Igala are an ethnic group of Nigeria situated
east of the river Niger and Benue confluence
and astride the Niger in Lokoja. Their
religious practice is broadly Christianity and
Islam, with, of course, some sketches of
African religion, all of which do not in any
way affect their interpersonal relationship
as it is common to see in a family in
Igalaland where either the Father is a
Muslim and Mother a Christian or Parents are
Muslims and Children are Christians or vice-
versa, yet all relate amicably well in all
ramifications.
The Igala population is estimated at about
4million and overflow to outside their home
base to regions like Anambra, Delta, Edo and
Enugu States, with strong traditional base,
and now in ABIA State of Nigeria as partners
for progress. The Igala language is part of
the Eastern Kwa sub group or the West
Benue-Congo subgroup of the Niger-Congo
language family where the Igbo also belong,
depending on the school of thought of the
observer. The traditional Igala society is
largely agrarian, although fishing is also a
mainstay of the people especially the Igalas
of the riverine Idah area. The Igala are
identified by the old oral tradition of
Western Igbo as descendants of Igbo
migrants who migrated westward during
the expansion of the proto-Igbo peoples at
the beginning of the 1st millennium.
The central geographical location of the
Igala people has exposed them to a wide
variety of linguistic as well as cultural
influences from other ethnic groups in the
country. Notable among these are the Bini,
the Igbo, the Hausa, their closest sisters-
Idoma and the Yoruba ethnic groups. They
are ruled by a father figure called the Attah.
The word Attah means 'Father' and the full
title of the ruler is 'Attah Igala', meaning, the
Father of Igala. Among the most revered
Attahs of the Igala kingdom are Attah
Ayegba Oma Idoko and Atta Ameh Oboni.
According to oral tradition, Attah Ayegba
Oma Idoko offered his most beloved
daughter, Inikpi to ensure that the Igalas
win a war of liberation from the Jukuns'
dominance while Attah Ameh Oboni was
known to be very brave and resolute and
revered for his stiff resistance of the British
and his struggles to uphold some ancient
traditions of the Igalas. When he got wind
of a plan to depose and exile him by the
British, he committed suicide by hanging
himself to forestall the plan; for this and
other numerous exploits recorded in his
time, he is regarded by most Igalas as the
last real traditional Attah Igala. The present
Atta is His Royal Highness, Atta Aliyu Ocheja
Obaje, a well read, intelligent and well
respected Father. The Igala word for King is
Onu, one of which has gathered us here
today to honour some deserving people, the
Onu Igala Abia state, his highness, Alhaji
Usman Mohammed.
To divorce the Igala influence from the
modern Igbo cultural evolution would be a
travesty of history. The evidence of the cross
cultural mix appears to be genuine.
According to several sources, Igbo people
evolved over a long period of 4000 BC to
500 AD in Igbo land through waves of
migrations. Oral accounts stated that her
northern neighbours migrated into her
heartland in search of fertile land and rich
marine life. The majority of which were the
Igalas. The Igalas settled amongst the locals
east of the Niger, altering the historiography
of many towns in today's Anambra state
and parts of the present Oshimmili Local
Government in Delta state.
For instance in Anambra state, there are
traces of Igala history in some communities
of the Local Government councils of the
state such as - Ayamelum, Ihiala, Oyi, Awka
North/South, Aniocha, Dunukofia, Onitsha
North/South, Ogbaru, Anambra East/West
and Njikoka. The migration did not only
affect the area known today as Anambra
state, a sizeable portion of Enugu state's
communities have Igala ancestry as well.
Thus, it would be right to call it a reverse
migration, occurring about eight hundred
years after which Eri was reported to have
founded the modern Igbo nation with its
set of unique religious doctrine. It was also
a period one of his sons, Onoja, was said to
have departed northwards and founded the
Igala land.
Eri's children were listed as Nri-Ifikuanim
Menri, Agulu, ONOJA, Ogbodudu, Onogu and
his only daughter, Iguedo. Together and
respectively, his off-springs were
instrumental to founding the towns of
Aguleri, Igbariam, Ogbunike, Nando, Nri,
Enugu-Ukwu, Nteje, Enugu-Agidi, and so
many other settlements in the East and West
of the Niger. From the foregoing and other
numerous historical facts, it is indeed
difficult to draw a line between the Igbo
and Igala history.
However, according to P.E. OKWOLI, a native
Igalaman, and renowned historian, in the
ancient times, new rulers from the Igbo
communities of Igala ancestry must go to
Igala to be taught kingship rituals and
ceremonials. Although he mentioned that
Igala and Umueri towns are related, Umueri
needed not to go to Igala for any sort of
tutelage. An exemption that might explain
Nri-Ifikuanim and Agulu's seniority to their
younger brother Onoja, the founder of Igala.
P.E. Okwoli stated inter-alia some binding
revelations that "In Nsukka and the rest of
Igbo land, there is a popular masquerade
called Agabaidu, and this is a significant
cultural point. In Nsukka, the word Agabidu
is used to refer to an eminent man, while it
is used to refer to a King in Igala. Also Asadu
is the word for kingmaker among the Igbo,
while it is called Achadu among the Igala.
There are some other words which are
signs of close cultural ties shared by both
Igala and the Igbo. These include Atama,
which means Chief Priest in both languages.
Ajogwu means warrior among the Igala and
the Igbo" Both the Igbo and Igala have four
market days which are – EKE, ORIE, AFOR &
NKWO in Igbo and EKE, EDE, AFOR & UKWO in
Igala seriatim. What more can be more
binding! Is it that we both eat OSIKAPA as
rice, ABACHA as cassava, EGWA/AGWA as
beans, store our clothing in AKPATI called
box or that the names - Okolo, Oji, Okwoli,
Akoh, Odiba, etc in Igala are called Okoro,
Orji, Okoli, Akor and Odida in Igbo? What is
more important is that we are today
celebrating togetherness.
Long live Ndigbo, long live Igalas and long
live Nigeria.
Thank you all for the attention and God bless
us all!!!
AGONO, Enemaduku, OIK.
(OFFICER of the IGALA KINGDOM)

oils must not divide two brothers. The present day Igalas are the children of Igbo migrant. Pls Ndiigbo ibem i know lots of you are not aware of this bit of history

Lovely article...Igala to me are people speaking Igbo and Yoruba. I can hear a lot of Yoruba and Igbo in their language...I might be wrong but they are the true Nigerians along side Nupes

I think its yoruba, because you can find it in their language. They share a lot of words with yoruba.

splashbaby: Lovely article...Igala to me are people speaking Igbo and Yoruba. I can hear a lot of Yoruba and Igbo in their language...I might be wrong but they are the true Nigerians along side Nupes

many yoruba tribes are igbos. Especially the Egba and Igbo mina people

outrage: I think its yoruba, because you can find it in their language. They share a lot of words with yoruba.

many yorubas are igbos. So it may account for the dialectic similarity

Thankgodifeduba: many yoruba tribes are igbos. Especially the Egba and Igbo mina people

Waoo are u serious? Hope this is not a spurious claim. I have never heard of that in any historic literature...May be you have access to certain reasonable facts to prove these claims...it will be interesting if you can share it with us though!

So na Oyel mata come make Igala people turn Igbos? Aguleri people won't see it that way o! Aguleri people dey fight their igbo neighbors talk less of Igala people.

So Igbo mina people dey speak Igbo?haaa bros small! small!!

The Igbos are descendants of yorubas from the 1st millenium - can't say it like the dude who posted it .. but you get the picture.

splashbaby: Waoo are u serious? Hope this is not a spurious claim. I have never heard of that in any historic literature...May be you have access to certain reasonable facts to prove these claims...it will be interesting if you can share it with us though!

Any true yeruba historian will tell u that
the yoruba met igbos in ife when they
first arrived. Some of todays. The egba
were the warriors of that society.that is
why their capital abeokuta sounds like the
igbo ebeokute and means the same
thing.also check ot how the egba
dominate in politics.obasanjo,shonekan
and abiola all have one thing in
common,they are egba.so what are you
talking about?

God! Na different kind of untruthful picture dey people mind for nairaland ooo...Please let us learn from each other.

splashbaby: God! Na different kind of untruthful picture dey people mind for nairaland ooo...Please let us learn from each other.

Re: Yoruba Has Igbos Among Them!
Oduduwa Uncovered! Latest by
ikeyman00(m): 7:53pm On Jul 25, 2009
The Southwestern Igbo lived in the forest
surrounding Ife. It was there that they
were first confronted by Oduduwa who
along with his youngest son Oranyan are
remembered as the founders of the Oyo
(Yoruba)Kingdom at Ife.(5) In their initial
encounters, the Oyo were unable to
penetrate the frightening Egba(Igbos) as
these intimidating forest dwellers
mastered the art of instilling fear into
their opponents. These Igbos went
further in raiding and burning down the
intruding Oyo(Yoruba) settlements in the
town at Ife.
The Igbo(Egba) were first defeated
through the scheming of a women
named Moremi who allowed herself to be
captured by the Igbo as she used her
beauty to seduce the Igbo King into
revealing the secrets of the Egba(Igbo).(6)
She later returned to the Oyo providing
her fellow countrymen with the necessary
information needed to finally conquer the
Igbo(Egba) " menace ". This defeat of the
Igbo is celebrated every year at the annual
Eid festival at Ife.
now lookin into the history, u can now
see the reason the present generation of
yorubas called the igbo bush people!!
PROOF cool
considerin the oyo is like the birth of
yorubas, the heart beat of their history
certainly not tpia

OgaATheTop: The Igbos are descendants of yorubas from the 1st millenium - can't say it like the dude who posted it .. but you get the picture.

specifically the Egba people of Yoruba are descendants of the southwestern igbos. Around the Abeokuta axis.

Thankgodifeduba: Any true yeruba historian will tell u that
the yoruba met igbos in ife when they
first arrived. Some of todays. The egba
were the warriors of that society.that is
why their capital abeokuta sounds like the
igbo ebeokute and means the same
thing.also check ot how the egba
dominate in politics.obasanjo,shonekan
and abiola all have one thing in
common,they are egba.so what are you
talking about?

These are bogus claims without any tangible facts.

@ThankGodifeduba. Do you know how far is Ife to Abeokuta. So Yorubas chased Igbos out of Ife when they met them there...and from your earlier post Yorubas were Igbos...You are incoherent bros. Discussion closed...I thought you have something educative enough to debate on.

In 1835, the Egba(Igbo) declared
themselves independent of the Yoruba
(Oyo) and in response the Oyo along with
the Ijebu drove them out of Ibadan, Ife
and other towns north of their present
day capital of Abeokuta.(7) As a result of
close interaction with the Ijebu , the city
Ijebu-Igbo was established. The
founding of the Egba(Igbo)Kingdom at
Abeokuta in 1837 is considered to be the
last one recognized within the "Yoruba
confederation " of tribes. By this time the
term Yoruba had now expanded beyond
its original usage in referring to the Oyo
and generally applied to all of the
inhabitants of Southwest Nigeria.
In addition to the Egba there remains a
"Yoruba " tribe in the Kwarra State that
continues to use the more original Igbo
as part of their tribal name and they are
referred to as Igbo-Mina. The tradition of
the masked Egbo(Egba)warriors is
likewise documented in Southeastern
Nigeria the home of the present day Igbo
people.
1. Egbo - A secret society at one time
existing as a political bond between
various towns especially in Eastern
Nigeria. - World Book
Dictionary A - K 1974.
In 1876, the Scottish Presbyterian
Missionary Mary Slessor came to Calabar.
According to the accountings of Ms.
Slessor, in the Igbo areas a secret society
known as Egbo went around in masks
and beat people. She claimed to have
chased a group of Egbo and tore off a
mask.( cool (Note THE EGBO WARRIORS SEEM
TO HAVE A PROBLEM OR WEAKNESS FOR
FOREIGN WOMEN. FIRST MOREMI IN THE
WEST INFORMS HER PEOPLE TO BURN THE
MASKS OF THE EGBO(EGBA) AND LATER IN
THE EAST, MARY SLESSOR CLAIMS TO HAVE
PERSONALLY TORN OFF AN EGBO MASK.)

splashbaby: @ThankGodifeduba. Do you know how far is Ife to Abeokuta. So Yorubas chased Igbos out of Ife when they met them there...and from your earlier post Yorubas were Igbos...You are incoherent bros. Discussion closed...I thought you have something educative enough to debate on.

re- read my post i said SOME yoruba tribes today are of igbo descent especially the EGBA and IGBO mina

The Egba of Abeokuta worship a deity
called the Oro. Oro is a god who resides in
a bush. In honor of Oro a sacred
ceremony is performed at a secluded spot
inside the bush. This ceremony is called
Igbo Oro. (9) The concept of Igbo Oro
closely resembles the story of the Lord of
Israal(Israel) speaking to the Prophet
Moses(Musa) from inside of the burning
bush. Igbo Oro can be related to the early
Israal origins of the Igbo(10).
Although the concept of Legba(Eshu)
varies it began as an ancestral memorial
designed to maintain the Igbo identity
during times when the Igbo declared
themselves to be in a state of secrecy
called Egba/Egbo. Legba was also
activated in the New World to counter
modern slavery and its attempts to wipe
out the Egba(Igbo) identity of the
captives. The deity is described in "
Yoruba " mythology as the " Divine
Trickster " who wields great power
because of his ability to outwit his fellow
gods. Evidences of Legba have been
documented throughout the Americas in
such places as Brazil, Guyana, Trinidad,
Haiti and New Orleans under various
names such as Lebba,Legba, Elegbarra
and Liba.(11)
The term Elegbarra or Lugbarra is of great
significance because not only does the
name appear in the Americas amongst
the Egba slaves who are of Igbo origin,
but it is also the name of a tribe that lives
in Southern Sudan and Northern Uganda
who are likewise related to the Igbos of
Nigeria. When traveling in Uganda I
personally met a Lugbarra Doctor of
Medicine who previously studied
alongside of Igbos from Nigeria. The
Lugbarra man stated that he could
understand much of the Igbo language
which had much in common with his
own Lugbarra tongue. He was definitely
convinced that the Lugbarra and the Igbo
were akin.(12)(13)
In 1967,Haiti became the only country
outside of Africa to recognize the Igbo
quest to establish the independent
Republic of Biafra. This was due to the
Haitian's memory of their own Igbo
revolutionary past. The numerous and
successful slave revolts in Haiti are all
clearly documented as Igbo uprisings
(14),but yet we find the strongest
presence of the ancestral deity Legba
amongst the Haitians. In Haiti Legba is
described as the most powerful of all
Loa.He is the guardian of the gate
between the material and spiritual world.
He has great wisdom and knowledge of
the past and future. Every ritual begins
with a sacrifice to Legba. He is the
guardian of the sun and his color is black.
The guardian of the sun is most likely a
code for the land of the Rising Sun which
is the ancient Igbo reference to the land
of Biafra.(15)
In Brazil, an organized Igbo revolt led to
the establishment of the independent "
Igbo" Republic of Palmares which lasted
45 years.(16) Being consistent with Igbo
resistance, Palmares ended in a massive
suicide of Igbo warriors who preferred
death to captivity.(17) The city Ibotirama
testifies to a strong Igbo presence in the
region. (18) However as in the case of
Haiti Afro-Brazilian culture and religious
practices are more readily associated with
that of the "Yoruba " including the
worship of Legba.
Olukwumu is spoken in Brazil and
interestingly enough in a few Igbo
communities such as Anioma,Idumu-Ogu,
Ubulubu,Ugboba,Ugbodu and Okwumzu.
Although this dialect cannot be found in
Yorubaland it remains in reference as a "
lost dialect of the Yoruba language ". (19)
This indicates that in addition to the Egba
and Igbo -Mina, other Igbo communities
likewise were classified as " Yoruba " and
like the Olukwumu some made their way
to the New World accompanying the
majority Egba.
In Cuba the Olukwumu(Yoruban-
Igbos)are referred to as the Lukumi or
Olukumi. Like other Igbo captives the
Lukumi of Cuba were noted for their
massive suicidal resistance that often
found them hanging from the branches
of the Guasima trees.(20) This sounds
very similar to the Igbos of Haiti, as the
Haitian saying," IGBOS PEND COR A YO " -
The Igbos hang themselves is still current.
(21) NOTE: ( IN ADDITION TO THE IGBO
OLUKUMI THERE ARE THOSE IGBOS WHO
WERE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM CALABAR TO
CUBA AND THEY ARE KNOWN AS THE
ABAKUA.)
No one would argue that Paul Robeson
and Booker T. Washington standout
amongst the most accomplished "African-
Americans " the latter being the founder
of the prestigious Tuskegee Institute. It
can be speculated that the success of
these two individuals can at least partially
be attributed to the fact that they both
maintained links to their Igbo origins.
Paul Robeson confirmed his Igbo identity
through linguistics as he was able to
verify the Igbo origins of a number of
African words that had been passed
down through his family(22),while
Booker T. Washington obviously
maintained an understanding of his Egba
(Igbo) background which is reflected in
his middle name Tanifeani, a name most
common to the Egba people.(23). In
summary the captives taken to the
Americas of whom were classified as "
Yorubas " were of Igbo origins, as the
Igbos arriving under a variety of tribal
names and classifications account for
approximately 90% of all slaves.
Google Image Result for http://
africanamerican-igbojewsnet.4t.com/
images/matthew2.jpg

This thread is absolutely hilarious.......infact the whole of Africa originates from Igbo..............infact the LSB leakey brouhaha found in kenya was Igboman skull since igboman and bantu na same ........!!!!

Thankgodifeduba: re- read my post i said SOME yoruba tribes today are of igbo descent especially the EGBA and IGBO mina

So what are the ancestral link of the IGBO minas to the IGBOs in terms of culture, way of life, language, Religion and myth. You are the only historian so far developing this fatansy without proves.

donroxy: This thread is absolutely hilarious.......infact the whole of Africa originates from Igbo..............infact the LSB leakey brouhaha found in kenya was Igboman skull since igboman and bantu na same ........!!!!

no need to get annoyed the purpose of this thread is far from ego but unraveling a bit of our common history. We the new generation never border to know

splashbaby: So what are the ancestral link of the IGBO minas to the IGBOs in terms of culture, way of life, language, Religion and myth. You are the only historian so far developing this fatansy without proves.

Olukwumu is spoken in Brazil and
interestingly enough in a few Igbo
communities such as Anioma,Idumu-Ogu,
Ubulubu,Ugboba,Ugbodu and Okwumzu.
Although this dialect cannot be found in
Yorubaland it remains in reference as a "
lost dialect of the Yoruba language ". (19)
This indicates that in addition to the Egba
and Igbo -Mina, other Igbo communities
likewise were classified as " Yoruba " and
like the Olukwumu some made their way
to the New World accompanying the
majority Egba.
In Cuba the Olukwumu(Yoruban-
Igbos)are referred to as the Lukumi or
Olukumi. Like other Igbo captives the
Lukumi of Cuba were noted for their
massive suicidal resistance that often
found them hanging from the branches
of the Guasima trees.(20) This sounds
very similar to the Igbos of Haiti, as the
Haitian saying," IGBOS PEND COR A YO " -
The Igbos hang themselves is still current.

This bid to transform Egbas and Igbo minas to Igbos is seriously flawed. 1. You are yet to establish a common language between the three. The closest was Olukwumu which you claimed was a lost dialect in Yoruba. 2. Igbo tribes and some Brazilain folks along side Haitians have olukwumu as a common language and not Egbas or Yoruba...It appears you are treating Egbas as a different kind of Yoruba/Igbo in search of an identity which is Igbo right?

This belongs to the jokes section. Hausa is also related to Igbo. When they want to say I'm coming its "m'na zoa" while Igbos say "m'na bia". Igbo is also related to French because of "moi" and "mua" which is pronounced same. Igbo is also related to Ibibio since Igbos call God "Obasi" while Ibibio is "Abasi". Mankind is one. The use of "M" for "me" is so widespread that it is considered one of the first words developed by early man. Same goes with "pa/ba" and "ma".

^^^well the topic of who descended from who is subject to debate.

However there is no denying that some Igbos are related to the Igalas. Just as some Igbos are related to Ibibios. I used to think that you were a big proponent of this notion.

Southern Nigeria in general is tied historically (with some groups having more in common than others, depending on proximity).

THE EGBA ARE IGBO
Southwest Nigeria is commonly referred
to as “Yorubaland” which is home to a
mosaic of distinct tribes and tribal states
who collectively form the present day
Yoruba tribal identity, however the
original Yoruba designation exclusively
referred to the Oyo, a tribe who at one
time lived amongst the Hausas in what is
presently Northern Nigeria. In fact the
word Yoruba is of Hausa origins.
Misrepresentations of Nigeria the Facts
and the Figures by Yusef Bala Usman, PhD
– Center for Democratic Development,
Research and Training.
“The fact is that the earliest record we
have of the use of the very name Yoruba
was in the Hausa Language and it seems
to have applied to the people of the
Alfinate Oyo. Don Masani wrote a book on
the Muslim scholars of the Yarriba.”
Over the centuries the Oyo were gradually
driven southward where they in turn
became the conquerors of the indigenous
people of “Southwest Nigeria” who like
their Southeastern counterparts were
referred to as the Igbo. The
Southwestern Igbo were protected by an
army of masked warriors known as the
Egbo or Egba. Olumida Lucas states that
the name Egba is synonymous with Igbo.
The Indigenous Igbo(Egba) lived in the
forest area surrounding Ife. The name Ife
derives from an Igbo system of
“divination” called Ifa. It was at Ife that
the Igbo(Egba) were first confronted by
Odudwa who along with his youngest
son Oranyan are remembered as the
founders of the Oyo(Yoruba) Kingdom at
Ife. At the time of Odudwa’s invasion the
indigenous Igbo(Egba) resided under the
leadership of Obatala whose name means
the Oba or Obi Ala. Obi or Oba was
initially an Igbo title of authority and Ala is
the land deity of the Igbo. Amongst the
Egbo tribes of Calabar the Oba appears in
the form of the deity Obassi who is also
called Abassi.
Like the indigenous forest dwelling Igbos,
the present day Egbas are historically
associated with the Obas. In fact the
name of the Egba ruling council known as
the Ogboni relates to the Igbo word
Ogbonna which indirectly refers to an
elder.
The Wikipedia Encyclopedia – “Yoruba”
“The numerous Egba communities found
in the forests below Oyo’s Savannah
region were a notable example of elected
Obas though the Ogboni, a legislative
judicial council of notable elders wielded
the actual political power.”
(The Ogboni “Cult” played a central role in
the Brazil slave rebellion of 1809.)
In their initial encounters the Oyo(Yoruba)
were unable to penetrate the frightening
Egba(Igbo) as these intimidating masked
forest dwellers mastered the art of
instilling fear into their opponents. In
defense of their homeland the Egba(Igbo)
went further in raiding and burning
down the intruding Oyo(Yoruba)
settlements in the town at Ife.
The Egba were first defeated through the
scheming of a woman named Moremi
who allowed herself to be captured as
she used her beauty to seduce the Igbo
(Egba) King into revealing the secrets of
the masked Egba warriors. She later
returned to the Oyo providing her
countrymen with the necessary
information needed to finally conquer the
Igbo(Egba) Kingdom. This defeat of the
Igbo(Egba) is celebrated every year at the
annual Eid Festival of Ife.
In 1835, the Egba declared themselves to
be independent of the Oyo(Yoruba) and in
response the Oyo along with the Ijebu
drove them out of Ibadan, Ife and other
towns north of their present day capital
of Abeokuta. As a result of contact
between the Ijebu and the Indigenous
Igbo the city Ijebu-Igbo was established.
The founding of the Egba Kingdom of
Abeokuta in 1837 is considered to be the
last kingdom to be recognized within the
“Yoruba federation of tribes”. By this
time the term Yoruba had expanded
beyond its original usage in referring to
the Oyo and now generally applied to all
of the inhabitants of Southwestern
Nigeria.
The tradition of the masked Egba(Igbo)
warriors is likewise documented in
Southeast Nigeria amongst the followers
of the Egbo Society of Calabar.

THE EGBA ARE IGBO
Southwest Nigeria is commonly referred
to as “Yorubaland” which is home to a
mosaic of distinct tribes and tribal states
who collectively form the present day
Yoruba tribal identity, however the
original Yoruba designation exclusively
referred to the Oyo, a tribe who at one
time lived amongst the Hausas in what is
presently Northern Nigeria. In fact the
word Yoruba is of Hausa origins.
Misrepresentations of Nigeria the Facts
and the Figures by Yusef Bala Usman, PhD
– Center for Democratic Development,
Research and Training.
“The fact is that the earliest record we
have of the use of the very name Yoruba
was in the Hausa Language and it seems
to have applied to the people of the
Alfinate Oyo. Don Masani wrote a book on
the Muslim scholars of the Yarriba.”
Over the centuries the Oyo were gradually
driven southward where they in turn
became the conquerors of the indigenous
people of “Southwest Nigeria” who like
their Southeastern counterparts were
referred to as the Igbo. The
Southwestern Igbo were protected by an
army of masked warriors known as the
Egbo or Egba. Olumida Lucas states that
the name Egba is synonymous with Igbo.
The Indigenous Igbo(Egba) lived in the
forest area surrounding Ife. The name Ife
derives from an Igbo system of
“divination” called Ifa. It was at Ife that
the Igbo(Egba) were first confronted by
Odudwa who along with his youngest
son Oranyan are remembered as the
founders of the Oyo(Yoruba) Kingdom at
Ife. At the time of Odudwa’s invasion the
indigenous Igbo(Egba) resided under the
leadership of Obatala whose name means
the Oba or Obi Ala. Obi or Oba was
initially an Igbo title of authority and Ala is
the land deity of the Igbo. Amongst the
Egbo tribes of Calabar the Oba appears in
the form of the deity Obassi who is also
called Abassi.
Like the indigenous forest dwelling Igbos,
the present day Egbas are historically
associated with the Obas. In fact the
name of the Egba ruling council known as
the Ogboni relates to the Igbo word
Ogbonna which indirectly refers to an
elder.
The Wikipedia Encyclopedia – “Yoruba”
“The numerous Egba communities found
in the forests below Oyo’s Savannah
region were a notable example of elected
Obas though the Ogboni, a legislative
judicial council of notable elders wielded
the actual political power.”
(The Ogboni “Cult” played a central role in
the Brazil slave rebellion of 1809.)
In their initial encounters the Oyo(Yoruba)
were unable to penetrate the frightening
Egba(Igbo) as these intimidating masked
forest dwellers mastered the art of
instilling fear into their opponents. In
defense of their homeland the Egba(Igbo)
went further in raiding and burning
down the intruding Oyo(Yoruba)
settlements in the town at Ife.
The Egba were first defeated through the
scheming of a woman named Moremi
who allowed herself to be captured as
she used her beauty to seduce the Igbo
(Egba) King into revealing the secrets of
the masked Egba warriors. She later
returned to the Oyo providing her
countrymen with the necessary
information needed to finally conquer the
Igbo(Egba) Kingdom. This defeat of the
Igbo(Egba) is celebrated every year at the
annual Eid Festival of Ife.
In 1835, the Egba declared themselves to
be independent of the Oyo(Yoruba) and in
response the Oyo along with the Ijebu
drove them out of Ibadan, Ife and other
towns north of their present day capital
of Abeokuta. As a result of contact
between the Ijebu and the Indigenous
Igbo the city Ijebu-Igbo was established.
The founding of the Egba Kingdom of
Abeokuta in 1837 is considered to be the
last kingdom to be recognized within the
“Yoruba federation of tribes”. By this
time the term Yoruba had expanded
beyond its original usage in referring to
the Oyo and now generally applied to all
of the inhabitants of Southwestern
Nigeria.
The tradition of the masked Egba(Igbo)
warriors is likewise documented in
Southeast Nigeria amongst the followers
of the Egbo Society of Calabar.

^^^Do you have a source for these claims?

Am waiting to hear that Fulanis are igbos too. mtscheeew!

I have known before now there are ridiculous twists surrounding the story about Oduduwa as told by Yoruba revisionists. The Yoruba who were driven away from Oyo ile by Fulani and Nupe can not have connections with Oduduwa of Ife.

I think Igbo people are Igbo and Igala are Igala. There are places where they are close together and share some culture with each other but that's about it.