sad, i can,t speak my language.

I am Ijaw as well, and i too cant speak my language! My parents never spoke it to me while i was growing up, so now I cant even teach my child!

nice.

I don't know shyt about d lang either, so I ain't alone

thanks lady.

Hey all, glad someone started this topic
Me I'm Okrika Ijaw, born and raised in PH city.
about the language, its funny i hear and understand but the speaking fluently.writting is very hard for me.

@pmdaboh,
I'm really interested to know what part of the Ijaw kingdom is your husband from?  You know there are 15million of us and so our language will vary, i was looking at the words you posted and some I know my side uses with variation but others we don't use we use different words for that.

kudos to pmdaboh! see how we yab! you are from america and are making an effort to learn a language that you re not familiar with, but we who are from there, cant even speak it. as for me oh, its too late for me to learn because i'm not very good with languages, but i just said to give you kudos!

the ijaw language is not that easy to learn ;

Ijaw History (From Ijawnation Yahoogroups archive - posted by Mr. Benaebi Benatari of IPA, UK.)


The Ijaws are a nation of more than fourteen million people in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, the most populous indigenous inhabitants of the Niger Delta and constitute the fourth largest ethnicity within the borders of Nigeria.

The term Ijaw is the anglicised version of Ijo or Ejo, a variation of Ujo or Ojo, the ancestor who gave the Ijo people our name. Other modern variations include Izon (Ijon), Ezon (Ejon) and Uzon (Ujon) meaning the same thing. Other names referring to Ijaw people are Uzo (at Benin), the original ancestral name Oru (in Ijaw and Ibo land) and Kumoni (in Ijaw). These names were applicable through the Niger Delta and environs as noted by early British visitors;

", The early British explorers applied the curious name "ORU" to the Ijo west of Brass from the Nun entrance to Taylor creek, Dr Baikie said of them in 1854. 'From the mouth of the river (NUN) up to this point (TAYLOR CREEK), the country on either side is named ORU. The people are of the same tribe as who inhabit the tract of country up to the Rio Formoso where however they are called EJO or OJO by which name they are known at Abo, at Brass and even Bonny, by English palm oil traders. They are often termed Jo-men. Throughout this district but one language is spoken with but little dialectical difference, Dr Bakie does not explain where he got the name Oru as the appropriate term for Ijaw. the word means "a God" in Nembe and it is clear the explorer did not get it from a Nembe source….In 1906 Major Arthur Glyn Leonard listed a number of tribes of the Delta, distinguishing an Oru as well as an Ijo tribe, "The Oru occupy the tract of country on each side of the Nun branch of the Niger and along the coastline between it and the Ramos river. Then in the triangle formed by the Nun and the Gana-Gana, also outside it, to a small extent, both eastward and westward, dwell the Ijo the most important tribe in the lower Delta, and indeed after the Ibo in the whole of Southern Nigeria, "[1]

“, About three hours from Sunday Island, we came to inhabited villages; we induced two canoes to come off, from who we learnt that the people between Brass and Aboh are called Oru…”[2]

“….July 2:…Some of the neighbouring chiefs of Oru came off, with whom we had conversation about legal trade…”[3]

“…November 3: weighed early this morning, and anchored of Agberi, the first Oru village below the Aboh district…”[4]

“…The Oru or Ijo or Udso of Koelle are identical with Brass, at the mouth of the Nun on the coast, otherwise called Hebu or Nempe by their Ibo neighbours. This language is spoken to the extent of 100 miles from the mouth of the Nun, to the boundary of Abo territory: how far inland towards Benin, on the right and towards the Ibo country on the left is yet unknown…”[5]

The original collective names for the ancestors of the Ijos were “Kumoni” and “Oru”, survivals of the ancient terms of “Khem-Anu” or “Khem-Onu”, and “Horu” of the ancient Nile valley civilisations of Khem or Kemetu (ancient Egypt) and Kush (ancient Sudan). The Kumoni-oru derived from ancient Egypt via Ife, while the Oru derived from ancient Sudan. Now the earliest ancestors of the Ijos, the “Orus” or “Tobu-Otu”, migrated from the lake Chad aquatic civilisation of Daima region (c 5000-2000 BCE). Their settlement in the delta was from the earliest of times. Unfortunately not much is known about this period, only that traditionally it is said that these early ancestors “dropped from the sky” (i.e. to say the Orus were of divine origin), and were devotees of spiritual culture that made much use of the waters (hence the mermaid and water people legends “Beni-Otu”) They were later to be joined by other ancestors “Kumoni-Orus” from about 400 CE, and 650 CE (AD), who, after settling first in the Nupe and Borgu regions, then the Ile-Ife region, moved to the Benin region via Nupe, and Ife. In the Benin region they eventually settled and launched expeditions into the Niger Delta, where they came across remote settlements of the Orus, whom they termed “ancient people”. But because they were also ultimately Oru, from the beginning they established communities as one people. The Ijos were known by the two names of Kumoni or Oru up till the time of the 19th century. European visitors noted the name Oru as a distinct term for Ijaw. Likewise the compilers of the Izon/English dictionary noted that “to speak Kumoni is to speak pure Izon language”. The term Ijo (Ijaw) or Izon evolved as the name of the whole ethnic nationality through time, even though as a personal name it derived from one ancestor who was known as Ujo, whom as we have previously mentioned, represents the time when the Ijos evolved as a distinct separate people from their neighbours.

The Formation of the Ijo ethnic nation was a gradual process. We have the period prior to 400 CE i.e. 500 BCE to 700 CE (AD), of which the proto-Ijos or “ancient people” ancestors (Tobu Otu) or Oru settled in the central delta and fused with later immigrants. Then we have the time of; 700-1200 CE (AD), where we have the ancient Kumoni-oru ancestors who came with the ancestor Ujo ultimately from Upper Egypt, migrating through Ile-Ife and other places such as Gbara in Nupe, establishing further settlements at Agadagba-bou in Igbedi creek, and the Nun river in present day Kolokuma Ijo. It was from here that the bulk of the ancient ancestors fused and founded several towns and clans and the beginnings of the Ijaw evolving as a distinct ethnic nationality.

After establishing at Igbedi creek, Ujo sent for more of his people who were at Wari-Ife/Warige and Ujama or Uzama (i.e. Ado or Beni). This was at the very beginning of the foundation of Beni, and it is this account that some traditions mention Benin as a place of origin (also a district around Nupe was also called Beni, founded by the Beni clan of Kumoni, with capital at Gbara);

“…The first place of Ujo’s encampment in his journey from Ile-Ife was the site where Benin City now stands. Then like the Yorubas all the tribes founded by members of Ujo’s retinue and by Ujo himself claimed that place (Benin City) as the place of their original settlement whence they emigrated….”[6]

“…The Origin of the Ijos. There are lots of different opinions about the origin of the Ijos. Some anthropologist say that the Ijos came from South Africa, some say from East Africa. Some say they are from a district around Nupe province in Northern Nigeria and some say that the Ijos came from Benin, In general the Ijos themselves believe that they came from Benin and in fact most of their traditional stories and folklore refer to Benin. yet we are left to wonder the great difference in language among the Ijos and Benin. If we should assume the belief that the Ijos came from Benin according to the natives it might be that the Ijos left Benin far earlier than any other tribe migrating from Benin, "[7]

The original ancestral settlements founded by the proto-Ijos in the central delta were, Agadagba-bou (first home of Ujo in the central delta), in Igbedi Creek, Isoma-bou along the Nun river, Opuan-bou in the same area, and Orubiribua-bou, also in the same area, and Abo, with its villages, further up the Niger.

When they came and settled in the central delta, the ancestors personified by Ujo, after establishing their authority over preexisting settlements (central delta), instructed an expedition force to go and guard the mouth of the delta and other important places along the coast as stipulated by his father King Adumu. These people became the ancestors of several Izon clans. Keni Opu Ala or Keni-Ala, the holy seer (Asain) of Adumu, the Supreme Intelligence symbolized by the sacred serpent python, was the ancestor who founded Ke or Keni and its daughter towns. Kula and Bille were also founded in this way. Ogulagha and Iduwini, were founded as a result of proto ancestors settling in the western coastal delta, to guard that region. Oguru (alias Kala-Ogbo who gave his name to Warri region (Ogbo Ijo) settled the area now known as Warri region, these ancestors were to be joined by people from Oporoma. Others such as Kuru, founded the Kru people (they seem to have been proto-Ijos), who eventual migrated to the present day Liberia region, while some ended up settling in present day Ghana region.

After many years of settlement Ujo left his headquarters in Igbedi creek in charge of the Agadagba of Egbesu (military officer), and decided to go back to Otu-Ife. He traveled with nine companions including his grandson Apoi (Opoi) the son of Kala-Okun. Without a skilled astronomer they got lost and decided to settle in a creek near the vicinity of the Nun river. It was here they founded the village of Apoi. Ujo made his permanent home with his grandson Apoi at the quarter now known as Okoto-aja. It was here that he died and was buried. Ujo who was titled Kalasuo, gave the title to his grandson Apoi, since then the rulers of Apoi clan have been titled “Kalasuo”. From the central Apoi, a section migrated to the western delta, to found Apoi Ijo of the Ondo region. Also from the central Apoi, was founded Akassa clan along the coast.

The ancient town of Ujo-Gbaran or Gbaran for short was founded by Gbaran an elder son of Ujo. Gbaran was given the scepter of Ujo on the death of his father. Later on his descendants went and founded the town of Oporo-aja (Oproza) in the western delta region of Escravos, to give birth to the Gbaranmatu and also Arogbo in Ondo area. Children of Ujo, Olodi and Oporo, went and established a common settlement, from which descendants founded Oporoma and Olodiama clans. From Olodiama in central delta, ancestors left to found Olodiama in the western delta near Benin, and also ancestors left to found Olodiamabiri and Onyomabiri and other towns, to form Nembe clan. From Agadagba-bou was also founded Ogbia (Ogbo-Oyan) clan who are the descendants of Oyan. From the same Agadagba-bou, led by Opu-Ogbo, was founded, Isoma-bou or Opuan-bou, from which ancestors later migrated to found, Ekpetiama, and Seimbiri clans.

The last to leave the ancient town of Agadagba-bou, were the ancestors of the Opukuma, Kolokuma, Tarakiri and Andoni. Opu-Okun was the ancestor of the Opukuma, while Kala-Okun was the ancestor of the Kolokuma, both were children of Ujo by the same mother. Tara a younger child of Ujo was the ancestor of the Tarakiri, while Ayama the son of Tara was the ancestor of the Andoni in eastern Ijo,. The Andoni (ruler known as the Andoni-Oru) town of Asarama was founded by Asara or Assa an ancient ancestor descendant of Ayama, At that remote period most of the ancestors lived in Igbedi creek at Agadagba-bou and the immediate environs of the Nun river. Afterwards their descendants migrated all over the delta. Lastly Abowi, the Asain (seer) of Ujo who led the migration from Otu-Ife or Ile-Ife, journeyed up the river Niger to establish a number of villages which gave rise to Abo and Atani (ruler known as the Atani-Oru). Abo or Aboh and Atani no longer speak Izon language.

Lastly we have the 1200-1600 CE (AD) period; From these early formations and migrations sprang other clans, while at the same time ancestors joined the Ijo of the delta at the beginning of the 12th century up to the 16th century CE or AD when the old Napata kingdom collapsed at Gbara, the Adumu or Oduduwa dynasty was overthrown at Ile-Ife, the last Ogiso Kaladiran, were overthrown at Benin City, and civil strife at Benin caused people to leave. From the central delta Apoi, was founded the Apoi of the western delta area of Ondo. From Oproza town in Gbaranmatu clan was founded at the end of the 15th century, Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran clans, which was the result of a large family migration from Oproza town about 1480. From Kumbo was founded Okparabe. From Gbaran town in central Izon, was founded Effurun and Uvwie. Efferun a descendant of Gbaran, elder son of Ujo, was the ancestor of the Effurun in upper Warri area, while Owei was the ancestor of the Uvwei. Likewise from Gbaran was founded via Efferun, the Tuomo clan. From Oporoma was founded the Operemo clan, and some went to join the Ogbos, descendants of Kala-Ogbo to become the Ogbe-Ijo clan. From the Isedani lineage of Kolokuma, led by Opumakuba and Alagbariye (alias Kala-Beni), a migration to the eastern delta coast founded the Ibeni or Ibani clan now known as Bonny early in the 12/13th century. From the Isoma-bou area along the Nun, was founded Obiama, from which came Boma and Ogboin. Izon who lived at Benin city later joined these ancestors. From Benin City, migrated Beni-Izon people who were fleeing the local wars. They founded Obotebe, and Beni (Oyakiri) clans. The ancestor Mein, who was Beni-Izon, i.e. an Izon citizen of Benin, and his family migrated from Benin City because the reigning Oba had started to confiscated the private lands and property for his own use. Mein settled in Igbedi creek and founded the town of Ogobiri. From Ogobiri, was founded the Mein of the western delta. Perebokekalakebari shortened to Kalabari the grandson of Mein was the ancestor who founded Kalabari clan.

Basan, Furupagha and Tungbo was also founded about this time, through ancestors coming from Nupe, Oporoma, Kolokuma and Ke. Other clans include the Buseni and Okodia, who hailed from Kolokuma and Benin-Izon (Ado), Egbema from Iduwini and Operemo. Okirika or Kirikeni hailed from Isoma-bou, Andoni, and Ogboin,. Others include the Ndoki, who came from Isedani of Kolokuma, but now speak Ibo, Nkoro or small Okirika, Zarama and Egbema of Imo region, Opobo (1800), who hailed from the house of Opubo of Ibani (Bonny) and Oruma, whose other name is Tugbene hailing from Oboloma. Altogether they constitute the Ijo people who stretch from the eastern shores to the western shores of the Nigerian coast.

References

[1] Alagoa E J (1964) The Small Brave City State, p7.

[2] Crowder S (1970 2nd Edition) Journal of an Expedition Up the Niger and Tshadda [Benue] Rivers undertaken by Macgregor Laird in 1854 - Missionary Research and Travels no.15, p10.

[3] Ibid, p13

[4] Ibid, p194

[5] Ibid, p199

[6] Owonaru S K, op cit, p118.

[7] Neiketien P B (1941) A Short History of Tarakiri Clan, p27.

Major ijaw cities and towns in nigeria.

SN Town State Region Remarks
1 Abonnema Rivers Eastern Ijaw 
2 Adoloseimọ Ondo Western Ijaw 
3 Agbere Bayelsa Central Ijaw Agbere is on the River Nun, the first town on the Nun from where the River Niger forms it confluence with the Nun River, a few miles south of Onitsha. Agbere is three towns up river from Kaiyama
4 Akpata Ondo Western Ijaw 
5 Amadaka Akwa Ibom Eastern Ijaw A town in Andoni clan
6 Amapẹrẹ Ondo Western Ijaw 
7 Amassoma Bayelsa Central Ijaw Birth Place of the impeached Governor DSP Alamieyeseigha
8 Angiama Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
9 Anyama Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
10 Anyama Bayelsa Central Ijaw A town in Ogbia clan
11 Arogbo Ondo Western Ijaw HQ of a group of over 50 Ijaw towns in Ondo State
12 Asarama Rivers Eastern Ijaw A town in Andoni clan
13 Ataba Rivers Eastern Ijaw A town in Andoni clan
14 Ọkaminiwei Gbine Ondo Western Ijaw 
15 Bakana Rivers Eastern Ijaw 
16 Bassanbiri Bayelsa Central Ijaw Nembe part of Brass
17 Bọlọwọghu Arogbo Western Ijaw 
18 Biagbine Ondo Western Ijaw 
19 Bomadi Delta Western Ijaw 
20 Bonny Rivers Eastern Ijaw 
21 Buguma Rivers Eastern Ijaw HQ city of the Kalabari clan
22 Burutu Delta Western Ijaw 
23 Ebukuma Rivers Eastern Ijaw Andoni Clan
24 Egbema Edo Western Ijaw 
25 Ekowe Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
26 Finima Rivers Eastern Ijaw 
27 Funama Edo Western Ijaw 
28 Gbanrain Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
29 Igbematoru Delta Western Ijaw 
30 Iko Akwa Ibom Eastern Ijaw A town in Andoni clan
31 Ikuru Town Rivers Eastern Ijaw Andoni clan
32 Kaiama Bayelsa Central Ijaw Birth place of the heroic and national figure, Major Adaka Boro
33 Koluama Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
34 Korokorosei Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
35 Ngo Rivers Eastern Ijaw HQ of Andoni LGA
36 Odi Bayelsa Central Ijaw This town was completely destroyed by the armed forces of Nigeria under the instruction of President (General) Obasanjo in 1999
37 Ogbolomabiri Bayelsa  Nembe part of Brass
38 Okirika Rivers Eastern Ijaw HQ City of the Okirika clan
39 Okorobo Rivers Eastern Ijaw A town in Andoni clan
40 Okoroete Akwa Ibom Eastern Ijaw HQ of Eastern Obolo (Andoni) LGA
41 Okoroinyong Akwa Ibom Eastern Ijaw A town in Andoni clan
42 Oloibiri Bayelsa Central Ijaw the place oil was first found in commercial quantity in Nigeria.
43 Olugbobiri Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
44 Opobo Rivers Eastern Ijaw 
45 Opokuma Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
46 Oporoma Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
47 Opuama Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
48 Otuan Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
49 Patani Delta Western Ijaw 
50 Port Harcourt Rivers Eastern Ijaw Capital city of Rivers State
51 Sabagerigha Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
52 Sagbama Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
53 Tombia Rivers Eastern Ijaw A town in Kalabari clan
54 Torofani Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
55 Tungbo Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
56 Twon Bayelsa Central Ijaw Is a major town in Brass group of towns
57 Ukpẹ Ondo Western Ijaw 
58 Ukubie Bayelsa Central Ijaw 
59 Unyeada Rivers Eastern Ijaw Andoni clan
60 Warri Delta Western Ijaw Commercial capital city of Delta State
61 Yenagoa Bayelsa Central Ijaw Capital City of Bayelsa State



Ijaw Language Family Tree

mohadana:

sad, i can,t speak my language.

Mohadana, were in ijo land do you hail from?

Abonnema-Rivers.The Eastern Ijaw People of River State.

My Mom is From Anyama -Bayelsa State.

were is omoge25 from?

mohadana:

were is omoge25 from?

Oh I live with yoruba ppl, do yoruba things , one day omoge just sprouted out.


My ppl are from okrika, my mother is Bony though. I wanted to ask if were you where at you guys have any ijaw or Abonnema community or groups. We used ot have one in Dallas but its like it disbanded after a year. I know Bayelsa ppls in houston have one. I sometimes go with my yoruba or ibo friends to their towns peoples meetings here. I just wonder why we dont have one.

I am from Patani, in Delta state, Kabowei Kingdom!

Ijaw Phrase Englsh Meaning Dialect
bietebe keme ama miengha no man is an island mein .

The Ijaw speak nine closely-related Niger-Congo languages, all of which belong to the Ijoid branch of the Niger-Congo tree. The primary division between the Ijo languages is that between Eastern Ijo and Western Ijo, the most important of the former group of languages being Izon, which is spoken by about four million people. There are two prominent groupings of this language. The first group is nominally termed "Western" or "Central" Ijaw or Izon, and consists of "Western" Ijaw speakers (Mein, Bassan, Apoi, Arogbo, Bumo, Kabuowei, Ogboin, Tarakiri, etc variety) as well Kolokuma-Opokuma (Yenagoa and the vicinity). Nembe-Brass and Akassa (Akaha) dialects are referred to as "Ijo South-East". These groups, since 1996, mainly constitutes Bayelsa State, but spills over to Delta, Edo and Ondo States. Biseni and Okodia dialect are termded "Inland" Ijo The other major group is Kalabari. Kalabari is an "Eastern" Ijaw language but the term "Eastern Ijaw" is not the normal nomenclature. Kalabari is the name one of the clans of the Ijaws that reside on the eastern side of the Niger-Delta (Abonnema, Buguma, Bakana, Degema etc who form a major group in Rivers State, hence their involvement in the fight for greater oil control. Other "Eastern" Ijaw clans are the Okrika, Ibani (the natives of Bonny, Finima and Opobo) and Nkoroo. They are neighbours to the Kalabari in present day Rivers State of Nigeria.

Other related Ijo sub-groups which have distinct linguistic relations but very close blood (i.e genetic), cultural and territorial homogenity with the rest of the Ijaw are Epie-Atisa clan, Engenni people and Udekama (which speak Delta Edoid Languages). Others are Ogbia clan, Bukuma, Abuloma (Obulom) and Andoni (which speak Delta Cross languages).

It was discovered in the 1980s that a nearly-extinct Berbice Creole Dutch, spoken in Guyana, is based on Ijo lexicon and grammar. Its nearest relative seems to be Eastern Ijo, most likely Kalabari (Kouwenberg 1994).

The Ijaw were one of the first of Nigeria's peoples to have contact with Westerners, and were active as go-betweens in trade between visiting Europeans and the peoples of the interior, particularly in the era before the discovery of quinine, when West Africa was still known as the White Man's Graveyard because of the endemic presence of malaria. Some of the kin-based trading lineages that arose among the Ijaw developed into substantial corporations which were known as "Houses"; each house had an
Being a maritime people, many Ijaw people were employed in the merchant shipping sector in the early and mid-20th century (pre-Nigerian independence). With the advent of oil and gas exploration in their territory, some are employed in that sector. Other main occupation are mainly in the civil service of the Nigerian States of Bayelsa and Rivers were they are predominant.

Extensive state-government sponsored overseas scholarship programs in the 1970s and 1980s have also led to a significant presence of Ijaw professionals in Europe and North America (so-called Ijaw Diaspora). Another contributing factor to this human capital flight is the abject poverty in their homeland of the Niger Delta resulting from decades of neglect by the Nigerian government in spite of continuous petroleum prospecting in this region.


The Ijaw people foods items ( paddy-rice, plantains, yams, cocoyams, bananas and other vegetables as well as tropcal fruits such as guava, mangoes and pineapple), supplemented by fishing and trading. Smoke-dried fish, timber, palm oil and palm kernels are processed for export. While some clans (those to the east- Akassa, Nembe, Kalabari, Bonny, Okrika and Opobo) had powerful chiefs and a stratified society, other clans had no centralized leader until the arrival of the British. However, owing to influence of the neighbouring Kingdom of Benin individual communities even in the western Niger Delta also had chiefs and governments at the village level.

Marriages are completed by the payment of a bridal dowry, which increases in size if the bride is from another village (so as to make up for that village's loss of her children). Funeral ceremonies, particularly for those who have accumulated wealth and respect, are often very dramatic

Although the Ijaw are now primarily Christians ( 95% profess to be), with Catholicism and Anglicanism being the varieties of Christianity most prevalent among them, the Ijaw have elaborate traditional religious practices of their own. Veneration of ancestors plays a central role in Ijaw traditional religion, while water spirits, known as Owuamapu figure prominently in the Ijaw pantheon. In addition, the Ijaw practice a form of divination called Igbadai, in which recently deceased individuals are interrogated on the causes of their death.
Food customs
Like many ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Ijaws have many local foods that are not widespread in Nigeria. Many of these foods involve fish and other seafoods such as clams, oysters and periwinkles; yams and plantains. Some of these foods are:

Polofiyai — A very rich soup made with yams and palm oil
Kekefiyai— A pottage made with chopped unripened (green) plantains, fish, other seafood or game meat ("bushmeat" and palm oil
Fried fish and plantain — Fish fried in palm oil and served with fried plantains
Gbe — The grub of the raffia-palm tree beetle that is eaten raw, dried or pickled in palm oil
Kalabari "sea-harvest" fulo— A rich mixed seafood soup or stew that is eaten with foofoo, rice or yams
Ethnic identity
Formerly organized into several loose clusters of villages which cooperated to defend themselves against outsiders, the Ijaw increasingly view themselves as belonging to a single coherent nation, bound together by ties of language and culture. This tendency has been encouraged in large part by what are considered to be environmental depredations that have accompanied the discovery of oil in the Niger delta region which the Ijaw call home, as well as by a revenue sharing formula with the Nigerian Federal government that is viewed by the Ijaw as manifestly unfair.

I am ijaw also,I am from Abari somewhere in Patani local Govt BabyCakes ,what family are you from in Patani.

.

@Pmdaboh,is man from Bayelsa or Rivers state.?

Hey Roscodaddy, I am from the Oki family, are we related??

dimka:

sweet Rivers.

big shame!!
you can't even speak the language.
Very soon we'll make you speak Igbo like people in Bonny and Opobo

Dear Ijaw Fellas, I read through your Culture and Origin as posted on this thread and it was pretty rich. Well, how possible can we stop the bad names we gave ourselves or maybe the press gave us. The kidnapping has our name on a front row, even though our people were negleted and not cared for, we would stand together legally and make the government see reasons with us.

Ijaw people are great people. Am not one actually, but so far, all the Ijaws in Ondo State are great people, all the Ijaws in Delta State are great people with vision and great paspective. Am happy, I have an Ethnic group known as IJAW, 

We can achieve our aim, be who we should be, if we accept the fact that we are all brothers and we are one family, and saying no to supporting of hustage takings, and all other illegal activities.

I wish to learn how to say Good morning, afternoon, evening and night in Ijaw dialet + how to say am coming and many more simple opening.

Segoye 2

im an african american woman involved with a nigerian man for the past 6 mos, up until now i thought he was yoruba since he speaks it, come to find out he says hes from delta state (north part) his tribe is kwale and they speak ukwani i asked him if he knew how to speak the langauge he says yes but not as good as yoruba since he grew up in lagos and was raised speaking yoruba and english, i asked him was he ibo he says no, so im like what is he?

cutensexxy:
he says hes from delta state (north part) his tribe is kwale and they speak ukwani. i asked him was he ibo he says no, so im like what is he?

He is a deluded Igboman. Ukwuani is Delta Igbo but some of them tend to distance themselves from Igbos due to political reasons, despite their obvious Igbo heritage.

ama booooooo.
agbei booooooo.
tebrah,emi ooooooooooooooooooooooooh

i greet my ijaw friends.i have always loved your language,the unripe plantains and ofcos the fishes.

Like this thread.