Hello Nairalanders ,
I remembered at a point in time, there were lots of threads that hit the front-page about Nigeria's major ethnic groups and their dialects! I remember that of Edo, Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. However, it ended there. Other ethnic groups were not listed and that trend died. However, it is important to know things like this. For one, speakers and learners of the language can known and learn these things. Other Nigerians and the world at large can understand the internal intricacies of these languages and how they work. Hence, I have decided to revamp this tradition with Nigeria's minority and less known ethnic groups. I am going to be covering most groups and will appreciate speakers of the language to help make the work easier by opening threads and adding facts, correcting errors and what have we in already opened threads.
The Urhobo People as a cultural unit has already been treated by me sometime ago in this thread:https://www.nairaland.com/2133542/interesting-facts-urhobo-people-delta/
However, to recap important points about the Urhobo people as whole, let me start by saying the Urhobo people are a group of people that effectively constitute Nigeria's 5th Largest Ethnic Nationality (Countered by the Ibibios though). They inhabit Delta South(Parts) and Delta Central(Totally). They speak an Edoid language that shares similarities with Afemai and Esan. The Urhobo people are similar and largely deemed as same by some people with the neighbouring Isoko people of Delta South. Urhobo people share common boundaries with the Itsekiris, Ijaws, Isokos, Edos and Ndokwa (Igboid) Ethnic Nationalities. They effectively dominate current Delta State politics due to their large numbers (estimated at 3million). Urhobo people occupy the following local government areas:
1. Okpe
2. Sapele
3. Uvwie
4. Udu
5. Ughelli North
6. Ughelli South
7. Ethiope East
8. Ethiope West
9. Warri South (Shared with Itsekiri)
10. Patani (Shared with Ijaws)
11. Burutu (Shared with Ijaws)
12. Sagbama (in Bayelsa State and shared with Ijaws and Isokos)

Urhobos also have large settlements in Ore, Owo and Okitipupa in Ondo State, Ajegunle and other places in Lagos State, Oro in Kwara State, as well as other clusters across Nigeria.


Now to our main discourse:
Urhobo has never been an homogenous linguistic entity. Since time immemorial, Urhobo has been colored by variation that occur on various levels. These variations manifest in the various Urhobo clans and kingdoms. A specific dialect of Urhobo has even broken off and become an individual ethnic nationality (Isoko). Another dialect is prospecting at this option (Okpe). The main reason for this break-off is that these dialects see themselves as individual groups as much as Ikwerre see themselves as being different from Igbo. Some of the "major dialects" of Urhobo are:
1. Isoko(Also has sub-dialects such as Erhowa, Enwhe and Iyede)
2. Central Urhobo (Agbarho-Ughelli Dialect)
3. Okpe
4. Ughievwien
5. Uvwie
6. Agbon
7. Avwraka (Abraka)
8. Udu
9. Ofoni
10. Orogun
11. Agbarha

These Dialects accounts for the main branches of Urhobo(Clans). Although there are other Urhobo clans such as Ogor, Olomu, Agbarha-Ame, etc but the linguistic features of these clans are either similar to one of the those mentioned above or not too obvious to become a dialect of its own. Most of these clans use central urhobo. The dialects listed are sometimes not mutually intelligible except for Central Urhobo which is the lingua franca of Urhobo People. These various dialectal groups also have peculiar cultural traits. We will not briefly examine these groups one by one.

1. Isoko
The Isoko Dialect of Urhobo is so broad and large that it is effectively a language of its own. Isoko is a proto-Edoid language and hence it is closer to how Urhobo once was when the people said goodbye to their Benin progenitors. Isoko has its own sub-dialects such as Iyede, Erhowa, Enwhe, Olomoro, Oleh, etc. The main dialectal difference between Urhobo and Isoko include; Use of Degwo instead of Migwo for greeting, repetition of utterances and words.i.e. "Yanzobone Yanzobone (Come here, Come here)", different names for various objects, etc. My Isoko people here can help out with more.

2. Central Urhobo (Agbarho-Dialect)
The Agbarho/Ughelli dialect of Urhobo is deemed to be the purest, fluent and undiluted form of Urhobo language. It is understandable by all Urhobo people and has widespread acceptance. It is spoken mainly in Ughelli and Agbarho, a suburb of Warri and Ughelli, both in Ughelli North LGA. This is the version of Urhobo taught at Secondary Schools, College of Education and Delta State University.

3. Okpe
The Okpe Dialect has the largest number of speakers in Urhobo land. They stay in Okpe and Sapele Local Government Areas. They are all ruled over by the Orodje of Okpe, a historical and semi-hereditary traditional kingship and a first class King in Nigeria. The Okpe dialect is considered deep and hard by other Urhobo speakers. In fact, the Okpe dialect is believed by many to be closer to Edo than it is to Urhobo. The average Urhobo man will have a field day understanding Okpe. The differences between Okpe and Central Urhobo is so large that one wonders why it is classed together as Urhobo when it obviously has more connection to Isoko than Urhobo. However, they are culturally the same with Urhobo. Dialectal differences cut across greeting.i.e. Deewho instead of Megwo, names of objects and animals, meaning of common words, etc. My Okpe people, please help me out here with some differences.

4. Ughievwien
When I was growing up, we had two neighbours that were Ughievwien (Ujevwen) people. I remember that my mother always had a field day analysing how funny they spoke. The Ughievwien people occupy Ughelli South LGA. Their major town is Otu-Jeremi with other towns and villages such as Egbo, Effurun-otor, Olomu, etc. These people are simple minded and live in mainly riverine areas. Their language is seen as "impure" and unintelligible by most Urhobo speakers. Their version of Urhobo involves a lot of tongue twisting and tongue rolling. They speak as if they sing. Their words are pronounced differently most times and the stress/tonation is slightly different from Central Urhobo. Ujevwen People, please help me out here with more examples.

5. Uvwie
Uvwie Dialect is spoken by the people that occupy Uvwie LGA in such towns as Effurun, Enerhen, Ugbomro, etc. Their Urhobo is mildly understandable by the average Urhobo speaker. Theirs is an amalgam of Okpe, Agbon and Udu. In their cultural system, the Otota (Spokesman and Prime Minister) found in other Urhobo clans, is replaced with the Unuevworho with similar but slightly different functions. Uvwie people greet differently, some words and their stress placement are also different from central Urhobo. Uvwie people, you know the drill. Its your turn.

6. Agbon
Agbon is spoken by the people of Ethiope East LGA. It is the second largest Urhobo kingdom. The main Agbon divisions include; Okpara, Kokori, Eku, Igun and Ovu-Oviorie. Of these divisions, Okpara is the largest while Kokori speaks a more proto-Agbon, or harder, version. Agbon Urhobo is extremely close to Central Urhobo. Differences are barely noticed. The main differences constitute the physical nuances of Agbon speakers. Other differences include pronunciation of certain words and their usage. Agbon speakers are understood across board. Their main difference is that the dialect is deep. It is the main dialect used in Urhobo proverbs, idioms and metaphysical expositions. If you want to learn Urhobo, dont start with Agbon. Agbon speakers can say more on this

7. Avwraka (Abraka)
The Avwraka dialect of Urhobo is spoken by people who occupy the northern parts of Ethiope East LGA. Their main divisions are; Oruarivie-Abraka and Umiagwa-Abraka, each with its own king. Divisions include; Ekrejeta, Ojeta, Oria, Erho, Ajanomi, Urhuagbesa, Otorho, Urhuoka, Umeghe, etc. Avwraka Dialect is seen as slightly "impure" by most speakers. Their dialect is a simplified version of Urhobo, perhaps too simplistic. The dialect lacks depth and its not as linguistically rich as most dialects. There are also cases of borrowings and adaptations in Avwraka dialect. Maybe the people from Abraka can do more justice to this

8. Udu
This dialect is largely elusive. It is mostly similar to that spoken in Ughievwien and also resembles Uvwie. I'd call it a secondary/mixed dialect of both Ujevwen and Uvwie. However, it is different in its own rights. I haven't met most of its native speakers so my personal knowledge of this dialect is somewhat limited to what others have said. However, it is also "impure" and has a lot of phonological differences with central Urhobo. Udu people occupy Udu LGA, a suburb of Warri. Major towns are Otor-Udu, Aladja, etc. Udu people please help me out.

9. Ofoni
The Ofoni dialect of Urhobo is an offshoot of the Ughelli dialect and it is spoken by Ijoid Tarakiri people in Odurubu and Oduophiri in Patani LGA of Delta State and Ofoni in Sagbama LGA of Bayelsa State. These people have lived alongside the Ijaws for so long that it leaves much to marvel that they have not been acculturated by now. They live far off land and one must fly a speed boat to reach these places on time. As expected, their version of Urhobo has been colorated by Ijaw with so much borrowings, transliterations, adaptations, jugglery, etc etc. I call on the Ofoni people to bail me out here.

10. Orogun
The Orogun Dialect of Urhobo is one of the most unique ones. It is spoken by the Orogun people who occupy Ughelli North LGA. They are close neighbours to the Ndokwa People of Abbi and Amai as well as the Isoko people of Iyede and Owhelogbo. They are mainly bilinguals. Most of the Orogun people can speak/understand Ndokwa(Igboid) and Urhobo. Most also add Isoko to their arsenal. Orogun itself is a kingdom with a King and it has several quarters. Orogun-Urhobo sounds like Ughelli/Agbarho Urhobo, just like the close Agbarha neighbours, but the influence of Ndokwa has penetrated the language. Words are different, syntax becomes juggled, pronunciations take a funny turn, most speakers code-mix and code-switch between Urhobo and Ndokwa and some cant even separate which from which. Only Orogun people can fully explain how unique their dialect is.

11. Agbarha
The Agbarha dialect of Urhobo is spoken, in its various forms, by people in Agbarha and Okere in Warri South LGA, Idjerhe, Mosogar and Oghara in Ethiope West LGA and the aboriginal and eponymous people of Agbarha in Ughelli North LGA. The earlier mentioned groups (Agbarha/Okere Warri, Idjerhe, Mosogar, Oghara) were all migrants from Agbarha-Otor. The Agbarha dialect is similar to central Urhobo spoken in Ughelli/Agbarho. It is not impure per se but it is slightly different and not perceivably shallow. Only experienced speakers of Urhobo can pick out its dialectal differences. Agbarha People, you know the drill



Whew! It's time for me to rest now. Like I said earlier, this dialectal list is not prescriptive but descriptive. IT mainly shows the various forms that the Urhobo language has taken in its development. Aboriginal speakers of the various dialects should contribute meaningfully to this thread by showing us some of the unique features of their dialects. I am not an expert nor do I claim to be but I love language documentation and plan to do what I have done here with other groups such as Ijaw, Itsekiri, Ibibio, Ogoni, Ebira, Igala, Nupe, etc. Let us harmonise ourselves here and eschew tribalism! We are one! Urhobo Ovuo'vo!

Written by Mathias Orhero

Lalasticlala: Able Super Moderator

Picture Insert of Urhobo People Across All Dialects:

[img]http://3.bp..com/-gkuRsRVyiJI/UlZPuRmyoJI/AAAAAAAAWbE/Q9ZHZMFFca4/s1600/nigerian+monarchs+-+george+osodi+-+4.jpg[/img]

https://www.nairaland.com/2573481/calabar-uyo-comparison (Help a Friend Make a Decision)



Up next: Ijaw and its dialect (https://www.nairaland.com/2685893/ijaw-dialects-where-spoken)

nice tread
but its too long

rawpadgin:
nice tread
but its too long

Lol. Seriously?

I even shortened alot of things. Thanks anyway!

Always Interesting...


Always Marthy

I thought their is Isoko and their Urhobo, so Isoko is part of Urhobo languague not that they are on their own.

Why described the Uvwie dialect as "impure" Urhobo. I take exception to that. U would have as well describe the Udu, okpe dialect as impure Urhobo. Every Urhobo clan as their own unique dialect.. Appreciate that uniqueness.

LKO:
Why described the Uvwie dialect as "impure" Urhobo. I take exception to that. U would have as well describe the Udu, okpe dialect as impure Urhobo. Every Urhobo clan as their own unique dialect.. Appreciate that uniqueness.

Impure in all my usage here relates to how it is heard comparatively with Central Urhobo dialect. No offence intended and sorry to the Uvwie people if any was implied.

Op I took my time to read your post.. Kudos.. but lemme correct some error there.. Uvwie is not considered Impure. The uvwie dialect is just deep.. And its a combination of all Urhobo dialect (Okpe, Agbon, Ughelli e.t.c).

Secondly using the case of Okpe to compare Ikwere. is wrong. from tym immemorial The Okpe are considered One of they key branch of Urhobo... You can Use Isoko-Urhobo Relationship to Compare Ikwere. And Okpe re not close to Edo as you stated above (wondering if you have seen any1 speaking that dialect) Okpe is a collection of Urhobo dialect and mostly from Isoko so what's the relationship with Edo more than Urhobo Here ?.. Am nt trying to say we re nt Edoid but just making some correction to your post.

You are complaining that Uvwie is impure then listen To Deep Udu or the Urhobo from bayelsa, U won't understand anything...

Good writeup. . So happy seeing post like this.. Seun pls help promote the awareness of our people..

Fratermathy thumbs up..

God bless the Urhobo Nation

Pls if you are from Urhobo/Itsekiri let's promote this thread so it can HIT FP like this 1

Some Things To Note About Urhobo And Itsekiri

LKO:
Why described the Uvwie dialect as "impure" Urhobo. I take exception to that. U would have as well describe the Udu, okpe dialect as impure Urhobo. Every Urhobo clan as their own unique dialect.. Appreciate that uniqueness.

This is an insult to my Uvwie brothers.. Op pls do something about this b4 it hits FP.. Thanks..

fratermathy:


Impure in all my usage here relates to how it is heard comparatively with Central Urhobo dialect. No offence intended and sorry to the Uvwie people if any was implied.

I rep Udu (Ovwian), Uvwie (Ekpan) and Ujevwen (Eyara). Proudly Urhobo.

Goodboiyy:


This is an insult to my Uvwie brothers.. Op pls do something about this b4 it hits FP.. Thanks..

Modified now.

NICE THREAD BRO, PROUDLY URHOBO 4RM UGHELLI NORTH.

Another thread of mine: https://www.nairaland.com/2660448/how-deal-sexual-assault-rape

Seun pls do the needful.. it wort fTP na... Pls pls.. lalasticlala I get 1 Urhobo babe 4 you oo.. just help us promote our language and culture.. thanks.

Front page pls.

Interesting thread.

I'm actually surprised to see Isoko listed as an Urhobo dialect. I wonder what isoko people will have to say about. Can it also be vice-versa? Can urhobo be an isoko dialect? I actually think Urhobo and isoko people and language are one and the same. it beats me why people from that region derive joy in dividing themselves unnecessarily. The same thing applies to Efik/Ibibio/Annang.

Afam4eva:
Interesting thread.

I'm actually surprised to see Isoko listed as an Urhobo dialect. I wonder what isoko people will have to say about. Can it also be vice-versa? Can urhobo be an isoko dialect? I actually think Urhobo and isoko people and language are one and the same. it beats me why people from that region derive joy in dividing themselves unnecessarily. The same thing applies to Efik/Ibibio/Annang.

Urhobo can never be from Isoko.. During awolowo Regime there is nothing like Isoko.. it was called Western Urhobo..

To me I see them as Urhobo sub group.. nothing more

Goodboiyy:


Urhobo can never be from Isoko.. During awolowo Regime there is nothing like Isoko.. it was called Western Urhobo..

To me I see them as Urhobo sub group.. nothing more

Same here. But the isoko may beg to differ. It's similar with the relationship between Igbo and ikwerre. Some Igbos will tell you that Ikwerre was Igbo before the civil war but became Ikwerre after but Ikwerres will beg to disagree. I persoanlly think all these divisions are unnesesary.

But how can you compare isoko dialect with other urhobo dialect. I'm trying to understand how isoko can be closer to being another language compared to Uvie or Okpe for example.

Afam4eva:
Interesting thread.

I'm actually surprised to see Isoko listed as an Urhobo dialect. I wonder what isoko people will have to say about. Can it also be vice-versa? Can urhobo be an isoko dialect? I actually think Urhobo and isoko people and language are one and the same. it beats me why people from that region derive joy in dividing themselves unnecessarily. The same thing applies to Efik/Ibibio/Annang.

I like your analogy of Efik/Ibibio. Isoko is a dialect of Urhobo but it has something other dialects do not have; sub-dialects and unlike other dialects too, Isoko is not geographically contiguous with other Urhobo clans and dialects apart from one or two towns. This has made its people perceive themselves as being different. Isoko is different but no more than Efik is to Ibibio.

Afam4eva:

Same here. But the isoko may beg to differ. It's similar with the relationship between Igbo and ikwerre. Some Igbos will tell you that Ikwerre was Igbo before the civil war but became Ikwerre after but Ikwerres will beg to disagree. I persoanlly think all these divisions are unnesesary.

But how can you compare isoko dialect with other urhobo dialect. I'm trying to understand how isoko can be closer to being another language compared to Uvwie or Okpe for example.

The reason why I think Isoko/Urhobo Relationship is different from Igbo/Ikwerre own is because, Okpe dialect of Urhobo traces there origin to Isoko, and Isoko do claim that They lost Okpe to Urhobo because Okpe was surrounded by Urhobo clan.. nw my question is. If Okpe can be A Dialect in Urhobo why can't the said Isoko be a Dialect in Urhobo ?.

Mind you Okpe dialect is far more connected to Isoko than other Urhobo dialect.

Afam4eva:

Same here. But the isoko may beg to differ. It's similar with the relationship between Igbo and ikwerre. Some Igbos will tell you that Ikwerre was Igbo before the civil war but became Ikwerre after but Ikwerres will beg to disagree. I persoanlly think all these divisions are unnesesary.

But how can you compare isoko dialect with other urhobo dialect. I'm trying to understand how isoko can be closer to being another language compared to Uvie or Okpe for example.

I've heard Isoko and can understand it. I even think Uvwie is deeper than Isoko, at least the real Uvwie, not the one spoken by the younger generation. Isoko, like Goodboiyy stated, was never a tribe until Mr. Otobo or so, a parliamentarian in the then Western Region moved for an Isoko division to be carved out of Eastern Urhobo. Otobo sold his idea and Awo bought it being that Otobo belonged to NCNC. That was how Isoko was birthed first as a division then a local government and then an ethnic extraction. However, because the people actively wanted to be identified as unique, they deliberately exaggerated linguistic variations and even added more over time. Still, apart from Isokos themselves, almost everyone sees both as the same! Urhobo is not a dialect of Isoko. Urhobo itself is an umbrella term for the progenitor of several common linguistic groups such as Uvwie, Okpe, Agbon, Isoko, etc. It's just that Isoko feels too large to be tucked together with the rest (there is a sense to it but not enough to call it a different language)

fratermathy:


I like your analogy of Efik/Ibibio. Isoko is a dialect of Urhobo but it has something other dialects do not have; sub-dialects and unlike other dialects too , Isoko is not geographically contiguous with other Urhobo clans and dialects apart from one or two towns. This has made its people perceive themselves as being different. Isoko is different but no more than Efik is to Ibibio.

At bolded if we go by this your view, Then Isoko is no longer a dialect but a Tribe,

Its like saying uvwie as a dialect has other Sub-Dialect, oboy this matter is #LOGICAL..

Well Any Isoko in the house.. We can discuss about this... 1 luv

Urhobo Wadooooohh!!.....
Well Am From Orogun, I Can Our Language Has Alot Of Twist And Turns...We Have The Ability To Understand All Other Urhobo Ethnic Groups.
Once Again...Ihwo Urhobo Wadooo!!

My great tribe..... Proudly Urhobo....

Proudly Urhobo
Proudly Isoko
Proudly Deltan!!!! We no dey cari last

The Tower of Babel must have fallen in Delta State.

Big shout out to all my Urhobo pals.

Weeeedo magare

Goodboiyy:


The reason why I think Isoko/Urhobo Relationship is different from Igbo/Ikwerre own is because, Okpe dialect of Urhobo traces there origin to Isoko, and Isoko do claim that They lost Okpe to Urhobo because Okpe was surrounded by Urhobo clan.. nw my question is. If Okpe can be A Dialect in Urhobo why can't the said Isoko be a Dialect in Urhobo ?.

Mind you Okpe dialect is far more connected to Isoko than other Urhobo dialect.

I don't understand Urhobo/Isoko,, so it will be difficult for me to compare these dialects But the way i see it, poltiics has a lot to do with it. It's not just about having similarities in language. It has a lot to do with statehood. For instance, the only reason in my mind why Okpe dialect which you alluded to be more connected to Isoko than Urhobo but still an Urhobo dialect is because they were influenced by other Urhobo tribes around them and probably aligned politically with the Urhobos as opposed to the Isokos.

Okeluse

This list is not complete without Olomu

Goodboiyy:


At bolded if we go by this your view, Then Isoko is no longer a dialect but a Tribe,

Its like saying uvwie as a dialect has other Sub-Dialect, oboy this matter is #LOGICAL..

Well Any Isoko in the house.. We can discuss about this... 1 luv

Lol. It's possible for dialects to be variegated. I think what matters here is the proto-Isoko which is the central one. Even Nigerian English, a dialect of world Englishes, has sub dialects in the North, East, West and South. Even Agbon has varieties. Agbon spoken in Kokori is deeper than Agbon spoken in Eku.

Isoko has all the potentials that justify its label as an ethnic nationality. However, I believe that there is something political about it. The languages are just too similar and the culture too alike for them to be different. Theirs is a typical Igbo-Ikwerre, Efik-Annang case @Goodboiyy.