Illushi is an indigenous community situated along the river Niger, in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State. Predominantly farmers, it is a known fact that the Illushi community is one of the commercial bases of the nation with over three million tubers of yam and fishes annually as export quality, jobs creating and nourishment for the nation and beyond.

Popularly called the food basket of Edo state, it is so depressing that this so called commercial zone, exist without a trace of basic amenities like electric power (except the one being generated individually with the aid of generating sets), roads, hospital or communication to mention a few . Billions of naira is been generated from this community yet its left to decay…….. What's the way forward?

@OP,if u take a trip to the creeks and villages in Bayelsa and other "oyel" producing states,you will cry an ocean.
Your case is not strange by Naija standards.Have u tried writing your LG chairman to inform him(not like he doesnt know) of the plight of your people?It would work better than creating threads here.

@Bigfrancis21, there is even a thread about this community.

Just a few contribution.

IdisuleOurOwn:
@Bigfrancis21, there is even a thread about this community.

Just a few contribution.

Give it a rest they are not Igbo and illushi is Esan. Must everything be Igbo?... Illushi is Esan and so shall it be.... They don't have oil and so what is your interest in them?

martha89:
Give it a rest they are not Igbo and illushi is Esan. Must everything be Igbo?... Illushi is Esan and so shall it be.... They don't have oil and so what is your interest in them?

illushi are neither ishans nor ibos. They speak Ibo as their second language. They are close to kogi and igarra

martineverest:
illushi are neither ishans nor ibos. They speak Ibo as their second language. They are close to kogi and igarra

illushi is Esan just like me. There is no Igbo in Edo talk less of Esan. Focus on Anioma or Rivers people. So its not Benue again now its illushi? .illushi Esan north east is part of ubiaja which is Esan...

martha89:
illushi is Esan just like me. There is no Igbo in Edo talk less of Esan. Focus on Anioma or Rivers people. So its not Benue again now its illushi? .illushi Esan north east is part of ubiaja which is Esan...

igbankes are igbo...i don't see illushi as ishans. Their language is totally different from ishan

martineverest:
igbankes are igbo...i don't see illushi as ishans. Their language is totally different from ishan

illushi is an Esanland,if there are some igala and Igbo's there then it means they migrated there. My point non Esans in illushi are migrants from the nigbhorhood states. Na wa...

martha89:
Give it a rest they are not Igbo and illushi is Esan. Must everything be Igbo?... Illushi is Esan and so shall it be.... They don't have oil and so what is your interest in them?

I don't think anyone here insinuated they were Igbos. It was established that they are Ibaji Igala speaking but seemed to have Igbo influences laced here and there. This is not surprising given that the Ibaji dialect of Igala is influenced by Igbo words here and there, and the people of Ulochi (which surprisingly mean house of God in Igbo) or Ilushi are Ibaji Igala speaking, just like their brothers in Kogi south bordering Anambra state. It is often said that the Ibaji Igalas were influenced by the Igbos/Igbo language and the capital of Ibaji LGA is Onyedega which looks more Igbo than it would Igala.

The ancestry of these people, just as it is everywhere, may not be plain a or b. There may have been a mixture somewhere down the line in the past.

martha89:
illushi is an Esanland,if there are some igala and Igbo's there then it means they migrated there. My point non Esans in illushi are migrants from the nigbhorhood states. Na wa...

Illushi people are not Esan speaking, however. Their inclusion in Esan land may have been a mistake but it may be wrong to claim Illushi as Esanland.

martineverest:
illushi are neither ishans nor ibos. They speak Ibo as their second language. They are close to kogi and igarra

How many percentage of them can speak Igbo as second language fluently? Are there any native Igbo speakers among the Illushi?

bigfrancis21:


Illushi people are not Esan speaking, however. Their inclusion in Esan land may have been a mistake but it may be wrong to claim Illushi as Esanland.

OK everywhere in Nigeria is Igbo.. Illushi is Esanland, those Igbo's or igalla settled there.

martha89:
OK everywhere in Nigeria is Igbo.. Illushi is Esanland, those Igbo's or igalla settled there.

I never said that. I am being realistic here and putting facts straight as they should be.

martha89:
illushi is Esan just like me. There is no Igbo in Edo talk less of Esan. Focus on Anioma or Rivers people. So its not Benue again now its illushi? .illushi Esan north east is part of ubiaja which is Esan...

What do Igbo akiri or igbanke in edo speek? How can you say that there is no Igbo in edo state

martha89:
illushi is an Esanland,if there are some igala and Igbo's there then it means they migrated there. My point non Esans in illushi are migrants from the nigbhorhood states. Na wa...

And what makes you feel that ilushi is esan ..what's the meaning of the word ilushi in esan

tonychristopher:


Your stupidity is pristine.. What do Igbo akiri or igbanke in edo speek? How can you say that there is no Igbo in edo state

There's clear Igbo presence near the Esan South East border with the Igbankes and other migrants inhabiting that area.

HugoChavezJr:


She's very dull upstairs, like that buffoon aim5. There's clear Igbo presence near the Esan South East border with the Igbankes and other migrants inhabiting that area.

Sometime I will come to believe that ignorance is bliss so I allow them to bask in ignorance.. It will be their bliss


Merry Christmas in advance

tonychristopher:


Sometime I will come to believe that ignorance is bliss so I allow them to bask in ignorance.. It will be their bliss


Merry Christmas in advance

Same to you.

HugoChavezJr:


Same to you.

We will continue to point out their folly and distortion of history

martha89:
Give it a rest they are not Igbo and illushi is Esan. Must everything be Igbo?... Illushi is Esan and so shall it be.... They don't have oil and so what is your interest in them?

See me see trouble o!

Where did I say they are Igbos
Look here, I was born in the the community.
I attend Uyor (happiness) Nursery and Primary School. I also attend Niger Bank Primary School.

The school (Uyor) which means happiness in Igala and also in Ibaji is own by a Catholic family.
The wife is an Esan woman while the husband is of the Ibaji.
That's why you have the name, UYO.

I just revive this thread for more contribution.

bigfrancis21:


I don't think anyone here insinuated they were Igbos. It was established that they are Ibaji Igala speaking but seemed to have Igbo influences laced here and there. This is not surprising given that the Ibaji dialect of Igala is influenced by Igbo words here and there, and the people of Ulochi (which surprisingly mean house of God in Igbo) or Ilushi are Ibaji Igala speaking, just like their brothers in Kogi south bordering Anambra state. It is often said that the Ibaji Igalas were influenced by the Igbos/Igbo language and the capital of Ibaji LGA is Onyedega which looks more Igbo than it would Igala.
The ancestry of these people, just as it is everywhere, may not be plain a or b. There may have been a mixture somewhere down the line in the past.

Onye means crocodile in Igala.
Ega means River in Igala.

So, the word ONYEDEGA, means crocodile is in the river.

E'de means, it is in or it is inside.

E'de also means worm.

IdisuleOurOwn:


See me see trouble o!

Where did I say they are Igbos
Look here, I was born in the the community.
I attend Uyor (happiness) Nursery and Primary School. I also attend Niger Bank Primary School.

The school (Uyor) which means happiness in Igala and also in Ibaji is own by a Catholic family.
The wife is an Esan woman while the husband is of the Ibaji.
That's why you have the name, UYO.

I just revive this thread for more contribution.

OK but i was saying the land belong s to Esan though non Esans migrated there.

IdisuleOurOwn:


Onye means crocodile in Igala.
Ega means River in Igala.

So, the word ONYEDEGA, means crocodile is in the river.

E'de means, it is in or it is inside.

E'de also means worm.

Thanks for the info. Is there a possible river around that area that the name could have possibly come from or be named after?

bigfrancis21:


Thanks for the info. Is there a possible river around that area that the name could have possibly come from or be named after?

It is the River Niger.
Maybe there is another River somewhere around the town that they name after the town, that I don't know.

I have read some of your views expressed here but non is absolutely correct. I will start by telling you I am a native of Uloshi which outsiders coined and spell as Illushi. Unfortunately, Uloshi have now been divided into two by government calling one part Uroh and the other Illushi as if they are different communities. The place popularly called Illushi today is also known as Odi-Igono (because at the time the community was formed it was populated by a specie of bird called Igono) which is also now called Ozigono or Ojigono. We the Uloshi people speak Igala or if you like Ibaji. Let me clearly state it here that we have nothing in common with Esan people apart from government fusion. We are markedly different from the Esan people. In terms of our culture there is no semblance at all. The Esan people call their kings Onojie whereas we the Uloshi people refer to our king as Onu.
That we are fused with the Esan people for government administrative convenience does not make us Esan. Apart from Uloshi people there are three other Igala speaking communities in Esan South East Local Government, take for instance : Ifeku -Island. We have almost the same history with the Ebu people in Delta State that also speak Igala.
Yes, it is true that we have some relations with the Igbo people but that is tied to the relationship between our forefathers and the Anioma people in Delta State. So much intermarriage led to some of the names we bear.
Someone once claimed Ozigono (Illushi) land belong to the Esans. That is one believe that is also false. Take for instance, before the Royal Niger Company now UAC built their yard in Ozigono as far back as 1892 they had to get into a lease agreement with the Uloshi people who leased where they built their yard to them. As at that time, Esans where no where near there. The few Esans who came around from where is today known as Oria/ Onogolo came to farm and they were paying what in modern day can be termed royalty or rent to the Onu of Uloshi land. Some even went as far as saying the Onojie of Ubiaja ruled over Ozigono at a point. The question such people find difficult to answer is at what time were the Olushi people conquered that made them subjects of the Onojie of Ubiaja? Since they can't falsify that, many of them don't speak about that anymore.
Back to the main issue. Illushi is not the correct way to refer to us. The white men coined our original name Uloshi to Illushi for reasons best known to them. Fortunately, we are not alone on this. They even change Bini to Benin. Our root as the story goes can be traced to Ida in Kogi State. This explains why in time past, coronation rites of our kings used to be carried out in Ida by the Attah of Igala Kingdom. Our forefathers who settled there we were told came from Ida and were on a trip with the Attah to see his brother the Oba of Benin. There existed a clear evidence of this story close to Aika at Ega before the land slide washed it off. That point was were they first settled from time immemorial and it is the boundary between us and the Oria people. Our culture is basically same with the Ibaji people that is why till date kingship in Uloshi is rotational amongst the ruling houses unlike the Esan culture, though the government and the Esan people are trying to force their hereditary culture on kingship down our throats. Good enough that has been matched with resistance that has led to the restiveness in the community.
There is also the place of the Anioma people's influence on our cultural practices. History has that the Olu festival which we annually observe was borrowed from these Delta Igbo speaking people. So some of you who claim Igbo influence may not be wrong. But for the Esan people we have nothing in common apart from government.
Suffice it to say here that the Uloshi (Illushi) people are Igala (if you like call it Ibaji) and speak only Igala. We do not have a second Nigerian language whether it be Igbo or Esan.

martineverest:
illushi are neither ishans nor ibos. They speak Ibo as their second language. They are close to kogi and igarra

hey illushi is where my family settle down as an igala man....i am from there somehow.....ok.....its an esan town but there r not igbos ooo igbos r there to do ther biz

illushi speaks igala and the igalas migrated from idah and ibaji area of kogi state...ok we know our roots

Revolva:


hey illushi is where my family settle down as an igala man....i am from there somehow.....ok.....its an esan town but there r not igbos ooo igbos r there to do ther biz

illushi speaks igala and the igalas migrated from idah and ibaji area of kogi state...ok we know our roots

OK sir

IdisuleOurOwn:


See me see trouble o!

Where did I say they are Igbos
Look here, I was born in the the community.
I attend Uyor (happiness) Nursery and Primary School. I also attend Niger Bank Primary School.

The school (Uyor) which means happiness in Igala and also in Ibaji is own by a Catholic family.
The wife is an Esan woman while the husband is of the Ibaji.
That's why you have the name, UYO.

I just revive this thread for more contribution.

We also call happiness UYO (Nsukka)

Ekojoka87:
I have read some of your views expressed here but non is absolutely correct. I will start by telling you I am a native of Uloshi which outsiders coined and spell as Illushi. Unfortunately, Uloshi have now been divided into two by government calling one part Uroh and the other Illushi as if they are different communities. The place popularly called Illushi today is also known as Odi-Igono (because at the time the community was formed it was populated by a specie of bird called Igono) which is also now called Ozigono or Ojigono. We the Uloshi people speak Igala or if you like Ibaji. Let me clearly state it here that we have nothing in common with Esan people apart from government fusion. We are markedly different from the Esan people. In terms of our culture there is no semblance at all. The Esan people call their kings Onojie whereas we the Uloshi people refer to our king as Onu.
That we are fused with the Esan people for government administrative convenience does not make us Esan. Apart from Uloshi people there are three other Igala speaking communities in Esan South East Local Government, take for instance : Ifeku -Island. We have almost the same history with the Ebu people in Delta State that also speak Igala.
Yes, it is true that we have some relations with the Igbo people but that is tied to the relationship between our forefathers and the Anioma people in Delta State. So much intermarriage led to some of the names we bear.
Someone once claimed Ozigono (Illushi) land belong to the Esans. That is one believe that is also false. Take for instance, before the Royal Niger Company now UAC built their yard in Ozigono as far back as 1892 they had to get into a lease agreement with the Uloshi people who leased where they built their yard to them. As at that time, Esans where no where near there. The few Esans who came around from where is today known as Oria/ Onogolo came to farm and they were paying what in modern day can be termed royalty or rent to the Onu of Uloshi land. Some even went as far as saying the Onojie of Ubiaja ruled over Ozigono at a point. The question such people find difficult to answer is at what time were the Olushi people conquered that made them subjects of the Onojie of Ubiaja? Since they can't falsify that, many of them don't speak about that anymore.
Back to the main issue. Illushi is not the correct way to refer to us. The white men coined our original name Uloshi to Illushi for reasons best known to them. Fortunately, we are not alone on this. They even change Bini to Benin. Our root as the story goes can be traced to Ida in Kogi State. This explains why in time past, coronation rites of our kings used to be carried out in Ida by the Attah of Igala Kingdom. Our forefathers who settled there we were told came from Ida and were on a trip with the Attah to see his brother the Oba of Benin. There existed a clear evidence of this story close to Aika at Ega before the land slide washed it off. That point was were they first settled from time immemorial and it is the boundary between us and the Oria people. Our culture is basically same with the Ibaji people that is why till date kingship in Uloshi is rotational amongst the ruling houses unlike the Esan culture, though the government and the Esan people are trying to force their hereditary culture on kingship down our throats. Good enough that has been matched with resistance that has led to the restiveness in the community.
There is also the place of the Anioma people's influence on our cultural practices. History has that the Olu festival which we annually observe was borrowed from these Delta Igbo speaking people. So some of you who claim Igbo influence may not be wrong. But for the Esan people we have nothing in common apart from government.
Suffice it to say here that the Uloshi (Illushi) people are Igala (if you like call it Ibaji) and speak only Igala. We do not have a second Nigerian language whether it be Igbo or Esan.

Do you still reside in Uloshi?
https://www.nairaland.com/2795931/illushi-people

By Jude Ehebha/Ekpoma

What started as struggle by warring factions in Illushi Community, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State, resulted in deadly fracas on June 13, 2013, leading to the death of two persons. The clashes were reportedly precipitated by dispute by two factions over revenue collections in the community’s main market, popularly called
Ozigigono Market.

On account of the crisis, the traditional ruler of the community, Christopher Ike Ikebordih, Ebije 1 has been forced into exile. He was accused of being a party in the crisis. The monarch, some of his followers and their families, are presently taking refuge in Ubiaja, Head quarters of the Local Government Area for fear of attack.

Among the victims of the crisis were Precious Pastor Ikerbordih, son of the embattled traditional ruler and one Abiodun Ojobor said to be a member of the group opposed to the monarch. They were gruesomely killed, with monarch’s son allegedly beheaded and his body thrown into the River Niger.

Following the development, uneasy calm now pervades Illushi Community, while the security agents and council authorities battling to resolve the crisis.
The factions in the violent clashes, included a group allegedly backed by the traditional ruler and another group led by the community youth leader, Jonathan Imawa.
The clan head had argued that Imawa, being a PDP loyalist was not eligible to take charge of the revenue collection in the market, since the political leadership of the local government council was under the Action Congress of Nigeria, that has merged with other parties to form All Progressive Congress (APC). He was said to have accused Imawa’s group of belonging to a cult group known as “ Ugbuagu” (meaning killers). He alleged that the group had approached him in the past to grant it recognition, a request he turned down.
On the other hand, Jonathan Imawa interpreted attempts by the traditional ruler to give political coloration to the crisis as a ploy to whip sentiments, and attract sympathy from both state and local government. To him, the crisis was purely communal, and had nothing to do with politics, stressing that Illushi Community had never allowed politics to come into its affairs. Imawa further alleged that the traditional ruler constituted threat to the peace of the community, considering his stance on some issues that had arisen in the community.
The clan head alleged that Imawa’s alleged cult group beheaded his son, Precious at the market, and dumped his body in River Niger. He claimed that his late son was preparing for his wedding before the incidence, and lamented that the victim’s head was still kept by one of the killers.
He alleged that one Abiodun Ojobor, a member of Imawa’s group who died in the fracas, was killed by mistake during the group’s process of shooting his late son.
He disagreed with reports which addressed Imawa as the community youth leader, alleging that he and his group violently overthrew the substantive youth chairman, William Ojonotale, and forcefully took over revenue collection from the recognized revenue team. He heap blames on one Pius Ikedi, the Clan Head of Uroh, whom he alleged was sponsoring the crisis in his bid to claim Illushi as part of his domain.
Explaining the genesis of the crisis, the traditional ruler claimed that Imawa had reported to him on June 9, 2013 that one John Eneru and his revenue collection team were collecting revenue illegally in the market, even with their contract having expired. He, as traditional ruler consequently advised them to resolve the matter with the council authorities who are the owners of the market, and ordered that revenue collection be stopped forthwith, pending the resolution of the issues.
The monarch said he was later to get a report on June 13, 2013 that Imawa and his boys had taken over the market. He added that he then advised John and his revenue team to report the matter to the police, which they did. The police according to him, sent men to the community to resolve the issues but were allegedly attacked by Imawa’s group.
With the matter getting out of hand according to him, he personally lodged complaint at Ubiaja Divisional Police Headquarters and the supervising Police Area Command in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area. He lamented the police did not act, until the group allegedly killed his son Precious, whom he claimed had gone to the market to remind his friends about his wedding that was to hold on June 16, 2013.
He said; “On June 9, 2013, Jonathan (Imawa) came to me with a report that revenue collection contract had expired, that John and his boys were collecting revenue in the market illegally. But I reminded he that he was of the PDP, while John was an ACN member; that the since the government at the council was under ACN, there was no way he could be in charge of the revenue collection in the market. But due to constant conflicts between Jonathan and John, I ordered that revenue collection in the market be stopped forthwith, pending when they were able to resolve the issue with the council authorities.
“But on June 13, being Illushi Market Day, I got a call that Jonathan and his boys had taken over the market. I advised John and his boys not to go violent, but should instead report the case to the police.
“After about an hour, John and his men came to tell me that Jonathan’s group attacked the police men and could have disarmed the security agents, had they not intervened.
“So when I heard this, I had to personally lodge the case at both the Ubiaja Divisional Headquarters and the controlling Police Area Command in Irrua. While I was doing that, a call came to me that Jonathan and his boys, now armed with guns and other dangerous weapons were shooting sporadically in the market. So I also informed the police of the development.
“But the police did not do anything till I heard at about five o’clock that my son Precious Pastor Ikerdordih, had been killed. He was preparing for his traditional wedding that was to come up on June 16 this year. Up till now, we have not been able to find his corpse. It was when they arrested one of them, Friday Ogwah aka ‘Evans’ that we got to know from his confession to the police that my son was beheaded on the orders of Jonathan. He told the police that my son’s body was thrown into River Niger, while his skull was with Sammy Oriche, who practically carried out the gruesome murder.
“Jonathan is not the youth leader of my community. The youth chairman of my community is William Ajonotale. It was after the episode that they overthrew him. So in a nutshell, what happened in Illushi was a coup, planned by a cult group, known as Ugbuagu. They had approached me for approval before; I refused because they killed some policemen in the past”.
The traditional ruler has consequently appealed to the Federal and Edo State governments, and the various security agencies, to save his community from the grip of hoodlums whom he alleged have taken full control of the area.
This he said, was necessary to avoid re-occurrence of violence, as according him, his boys who have been chased out of the community may soon become frustrated and launch a reprisal attack.
“I am making a serious passionate appeal. I have made this appeal to DPO, Area Commander, commissioner of police, IG, governor, but nothing has been done up till now. The people are walking free in the community, lording it over the people. If these boys are not arrested, there will be no peace in Illushi. Majority of the boys in Illushi are here as you can see. They can’t go back. They are hunting for them. These boys cannot remain in exile forever. A time will come when they will fight for their right.
“But we do not want to take laws into our hands. So we are appealing to the government at both state and federal levels to help to see that justice and peace reign in Illushi” he remarked.
On his part, Jonathan Imawa said the kingship stool of community was under dispute, hence Ikerbordih could not be described as its traditional ruler. He explained that Illushi was a community under Uroh clan, adding that Ikerbordih intends to curve out an autonomous clan out of the original one.
He condemned attempts by the traditional ruler to give the crisis a political coloration, explaining that the crisis was purely communal and not political in any manner. He added that the traditional ruler brought in politics to get sympathy from the government.
Imawa added that the entire community resolved to drive the traditional ruler from the community due to his tyrannical disposition towards his subjects.
On the allegation that he and his boys violently overthrew the community youth chairman and revenue team, Jonathan who said, he only acted for few weeks before a substantive youth chairman was elected, said the former youth chairman, Ojonotale was removed through unanimous community resolution, because it was discovered that he was part of the those the traditional ruler was allegedly using to oppress residents of the community.
He equally alleged that the contract of the revenue team had expired since March, but was still operating illegally despite order from the council stopping it. He alleged that the traditional ruler was backing the team in the illegal revenue collection because of the money they remit to him.
He disclosed that a new community youth chairman, Monday Igwe has been elected, denying ever having intention of taking over
revenue collection. He pointed out that the council officials now collect revenue directly from the market and parks in the community.
He alleged that contrary to the narration of the traditional ruler, his son, Precious Pastor was the one who killed one of the community youths, Ojobor and ran away from the community. He alleged that the traditional ruler, after advising his son to go into hiding, went about spreading lies that his son was murdered and dumped in the river.
Imawa denied belonging to a cult group known as Ugbuagu, alleging that it was the traditional ruler who was instead promoting a cult group called The Right Men which he used in oppressing the people.
“It was his son, Pastor Ikebordih that shot and killed one of our youths, by name Abiodun Ojobor. He thereafter ran away from the community. When he shot Abiodun, he did not die instantly. So those there tried to save his life. That gave Pastor Ikebordih the opportunity to run away. Otherwise, he would be lynched by the youths if Abiodun
https://independent.ng/how-communal-crisis-forced-edo-monarch-into-exile/

Jonathan is not the youth leader of my community. The youth chairman of my community is William Ajonotale.

He told the police that my son’s body was thrown into River Niger, while his skull was with Sammy Oriche, who practically carried out the gruesome murder.

So in a nutshell, what happened in Illushi was a coup, planned by a cult group, known as Ugbuagu.

my son’s body was thrown into River Niger, while his skull was with Sammy Oriche, who practically carried out the gruesome murder.

Cc: revolva, ekojoka87