN
BASAN founded FURUPGHA
KE, ANDONI, MEIN & BENI founded KALABARI
IJOS & OTHERS founded ZARAMA, EPIE-ATISSA, ENGENNI and other neighbouring peoples
Repeating ourselves summarising the main ancestors, between 650 – 1000 AD nine (9) ancestral lines gave rise to 19 communities that were the primary clans of Ijo. Between 1000 – 1800 AD, these 19 clans also combined and interacted with each other and gave rise to a further 30 + clans/kingdoms. Combined they make up the Ijo Autonomous Communities or Ijo Ethnic Nationality.
The symbol of the COLLECTIVE ANCESTOR serves to unify newly formed communities who are related through ethnicity, family ties, intermarriage and common political & social 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 ancestress addressed as ORUYINGI (ALAYINGI), the Priestess, mothers and wives of the male ancestors.
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-TOBU, 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
From 1200 AD we see the evolutions of the clans and kingdoms of Ijo as we know them today. With the advent of the slave trade and the anarchy unleashed on the Niger Delta, all attempts at unified political administration died or became dead aspirations to be revived in the future. That future is now.
Hodgkin T (1975) Nigerian Perspectives An Historical Anthology. pp309-310.
Imoagene O (1990) People of the Cross-River Valley and Eastern Delta (Know your Country vol6), p85.
Alagoa E J (1964) The Small Brave City State, p7.
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.
