OBOTEBE IBE

OBOTEBE IBE: The Obotebe are in present day Delta State. The founding ancestors of the Obotebe (known collectively under the personification of their ancestor Onido) descended from OPU-Beni. They were part of the Ijos of Benin City, and also descended from Olodiama at Ikebiri. They along with the ancestors of the Mein, Oyakiri (Beni) and others who were later absorbed by the Tarakiri, Kolokuma and Opukuma Ibes and Isomabou community. These ancestors left Benin because of the incessant wars there.(this was the time of civil war between Oba Esigie and Prince Oru-Ayan 1500).

Like the ancestors of the Mein these ancestors first migrated to Aboh, where they settled. Orumo or Orumo's father died at Aboh, while Orumo moved out of Aboh and migrated into the central delta area of Igbedi creek, while some went to the river Nun district of Isomabou. Oro or Orumo was the father of Obotebe, while Obotebe was the father of Ogini. The man Obotebe lived at the Ikebiri area of Olodiama, but had to leave the place for various reasons. Him and his family then migrated back up the river to the Aboh town of Onya, while one of his descendants and his household left Onya to Ibeni (Beni or Oyakiri Ebe). From Ibeni they moved to the western delta and became the ancestors of the Obotebe Ebe. Because of conflict with the western Mein and Itsekiri 'slave' raiding gangs, who raided the Obotebe for captives and sold them to European slave traders, most of the Obotebe dispersed, while some went to Warri area as refugees of the Ogbe Ijo, others stayed behind and founded settlements which became the Obotebe Ibe. The foundation of Obotebe is clearly post-14th century (i.e. 1500 upwards).