I am constrained to open this thread as there has been a lot of loop-sided political threads aimed at bending history or obscuring facts. One of the threads by safarigirl yesterday was most disgusting and I was really pained that I was extremely busy at the platform so I could not correct some statements. However tonychristopher has urged the battle further so we will have to discuss on the origin of the Ika people and their relationship with the Igbos, find out if Biafra has any claim over Ika and probably Anioma.
You are welcome to write factual and logical posts only. Thank you

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Geographically, the Ika speaking people are found in the north west of Delta State. They share borders linguistically in the west with the Edo speakers, in the north with the Ishan speakers, in the East with the Aniocha language speakers and in the south with the Ukwuani speakers.
Politically, Ika speakers are mainly found in two local government areas, Ika North East and Ika South local government areas, both created in 1991 from a single Ika Local Government Area, in Delta State. Ika South and Ika North East local government areas, occupy a land area of 117.45 square kilometres (Delta State Government website, 1999) with a total population of about 240,000 people. There are other Ika speaking people that are political outside the Ika North east and Ika South local government areas. The exact population of speakers of the Ika language or those with Ika as mother tongue is not known since this information was not included in the 1991 census result (1991 census). Ika people do not have any shared physical characteristics distinguishing it from other ethnic or language groups in Delta State.

Ika Structure: Clans, villages (Ogbe), quarters (Idumu) and family units (nmunne)
The words above are similar to their equivalents in the bini dialect.. Villages -Igué, quarters- idumwun, family - Ogbe.. I do not know the exact word for clans in bini.. The word Ogbé can also be used to represent community in bini, and considering the size of these Ika communities, it may not be suprising that they used ogbé for village.

There are eleven clans and a metropolis that make up the Ika collective group, which I refer to as the Ika community. Except for the Idumuesah clan the rest ten are today also referred to as kingdoms as they have the hereditary kingship traditional system. The kings are known and referred to by the title of Obi (king), however the king of Agbor clan has changed his title from Obi to Dien for reasons not clear at this time. The following are the eleven clans and a metropolis that make up the Ika community:

1. Agbor clan,
2. Owa clan,
3. Abavo clan,
4. Ute-Okpu clan,
5. Ute-Ogbeje clan
6 Umunede clan,
7. Akumazi clan,
8. Igbodo clan,
9. Otolokpo clan,
10. Mbiri clan,
11. Idumuesah clan
12. Orogodo/Boji-Boji

I will summarise their history with references shortly..
AGBOR

Agbor is and has always been the largest of the Ika clans. It was to the most politically and militarily powerful of all the Ika clans due to its constant war with Benin until the late nineteenth century (Isichei 1983 and Simpson 1936).

Agbor and Abavo clans make up Ika South Local Government Area while the rest make up Ika North East Local Government Area. Agbor clan consists of twenty-three villages and a metropolis known as Orogodo or Boji-Boji Agbor:

1. Ogbemudein
2. Ihogbe
3. Obielihe
4. Ihaikpen
5. Ogbeisore
6. Ogbeisogban
7. Agbamuse/Oruru
8. Alifekede
9. Omumu
10. Alisor
11. Alilehan
12. Alizomor
13. Ozanogogo (Ozara)
14. Alisimien
15. Ewuru
16. Idumu-Oza
17. Aliokpu
18. Alihami
19. Agbor-nta
20. Alihagwu
21. Oki
22. Ekuku-Agbor
23. Emuhun
24. Boji-Boji Agbor

The villages of Alisor, Alilehan and Ozanogogo are not Ika speaking. They speak an Edoid language known, especially to the Ika speakers, as Oza or Ozara.

Simpson (1936:6) quoted Talbot's reference to the Origin of Agbor documented by the Dutch historian traveller Nyendael that describes an exodus from Benin before his visit in 1702. This exodus involved two families one of them "settled in Agbor while the other went to Obior."


Abavo

Abavo shares borders with Agbor clan in the north, Owa clan in the east, the Edo speaking people of Uronigbe in the south. Abavo clan, also known as Awuu, comprises of five villages:

1. Ogbe-Obi (Abavo Central)
2. Azuowa (made up of four quarters: Ekwueze, Ekwuoma, Okpe, Oyoko)
3. Udomi
4. Igbogili
5. Obi-Ayima

In the account gathered by Forde and Jones (1967) on the founder of Abavo, they learnt that Awu who had the title of Eze (meaning a leader in Igbo) was himself from a place called Awu. This, perhaps, was stating the obvious that Awu was from Abavo. However, Abavo oral tradition claims their founding father, Awu, had migrated directly from Benin (Amokwu and Jegbefume, n.d). According to Abavo oral tradition, their founding father, Awu, was originally from Benin. He escaped from Bini kingdom around the 15th or 16th century to avoid being sacrificed and later settled at Abavo (Amokwu and Jegbefume, n.d)

Owa clan

Geographically, Owa clan shares borders with Agbor clan in the west by the Orogodo River and Abavo clan, in the north Orogodo (Agbor metropolis), in the east by Umunede, Otolokpo and Ute-Okpu clans. Owa clan is made up of the seven villages and a metropolis:

1.Oyibu
2. Alizomor
3.Owa Alidinma
4.Ufie
5. Aliro
6.Owanta
7. Owa-Eke
8. Boji-Boji Owa (a metropolis)

Owa has its origin in Nri, Northern Igbo (Forde and Jones 1967 and Isichei 1983). The founder of Oyibu village (also know as Owa Oyibu) was Odogu son of Ijie of Ute-Okpu (another Ika clan) who is from Nri (Northern Igbo) while "the other villages found in Owa clan are derived from Benin or other Agbor groups" (Forde and Jones 1967: 47). Oyibu village is the political centre of the Owa clan.

According to Whiting (1936), Owa oral tradition has it that Odogu angrily left Ute-Okpu and settled near the present site of Oyibu village because his brother, Okpu, inherited everything after his fathers death, while Odogu was away serving the Oba of Benin in wars. However Ufie, the founder of Ufie village presently in the Owa clan, had already settled in the present site of Ufie village on the directive of the Oba of Benin who had bestowed on him the Obi title. After Odogu settled in Oyibu, it was claimed that Ufie invited Odogu to his Ikenga festival. Odogu, impressed by the festival, decided to celebrate it himself at Oyibu. He then invited Ufie. According to the legend, Odogu deceived Ufie into taking a subservient role during a ritual sacrifice thereby serving him. This action was observed by Odogu's subjects then proclaimed Odogu as greater than Ufie. Odogu then took the Obi title from Ufie. This, it is claimed, accounts for why Ufie is today a village in the Owa clan. Ozomo, Odogu's brother who followed him from Ute-Okpu founded Alizomo village while Omi and his wife Iro who came from Benin founded Aliro village. Okue who came from Benin founded Owanta village. Later, Adie later arrived from Ute-Okpu to found Idumu Adie, a quarter in Owanta (Whiting 1936).

According to oral tradition, Ekei and his wife Abor who migrated from Benin when Ise was the Obi of Owa founded Owa-Eke village (Whiting's 1936). However the village of Owa-Eke initially moved away from Owa due to problems with Ise the Obi of Owa and settled at Owanike in the Benin Kingdom but the Owanike village later split and one part returned to Owa-Ekei in Owa still considering themselves as subjects of the Oba of Benin while serving the Obi of Owa. Ugbebo who was sent there by Obi Gbenoba of Owa to protect Owa traders buying guns and gunpowder from the Kwales founded Alidinma village (Whiting 1936).


Ute-Okpu Clan

Ute Okpu shares common borders with Agbor and Otolokpo clans in the north, Ekuku Agbor in the south, Idumuesa and Owa clans in the west and Ute-Ogbeje clan in the east. Ute-Okpu is made up of eight villages (Marshall 1936):

1. Ibi-Agware
2. Owele
3. Ogbe
4. Idumu Eze Aje
5. Odah
6. Alihe
7. Alumu
8. Enugu

Ute-Okpu Clan

Ute Okpu shares common borders with Agbor and Otolokpo clans in the north, Ekuku Agbor in the south, Idumuesa and Owa clans in the west and Ute-Ogbeje clan in the east. Ute-Okpu is made up of eight villages (Marshall 1936):

1. Ibi-Agware
2. Owele
3. Ogbe
4. Idumu Eze Aje
5. Odah
6. Alihe
7. Alumu
8. Enugu

Ute-Okpu people claim two sources of origin: Benin and the Igbo side of the Niger. In his account of the origin of the Ute-Okpu clan, Marshall (1936) stated that the original founder of Ute-Okpu was called Ute who migrated from Nri near the present Onitsha in Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria, after a quarrel with the Eze of Nshi (Nri). He settled near the present location of the village of Ibi-Agware. He had two sons Okpu and Odogu, Okpu later became the Obi of Ute-Okpu while Odogu later founded Oyibu village in Owa (1936: 3-4).
The dual claim in the origin of Owa clan appears to indicate the presence of an original Igbo group before there was contact with other groups of Benin origin. Isichei (1976) hypothesised that the present Ika region may have been inhabited by a group of people of Igbo origin. Isichei (1976) also hypothesised that there was a possibility that they existed in the location of Owa clan before Odogu became their leader their leader. It is not unusual for most Nigerian clans to trace the origin of their clan to their king's origin. The first King is always considered the founding father of the clan even if some of these kings emerged or were imposed on them long after the founding of the clan.

Ute-Ogbeje

Ute-Ogbeje is made up of four villages (Marshall 1936):

1. Ogbe Obi
2. Ogbe Akpu
3. Emike
4. Akpama

The origin of Ute-Ogbeje, like those of many other Ika clans, is surrounded in myth. According to Marshall (1936), the Ute-Ogbeje people claim that Ogbeje was the brother of the Oba of Benin and came with him to discover a place to live. The two brothers travelled by canoe. As they were paddling along a bird called Ukpoko dropped a snail into Ogbeje's canoe. Ogbeje threw the snail overboard and land immediately surrounded him. Ogbeje decided to settle on this new land while the Oba moved on. Ogbeje then had a son, Inai, who succeeded him. Inai was extremely cruel and many of his subjects fled and formed a new settlement called Ute-Okpu (Marshall 1936). This account, however, seemed to contradict that of Ute-Okpu.

Idumuesah clan

Idumuesah shares boundary with Ute-Okpu clan in the east, in west and south west by Abavo clan and Owa clan in the north. Idumuesah was founded by a group of people that migrated from Ugboha in Ishan, north of Ika community (Forde and Jones 1967; Whiting 1936). Whiting (1936: 22) states that "It is uncertain whether they came to their first settlement in what is known as the Agbo bush between Oyibu and Aliro before or after Odogu". He stated that Ibile, one of the founders, is said to have come from Ugboha in Ishan Division and to have joined with Abu from Aboh in Kwale District in settling in the Agbo bush. Oje and Ilor came from Uromi in Ishan Division and joined them (Whiting 1936). Idumuesah consists of four villages, which may once have been quarters (Idumu):

1. Iliobome
2. Aliobo
3. Alioje
4. Alilor

It should be known that the name Idumuesa means seven quarters (Idumus) but the above list of current villages shows only four villages. It is claimed that, "the other three which were said to have been very small, have returned to their home towns in other districts" (Whiting 1936: 24). This is the fact that proves Whiting is totally wrong.. Idumuesa is a corruption of idumwun-esan which means esan quarters i.e. the ishan quarters which is a pointer to their origins
Whiting (1936) stated in his report that Owa claimed that Idumuesah served the Obi of Owa (Obi Ise) and revolted later but Idumuesah denied this. But the people of Idumuesah, for some controversial reasons, left their first settlement for their present site, which is south east of Oyibu but, according to Whiting, "they are unable to say why they left their old settlement" (1936: 23) Considering the time frame it may not be unconnected to a series of Ishan migrations out of benin in the mid centuries

Mbiri clan

Mbiri clan lies in the north east of Agbor clan and off the Lagos-Benin-Onitsha highway. Mbiri's oral tradition claims that Arun who migrated from Iwaisi, or the native doctor's quarter in Benin founded Mbiri. Arun, a hunter, reached the present site of Mbiri on one of his hunting expeditions and settled down there. Mbiri's oral tradition also claims that Arun had four sons three of whom were responsible for the founding of the following towns: Ewuhimi, Mbiri and Igbanke. The fourth son is claimed to have returned to Benin (Intelligence report 1932).
Mbiri adopted the monarchical system, based on Benin tradition, found in most Ika clans. According to Intelligence report (1932), "1n 1915 the Mbiris attempted to put themselves directly under the Oba of Benin, and sent a large sum of money to the Oba to gain this end. It is obvious that it was at this time that the present Chief went to Benin and received the title of Obi from the Oba, along with the Ada, or ceremonial sword, which forms part of the regalia of this title. They were again visited by the district District Commissioner who told them that they were part of Agbor District and could not therefore come under Benin"(Intelligence report 1932: 10). The Mbiri clan has the same political system as other Ika clans.


Umunede clan

Umunede occupies a strategic location along the Lagos-Benin-Onitsha highway. Umunede shares its borders with Agbor clan in the east, Igbodo in the north, Akumazi in the east, Otolokpo and Owa clans in the south. There are four villages (ogbe) in Umunede:

1. Ogbe Obi
2. Idumuilege
3. Idumugba
4. Idumuile

Although there of the villages above still retain the idumu (quarter) prefix in their names they are villages. These are perhaps some examples of quarters expanding in size and then forming villages.

Umunede's oral tradition, like those of most of the Ika clans, traces their origin to Benin. However, Stanfield (1936: 1) states the following about his observations of the Umunede people:

From legend of their origin are of Bini descent, but in their language and social structure they resemble closely the Ibos of the Ogwashi and Uburukwu clans in the Asaba Division.

According to Stanfield (1939: cool, "there were no titles in Umunede until 1919 when the then Eze (named Niago) obtained an Ada from Eweka, Oba of Benin." This resulted in the first Obi title and the start of the monarchical system like those found in some of the Ika clans.

Otolokpo

Otolokpo shares borders with Umunede and Akumazi clans in the north, Ute-Ogbeje clan in the east, Ute-Okpu in the south and Owa and Umunede in the west. There are seven villages in Otolokpo:

1. Ogbe Obi
2. Idumu -Oji
3. Achala
4. Idumu-Okete
5. Idumu-Obome
6. Umuhu
7. Alugba

According to Stanfield (1936), Gbobo, from Benin founded all villages apart from Umuhu, formed by migrants from Agbor, and Alugba village formed by migrants from Ute-Ogbeje (Standfield 1936).

Akumazi and Igbodo clans

Akumazi clan shares borders with Umunede in the west, Igbodo in the north, Otolokpo in the South and the Anoicha speaking town of Obior in the east. They trace their origin to Benin from where their founder fled (Simpson 1936).

Igbodo occupies an area in the north east of the Ika North local government area. It share border with Akumazi in the south, Mbiri in the west, the Ishan groups in the North and the Anoicha groups in the east. Like many of the Ika clans, they trace their origin to Benin (Fordes and Jones 1967).

In summary, while Owa and Ute-Okpu, Ute-Ogbeje have their origin in both Igbo and Benin areas, Agbor, Abavo Ute-Ogbeje, Akumazi, Umunede, Igbodo and Mbiri trace their clans to a single source, Benin (Fordes and Jones 1967: 47). Idumuesah traces its origin to Ishan but there also are villages that may have been established by people of Ukwuani origin. While Otolokpo traces its origin to Benin there are also villages in Otolokpo that trace their origin to Agbor.

The relationship among all the Ika clans appear to be mainly in their Benin origin as well as a population shift, for various reasons, which resulted in movement or relocation of villages from one clan to another forming new allegiances as well retaining their former relationship with their origin.


OTHER Igbo- Bini hybrid speakers in the region

Igbanke clan

Igbanke clan is north of the Ika south local government area. It is located in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State. Orhionmwon Local government area, except for Igbanke, is mainly an Ishan language speaking area. Igbanke is made up of six villages (Osunde, 2000):

1. Ake
2. Igbontor
3. Ottah
4. Idumodin
5. Umolua
6. Oligie

All six villages speak the Ika language. Farmers from Ishan and Agbor villages who settled in this area, which is within Benin territory, founded the five original villages, namely Ake, Igbontor, Otta Idumodin and Umolua. Oligie village, the sixth village in the Igbanke clan, is claimed by Oligie people to have been founded by Ottor from Benin (Kerr, 1937; Simpson, n.d).

I got the above from a work by Onyeche Ifeanyi Joseph, PhD and make some relevant comments beside italicized errors

So historically, the Igbos have no claim whatsover to Ika..
there are striking similarities between Agbor words and bini's. for instance, ihogbe, ihaekpen quarters are extremely similar to ihogbe and ehaekpen quarters in present day benin.. The argument that the Ika language is similar to the Igbos is partially due to trade, migrations and cultural mixing considering the proximity of the areas . In fact, i believe that language is not a sufficient and fool-proof index to ascertain ethnic origin or cultural homogeneity/heterogeneity

The history of Agbor like other communities is based on oral tradition. Popular oral account of the community therefore traces its origin to Ogunagbon, the believed founder of Agbor who left Benin with his followers and first settled in Ominijie, located in present Agbor Nta (Emeka Esogbue, 2008). This makes Agbor Nta Agbor’s oldest settlement. One of his chiefs was to later settle in an area known as Agbon. The word “Agbon” means “Earth” or “Land”. Agbor remains the largest of Ika communities with close geographical location to Benin City. Its constant wars with Benin are well-known. This may have also accounted for its consideration as the “most politically and militarily powerful of all Ika clans as recorded by Chukwu Ebuka and Iwueze Awele Success. The wars which lasted until the 19th century may have also swelled the military prowess of the community and helped to make it a force to reckon with within the Ika nation (Simpson, 1936). There is therefore no doubt that within the period under study, Agbor remained the headache of the Benin Kingdom until the 18th century.

The Legendary Benin Historian, Joseph Egharevba dismissively presented Agbor as a Benin vassal whose Chief (Obi/Dein) was in constant rebellion against the Benin Kingdom to the extent that the Kingdom had to take steps to bring the situation under control. Egherevba gave account of how Oba Orhogbua authorized one of his generals, Agbon to restore peace at all cost. Agbon then captured Idigi territory which he renamed Agbon later corrupted to “Agbor”. The people of Agbor as a result of this development were compelled to maintain the hard sought loyalty to Benin but this was only short-lived as they again revolted this time during the reign of Oba Ovoramwen. As we were again told, Agbor was to be severely punished but for the 1897 conquest of Benin by the British forces and consequent capture of Oba Ovoramwen.

Whatever. In a few years, DNA tests will be common and clear everything up.

Op. Please when you're done deceiving yourself let us know. Wetin person no dey see for nairaland

warrior01:
Op. Please when you're done deceiving yourself let us know. Wetin person no dey see for nairaland

What is your point?

This write up got me laughing, imagine ascribing Mbiri who migrated from Mbieri in Imo to come from Benin. This is delusion of the highest order.

cpt where is the proof ?

If you are on facebook, then go to Proudly Anioma Proudly Igbo, its a close group pioneered by Igbos of delta.

warrior01:
Op. Please when you're done deceiving yourself let us know. Wetin person no dey see for nairaland

CaptainOjemba:
This write up got me laughing, imagine ascribing Mbiri who migrated from Mbieri in Imo to come from Benin. This is delusion of the highest order.

please provide credible proof or sound logic

CaptainOjemba:
If you are on facebook, then go to Proudly Anioma Proudly Igbo, its a close group pioneered by Igbos of delta.

That is just a group.. I could open any group I like with any title

This topic is germaine to me in particular. Am an ika speaking person in present Edo, Igbanke to be precise. I can't claim origin of Igbo,however I am more at home with them because of the language similarity. There is this internal feeling of homogeneity with people of Edo extracts, binis and ishans but for the language dissimilarity. All said, everybody originated from somewhere hence we shouldn't hold on to antiquity and continually subject ourselves to identity crisis. What is most expedient for the ika clans is a reunion with hearts of forgiveness for one another while forging a common front for ethnic identity of their own. All ikas both in Delta( majority) and Edo(minority) should look for a way to come together to promote their uniqueness as an independent tribe.

Migration changed your surname to be Igbo, changed your language to be Igbo? Changed Ifeanyi Okowa to be dressing like Igbo man with his red cap

rexbuton:
So historically, the Igbos have no claim whatsover to Ika..
there are striking similarities between Agbor words and bini's. for instance, ihogbe, ihaekpen quarters are extremely similar to ihogbe and ehaekpen quarters in present day benin.. The argument that the Ika language is similar to the Igbos is partially due to trade, migrations and cultural mixing considering the proximity of the areas . In fact, i believe that language is not a sufficient and fool-proof index to ascertain ethnic origin or cultural homogeneity/heterogeneity

If you are Benin descent doesn't make others to be, My former Landlord is an Agbor man but he is proudly to be Igbo.

So I should believe this crap that you wrote but shouldn't believe what I got from the closed group?

rexbuton:

That is just a group.. I could open any group I like with any title

CaptainOjemba:
Migration changed your surname to be Igbo, changed your language to be Igbo? Changed Ifeanyi Okowa to be dressing like Igbo man with his red cap If you are Benin descent doesn't make others to be, My former Landlord is an Agbor man but he is proudly to be Igbo.

1. Your former landlord doesn't know where he's from
2. Ika people have Ibo surnames and they also have Edo surnames too
3. Ifeanyi Okowa is just a man. In fact Ifeanyi's relative is my colleague, his name is Nosakhoro.. He has never claimed to be an Ibo man, not even for humour sake. Politicians swing depending on the benefits that can be derived. When Jonathan was campaigning, he told us that one of his names was Azikiwe, this was just an effort to associate with the east.. Who doesn't know that Jonathan is an Ijaw man?
. In actual fact, Ika dialect is a mixture of Igbo and Bini which evidently suggests it’s the influence of proximity with the Aniocha/Oshimili and Edo groups. This is also reflective in the names that the people bear. The whole of Ika communities speak Ika dialect while Igbodo speaks dual Ika and Enuani dialects.

So association changed your surname? If yes then your people are not human enough

rexbuton:

1. Your former landlord doesn't know where he's from
2. Ika people have Ibo surnames and they also have Edo surnames too
3. Ifeanyi Okowa is just a man. In fact Ifeanyi's relative is my colleague, his name is Nosakhoro.. He has never claimed to be an Ibo man, not even for humour sake. Politicians swing depending on the benefits that can be derived. When Jonathan was campaigning, he told us that one of his names was Azikiwe, this was just an effort to associate with the east.. Who doesn't know that Jonathan is an Ijaw man?

so Jonathan doesn't have a surname? Why is it that Akwaibom people who borders the East retain their language and their names? Ok Igbo don't do business with them? My friend your case is lost.

enemies of Igbo land bringing up theories why our great imperial state shouldn't stand
ika has always been and would remain part of the Igbo realm no matter how hard people like rexbutton try.take a good look again at our realm and its flag

CaptainOjemba:
So association changed your surname? If yes then your people are not human enough so Jonathan doesn't have a surname? Why is it that Akwaibom people who borders the East retain their language and their names? Ok Igbo don't do business with them? My friend your case is lost.

I believe you have nice ideas but you're struggling to convey them..
Who said Jonathan doesn't have a surname? It is not uncommon for people from cross river and akwa ibom to bear double English names, so it is safe to assume that either Goodluck or Jonathan represents his surname..
Even if his surname is Azikiwe, that doesnt make him an Ibo man.. Mr. Segun Arinze is from where?

cheruv:
enemies of Igbo land bringing up theories why our great imperial state shouldn't stand
ika has always been and would remain part of the Igbo realm no matter how hard people like rexbutton try.take a good look again at our realm and its flag

Nice one but I think that map need updating to include Igbos in Benue and Akwa Ibom.

teufelein:
the only morality is survival...after the war between Biafra and the zoo nigeria nobody wanted to associate with the defeated Biafra especially several igbo clans/tribes like ikwerre, ika..etc. i personally will not force anybody not to disown his/her heritage. that's not my headache!

I completely agree with you but will you abandon your mad brother just because he is shouting that he is not your brother?

teufelein:
the only morality is survival...after the war between Biafra and the zoo nigeria nobody wanted to associate with the defeated Biafra especially several igbo clans/tribes like ikwerre, ika..etc. i personally will not force anybody not to disown his/her heritage. that's not my headache!

The Biafran war caused disaster for the people of Anioma in several ways even though, the region was not included in the map of Biafran at the declaration. Ojukwu never added Anioma or Ika to his map

Anioma in Ohanaeze Ndiigbo

On November 29, 2008, Ohanaeze Ndiigbo, the apex Igbo sociocultural organization announced the election of Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, an Anioma indigene as its President-General to pilot its affairs for the next two years. He was nominated by Delta State branch of Ohanaeze as their consensus candidate in a resolution reached at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba after the position was zoned to Anioma, one of the seven units that make up Ohanaeze NdiigboBut in his acceptance speech, Uwechue expressed gratitude to all and called for unity among Igbo, which is said to possess the talent to and wealth it would take to take to address national issues, while also noting that the position given to him has created confidence that the Igbo from Delta State are accepted as brothers and sisters in Ohanaeze. Finally, he promised not to disappoint Anioma people as the race is for Anioma home and abroad. The leadership of Ambassador Uwechue has come under severe criticism by the people of Anioma over his acceptance to administer the Pan-Socio Organization.

sonya4all:
Owa oyibu in ika south lga for instance when they speak their unaldulterated ika,u will nt hear a single igbo word. oza nogogo is in ika but their language is like that of latin.No need of much talk.s.Dodo gbani hiam ni eye le ndigbome.Dats an ika sentence meaning pls stop arguing because we are not igbos.

Ethnic identity crisis

In recent times, the Anioma people have become piqued with the Igbo of the southeast on whether the Anioma are of Igbo ethnic group or not. The diverse history of origin of the people have made it quite difficult to classify the people and continues to set the people against the Igbo of the southeast, so that while the Igbo are of historical views that the people are part of the larger Igbo community, an argument that the Igbo continually debunk. Though the Anioma people speak some dialects of Igbo and often times take Igbo names, some of the communities claim origin to the ancient Benin Kingdom.
source wiki

AlfaSeltzer:


Nice one but I think that map need updating to include Igbos in Benue and Akwa Ibom.

This is similar to saying China should redraw her map to include all the Chinatowns all over the world.. Does that even make sense?

rexbuton:

This is similar to saying China should redraw her map to include all the Chinatowns all over the world.. Does that even make sense?

doesn't even fit bro

Re: Origin Of Delta Igbo Indisputable -Uwuechue

I will like to state that the people of Ika and agbor have always guarded their culture with fiercely in the face of all oppositions , we as eka people know where we come from and we are proud of our origin , we have a long history of kingship and culture that is why many people will not let us be , it is not new for a tribe to have two or more ancestory , e. g . take itsekiri , they have both benin and yoruba ancestory , but that does not make them benin or yoruba , today , they are know as itsekiris . but the founding father of their tribe was the a benin prince called iginua , son of oba olua of benin . we as ika people of agbor and owa will not wish to be drawn into stupid arguements with those who do not know our history and who do not know our culture and whose sole arguements rely on nearness of language as a proof of where a people come from , if he is a historian then he or she will know that changes in language can occur due to large migrations or trade or due to other factors .
please can any one tell me what agbor means in igbo language ? going back to history agbor was called ogungunagbon or agbon , which means earth in benin language and the british changed it to agbor in 1906 . ,most eka founders or founders of agbon were benin princes and people from ishan land in ancient times and later other groups of migrants came from igbo land , some from yorubaland e. t. c . it will interest you to note that most of agbor and ika culture and traditions came from benin and edo areas . we call GOD- oselobue , we believe in ehi as our guardian spirit as the benin do, we perfom festivals like igue -new year , ogbanigbe , osi-ezi and ugboze . we dress like binis and maintain same dances like ojerima, okangan and uje like binis . our traditional gods are same as theirs like ovia, uhunmwunde, idigun, olokun e. t. c . we believe our kings are divine beings from the lineage of olokun and oselobue .
our chieftaincy titles are same as benin , iyase, obasogie, obaseki , ihondor , ihama , ezomor , ologbosere et. c .
our towns are divided into ebon (umu), idumu and ogbe ,
in agbor there are two languages spoken ozara and ika , ozara is edoid while ika is a mix of bini and igbo , each town has her history of founding fathers and they are well kept, there are still some titles that if you want to take in some villages today in agbor you must go to benin , where the original founder came from to collect things and receive blessings of approval . it will interest you to note that all ika and agbor kings are benin princes and the present dein of agbor is same royal blood family with the omonoba of benin .
but all these do not make us binis , although in the past we bore benin tribal marks ,but today we are eka people , we are not binis or igbos , but we know where most of our ancestors came from , no proper ika man will want to be refered to as igbo , but properly as ika people . we the ika people share both igbo and bini cultures that is why we still have igbo names like ngozi , okechukwu and the likes , but we still have our benin names too like irabor , obaigbena , ovia, osagie etc. this is our heritage and we are proud of it, looking at my family history of about 800 years i saw all my ancestors were having benin names from omigie, agbontaen, ehiabor, imade, osaigbovou, efeizomor, okundaye , ebie, ogbe, e. t. c , so one day i asked my father why and he told me that our fore-father was the son of a prince from benin,and that our people from our village in idumu-ezomor were children of ezomor the great warrior general from benin who assisted oba esigie of benin to quell the ida war . some times it is good for people to consult natives of a place and ask them of their history , before the write on it. anioma is a big place , i know the igbo language plays a part in anioma history , but not all aniomas migrated from igboland and their are about 11 languages spoken there like ozara, ika, olokumi ( old yoruba), igalla, aboh, etc . that is the reason why no proper ika man will join any group like ohaneze, we have our own group called the ika group ,while we support anioma ,we also believe that those who can trace their ancestory to igboland should join the group, but we will like to say we the agbor and ika people should be left alone as we are a seperate people called ika . i am happy that this is bearing fruit as on delta radio there is now news in ika language as a different languge , ikas have commenced writing the bible in ika language and right now the gospel of mark, luke , mathew and john have been published and we have books on ika languge right now ,during the colonial times our people resisted the celebration of igbo day in ikaland, i want to state that the agbor people even though we have cultural afinities with some of our neighbours like ogwashi, ubulu-uku , asaba , i will like to say we are very different from them ,. we are ika people , we are not binis neither are we igbos . please take note

Orhionmwon Local Government Area is one of the seven Bini speaking local councils of Edo state. The others are :
Oredo
Ovia North East
Ovia South West
Uhunmwode
Ikpoba-Okha
Egor
The above is known as Edo South Senatorial District.
The local population is Bini speaking.

Esan has five local councils.
Esan central
Esan East
Esan West
Esan North East
Esan South East
Collectively known as Edo Central Senatorial District.
This is the Esan speaking area of the state


It is therefore incorrect to label Orhionmwon an Esan speaking area.

I am ika and not ibo

Moral of the story:

We the people up east, south south, south east ect don't like each other. And we are no brothers. Don't call me Igbo etc.

No problem, we have heard.

The south west is one... No time for OSU cast system or any yeye discrimination

bokohalal:
Orhionmwon Local Government Area is one of the seven Bini speaking local councils of Edo state. The others are :
Oredo
Ovia North East
Ovia South West
Uhunmwode
Ikpoba-Okha
Egor
The above is known as Edo South Senatorial District.
The local population is Bini speaking.

Esan has five local councils.
Esan central
Esan East
Esan West
Esan North East
Esan South East
Collectively known as Edo Central Senatorial District.
This is the Esan speaking area of the state


It is therefore incorrect to label Orhionmwon an Esan speaking area.

of course.. its headquarters is at Iguobazuwa