BRIEF HISTORY OF OKUN PEOPLE
Okun people are Yoruba descendants in Kogi state.
Kogi is a multi ethnic state and Okun people are up
to 20% of Kogi State population, smaller than the
other two major completely different tribes, Igala
and Ebira. Okun people spread across six local
government areas in Kogi State, known as Kabba-
Bunu, Yagba-West, Yagba-East, Mopa-Muro, Ìjùmú
and Lokoja local government Areas.
They speak varied dialects…Owé, Ìyàgbà, Ìjùmú,
Bùnú and Oworo, but their language is generally
called Okun, Okun has become a form of greeting
among them.
They understand one another to a greater extent
and large numbers of them speak Yoruba. Their
dialects are influenced by various factors. Such
factor is that Kogi state shares boundaries with
Kwara, Ondo, Ekiti, Niger, Benue, Nassarawa,
Anambra, Enugu, Edo and Abuja. Also, The Nupe
wars of the 19th century and interaction with the
Hausas due to geographical zoning left an indelible
mark on the Okun people and their dialects.
According to oral source, Okun people migrated
from Ile Ife when Yorubas were spreading to
occupy more lands, before spreading out, each
and everyone was instructed to report to Ile Ife for
a yearly meeting. The man, that led group of
young people to a location (now called YAGBA) in
Kogi state did not return over a long period of time.
When eventually returned and explained that he
lost larger part of his acquired land to some other
migrants. He was blamed for the loss and said in
yoruba, ''ÌYÀ ÀGBÀ LÓ JEMÍ'' meaning that invasion
of his acqured land was due to lack of having
elderly people with him. Since then, they started
mocking him at Ile Ife, calling him Iya agba . They
associated this name with him whenever they
wanted to send messages across to him after
returning to his occupied area, now called Yagba.
Okun people faced lots of challenges, ranging from
geo political zoning, marginlisation and problem of
identity. Their problem started during the colonial
era when they were politically ceded to the
Northern protectorate by Lord Lugard, the
Governor-General of Nigeria. The abolition of the
provincial and regional administrative units in 1967
led to their merging with Ilorin to form old Kwara
state. Then, Igala was merged with old Benue
State. However, on 27th of august 1991, Okun
people was removed again and merged with Ebira,
Igala from Benue state and some other tribes to
form Kogi state.
Okun indigenes moved against merging them with
completely different tribes but they were forced
into this marriage. Since then, Igala and Ebira have
used high population to merginlise Okun people
politically and in resource allocation. When an Igala
man tells you ‘Omi na kaye, ma joje ma mu du’, he
is telling you he would consume whatever available
in his surrounding. And that is exactly what is
presently happening to in their resource allocation.
Their efforts to break away and form Okun State,
which could make it possible for them to be more
closer to their Kiths and Kins in the South West,
failed to materialise.
Concerning Identity problem, The Yorubas in South
West are trying to link the identity of Okun people
to their Kiths and Kins in South West going by
history and shared traits but their counterparts
who want Okun people to remain a minority tribe
in the entity called Nigeria, claimed that Okun
people are not Yorubas and Yoruba is only trying to
expand their Kingdom. Okun people bear Yoruba
names like Edo people, lots of them speak yoruba
and many of their settlements are named in
yoruba language such as Kajola, Egbeda, Egbeda
Ega, Okedayo, Odo Ere, Odo Eri, Ife, Iyamoye,
Agbaja, Igbo Nla and Obajana. Even, groups that
make up Bunu people of Okun are Okemeta,
Okemesan, Akumerindinlogun and Kiri groups.
By: Raymond Ayinla Ajeigbe

Okun ooo....

Its left for them to decide.