Etinosa1234:


True... In fact all igbos don't even have one ancestor

There was no such thing as ibo until the 16th century and it didn't refer to everyone from the east

Pazienza

Do the Yorubas have one ancestor? Who is the ancestor of Germans?

Big groups are usually too ancient to remember who the single ancestor is.
Recent and smaller groups and towns are more likely to remember who the single ancestor is.

In Igbo land, the older and ancient a town is, the more likely they have no knowledge of how they migrated to their current location and hence would claim to be autochthonous. While the younger they are,the more likely the founders storylines and myths will exist.

Etinosa1234:


First... Tell me what u mean by artificial creation, lets be sure of what u are saying

Artificial creation= made up of many distinct groups who still hold firmly unto their individual distinct ethnicity and language.

The Igbanke will not give up their Igboid language despite Years of sustained pressure at assimilating them by the Edos.

The Ijaws will not give up their own identity too, despite Oba pressure.

The Usen retains their Yoroboid language and the local chief on Usen is called "Elawure", a clearly Yoruba title.

The Yoruboid Oba Bini is doing all possible to hold unto power by denying his Yoruba origin, but the Edo aboriginals represented by the Ogiamien will not have non of it.

All these chaos just in one senatorial zone of 5 LGAs with a population of less than 5 million.

Yet you are more concerned about Western Igbo land than your own issues.

samuk:


Igbo is the artificial creation with numerous groups such as Anioma, Ikwerre etc, kicking and screaming to be excluded.

Igbo is 30million big. Its only Normal that groups at the periphery who feel left behind want a level of independence.
Bini is just one senatorial zone. Lol! Yet the Ogiamen want your Yoruba rulers sent back to Ile ife where they came from and to leave them alone.

Etinosa1234:


Nonsense yarning.. Benin is Benin and have been existing for ages

U are mainly talking abt people that made up the Empire in the past... All this ones will never call themselves Benin...

We are talking of the Benin people not the Benin Empire...

Will u also call Yoruba an artificial creation because it consisted of Togo, Benin, Nupe and borgu people?

Yeye dey smell

The Ijaw people that migrated from Bini still claim Bini ancestry.
Nembe people are example.

Bini ancestry doesn't equate to being Edo by ethnicity.
Compare it to how many Igbos born in Lagos call themselves Lagosians today. It doesn't make them Yoruba.

Bini was a cosmopolitan centre where many ethnic groups lived in the past though the land belonged to Edos.
When these groups claim they are Bini, it doesn't mean they were Edo. It meant they inhabited in an area under Oba Bini( who was of Yoruba ancestry by the way) control.

For example, St Paul in the Bible was a Roman citizen, yet he wasn't an Italian. He was ethnically a Jew who was born, raised and schooled in cosmopolitan Rome.
Not all who were Romans were of today Italian ethnicity.

Likewise ancient Bini and Edo ethnicity.

samuk:


I actually allowed these parts of his claims to slide because I saw them as a diversionary tactics, I just wanted to concentrate on Ezechime who happened to be the most prominent Igbo leader that ever lived who only left Benin in the 1700s with Benin written all over him.

Imagine someone whose Igbo didn't exist in the 1700s calling Benin artificial.

Read more about Ezechima and cure your ignorance.
There are hundred versions of his story many of which contradict each other.
But one thing remains constant, he bore Igbo name , likewise his descendants.
https://www.nairaland.com/3162560/ezechima-clan-analysis-osita-mordi

Etinosa1234:


At bolded, u are talking nonsense...

Benin has been dated to have existed since the BC times... There is no valid proof abt which tribe is older so I don't indulge in such convo. Only arrogant and ignorant people do such...

And also,the fact that u think that our oba did not originate from Benin(which is not true) and it makes Benin an artificial tribe is very false and shallow reasoning..

History is filled with kings who didn't originate from their territory

For example, The Queen of England didn't originate from England , did that make English an artificial tribe


If u call Benin which is the chief language of the edoid group an artificial tribe, that means the Urhobo, esan, afemai, isoko and the lots are also artificial...

U are beginning to let emotions into ur arguments. .hence the tears filled lie's

Bini is an artificial creation.

Bini is made up of Edoid tribes ( Igodomigodo), the Yoruba rulers ( Oba Bini), Igboid tribes( Igbanke, Owariuzo and many others that have been assimilated totally), Yoruba commoners( in Usen and environment), the Igala elements, and finally, the Ijaws ( in Olodiama) who probably served as porters for the empire marine adventures.
And all these groups still have pockets of them well represented in Edo state till today and retained their distinct languages.

Where is the lie in my stating of the fact that Bini was multiethnic entity?

samuk:


It's not true that Benin don't have something similar to Igbo Offor, in Benin, it's called Ukhure. The Offor/Ukhure practice may have attained slight variation as it move down east.

Ukhure is passed down every family through the first son. All established Benin families have an ancestral house which houses the family ancestral altar where the Ukhure are kept.

At the death of every senior son, a new Ukhure is made and added to the others which are inherited by the most senior son, this is how Benin families kept track of their ancestors.

Each Ukhure represents a departed ancestor. This is another evidence to support the claim that Ezechime was Benin nobility.

Ezechima don't keep Ukhure or whatever you call it.
Moreover Bini is an absolute monarchy, so I doubt your Ukhure bears same authority as Offor in Igbo land.
Please Offor is not same as Ukhure.

samuk:


Going by your logic of reverse migration of Ezechime back to the east,

1. Who was Ezechime before he went to Benin?

2. Was he an Igbo king or he acquired his kingship after living Benin.

3. If the offer confers seniority in Igbo land, did this practice started with Ezechime and if not what happened to the senior elders/kings Ezechime met when he came back to the east, did they simply relinquish their positions and seniority to Ezechime and his descendants?

4. Why are the descendants of Ezechime from Benin more prominent than other Igbo kings?

5. Did Ezechime had offor whilst in Benin or did he take an offor to Benin.

You see why Igbo modern day revisionist and rewriting of Ezechime history doesn't make sense.

1. Who are the ancestors of the Igboid speakers still in Edo today known as Igbanke?
Some questions are meaningless. Ezechima was an Igbo man living in the vicinity of Bini like some Igbos still do till today.

2. According to Onicha Ugbo account, Ezechima became rich in Bini empire and attracted the envy of the Bini royalty. He was likely the leader of his Igbo group living in Bini empire.

3. Offor is a clan thing in Igboland, every clan have their Offor or Owhor, depending on your dialect.
Offor umuezechima only concerns umezechima. For example, Ogwashiuku and Asaba are not part of Umu ezechima and so have their own individual offor. Ofor of any clan in Igboland is held by the eldest male of the head village. Ndiigbo practice a form of gerontocracy called Okpalaukwu or Okpalabisi system. The Okpara (oldest male) holds the clan offor. It's same even in Ikwerre or Anioma.

4. I don't understand what you mean by this. Umuezechima infused their knowledge of Bini monarchy into their traditional Okpalabisi Igbo gerontocracy to create a new system of government different from those of us who never had contact with Bini.
Obi onitsha is only powerful because Onitsha his hometown is the business headquarters of Igboland. Eze Nri was the most powerful Eze in the East pre colonial time and he was only but a Priest king.
Igbos practice mainly offor system of government where the oldest male (Okpalaukwu) serve as titular clan head.

5. Ezechima was an Igbobman and every Igbo man must have an offo he must pass to his descendants. Its like a symbol of his and his clan authority.
Usually passed to first son. There is only a tussle for Ezechima offor because it was said that his first son was said to have died before him, throwing the position open for all other sons to claim.
You are obviously Edo so I don't expect you to understand the way of the Igbo.

��������.
Background:In this interview with ��� ��� ������� ����������� ������ 111,��� �� ������� �������,Delta state,we were able to clarify the migration pattern and also supported by various other sources and antiquity of igbo migration and settlement pattern.
■ Ezechima is originally an Nri -igbo migrant from present Anambra state.Agbor is also not far from truth as some communities in Agbor is of Nri origin.
■He was a powerful native doctor who sojourned to the vicinity of Benin kingdom alongside a few others.He operated within the Benin Palace,
■Migration from Nri and Isu into west of Niger River began around 900AD-15th century AD .This migration was triggered by Ecological factors and search for Arable land for farming and new settlements.This is the earliest peopling of the west Niger igbo speaking areas, forming the proto-igbo cultural zone long before the establishment of Benin kingdom (13th century AD).Nris are Itinerant medicine men that traversed the length and breath of the igbo country from precolonial times.They established settlements as they journeyed. They found a place within the Benin Palace during the formative years of the Benin kingdom.Among there duties include to cleanse grave social infractions and abominations and conferring of rights of leadership. They settle disputes and punish crimes,abolished Nso Ani .Account of there role on western igboland is also recounted by Olaudah Equiano an freed igbo slave born In the Delta 1745.
■The presence of excavated bronze Ofo in the Delta (Nancy C.Neaher) and its use up till today,the culture of celebrations of New yams festivals among igbos west of Niger river corroborates and attest to a primordial Nri influence among igbos west of Niger River prior to there contact with the Benin people.
■Henderson(1972) noted that the Ezenri of Oraeri, traditionally sacrificed in all Onitsha shrines and considered Onitsha as part of his realm. This confirms that Onitsha and indeed the Umuezechime clans have a link with Nri(Eri).

■Dei ,Nze, Umunna, Olinzele, and Ndi-Ichie are fully developed in all the Ezechima clans and in Agbor, and are completely absent in Benin culture of all known periods.
■ During an interview in 1913 by Northcote Thomas with one Ezenri in Aguku,he maintained that Benin city(idu) was part of there sphere of influence.According to M.D.W Jeffreys,before the British came ,Obalike was Eze Nri, and crowned the Kings of Benin and presided ritually over the surrounding people.

������ ��� ������� ���������
■This reverse migration is said to have begun around 15th-17th century AD. This also coincide with the period of exodus in and around the Benin kingdom due to hostilities, with people seeking refuge in already established settlements in the Delta,
■ For Ezechima(chime) ,they moved in the only direction known to them,which is towards east ,until they crossed over and settled at onitsha.
■As the igbo groups (Ezechima)trailed there way back,some found new settlements while others met others igbo groups already settled during earlier migration.
■As expected, due to there prolonged stay within the kingdom, they embibe some aspect of Benin culture which features in there dressing and monarchical style today.
������ �� ����
■ Most precolonial empires were multiethnic, due to fluidity of movement in precolonial times where there isn't any state demarcations.so there was inter tribal penetration.Benin kingdom isn't an exception.
■ Benin kingdom is different from Benin people.Benin kingdom is multiethnic, incorporating neighboring tribes into it,like igbos within that vicinity, Esan,itshekiri, Afemine, etc.
■ So when you hear some igbo migration from Benin (Edo) They are still igbos that lived within the vicinity of Benin which later became a kingdom. infact in present Edo state there are igbo speaking groups that have been there for centuries.They speak a dialect of igbo till today.so igbos have always been in Edo state from prehistoric migrations.This should resolve all the identity crisis.
■ most precolonial empires were multiethnic, due to fluidity of movement in those days.
■ This also explains why nobody that migrated out of Benin kingdom speak Benin or bear Benin names.because they were not originally Benin people. A few benin people migrating into large igbo settlement doesn't change there igbo identity.

OBIOR
Covers Obior town and associated groups now integrated as part of Igbodo. Obior notes that Ezechime comes from the contraction of the names of Chime and his wife, Princess Ezechi. According to the version I heard, Princess Ezechi was supposed to ascend the throne as the Oba of Benin but was disqualified because she was a woman. This led to a strife and subsequent expulsion of the Princess Ezechi and her consort, Prince Chime. The couple was said to have had three children namely Ukpali, Onicha and Oligbo. Princess Ezechi died before her husband Chime and Chime lived to very ripe age and died peacefully. The couple was buried at a site at Ogbeutu village in Obior where an anthill sprouted from their gravesite.


This grave site called IBA soon developed into a shrine or monument. This monument which has mud sculptures of Chime and his wife Ezechi features their children namely Ukpali, Onicha and Oligbo as well as courtiers and other people who followed their long trek from Benin. Ukpali succeeded Chime and became the Obi. Ezechime is a coined from Chime and Ezechi.

REFLECTION- This story is very interesting. Noteworthy, since a woman (Princess Ezechi) plays a prominent role in the foundation of Obior in this account. However such a feature cannot be found in other versions of the migration in other sub clans. Rather what I had heard from other sub clans is that Ukpali was a woman and Ada(eldest daughter) of Ezechime. She was the first child of the patriarch and very domineering personality. Her younger ones Onicha and Oligbo who were adventurous and were intimidated by her domineering nature left Obior and since she was with her father and was unmarried with no child of her own as she was advancing in age, she decided to have a child via an Idegbe (temporary marriage) affair with a stranger. In the course of the said temporary “marriage”, Ukpali had a son named Obiamam or a stranger had done me a great favor and it was from Obiamam the name Obior was derived from.

The general belief in the clan even among a few Obior people is that Ukpali was a woman. In Onitsha town, the Obi designate is traditionally shaved by the Ada and not the Diokpa of Obior village in Onitsha town. This confirms the widely held opinion. From the Edo point of history, there is absolutely nothing like a princess called “Ezechi”.

Ezechi is clearly an Igbo name. Edos do had strong women in their history. Names like Queen Mother Idia or Princess Aghayubini comes to mind. In Edo accounts , the only name of a princess who was close to become an Oba was Princess Edeleyo, a daughter of Oba Ewuare. She was chosen by the kingmakers of Benin to be the Oba. But she performed all the coronation rites and had assumed the title of Edaiken or the presumptive king when she was suddenly attacked by a menstrual period. This was interpreted as a sign of disproval by the gods of the land. There is no evidence to suggest that the said Princess Edeleyo became known as Ezechi and her husband had the name of Chime.

In my opinion, this version sublimely accepts that a woman played a role in the foundation of Obior town. Though this is officially rejected for obvious reasons, it seems that a story like this was created to give a woman (Princess Ezechi) a prominent role while her son and successor , Prince (in other sub clans Princess Ukpali) Ukpali is identified as a man. This strengthens the claims of Obior and its Obi as the clan head of Ezechima clan.

According to Okpuno, 1968 there are people of Asaba origin (from Umuekwo) now assimilated as Obior people

The above is Ezi account of Ezechima story.
Ezi is one of the towns in Umuezechima.

Each Ezechima clan have their own story of Ezechima.
And many of them are conflicting because they are dragging the "offor" Ezechima that confers seniority in Igboland, among themselves.

EZECHIME CLAN- AN ANALYSIS ���� 4

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This town lies to the Northeast of the Ezechime area close to Edo State. The Ezi people say their ancestor “Ushi” was a son of Ezechima. Another account identifies Ifite as the founder. Ezi is unique since its just a single town unlike the Issele and Onicha groups. Ushi or Ifite was said to have had five children giving rise to the five villages of Ogbeobi, Ogbeuwafu, Ogbeakwu, Umuolo and Ogbeofu. Now, from the more “stronger” towns of Issele-Uku, Onicha-Ugbo and Obior, the claim of Ezi descending from a son of Ezechima is questioned. It rather identifies “Ifite” as a daughter who was married to “Ushi” , a relative of the founder of Obomkpa called “Anagba”. Thus from these three towns we are made to understand that Ezechima had three children Ukpali, Onicha and Oligbo but the Obomkpa and Ezi people add Anagba and Ushi respectively giving the number to five. Ifite is claimed to be a daughter not a son and was born during a journey. She was married to Ushi, and they co-ruled and founded Ezi. Ezi itself is derived from “Ezi-Uzor” or good abode. Ezi seems not to be involved in the “seniority tussle” which had bedeviled the accounts from Obior, Onicha-Ugbo and Issele-Uku. It agrees that Ezechima did “come from Benin” and one of his sons founded the town.
-����������.
1. Ezi is not involved in the tussle thus it would possibly have a more honest narrative on Ezechima. Unfortunately I don’t have much material on Ezi community. Comparison of the king list of Ezi (with 13 names) with Issele-Uku (now with 15 names) suggests it could be a younger settlement though we cannot be very sure of this.
2. The association of the name “Ezi” and “Ifite” is unique only to Igbo people. In fact the full name of Ezi-Uzor(as its often called) is Ezinifite(or Ezifite). I am aware of an Ezinifitte town around Nnewi in Anambra State and in Mbaise is Ezinihitte in Imo State. Ezi and Ifite are often associated with the Umueri clan and its usually used in naming several communities especially within towns in Anambra State(often used for directions). Thus, it gives some clues that Ezi and indeed Umuezechima possibly has some eastern Igbo connection specifically the Umueri people. It is therefore not suprising that in some accounts Chime is identified as migrating from Nri , settled in Benin and got married to Princess Edeleyo of Benin who is called "Eze(chi)".

�������

Obomkpa gives an entirely new perspective to the narrative. It says Ezechime was originally of Igbo origin from Ogidi. Yes, Igbo origin. Ogidi in this account is not the Ogidi in the present Anambra State. Rather, Ogidi is identified as an autochthonous West Igbo kingdom related to Ogidi on the other side of the Niger. The narrative says that an Oba of Benin demanded for tributes from the vassal West Igbo chiefdoms. The ruler of Ogidi, Ezechime refused and for this reason the Oba declared war on Ogidi, his kingdom. After a long struggle, Ogidi was leveled and what was left of its population was deported to Benin (similar to the deportation policy of the old Babylonian Empire). In their captivity, Ezechime died of heart-break but his descendants and followers were conscious of the fact that they were never of Edo origin. However, the Oba tried to assimilate them as Bini people. Some of Ezechime’s descendants were more receptive to this. But all of them plotted to escape from captivity. They in this narrative includes Ukpali, Onicha, Anagba (the founder of Obomkpa), and Ifite all children of Ezechime and other citizens of the vanquished Ogidi kingdom.

They left Benin on the day they agreed on but some of their relatives who had been more receptive to Benin Society reported them to the Oba. The Oba got angry and sent his soldiers after them. Anagba using his magic (for he was well versed in native medicine) used his astral powers and sensed the approaching Benin army and whisked his people far from them. They got to their old town of Ogidi. It has been taken over by forests and there was no incentive for them to remain together and for this reason each of them left to found their own settlement. This was how the towns were dispersed.
Obamkpa accepts the seniority of Obior. But from the tussle-bound kingdoms of Obior, Onicha-Ugbo and Issele-Uku; the narrative is different. It rather identifies Anagba as a follower of Ezechime and not his son. They all agree that Anagba came from Nri or an eastern homeland. When HIS RELATIVE Ezechime died, Anagba decided to go back to his eastern homeland. But his wife was pregnant and for this reason, he decided to make a tent out of “Mkpa leaves”. This was how the name “Obamkpa” originated from. Thus while an account suggests that Anagba was a follower of Ezechime; another indicates that he was related to Ezechime via blood and they descend from a West Igbo homeland.
Obamkpa has three villages of Ogbeobi, Ukpatu and Ogbeonei. Ugboba , now an autonomous town used to be a part of Obomkpa putting a question to the inclusion of Ugboba as part of Odiani clan rather than Ezechima clan. Another attached town to Obomkpa is the small town of Ogodor which is related to Ugboba. Both descend from people who came from Ishan-Edo land but have been fully absorbed as Igbo people.
NOTES-
1. This narrative is very interesting. Simply because it gives an authentic Igbo origin to Ezechime. It also gives an alternative explanation how the title of “Eze” came about . Since Obomkpa is not involved in such squabbles, her account could be less tainted with distortions. This account confirms the documented narrative given by the American anthropologist, NW Thomas in his 1913 (earlier than any written account) work which suggested that Ezechime’s original homeland is somewhere between the present towns of Igbodo and Onicha-Ugbo(before these towns were founded there was a now extinct kingdom in the area). Could the now long extinct Ogidi kingdom lie somewhere between Onicha-Ugbo and Igbodo or somewhere in Enuani heartland? There will be need to carry out massive excavation of the entire area to verify these claims. There is already such indication already. At Ashama (in Aniocha South), ancient mud sculptures which were sadly destroyed due to poor handling indicates that many of our towns had been founded in areas which had been occupied by extinct communities. Ubulu people talk of the extinct Ozalla people; Aboh talks of the confederation of the now extinct Ewelie people. Ancient economic trees such as palm trees, kola nuts and so on were found in some of our jungles. These jungles were largely “claimed” in the twentieth century by farmers, nobody can really say who planted these trees.
Its also noteworthy that the historian, Prof Isichei noted in her book, that other versions suggesting a West Igbo homeland for the Umuezechima people actually exists and this narrative confirms it. Also, in the Onitsha-Mmili narrative which we will treat later, it suggests that Chime was the king of a kingdom called “Ado” and after losing the war with the Oba of Benin, decided to leave the vanished Ado homeland to found a new kingdom along the Niger. Since Onitsha is near the eastern Niger Ogidi, there will be naturally that tendency to talk of an ancient “Ado” kingdom rather than an ancient “Ogidi” kingdom. If they had stuck to Ogidi like Obomkpa, it would make them appear “inferior” to a “less civilized” neighbouring town of Ogidi.
2. I do however agree that Anagba may not have been a son of Ezechime. But they were related no doubt. This seems to be the reason why the town is not interested in the superiority squabble that exists between Obior, Onicha-Ugbo and Issele-Uku.
3. In some documents, Obomkpa is not included as part of Ezechime clan. Rather its included in Odiani clan where it forms a cluster of three clans namely Obomkpa itself and the dependent communities of Ugboba and Ogodor. Ugboba used to be part of Obomkpa. While Ogodor is an offshoot of Ugboba. Ugboba and Ogodor claim they migrated from Esan land. Adioge is the founder of Ugboba while a descendant called Okogboi founded Ogodor. Ugboba means “father’s farm” while Ogodor means “pond”. Ogodor and Ugboba both have Obis ; not Okpalabisis. In my opinion because of their attachment to Obomkpa, they should be placed as Umuezechime clan(but all will be considered as a single unit) or Obomkpa could be transferred to Odiani clan(where the three towns could be independently recognized) and merged with her dependencies.
4. Ase one of the early founders of Onitsha and the ancestor of Ase town in Ndokwa East was a native of Obomkpa. I will give explain the relationship in a later part.
5. Benin accounts support the idea that there were several now extinct West Igbo chiefdoms. Obuobu, the crown Prince of Benin and son of Oba Ewedor of Benin died according to Edo accounts in wars with "Igbo" people in the 1200s. Since the Benin Empire did not extend beyond the Niger to eastern Igbo land even when it was at the height of its power in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, "Igbo land" in this case could only had been in reference to western Igbo land.

By Osita Mordi

samuk:


The summary of your epistle is that Zik and his grandmother didn't know what they were talking about and you and others know more about Zik's heritage than Zik, what more is there to say?. One thing that remains indisputable is that Zik autobiography will continue to remain a reference point to his heritage irrespective of what anyone else's says.

Zik's said his forebears were Benin, you say they are not, I go with Zik because strangers can't tell you who your forefathers were.

It's left for the Benins to tell their history just as it's up to Zik, Anioma and Ikwerre to say who they are, whatever a stranger says doesn't count.

Each Ezechima clan has different version of Ezechima story which are not always in agreement.

Ezechima also had an "Offor" which is a thing of tussle between his sons as to who would possess it, hence many distorted their Ezechima stories.
But we know that only an Igboman keeps an Offor. Issele uku is claiming Bini origin, yet is busy hustling for Offor Ezechima with Onicha Ugbo people who has their own different version of Ezechima story.
Where in this world does a bini man keep an offor and pass it down to descendants? Offor is strictly an Igbo ancient relic found in all Igbo groups, from Igbanke to Ikwerre , all keep offor.

samuk:


1. The name is Ezechime not Ezechima.

2. Why assume you know the Good luck Jonathan I was referring to. I repeat, not everyone by the name Good luck Jonathan is an English man, not everyone by the name Anthony Jones is an English man just as not every Ngozi is an Igbo by heritage.

The point here is to debunk your argument that names determines someone's heritage.

All notable monarchs and people from Delta to Anambra that claim descent from Ezechime all agree he was a Benin prince. Whatever the Igbos are writing today is nothing but attempt to rewrite history.

Nnamdi Azikiwe had no reason to lie about his heritage at old age and retirement, it doesn't make sense.

Nobody can claim to know Zik's heritage more than Zik and his grandmother.

Zik was an Igbo with Benin blood or heritage just as Obama is an American with African blood or heritage.

Igbo is a recent coinage. Igbo like Anioma was coined to bring different people/tribes whose language may not necessarily be mutually intelligible together. Someone classified as Igbo today may not necessarily have been Igbo in the past. What makes someone an Igbo? You can't claim Anioma and Ikwerre to be Igbo without the people seeing themselves as Igbo. You can't shave someone's head in his absence.

Anioma are Ika and majority don't see themselves as Igbo except for the recent migrant from the east. The average Ikwerre don't also see themselves as Igbo.

There is no evidence that Ezechime migrated into Benin from Igbo land because the word Igbo didn't even exist in his time. What is undisputed is that he left Benin for the east.

Eze Chima and Ezechime are used interchangeably and non of them are Bini.

Of course, any one can pick any random foreign name to bear. Zik gave his son a Yoruba name. But we know that Zik first son mother tongue is not Yoruba.
Ezechima bore Igbo name and spoke Igbo language, his ethnicity was never in doubt. Your analogy of Igbo name is flawed because you failed to factor in the mother tongue factor.
An Igbo man who bears Anthony will never speak English as mother tongue. Jonathan good luck speaks Ogbia and his town is named in Ogbia language. Ezechima bore Igbo name and all the towns his children established were named in Igbo and continue to speak Igbo until this day.

Not all monarchs in Delta agree Ezechima was a Bini prince, even within Umuezechima, some towns believe he came from within western Igbo and British colonial report believed he came from a now defunct town between Igbodo and Onicha Ugbo. Agbor people believed Ezechima migrated from Agbor and was chased out of Agbor when he tried to Usurp Eze Agbor. This event is renacted in the Osiezi festival in Agbor.
No Bini Prince ever bore Ezechima and oral stories can be distorted and embellished. For example, the Olukumi in Anioma told the British colonial report that they migrated out of Bini when Attah Igala was the king of Bini. But we all know at no point was Attah Igala the king of Bini, and the British colonial report noted that the oral story was flawed.

He never lied about his heritage. He only recanted a story his grandmother told him. That doesn't make the story true.
A child growing up in Nigeria was told that India was banned from world cup because they used juju to win people. We were all told stories of how India won Nigeria 99-0 in a football match using juju. Our parents all believed this event happened and we grew up believing it happened. If there was no civilization, this myth will be passed from generation to another as the truth. Oral stories are only as useful if they pass rationality test.

America is not a native land. America belongs to Amerindian tribes, so your analogy is flawed. Igbo is an indigenous ethnicity united by an indigenous unique language not spoken anywhere else outside Igbo land.
Zik remains an Igbo and lived as an Igbo all his life. Likewise his people.

Igbo is older than Bini. In Anioma, we have towns named with Igbo. Akwukwu-Igbo, Igbo-uzo, etc.
Bini is the artificial creation made up of native edoid tribes ruled by a Yoruba king with Yoruba title called Oba, as against Edo title of Ogie/Ojie/Ovie.

Even as we speak today, we have native Igboid speakers (Igbanke), native Ijaws(Olodiama), native Yorubas( Usen) and even Igala elements, all as part of Bini. And they all speak and maintain their distinct languages.
Despite centuries of Bini imperialism in these parts, they retained their distinction from Bini.
So yes! Bini is an artificial heterogeneous entity made up of people of diverse origins who retained their distinct languages. Whereas Igbos are one people united by one language, with few Edo, Igala, Yoruba migrants who were immediately disarmed and assimilated as Igbo speakers by their Igbo hosts, except in case of Oza nogogo.

Anioma and Ikwerre can claim whatever they like, but like our people say, when a person buries himself,one of his hands stick out as evidence.
Their native Igboid languages will always stick out against them.

It is well established that Igbo speakers lived in Bini in the past and they got there from Igbo land. Their remnants are still found in Edo state today and they still speak Igbo language and bear Igbo names.

samuk:


The fact that someone goes by the name Good luck Jonathan doesn't makes him an English man. Not all ngozi are Igbo by ancestry.

I should ask you the same question. What was it that Zik intended to benefit by forging his ancestral heritage at retirement and old age? It make political sense to have gravitated more towards Igbo for their population when he was still politically active and tell his true history at retirement when there was nothing to gain or lose. You could say he used the Igbo population to succeed and feathered his political nest . He basically eat his cake and had it.

What you claimed Zik said in 1949 was political statement, what he wrote in 1970 was historical account, they are different.

Goodluck has a native name , ie Ebelemi. Goodluck is only a name he took from a colonial language. He and Ogbia people don't speak English as first language.
Ezechima and his people were and are Igbo speakers as first language and mother tongue and all bear Igbo names. Your argument is flawed .

Zik merely told a story his Grandmother told him, which is that they came from Bini, and not that they were Bini. Bini was a multi ethnic empire comprising of Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Esan and then Bini people.
Ezechima migrated from Bini, but he obviously was not Bini. And up till today, we have native Igbo speaking groups in Edo state within Bini kingdom. The Igbanke and other small towns like Owariuzo. They are the remnant of Igbo speaking people who were part of Bini.

Zik lived and died Igbo and his Onitsha people remain Igbo.

Here is Obi Achebe speaking on Igbo unity:https://www.google.com/amp/s/businessday

samuk:


Zik's grandmother claimed Ezechime was of Benin royal blood, no one can be more Benin than that.

Your Nnebisi founder of Asaba is an Igbo revisionist story. The earliest eyewitness history of Asaba is dated 1875, Asaba was still a Benin town with the people still using phrases from the Benin language, Igbo came in later. When was your Nnebisi story concocted? I heard this your Nnebisi story from that Igala wannabe Anioma guy before but he couldn't backed it up with written historical evidence earlier that my 1875 evidence. I challenge you to also provide your evidence to back your claim.

Lol!
Which phrases from Bini language were people using in Asaba in 1875?
Can you quote your colonial report to support that

Well, good to know that an Ezechima, an Igbo man once ruled over Bini as a royalty.

But wait o! What does it benefit an Edo man to claim kinship with an Nkechi, Nneka, Ndidi in Anioma when he can't even pronounce those names?
Ask him to pronounce it and he says Ikechi, Ineka, Ididi.

Are you lots not embarrassed?

gregyboy:



Ezechima came from the edo royalty anioma clan of Delta state what do you expect

Are you saying that Ezechima was an Igbo man who was part of Edo royalty?

"The only worthwhile stand we can make as a nation is to assert our right to self-determination, as a unit of a prospective Federal Commonwealth of Nigeria and the Cameroons, where our rights will be respected and safeguarded. Roughly speaking, there are twenty main dialectal regions in the Ibo nation, which can be conveniently departmentalized as Provinces of an Ibo State, to wit: Mbamili in the northwest, Aniocha in the west, Anidinma and Ukwuani in the southeast, Nsukka and Udi in the north, Awgu, Awka and Onitsha in the centre, Ogbaru in the south, Abakaliki and Afikpo in the northwest, Okigwi, Orlu, Owerri and Mbaise in the east, Ngwa, Bende, Abiriba Ohafia and Etche in the southwest. These Provinces can have their territorial boundaries delimited, they can select their capitals, and then can conveniently develop their resources both for their common benefit and for those of the other nationalities who make up this great country called Nigeria .


The keynote in this address is self-determination for the Ibo. Let us establish an Ibo State, based on linguistic and ethnic factors, enabling us to take our place side by side with the other linguistic and ethnic groups which make up Nigeria and the Cameroons. With the Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, Yoruba, Ibibio (Iboku), Angus (Bi-Rom), Tiv, Ijaw, Edo, Urhobo, ltsekiri, Nupe, Igalla, Ogaja, Gwari, Duala, Bali and other nationalities asserting their right to self-determination each as separate as the fingers, but united with others as a part of the same hand, we can reclaim Nigeria and the Cameroons from this degradation which it has pleased the forces of European imperialism to impose upon us. Therefore, our meeting today is of momentous importance in the history of the Ibo, in that opportunity has been presented to us to heed the call of a despoiled race, to answer the summons to redeem a ravished continent, to rally forces to the defence of a humiliated country, and to arouse national consciousness in a demoralized but dynamic nation".
https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/1949-nnamdi-azikiwe-address-ibo-people/

Zik addressing the Igbo state union in 1949.
Notice the bold part.
He clearly differentiated Igbo land, both Western Igbo( In this era Anioma was not in use, we used Anidinma for Ika, Aniocha for Oshimili and Ukwuani remains Ukwuani.) from non Igbo land , Edo inclusive. This document is important because it was made in 1949
Zik correctly demarcates Ndiigbo and Igbo land from other ethnicities, including Edo.

gregyboy:



Ezechima migrated from the anioma part of delta state with the knowledge of an already benin established royalty from his clan in anioma areas of Delta state were he migrated from, when he settled at onitsha he simply replicated the royal stool back home to his new found town

That's why his name is igbo, instead of edo, Ezechima definitely had edo and igbo blood in him

There is no Edo blood in Ezechima. No Edo blood goes by Igbo names.
Unless you are saying Edos were Igbo speaking years ago.

samuk:


I haven't read any book written by the Obi of Onitsha contradicting Zik's and Obi of issele-uku's position on the Benin origin of Ezechima. I rather go with the history as told by the illustrious descendants of Ezechima. The earliest eyewitness historical accounts of Asaba written in 1875 said the Asaba people migrated from Benin and were later amalgamated with the Igbos. If you have any earlier eyewitness historical account of Asaba that says something else, you can share it for all to read.

If Asaba was a Benin town as late as 1875, there is no way Ezechima and his people who crossed into Onitsha in the 1700s, 100 years earlier according to Zik would have spoken Igbo or a variant of the language that latter became known as Igbo, because there is no evidence that the word Igbo existed in the 1700s.

No history ever said Onitsha were Bini people, Zik was not a historian and all his life, he lived as an Igbo. Migrating from Bini doesn't translate to being Bini.

Asaba trace her origin to Nteje in Anambra state.
Asaba founder is Nnebisi, an Igbo man. If I ask you to pronounce the name now, with your Edo tongue, you would probably say "Inebisi" ,yet you want to claim Nnebisi because you suffer from minority complex, you recruiting Igbos to swell your minority number.

samuk:


You can't just wake up 300 years after the events and proclaim a different origin that suits your dogma to someone through your common sense after you have been told about that person's origin by descendants of that person.

You as a stranger can't tell the descendants of Ezechima the origin of their forefathers.

Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Genealogy and Nativity

"Thus, in tracing my paternal lineage, I could say that both parents of my father are direct descendants of Eze Chima. As for me, I can trace my paternal ancestry in this wise: I am the first son of Chukwuemeka, who was the third child and first son of Azikiwe, who was the second son of Molokwu, who was the third son of Ozomaocha, who was the second son of Inosi Onira, who was the fourth son of Dei, the second son of Eze Chima, the founder of Onitsha." SOURCE - Nnamdi A zikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) "My Genealogy and Nativity" p4 "I can trace my maternal ancestry thus: I am the first son of Nwanonaku Rachel Chinwe Ogbenyeanu (Aghadiuno)Azikiwe, who was third daughter of Aghadiuno Ajie, the fifth son of Onowu Agbani, first daughter of Obi Udokwu, the son who descended from five Kings of Onitsha. Five of these rulers of Onitsha were direct lineal descendants of Eze Chima, who led his warrior adventurers when they left Benin to establish the Onitsha city state in about 1748 AD." SOURCE - Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) "My Genealogy and Nativity" p5 "One day I asked her (grandmother) the meaning of the word 'Onitsha'. She explained that it had historical significance. The terminology meant one who despised another. It is a contraction of two words, Onini to despise, and Ncha meaning others. So that the two words when joined together mean one who despises others. Then I asked her why we despised others. She patted me on the back and told me that it was due to our aristocratic background and tradition. I insisted that she should explain to me the basis of this supercilious social attitude. She told me that we despised others because we descended from the Royal House of Benin and so regarded ourselves as the superiors of other tribes who had no royal blood in their veins....." "I continued to belabor my grandmother to tell me more of the history and origins of the Onitsha people. She narrated that many many years ago, there lived at Idu (Benin) a great Oba who had many children. Due to a power struggle regarding the right of precedence among princes of the blood and other altercations, there was a civil war in Benin. One day, the supporters of one of the princes insulted and assaulted Queen Asije, the mother of of the Oba of Benin, who was accused of having trespassed on their farmland. Enraged at this evidence of indiscipline and lawlessness, the Oba ordered his war chief and brother, Gbunwala Asije to apprehend and punish the insurgents. In the attempt to penalise them, Chima, the ultimate founder of the Onitsha city-state, a prince of the blood in his own right, led the recalcitrants against his Uncle, Gbunwala. This intensified the civil war which rent the kingdom of Benin in two and led to the founding of Onitsha Ado N'Idu....... ..." "As the great trek from Benin progressed, some did not have the stout heart of the pioneer-warrior, and decided to settle at different places, known today as Onitsha -Ugbo, Onitsha-Olona, Onitsha-Mili, Obior, Issele Ukwu, Ossomari, Aboh, etc..."

SOURCE - Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) "My Genealogy and Nativity"

Nothing more than fantasy tales mothers tell children.
Like the stories of tortoise and the birds.

A rational person should know better than to take them literally.

No Bini man is ever named Ezechima, not now, not centuries ago.

Just as common sense should tell you that the tortoise never gave the mother vegetables to cook for it and then killed her when the cooked vegetables she served him was too Small relative to the raw vegetables he gave her to prepare. So should common sense tell you that a Bini man cannot be named Ezechima, irrespective of the fact that our mothers told us those stories in the kitchen.
Those were mere fairy tells. We call it "akuko mbekwu", in Igbo language. Mothers usually tell them to hungry children while they wait for food to get done in the kitchen.

Onitsha people on crossing the river Niger had to settle with Obosi Idemili people. And they were Igbo speaking and never Bini speaking. It was until Obosi had a fall out with Onitsha people that they were driven out of Obosi, and they went to their present location, where they met Ozeh people (An Igbo speaking clan), won them in war and drove them inner land to possesses where you call Onitsha today.

Ndi Idemili met Umuezechima as Igbo speaking people. Never were they Bini speakers. This is history as we know it, which Onitsha monarchy having broken free of "Bini fever" are now affirming today.

RedboneSmith:


Deficient of rich history.

What constitutes 'rich history' from your perspective? Having a king, instead of being rules by a council of elders, is that it?

You wonder what kind of history is richer than language.
Edo is supposed to be a rich culture, yet at every point in time, we are told stories of Edo people dumping Edo language for Igboid language.
Even in Edo state, we have supposedly Edo people called Igbanke speaking Igboid language.
Lol!
In his native Urhobo land, we have supposedly Edoid Orogun people speaking Igboid language. Their leader is even called Okpala-uku.

Yet in their deluded mindset, Edo is supposed to be a superior culture, even when its being dropped at the drop of the hat for Igboid language as a first Language even in Edo state.

Delusions of grandeur is bad.

This is how they contaminate Igbo genes with alien genes.
You will think you are dealing with a fellow Igbo, not knowing he/she is an Hausa blood under Igbo name.
It will not be well with those Igbos buying Hausa children to raise as Igbos in Igbo land.

Daum:



Wow, now I can see your main agenda is to commonize everything about Benin. How can you say Ada and Eben is a shares culture. Something that's of Benin origin and a symbol of imperial Benin....what are you saying...do you know the authority behind then Ada and Eben...you will never know because it's not your culture. Ada and Eben a shared culture.... I am done with you. Abeg no quote me again

Eben and Ada is a Portuguese introduced symbol in Bini which groups in Bini then (Western Igbo, Eastern Yoruba, and Bini themselves) all copied.

Daum:



You're saying Isele uku people should question their sanity right..... My guy your pride is too much. The itsekiris and the Benins agree that their monarchy came from Benin. The Benins and the yorubas agree that Oronmiyan came from Ile-ife to establish a dynasty. Where Oronmiyans father came from is their business, they can argue on that, but at least they agree that Oronmiyan came from Ile-ife. The Benin people and the Isele uku people agree that their monarchy came from Benin.....but you from somewhere across the Niger says that it is a lie, that Isele uku people and their king have mental issues....

The Yorubas believe Bini monarchy came from Ile Ife , a history Binis will not accept. So I don't know where the agreement you speak of come from.

It is common sense to know that a man called Ezechima cannot be from Bini. Have you seen a Bini man by the name Eze Chima.

We agree that Ezechima lived in the vicinity of Bini.
What we disagree is that he was ever a Bini man. We disagree that we ever met Umuezechima speaking anything but Igbo language, while they claim to be Bini speakers whose interaction with supernatural Igbos made to dump their Bini language for Igbo language.
This history is not acceptable to those of us across the Niger, because its a mockery of our memories and intelligence.

Daum:



You also don't be silly
Because I don't see Benin claiming Isele uku or Anioma. It is Isele uku that is attaching itself to Benin because they have a history with us than they have with people in Owerri. Even in Asaba here you see them inscribing the Benin ceremonial swords on their street signposts. Did Edo state givement make them do it. At the entrance of Isele uku you see the festac mask there, did benin people construct it or force them to put it there.

I just told you my ancestors are from Agbor, I don't speak on IKA. They migrated into Esan land. I am Esan. Full blooded Esan and Edo. I don't claim Agbor. But as my father told me, so will I tell my kids that my ancestors came from Agbor and today we are Esan. You see what we have in Ika land is a hybrid of so many people, Benins, Esans and others coming together. That's why it's difficult for an Ika man to say he is Igbo. My coursemate in Uniben then told me his ancestors were from a village in Orhiomwon but he now claims he is Ika. My friend will never agree he Igbo. I use to tease him then that he is Igbo but he never agrees to it.

No body is claiming your beloved Enu-ani people. They're simply proud of the fact that they associated with a great name like Benin and have a history with her. It's what they are proud of and it's what they will always flaunt weather you Igbo's from across the Niger like or not. The palace in Onitsha will still continue to dance with that Ada and Eben you see during their Ofala festival. It's their history, so let them be

Your Esan people have people of Igbo, Igala and Yoruba origins in your midst. So why are you still Esan?
Why don't we now call you a hybrid of many people and not Esan? I mean Ekpon people already speakers of Igboid language, the communities around Ilushi speak Igala.

The Bini have Yoruba people (Usen), and peoples of Igbo speaking and Izon origin in their midst, when then don't Bini stop being Bini, why don't they become a hybrid.
Or does this hybrid story only work in Igbo speaking areas?
Parts ofv Isoko have people of Edo, Bini, Ijaw and Urhobo origins, why don't they stop being Isoko and become some thing else to reflect the so called origin of groups they assimilated?

Eben and Ada doesn't belong to Bini.
Its more like a shared culture between the Bini, Anioma and Eastern Yorubas. Ofala celebration is rooted in Nri and not Bini and Onitsha monarch is proudly Igbo having successfully broken free from Bini fever.
There is nothing for an Igbo speaking group that are not insane to celebrate about Bini.
The famous Agbor historian E.A Iduwe made it clear that Bini was a smaller Kingdom to Agbor until they met the Portuguese who gave them superior power arms with which they used to intimidate neighboring Eastern Yoruba and Western Igbo groups for a while until weapons proliferation happened and everything normalized.

Kirigidi:
Sometimes I marvel at your insecurity! Was it Edo that is claiming Issele-Uku or Issele-Uku themselves are the ones telling the world that they came from ancient Benin Empire? Before his coronation, the new king of Issele-Uku paid homage to the Oba of Benin and spent days in Benin according to traditions to learn rudiments of kingship. Did anyone force the Issele-Uku royal entourage to pay the Oba of Benin homage? Why did the Issele-Uku monarch chose to visit the Oba of Benin palace instead of the Obi of Onitsha palace or Eze Nri palace? Is Onitsha not even closer to Issele-Uku in distance than Benin City? Is that not enough evidence to convince you that Issele-Uku is historically and royally more attached/ closer to Benin than Igbos of the southeast? No matter how you pretend the truth is always plain. My stand is that the Issele-Uku indigenous people and their king know their history and origin as handed down to them by their ancestors. You that is from the southeast that knows nothing about Issele-Uku cannot change or alter their history. Period!

History of a people is not their exclusive right to change or distort, because a people history don't stand in isolation.
Issele uku and its monarch just because they are trying to lay claim to the "Ofo" (another ancient Igbo relic proving their Igbo origin) of Umuezechima from their brothers, will not be allowed to distort their history.
Our people in Idemili area have had ancient interaction with Ndi Enuani since antiquity and at no time do we know them as Bini speakers.
So when Obi Nduka wake up and start claiming they were Bini people that were converted to Igbo speakers by interactions with us across the Niger, it becomes our business to sqauash such fallacy, because it is an insult to our own memory and makes a fool of us. Our history has it that we had dealings with our fellow Igbo speaking brothers across the Niger. Iselle uku people don't have the right to change it without us objecting.

Issele uku suffers from Stockholm syndrome sustained from interactions with imperial Bini. Binis know that at no point were Issele people anything but Igbos who always spoke Igbo and whose Diokpas had ancient Igbo staff of authority called "Ofo". So why exactly are you lots feeding Issele uku Stockholm syndrome?

If someone you barely know wake up one morning and denied his brothers and start claiming you are his brother, even when you can't understand his language. Shouldn't you be questioning the sanity of such person rather than stupidly trying to claim him as a brother?

This is another Edoid speaking people in a town called Olomu in Isoko land today who assimilated many Igbo people.
You don't see Igbos claiming them. And they are not causing problem for their hosts.

"The ghost writer’s distortion of the UHS book Olomu and Development of Urhoboland & Western Niger Delta is further aggravated by the fact that he totally ignored the book’s larger context that is supplied in its Chapter 9. It was ably written by the King of Olomu with the title: “History and High Culture of Olomu.” As the King has written, “Olomu’s origin is unique in that the founders (Alaka, Oghoro and Igboze) of the kingdom came as immigrants from three different tribes, namely Igbo, Izon and Benin.”Olomu’s Ijaw founder was Oghoro of Kiagbodo. King R. L. Ogbon bears the regal title of Ogoni-Oghoro I which tracts his heritage to Kiagbodo. He is openly proud of that heritage".

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/upu-pioneers-urhobo-ancestors-proud-taiga/amp/

Looking at the name of Igbo co founder of Olomo, ie "Alaka"( land is greater).
He obviously came from IMO state. I would suggest via Oguta route.

This is Igbide history. They are Edoid (Isoko) speakers today. They originated from Igbo land and settled amongst Isoko people who assimilated them as Isoko speakers. They no longer speak Igbo language or bear Igbo names. And you don't see Igbos claiming them, because we understand what acculturation and assimilation means.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbide

Daum:



God bless you. I am Esan by tribe, but my family history says that my ancestors came from present day Agbor to where my village is in Ekpoma, Edo state. There is nothing in pride, my in-law from Ezi says that their family name tells of their ancestors who was a native doctor in Benin. Even the present Governor of Edo state has his family root in Isele uku. Many other families, one thing about Benin was that it attracted the best people just like the USA. If you served the Empire very well, you will be rewarded. The Enogie of Ogida isn't really from Benin.

Pride will not allow some people say certain things

Don't be silly.

We know the relationship between the western Igbos and Edo/Edoids were not one way traffic

Many families in Anioma originated from Edo ,just as many families in Edo originated from Anioma.
However, while you Edoids maintain that you remain Edo despite having assimilated many Igbo speaking groups in your midst, you have refused to let Anioma stay Igbo, just because they assimilated some Edo people.
Does it make sense to you?

The Edo migrants in Anioma met aboriginal Igbo speaking groups there who acculturated them and made them Igbo speakers. These Edoid elements has therefore by this fact ceased to be Edo but Igbo. In similar manner, many Igbo speaking groups from Anioma and even as far as Anambra migrated into Edolands and became assimilated by indigenous Edo people they met there. These families no longer speak Igbo and don't bear Igbo names, and therefore has become Edo despite their migration from Igbo speaking territories.
You don't see Igbos trying to claim them and you don't see them trying to cause problems to their Edo hosts by chanting that they originated from Igbo land and therefore not Edoids or Edo, despite the fact that they had been assimilated as Edos and now speak Edo as first language.

If your in-law from Ezi migrated from Bini, its no big deal. It means he was an Edo man who migrated into Igbo speaking town called Ezi and became acculturated as Igbo by the indigenes he met on ground. What is the big deal in that? If he doesn't want to remain Igbo, why can't he migrate back to part of Edoland where his ancestors migrated to Ezi from?
Why come to another man land and start taking the accommodation given to you for granted by instigating identity crisis?

Kirigidi:
This same "Ika" you are trying to hype here have been consistent in telling the whole world that they originated from ancient Benin, and at same time denying being Igbo. Can't you see you are just fooling yourself?

No Ika man worth his onion will tell the world they originated from Bini.

Chief E.A Iduwe a proud Agbor man wrote an untainted history of Agbor and Ika where he affirmed that Ika and Agbor are older than Bini.

How can Ika originate from Bini, be next door to Bini, yet speak a clearly Igboid language?
Are you alright at all. Even the Ikas in Edo state like Igbanke and Owariuzo cannot speak or understand Bini. They speak Igboid language and would effortlessly communicate with an Igbo man in Onitsha than with a Bini man living next door to them.