fratermathy:


And the ones in your ethnicity are he-goats?

Afam4eva:
I think Urhobo and Yoruba are somehow intertwined historically. There's an Urhobo/Itsekiri man that got his genealogy tested and he found out that he was about 60% Benin/Togo which is Yoruba and a smaller percentage of Cameroon/Congo which could be Igbo or any of the groups east of the Niger.

fratermathy:


Urhobo, Bini, Ishan and Isoko have more to do with Yoruba than Igbo, actually.

The colour of skin is not a yardstick for knowing the origin of a people. Africans are not fair or white. Some Igbos may have acquired a lighter tone over time due to "contact" with Europeans.

Kirigidi:

Urhobo migrated from "AKA" not "EDO". At the time Urhobo left, the Kingdom and land of the Ogisos was then known as "AKA". The terms "EDO" and "BENIN" are recent names which came into use only after the collapse of the Ogiso Dynasty and the subsequent emergence of the Oba Dynasty. The collapse of the "OGISO DYNASTY" and its replacement with "OBA DYNASTY" brought a change of name from "AKA" to "EDO". In fact, the name EDO was believed to have been introduced by Oba Ewuare the Great to immortalized a certain servant who saved his life during his struggle to ascend the Benin royal throne.

baby124:

They definitely have or had some contact or connection with Yoruba but it was a long time ago. Some of their titles like Olori and Olorogun are clearly Yoruba titles. Lol. But separation must have taken place a very long time ago. They were a bit isolated so must have kept their genetic makeup much better even if their language evolved.

Sanchez01:

True this. I have come to notice that Urhobos fast latch on to Yoruba as a language and are often open to inter-marriage with the Yorubas.

The genetic make-up remains a wonder and I wish the language was guarded in that manner.

Sanchez01:

True this. I have come to notice that Urhobos fast latch on to Yoruba as a language and are often open to inter-marriage with the Yorubas.

The genetic make-up remains a wonder and I wish the language was guarded in that manner.

Sanchez01:
ScionofUrhobo, these are very difficult to take in and truth be told, the whole thing seems unbelievable. The history of the Urhobos have from time immemorial being a debate as their are four postulations concerning this same thing

The first is that the Urhobos are the original dwellers and owners of their territory who have been living in their territories from time immemorial. (I find this unbelievable because migration would have happened and that would best explain the similarity between ours and some Edoid groups.)

The second tradition is that the Urhobos left Edo at the end of the Ogiso dynasty in search of more peaceful locations as a result of “cruelty, animosity and tyranny” which pushed them out of the Benin kingdom. (This is most likely to be)

The third tradition is that the Urhobos migrated from Ile-Ife in Yorubaland. (This is not in any way correct. Benin is tied to Ilé-Ifẹ̀. It best supports the idea that we stemmed from Edo, but from Ilé-Ifẹ̀? I don't think so.)

The fourth is that the Urhobos migrated from
Sudan and Egypt. (This is already discussed extensively, all thanks for you. However, I don't think this is true in any way.)

Besides, night in Urhobo is ASO, and not ASUN.

Mujtahida:

Are you serious? Like seriously the Ijaws in the core North around the lake Chad area? I am curious.

Opharhe:
I can coach you. Seriously.

specter:


Go find out bro. From Chad down the Niger and benue river straight down to the ocean.

scionofurhobo:
Introduction


The Urhobo people like all his other brethren ethnic groups that make up the territory called Nigeria, had fled from Sudan, and like the other groups appeared to have conspired to keep their whereabouts a secret from their strong foes. It had to be a secret flight – ‘a disappearing act’ – from North Africa through the Trans-Saharan Trade Route to West Africa and Nigeria, so that they would not be tracked and hunted down by their determined, ferocious foes, especially their kin, king Ayerada (of Isoko lineage) who was bent on converting the whole of Ethiopia (and Nubia) to Christianity either by the Holy Bible or by the sword. Urhobo and the others were well-motivated to abandon Nubia for the following reasons:

1. They were not willing to abandon their ancient gods.

2. They were no match for the military prowess of King Ayerada.

3. Their hitherto thriving economy had failed, as the land was no more yielding oro (gold) and other minerals;

4. Their failing agriculture.

To further cover their tracks and make their ‘vanishing act’ a success, the Fei-roh (Pharaoh, king) and Oloris (leaders/priests) had agreed to prohibit amongst the people the following activities, as well as prohibit speaking or making reference to the topics and subjects listed below, amongst their offspring and on-coming generations:

1. Origin and history of the peoples;

2. Accounts of their migration to their present location;

3. The art of writing (in hieroglyphic) formerly, by the priests;

4. The exposing art and highly revealing technology of pyramid, sphinx and obelisk buildings, and tombs technology;

5. The art and science of mummification; amongst others.

These things were, hitherto, integral aspects of their lives and culture in Sudan, Egypt and even beyond, now stopped.
The people were making a clean break from their past at that point where Ayerada stepped in; for the purpose of ethnic preservation, and for the purpose of preventing the subjugation of their multitude of idols and gods, especially the sun god, Hay-ya-ra, formerly called Re (Hor-re), the moon goddess, Amun (Amoon or Ama-Ra (little Ra) and the sea goddess, Isi.

Therefore, as they crossed the Trans-Saharan Trade Route into Chad, they veered off into the virgin Savannah, moving further down mid-west-ward, through virgin lands until they were swallowed up by the inviting, protective, thick, virgin forests.

fratermathy:


Until we see one, we can't be too sure but I believe that the DNA test will reveal a diversity of roots because some Urhobo clans are peopled by those of non-Bini descent, notably Ijaws, Itsekiri and Igbo. However, the majority may be traced to Bini roots, and Bini DNA may be traced to Dahomey, from where many Yorubas are believed to have originated from.

Afam4eva:

This doesn't mean nothing. The ability to speak a language or marry Yorubas is not an evidence of sharing a history with a people. Anybody can have the ability to learn any language.

baby124:

Language always evolves. Even Yoruba's of today speak an easier Yoruba than the old Yoruba's. Remember they must have gone through the Benins, the Ishans to get to where they are. So they picked up different languages and fused with their own. Even in genetic tests, Yoruba and Ishan are often classified as the same.

fratermathy:


This is not the standard history of Urhobo people. Urhobos are regarded as having Benin origins.

Sanchez01:

The old Yorùbá rests with the people of Oyo and is still being spoken till date. The present day Yoruba is a blend of slangs and language, and it is common in Lagos than in other Yoruba areas. Others are marked by dialect.

MENELIK1:


Get your facts right, Yoruba traceable to Dahomey! No sir the reverse is the case and majority of the tribes in western part of Nigeria from the Olukumi and Itsekiri in Delta to as far as Ewe of Togo can trace their origin to Yoruba land. The difference between the father and the son is monumentally large. Eschew revisionist history emanating from some quarters, it is not true.

scionofurhobo:
Urhobo Origin Account and Datelines

The account:

This is the account (presented further below in datelines) of the origin of Urhobo: his ancestors and his descendants, and the lands that they dwelt in; and the years of their births and migrations.

Urhobo descended from Akadianose(h) (pronounced, Akadiano-osseh), also called Accad) the son of the short-lived priest-king of Babel, Eki (Enki) (also known as Enkiroh or Nimrod).

Urhobo’s father was Alka who was born in (U year) BC 2003. He was the son of Isi-oboh.

Isi-oboh was born in BC 2093. His father was Va-edo(h), also called Waedo(h).

Va-edo(h) was born in BC2152 by Akadianose(h).

From Akadianose(h) to Urhobo was five generations. (Akadianose(h) although a Black had his origin from Oyibo, the White race. His own ancestry/genealogy and dates will be considered at the end of the account herein given of Urhobo genealogy, descendants, migrations and dates.)

Urhobo’s siblings were Kai-neh (otherwise called Aka), Isi-yan (otherwise known as Isan or Ishan); Isi-oko (Isoko), a female. They were of one mother. He had other half–sisters: Uku-ani (Kwale) and Ika-ra-derra (Ika) who were sisters, born of the same mother, and Kairoh and Ay-ga-ra (Igarra) whose mothers were different; and half-brothers of whom had different mothers: Isi-yon (Izon), Horre-igbo (Igbo), Ava-sa (Hausa) and Oyoro-oba (Yoruba). Kai-neh’s son was Ubini (Bini, Benin); Ubini was the father of Hyksos Kiyan (Kaiyan) who also ruled Egypt before Hyksos Nefer-edoh (born in BC 1797) of Urhobo lineage overthrew him.

fratermathy:


I meant no harm. I thought I read that somewhere but based on what you've just said, it seems my source is inaccurate. However, I am quite sure that Itsekiri and Olukumi of Delta State are Yoruboids. Even Okpe in Urhobo clan claim to be from Ife. This confirms your theory of outwardly migration from Yorubaland. However, the Yorubas must have come from somewhere. What are your theories?`

IFNOTGOD:
I am an Urhobo from Okpara Inland(Agbon Clan) your piece may have been an eye opener to more research and fact finding about our lineage but i think the theory that we migrated from Egypt is not in anyway right i would rather go with the myth that we migrated from Benin and some part from Igbo but the closeness in language between the Urhobos and their Benin counterpart makes me believe Urhobos and the Bini may have a common heritage and likewise the Igbo speaking tribe judging from dancing step to music.

Urhobo WADO, Urhobo Ovo Ovo

wa yore Urhobo gan, wa siobo ne erare Urhobo.

Sanchez01:

Personally, I'm not convinced about the said shared history with the Yorubas. Most of the journals around seem distorted and none seem convincing enough to drive home the point.

And if indeed Urhobos of old came in contact with the Yorubas, then it must have been through Bini.

For most Urhobos who are bilingual, the present day Benin language and Yoruba are the most adopted. This best explains our open mindedness towards marrying from these places, mostly, than from other areas.

Why the why might not be readily available, I'd make bold to say it is an unconscious act at mingling with people from the aforementioned areas. I have over five relatives who are inter-married with people from Benin and Yorubas. Fathia Balogun and the late Henrietta Kosoko comes to mind. Rachael Oniga is one as well.

Afam4eva:
I think Urhobo and Yoruba are somehow intertwined historically. There's an Urhobo/Itsekiri man that got his genealogy tested and he found out that he was about 60% Benin/Togo which is Yoruba and a smaller percentage of Cameroon/Congo which could be Igbo or any of the groups east of the Niger.

onuwaje:
I thought the Urhobo nation was one of the many migrant tribes that started their exodus from the Benin Empire

This account is surprising

You are correct. The write up is a made up history. It makes no sense.