The Ebira (also spelt Igbira or Igbirra) are the outspoken and very hard working agrarian Nupoid-speaking ethno-linguistic group located in the Central Senatorial district of Kogi State (not far from the Niger-Benue confluence) in Nigeria.
Recent in depth research indicates that the Ebira have been part and parcel of what is now generally known as Central Nigeria since 4000 BC (Ohiare 1988). The Ebira zone is also prominent in the prehistoric civilization of the Iron Age generally characterised by the Central Nigeria as epitomised by Nok Culture. Even recently the iron-working site of Ife-Ijummu (Kogi State) has been dated to 260 B.C. Thus, it could be deduced that the Ebira as a group existed for a long time in locations within Central Nigeria not far from where they are located presently (Ohiare 1988, Willamson 1967, Beneth 1972).
Many Ebira people are from Kogi State, Kwara State, Nasarawa State, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Edo State. Okene is said to be the administrative centre of the Ebira-speaking people in Kogi state.
The word “Ebira” refers to the people themselves, their language and their geographical location. Using the name of the most popular town of the land, we may refer to them as Ebira Okene. The Ebira Okene occupy the hilly stretch of land southwest of the Niger-Benue confluence area and share boundaries with the Yoruba-speaking people of Akoko, Owe and Ijumu to the west; the various Akoko-Edo people to the south and south west; the Hausa, Nupe and Ebira groups at Lokoja to the north; and the River Niger to the east. Nigerian Nollywood stars Mercy Johnson and Halima Abubakar are from Ebira tribe.
Other Ebira groups are Ebira Igu in Kogi and Koton Karfi local government areas of Kogi state; Ebira Toto and Umaisha ofNassarawa (Toto) local government area of Nassarawa state; Ebira Mozum of Bassa local government area of Kogi state; and Ebira Etuno of Igarra District of Ako-Edo local government area of Edo state. Other Ebira are to be found in Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory and Agatu in Benue state.
The Ebira people are republican by nature, outspoken and very hard working. Farming and cloth-weaving are occupations for which the Ebiras are well known. The paramount ruler of the people is called Ohinoyi of Ebiraland. The Ebira cherish their traditional festivals in spite of the infiltration of some negative tendencies.
GEOGRAPHY (ENVIRONMENT)
A common physical feature of Ebiraland is the conspicuous presence of blocks of dissected hills and the metaphoric rocks enveloping the greater part of the land. The hills rise to a peak of 2000 ft and probably represent the remnants of an old post of Gondowana pedi-plain (Clayton 1957). The African laterite and plain which embraces the greater part of Ihima, Okengwe and Ageva are occupied by extensive undulating plains (1200-1400ft). They are studded with smooth rounded rocks of in selbergs. The laterite soils are derived from metaphoric rocks of greyish-buff (18 inches) and clayed pan which overlay vascular iron stone (Omorua 1959:1). The depth of the soil is however variable, ranging from two to three feet to about three inches where the ironstone approaches the surface, as in the Itakpe hills in Adavi district.There is also the Niger literic plain forming a lower terrace below the higher plains. This is conspicuous in Ajaokuta, Eganyi, Ebiya and part of Adavi in the north and north-east of Ebiraland. Another very important feature is the rim from the highland. This enscarpement which extends to Ihima, Eika and part of Ajaokuta widens into abroad zone of dissected hills. The soil formation of the rims are mostly skeletal, consisting of pale brown and orange brown sands and grits. The enscarpment contains quartz stones interspersed with pockets of deeper sand wash (Omorua 1959:1-2).The implications of these features to the past and contemporary history of the land are many. A few of them are as follows. The nature of the topography has affected the relief pattern of Ebiraland,which is marked out of the dissected peaks with knife-edged ridges,and steep V-shaped valleys. Valleys of this type occur in Okene,Okengwe and Eika towns. Apart from exerting much influence on the climate, the features in part provided security and protection for the ancient Ebira. Thus they resisted external incursions into their geo-polity as in the case of the Ajinomoh jihadist wars in the 1880s discussed elsewhere (Okene 1990:26-30). Furthermore, the features influenced the pattern of the people’s technical know-how as it relates to the production of crafts like pottery, dyeing and blacksmithing and of the people instruments of production or destruction such as hoes, cutlasses and spears and bows and arrows.The Ebira were famous in Central Nigeria for the production of these crafts (Barth 1990:510-515; Jones 1969:38). In contemporary times, these features serve as a reservoir of the iron-ore deposit now discovered in large quantity in some hills of the land. Itakpe hill inAdavi district alone has an iron-ore deposit estimated between 37 and 47 million tons, and of more than 60 per cent iron content (Okene 1995:37). This is meant to provide raw material for the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Industry set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria.Other minerals to be found in substantial commercial quantities in Ebira include marble, limestone, copper, chalk and mica.

Good people
Good tribe
Good write-up

Good people hmmmmm

If I should say somethings about Igbira people, I mite get Banned Till 2099

ebira people

There are no indigenous Hausa communities in Kogi state oo .... so Hausa and Ebira don't share any boundry.

Egbira!

let me continue posting about Ebira people... Now that my ban has expired...

LANGUAGE
Ebira people speaks Ebira (Egbira), a Nupoid language belonging to the larger Niger-Congo language phylum. Ebira is spoken by about 2 million people in Nigeria especially in Kogi State.
According to Greenberg’s classification of African languages, Ebira belongs to the Kwa group of the Niger-Congo family, which also comprises the Nupe, Gbari and Gade (Greenberg, 1966). But Hoffman and Bendor-Samuel in their studies of Nigerian languages set up Ebira as a separate entity (Adive 1985:56-57).
HISTORY
There are two schools of thought about the Ebira origins. The written source (archeological) and the oral traditions. The Ebira, through oral tradition, trace their descent to Wukari (in the present Taraba state) where they were a constituent part of the Kwararafa confederation. In about 1680 AD, they (along with the Idoma and Igala) migrated out of Wukari a chieftaincy dispute. The Ebira later split into various groups and settled in different locations between 1680 and 1750 AD. The Ebira Tao first sojourned with the Igalas at Idah but later crossed the River Niger and settled at Ebira Opete located the vicinity of Upake in Ajaokuta LGA. The 'father' of the Ebira Tao who led them to this premier settlement in Ebiraland was Itaazi. Itaazi had five (5) sons who all later migrated from Ebira Opete and were the founders of the various districts in Ebiraland. The children and the districts they founded are Adaviruku/Ohizi (Adavi), Ododo (Okehi), Obaji (Eyika), Uga (Okengwe) and Ochuga/Onotu (Ihima). His daughter named Ohunene settled in Eganyi district. Members of the various clans in Ebiraland are descendants of the children of Itaazi. Ohizi had five children who are progenitors of the five traditional Adavi clans named after them. These are upopo-uvete (Apasi), Uka, Idu (Aniku), Adeyika and Uhwami. A migrant group from Eganyi known as Ezi-Onogu clan is also found in Adavi. The sons of Ododo who are the ancestors of Okehi clans were Okovi Oviri and Enwgukonyai. Obaji the founder of Eika had ten children named Ohiaga, Iyewe, Avassa, Ehemi, Anchi, Epoto, Egiri, Ubobo, Ogu and Eyire. Uga of Okengwe had two sons whose children constitute the present Okovi and Agada group of clans. Due to a sizeable concentration of other Ebira clans in Okengwe district, they formed a socio-political coalition known as Ada-ehi. Ochuga had six children and their descendants make up the six clans in Ihima. These are Emani, Oha/Idu, Ohueta, Ure, Ohongwa and Odumi. The seventh clan is Akuta who migrated from Okengwe. Though Itaazi's daughter named Ohunene was the founder of Eganyi, not all the clans there are descended from her. Eganyi clans are Ede, Esugu, Eheda, Ogu, Onoko, Idu, Anavapa and Ogodo. The Aningere who are skilled craftsmen are found in all districts. They are, however, more concentrated in Okengwe and Adavi districts.
From the written source, Ohiare (1985) linguistically defined Ebira as those who speak the language or dialect called Ebira or those who recognize themselves as one but have lost touch of the ability to speak the language as a result of some historical development. Describing their location, Ozigi (2004) said that Ebira are predominantly in the Niger–Benue confluence area and scattered in locations as Okene, Okehi, Adavi and Ajaokuta. These are the Ebira Tao group of the central senatorial District of Kogi State.
There are also the Ebira kotos. They are found in Koton Karfe area of Kogi Local Government of
Kogi State. There is the Ebira Mozum of Bassa Local Government area of Kogi State.
There are large Ebira settlement in other areas apart from Kogi State as found in Umaisha, Toto,
Lafia District of Nassarawa State and Federal Capital Territory. There is also Ebira Agatu in Benue
State, Ebira Etuno in Igarra area of Edo State.
The concern of this paper is the Ebira Tao group. Historically, the people belong to the Kwararafa or
Apa group of the middle belt region. Among the other ethnic group in the Kwararafa region are the
Jukun, the Igala, the Idoma, the Langtang, Kaje etc.
The tradition of origin of the Ebira Tao first started in the Gongola Basin and ended with their
migration to the lower Benue valley.
The Ebira took their name from the lower Benue valley. They described themselves as people from
Ebira. Tradition collected from among the Idoma say Ebira were already in the area of Abinse down
to the area of modern Agatu district when Idoma ancestors met them. This was about the 15th and
16th centuries as claimed by Ohiare (1985). This indicated that the Ebira presence around the Benue
valley was about the 14th Century.

It was from here that the wave of migration dispersed the Ebira and other associated groups to the
confluence area. From here also the people migrated to Ebira opete and the Okehi hills.
Several reasons were given for this migration. They were succession disputes, outbreak of epidemics,
and flight from punishment which the people considered as unjustified and oppressive.
There is yet another period of Ebira historical development. This began with their migration across
the Niger at Itobe to the right bank of the Niger around the present location of Ajoakuta. This place
was known as Ebira opete.
The Ebira had to move further from the Igala territory for obvious reasons of succession. It was a
common practice in the royal circle of Idah that the losing side in succession dispute was always
obliged by tradition to move out of the capital enmasse to the inland and sometime beyond the
boundaries of the Kingdom (in this case, the Ebira belonged to the losing side and so had to move).
According to Ozigi (2004) the dominant theme in the struggle of the Ebira opete settlers was to
secure political independence of Attah in Idah. So, it was their desire to be rid of Idah’s political
influence. This forced the people to begin gradual westward. Some settled in Okehi and Upai hills
and others in Egarra (Etuno) area. From Opete the Ebira moved gradually in families, lineages and
clans to the hills of Okehi, Upai and Eikaoku, a compact area chosen for security purposes.
Political organization of the people in their new area reflected the settlement patterns based on
family lineage and clan group conducted its affairs as a semi autonomous entity. In each clan group,
lineages often acted independently. The leaders of these clan groups never failed to strengthen their
political authority through religious sanctions ordained by the ancestors. Institutions of ancestral
cults featured spirits like “Eku oba”, “Eku echichi”, akatapa’, and “Eku irahu”, that gave political
potency to their religious sanctions.
By mid 19th century, the Ebira had settled permanently in their present locations and lived in the
district founded by the ancestors. Various settlements were founded by the Ebira children like Okovi,
Agada, Eika, Adavi, Ihima and Eganyi. These settlements were named after them.
The main clans and sub clans in Ebira settlements were as follows:
Okovi (Asuwe, Adobe, Ehebe, Omavi, Ure and Omoye as sub clans)
Agada (Akuta, Avi, Ogu, Esusu, and Ohimoroko as sub clans)
Eika (Ihiaga, Iyewe, Avasa, Eyire, Epoto, Anchi, Iheme, Agiri, Ubobo, Uhuodo and Ogu as
sub clans)
Adavi (Aniku, Uhami, Uka, Upopo uvete as sub clans)
Ihima (Emani, Ure, Ohueta, Odumi, Ohionwa and oha as sub clans)
Eganyi (Eheda, Onoko, Esugu, Ogodo, Onogu, Ede and Ogu as sub clans)
These clans were very important in the socio–political life of the Ebira people. They were the basis
of authority and social relations in Ebira traditional community.

By the mid 19th century, about the 1860’s the Jihadists invaded the Ebira settlement and distorted
their socio–political organization. The Jihadists, under the leadership of Madaba from Bida, first
incursed into the Okene area by way of raiding. For the first time, the Ebira were faced with
formidable and a united force under a purposeful and dynamic leadership that could challenge these
Jihadists. These leadership traits were found in Ohindase Ukpai and he did put very strong resistance
in this direction.
In the second incursion, which came about the 1870’s, was a combined force of Bida, Ilorin and
Ibadan under Nupe leadership. With a determined and united Ebira under the Leadership of
Ohindase Avogude, the Ebira resisted once again. It is quite impressive to note that of these
Jihadists’ incursions in Ebira was successful. It is also noteworthy that these incursions had set the
people on the way to central Leadership.
Under colonial rule, the people of Ebira lost their sovereign right. The existing structures were
dismantled and replaced with new ones. There was imposition of colonial agents through whom the
colonialist communicated with the people. There was the imposition of poll tax (Ekehi irehi or house
money), there was forced labour to construct rail lines, road network, etc.
The people resisted patriotically colonial imposition in various ways. Ibrahim (1985) identified that
there were military resistance against the colonialists in such places like Ikuehi, Kuroko and Okene.
These various oppositions to colonial imposition led to the Oyibo Arimo crisis of 1924 and 1926. It
was these series of crisis that culminated into the formation of Igbira Tribal Union (ITU) that
constituted a major political force in the post independent era.
When the British invaded and conquered Ebiraland at the beginning of the century. The people found
a confederation of five-clan groups (they are Eika, Okehi, Adavi, Okengwe, and Ihima) each
operating a devine form of government as established by Ododo of Okehi and Obaji of Eika (the two
greatest heroes of Ebiraland).
Following a breakdown of traditional law and order as a result of wars, migration, famine etc the two
heroes enthroned cult of eldership, resuscitated the masquerade cult and established iragba and the
masquerade as the institution of government and instrument of discipline respectively. Ododo and
Obaji also established a devine form of chieftaincy. The installation of the Chief priest was linked
with the Iragba and the priest elect would pass through a ceremony of death and masquerades and
was finally installed by the Ekuoba.
Each clan group in Ebiarland was politically autonomous with its clan’s chief priest rotating among
the clans in order of seniority. This was the situation until the invasion of the Ajinomoh in the
second half of the 19th century. As from 1900 the British took over Ebiraland, created Kabba
Division and appointed Owudah Adidi as agent in 1902 Omadivi took refuge in the house of
Owudah Adidi at Obangede. Omadivi was a widely traveled man. He appreciated the white man’s
power and motive for invading Ebiraland. He quickly allied with them. Omadivi had wielded much
power around himself and events worked in his favour when in 1904 he was installed the chief of
Ebiraland after the Major Marsh expedition which sacked Okene.
In 1917, Omadivi died as the District Head of Ebiraland and the stage was set for the struggle for his
position. Among the contenders for this position were Ohindase Arudi Adano, Ibrahim Chogudo
Onoruoiza and Ozigizigi of Obehira.
Ibrahim Onoruoiza won the contest at the youthful age of 17 amidst bitter opposition. The credentials
that won him this position included high level of intelligence, brilliant and efficient performance as
white man’s tax assessment scribe and messenger. Ibrahim immediately commenced his activities to
open up roads to Ajaokuta and Lokoja for trading activities. Fascinated by the work of Ibrahim, the
British Resident officer, Mr Byng-Hall created Ebira Division with the Attah as the Sole Native
Authority.

Lisahbeth here is the story about your people... I have done as i promised though i couldnt finish cos of series of ban i v been receiving since i started it...

Representing the great mountain warriors that resisted the fulani jihadists, nupe and ibadan warriors. Even the first wave of British invaders were repelled by this brave men. PROUDLY ANEBIRA!!!

Chigold101,Thank you

Ebira

tbarrister:
Representing the great mountain warriors that resisted the fulani jihadists, nupe and ibadan warriors. Even the first wave of British invaders were repelled by this brave men. PROUDLY ANEBIRA!!!

i Think you are quite wrong sir.. about 70% of the ebira populace are muslims which is as a result of the successful military campaigns of the fulani jihadists. even in some places like okene, only muslims are voted for in the elections..
this my assertion isn't for the purpose of discrediting the gallantry and resillience of the ebira people, but to guide against exaggeration.

Angelou:
i Think you are quite wrong sir.. about 70% of the ebira populace are muslims which is as a result of the successful military campaigns of the fulani jihadists. even in some places like okene, only muslims are voted for in the elections..
this my assertion isn't for the purpose of discrediting the gallantry and resillience of the ebira people, but to guide against exaggeration.

Mr man go and read about the ebira/fulani war, Islam came to the ebiras from the numerous scholars from auchi,Kastina and ilorin and islam was widely accepted by the ebiras after our king the late ibrahim onoruoiza accepted islam. THE FULANIS ALSO TRIED TO CAPTURE OUR KINS (ebira kotos) in present day koton karfi in kogi state but they were defeated in a series of bloody battles, and when the fulanis got tired of fighting us they retreated and their leader named the ebira Koto land as koto karfi which can be translated as koto strong from hausa to English language. AND IF YOU DOUBT THE BRAVERY/STUBBORNNESS OF THE EBIRAS , THEN I THINK YOU SHOULD MESS WITH ANY OF THEM

tbarrister the acceptance of the hausa name "koton karfi" as her official land name by the ebira kotos is a sign of subservience of the ebiras to the hausa/fulani emirates..
even the though the jihadists were not successful in their military onslaught against your kinsmen. they deviced other means by using your supreme monarch as a tool in the realization of their objectives (spread of islam)..
as for your last sentence, it is quite advisable for a normal reasonable person to run away from a set of stubborn, trouble-loving, aggressive set of people as you portrayed your kinsmen to be-

Tbarrister & angelou... Instead of throwing challenges, let us delve into infomation that we are privy to.

Say what you know about life & conquest without mking it look as if two of u or anybody at all is in a fight.

Lisahbeth:
Chigold101,Thank you

u r welcome plenty

Angelou:
tbarrister the acceptance of the hausa name "koton karfi" as her official land name by the ebira kotos is a sign of subservience of the ebiras to the hausa/fulani emirates..
even the though the jihadists were not successful in their military onslaught against your kinsmen. they deviced other means by using your supreme monarch as a tool in the realization of their objectives (spread of islam)..
as for your last sentence, it is quite advisable for a normal reasonable person to run away from a set of stubborn, trouble-loving, aggressive set of people as you portrayed your kinsmen to be-

nobody used any tool to make us to convert in large numbers to islam, go and do your research , Christianity came to ebiraland before Islam and my people accepted islam more because it flows more easily with the traditional religion of that time. Igallas were not conquered by the fulanis but up to 50% of their population are Muslims, both the igallas and the ebiras don't have emirs as their central traditional chiefs and that is a clear sign that they were not conquered directly or indirectly by the fulanis. Meanwhile I called them brave and stubborn but not aggressive. An average ebira man's strength comes only when he is right but if he is wrong the stubbornness will not be their. SO TELL ME WHAT ETHNIC GROUP DO YOU REPRESENT?

tbarrister thanks for the reasonable counsel.. i know the ebiras to be tough-minded and they can be lethal if dared but they could never fully resist the persistent fulani jihadists' influence.. seeing a similarity between their traditional religion and islam isn't a candid reason for the ebiras to whole heartedly accept an 'alien' religion which they had hitherto repelled. the influence of the king is what i see as the reason behind that action.
as for your question pertaining my ethnicity, i think i'd like to keep my lips sealed for the moment, because i wouldn't want you going about digging historical flaws about my race and use then to attack me . ser

Angelou:

as for your question pertaining my ethnicity, i think i'd like to keep my lips sealed for the moment, because i wouldn't want you going about digging historical flaws about my race and use then to attack me . ser

You are Yoruba.
Yoruba Okun of Kogi to be more precise

Angelou:
tbarrister thanks for the reasonable counsel.. i know the ebiras to be tough-minded and they can be lethal if dared but they could never fully resist the persistent fulani jihadists' influence.. seeing a similarity between their traditional religion and islam isn't a candid reason for the ebiras to whole heartedly accept an 'alien' religion which they had hitherto repelled. the influence of the king is what i see as the reason behind that action.
as for your question pertaining my ethnicity, i think i'd like to keep my lips sealed for the moment, because i wouldn't want you going about digging historical flaws about my race and use then to attack me . ser

I think it will be a noble thing to tell angelou where you are from. It means nothing. I will actually go digging about your tribe if you tell me where you are from. I dug about ebira people because Lisahbeth ask me about it.

scholes0:


You are Yoruba.
Yoruba Okun of Kogi to be more precise

how your matter be na??
who asked u
you just blew my cover man!

Angelou:
how your matter be na??
who asked u
you just blew my cover man!

You wanted to stay in one enclosed corner, throwing stones at others, while remaining hidden... Are you kidding me> ?
If you want to criticize others, then u better be ready to come out fully in the open.

Angelou:
how your matter be na??
who asked u
you just blew my cover man!

bros you no be yoruba at all. you just want this guy to go off your back... tel us your tribe

Chigold101:
bros you no be yoruba at all. you just want this guy to go off your back... tel us your tribe

lol... what do you know.
that guy is Yoruba, take it or leave it.

Chigold101:
bros you no be yoruba at all. you just want this guy to go off your back... tel us your tribe

am an okun indigene, from ijumu LGA to be precise... now can i have some peace

Angelou:
am an okun indigene, from ijumu LGA to be precise... now can i have some peace

wow! Thats good but please in which state. Forgive my ignorant at this junture...lolsss

Chigold101:
wow! Thats good but please in which state. Forgive my ignorant at this junture...lolsss

kogi