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Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns - Politics - Nairaland

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Obaseki Inspects Marine Police Post, 8 Gun Boats, Others In Gelegele Community* / Obaseki Where's Gelegele Sea Port?? / Return The Missing Rifle Or Be Dealt With - Army Warn Ijaw Resident In Gelegele (2) (3) (4)

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Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Idonmakeam: 7:14am On Nov 20, 2017
Gelegele-gbene and the Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns – Ebikapade Amasuomo


The stern warning issued by the governor of Edo State to Ijaw communities in his state over their attempt to install a traditional ruler to preside over their affairs calls for serious concern. For governor Obaseki to insinuate that Edo people are merely tolerating Ijaw people is unbecoming of a state governor. It is common knowledge that apart from the Oba of Benin, there are several other traditional rulers who of course do not replace the Oba but assists in the governance of their people, therefore, one wonders why it is a taboo for the Ijaws to nominate a traditional chief to oversee their own affairs.

Personally I believe that the ethnic interwoven nature of the Niger Delta requires a concerted effort from government towards promoting peaceful cohabitation rather than fan the embers of division. The mere fact that one ethnic group have a population advantage over another does not make them owners of the land. The Bini’s have always lived peacefully side by side with their Ijaw neighbours for several decades until recently when Ijaw communities became economically important. As a government and as responsible citizens, our effort must be geared towards deemphasizing ethnicity in the interest of nationhood in order to avoid the catastrophic costs associated with intertribal crisis.

Gelegele-gbene people must be treated as equal citizens of Edo State especially because they are in their ancestral land even though they are surrounded by Benin people. We must also remember that even in Bayelsa State where Ijaws are the predominant tribe, an Urhobo village inhabited mainly by Urhobo people can still be found in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state. Can the Ijaws chase them out of Bayelsa State due to their small population? Obviously not.

A popular Bini folklore made it clear that, when the Bini’s first arrived in Edo State from Ile Ife, they met fisher men living in small communities scattered all over the riverine areas of Edo State. The British had referred to those fishing communities as fishing ports, these were small villages that depend on products from the sea. The Ijaws were mainly primitive people at that time living off the sea and farm products from nearby villages. They were traditional worshippers, believing in sea gods. They were not interested in mass acquisition of land, hence, they welcomed visitors/settlers with open arms provided such settlers were willing to travel far inland. Hence, when the Bini’s came to Edo State, they were welcomed by the Ijaws. A popular Bini folklore was that when the Oba and his people arrived from Ile Ife, they were ferried in canoes across the river by Ijaw fisher men living in villages around the riverine areas of the state. This is a very popular and widespread narrative which every Edo man is aware of. The Ijaws of those days were more interested in protecting their immediate settlements, hence, they made the mistake of not possessing the entire land in Edo State even though they were the aborigines. In contrast, the Bini’s from Ile Ife were more sophisticated, they were farmers with a well organized monarchy system of government in place, on arrival to Edo State, the traditional monarchy system they had brought from Ife continued, they travelled far inland away from Ijaw settlements and wasted no time in possessing the land around them (excluding Ijaw areas) for agriculture. They traded with the Ijaws and lived peacefully with their neighbours for many decades, however, this peaceful co-existence was shattered when oil exploration began in the Niger Delta, it turned out that many Ijaw settlement all over the Niger Delta became oil producing communities, the oil found in their territories made them a target of persecution by their neighbours.

The Ijaws are the sacrificial lamp of the Niger Delta, they are persecuted by their Niger Delta neighbours and the Nigerian State. They face constant harassment and bombardment by the Nigerian army and their neighbours. Many Ijaw sons and daughters have died fighting for a better Niger Delta, yet, whenever any project is to be approved in Ijaw territories, their neighbours will either lay claims to the land, oppose the projects, demand for a change of name or for a lion share even when such projects are as a result of years of struggle by the Ijaws.

Due to the constant hostility and lack of opportunities to Ijaws in Edo State, the population of Ijaws in the state have declined significantly in the last 25 years as many Ijaws have migrated to Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo and Lagos state. As it is now clear that the Ijaws will make a stand on Gelegele-gbene and the other remaining Ijaw settlements, efforts must be made to avert Edo State from becoming a war zone. Every citizen of the state should be carried along in the interest of peace and fairplay. The political exclusion of Ijaws in Edo State must be addressed so that they can also have their turn in Edo State Government House. Above all, the Bini’s must realise that it is impracticable to expect Ijaws to leave their ancestral land.

http://www.whistletimes.com/2017/11/gelegele-gbene-ijaw-benin-crisis-edo-state-burns-ebikapade-amasuomo/

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Idonmakeam: 8:19pm On Nov 20, 2017
See full story at link

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Elose11(m): 9:13pm On Nov 20, 2017
My friend, you started well until you began delving into your so called Benin folklore you know next to nothing about. That so called folklore is as told by the Ijaw.
Benin never migrated from Ife. The Benin folklore says that their ancestors originated from the sky. Therefore, the Benin king then was known as Ogiso, meaning king of the sky.
Ife came in when the kingdom started having internal strives.Since they could not agree on a king among themselves, they then send to their prince who had earlier fled to Ife to escape been killed to come and rule over them.
It was this Benin prince who had become a ruler in ife and is now called oduduwa, that sent his son to rule Benin.
As you can see, my friend, there is no where in Benin folklore where it was said that the Benins migrated from Ife. It was only a Benin prince who had now become the ruler of ife, that sent his son, oranmiyan, to rule Benin in his stead. And only when the Benins requested him to come over and rule over them

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by GoldCircle: 9:26pm On Nov 20, 2017
Rubbish talk! So according to your write up, Ijaw people gave Benin people land to settle when they returned from ile ife? You are obviously very drunk! You want to twist facts and rewrite history abi?

May Agbala shave Your beards!

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Idonmakeam: 9:37pm On Nov 28, 2017
Not by me
Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by nengibo: 9:58pm On Nov 28, 2017
The bini are a group of yoruba migrants who came to meet the Ijaws in their present location that is why all their ancient words only have meaning in Ijaw language
Ogiso - clear Ijaw word king of the sky
Igodo- clear Ijaw word for key
Bini- Ijaw word for water

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by proudlyYoruba(m): 10:17pm On Nov 28, 2017
nengibo:
The bini are a group of yoruba migrants who came to meet the Ijaws in their present location that is why all their ancient words only have meaning in Ijaw language
Ogiso - clear Ijaw word king of the sky
Igodo- clear Ijaw word for key
Bini- Ijaw word for water
For the word 'bini'. I disagree

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by nengibo: 10:49pm On Nov 28, 2017
proudlyYoruba:
For the word 'bini'. I disagree
You can't just disagree with fact, it doesn't work that way, bini mean water in Ijaw language

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Desyner: 11:06pm On Nov 28, 2017
Ijaws will go to Lagos to bomb it as a way of spiting Lagosians. Same Ijaws are in the middle of Warri. Ijaws are proving to be the herdsmen of the south.

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by NDelta(m): 11:09pm On Nov 28, 2017
The writer was spot on, the Ijaws were first in Benin before any other tribe, they were fisher men in those days. Benin will always be home of the Ijaws. The next oba must be an Ijaw man.

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by NDelta(m): 11:15pm On Nov 28, 2017
Desyner:
Ijaws will go to Lagos to bomb it as a way of spiting Lagosians. Same Ijaws are in the middle of Warri. Ijaws are proving to be the herdsmen of the south.

Not herds men of the south, the problem is that Ijaws are scattered all over the south, they do not have a common geography/location. The other tribes oppose a common state for the Ijaws as it may encroach into their own territories.

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Jesusloveyou: 11:30pm On Nov 28, 2017
Idonmakeam:
Not by me
why did you post the rubbish, or are you also a rubbish?

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by proudlyYoruba(m): 12:00am On Nov 29, 2017
nengibo:

You can't just disagree with fact, it doesn't work that way, bini mean water in Ijaw language
What does the binis have to say about this? I thought the name was derived ilè ìbínú (land of vexation). Around the 15th century it was 'ubinu' before the Portuguese. Though, farther Edo clans, such as the Itsekiris and the Urhobos still referred to the city as Ubini up till the late 19th century, as evidence implies. (Wiki)

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by proudlyYoruba(m): 12:02am On Nov 29, 2017
Elose11:
My friend, you started well until you began delving into your so called Benin folklore you know next to nothing about. That so called folklore is as told by the Ijaw.
Benin never migrated from Ife. The Benin folklore says that their ancestors originated from the sky. Therefore, the Benin king then was known as Ogiso, meaning king of the sky.
Ife came in when the kingdom started having internal strives.Since they could not agree on a king among themselves, they then send to their prince who had earlier fled to Ife to escape been killed to come and rule over them.
It was this Benin prince who had become a ruler in ife and is now called oduduwa, that sent his son to rule Benin.
As you can see, my friend, there is no where in Benin folklore where it was said that the Benins migrated from Ife. It was only a Benin prince who had now become the ruler of ife, that sent his son, oranmiyan, to rule Benin in his stead. And only when the Benins requested him to come over and rule over them
Ur benin prince Ekaladeran. Did he leave alone or he left in the company of other people?

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by proudlyYoruba(m): 12:02am On Nov 29, 2017
Elose11:
My friend, you started well until you began delving into your so called Benin folklore you know next to nothing about. That so called folklore is as told by the Ijaw.
Benin never migrated from Ife. The Benin folklore says that their ancestors originated from the sky. Therefore, the Benin king then was known as Ogiso, meaning king of the sky.
Ife came in when the kingdom started having internal strives.Since they could not agree on a king among themselves, they then send to their prince who had earlier fled to Ife to escape been killed to come and rule over them.
It was this Benin prince who had become a ruler in ife and is now called oduduwa, that sent his son to rule Benin.
As you can see, my friend, there is no where in Benin folklore where it was said that the Benins migrated from Ife. It was only a Benin prince who had now become the ruler of ife, that sent his son, oranmiyan, to rule Benin in his stead. And only when the Benins requested him to come over and rule over them
Ur benin prince Ekaladeran. Did he leave alone or left in the company of other people?

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Nobody: 12:26am On Nov 29, 2017
Stop quoting wikipedia, those pages were written by people whom are just as clueless as you on the subject.
There is really something wrong in nigerian education which makes you guys constantly quote wikipedia on things such as undocumented african "history" !
Can anybody show actual evidence for these claims ?
The portuguese were already visiting Benin in the middle ages and the name they wrote down is Benin Kingdom, The Edo people also call their kingdom Benin Kingdom ! and now some fools are telling us a story about ibini or ubini or whatever and that it is the portugues who changed our name ? WTF is wrong with you people ?

proudlyYoruba:
What does the binis have to say about this? I thought the name was derived ilè ìbínú (land of vexation). Around the 15th century it was 'ubinu' before the Portuguese. Though, farther Edo clans, such as the Itsekiris and the Urhobos still referred to the city as Ubini up till the late 19th century, as evidence implies. (Wiki)

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by nengibo: 6:48am On Nov 29, 2017
proudlyYoruba:
What does the binis have to say about this? I thought the name was derived ilè ìbínú (land of vexation). Around the 15th century it was 'ubinu' before the Portuguese. Though, farther Edo clans, such as the Itsekiris and the Urhobos still referred to the city as Ubini up till the late 19th century, as evidence implies. (Wiki)
Dats another account, it might also interest you to know that itsekiri & urhobo also got their name from their neighbor tribe "the Ijaws" , thats how most tribes get their names, i believe its the same situation with the Yorubas, itsekiri & urhobo are not edo clans unless clan means another thing

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Nobody: 11:15am On Nov 29, 2017
I guess even the french get their names from the ijaw, right ?
ijaw are the biggest and best namers in the world.
Perharps God himself gets his name from the ijaws.
And trump, and michael jackson and eddy murphy, they must have got their names from the ijaw.
I love how some stuuupid ijaw think they can rewrite history and brainwash everybody into believing their fanatastic tales.
Keep dreaming ijaw, you were the first where again ? Yeah the first in hell, right ?
Morrons who are telling a story which allegeadly happened thousands of years ago and of which there is no historical record !
You guys must be involved in time travel, right ?

nengibo:

Dats another account, it might also interest you to know that itsekiri & urhobo also got their name from their neighbor tribe "the Ijaws" , thats how most tribes get their names, i believe its the same situation with the Yorubas, itsekiri & urhobo are not edo clans unless clan means another thing

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Nobody: 11:23am On Nov 29, 2017
Ijaw, you guys need to stop your fabrications, and get more educated. Edo history is too well documented. And contrary to what you think, the Oba of Benin is not just the Oba of Benin City. His real title is Omo n'Oba n'Edo. He is the King of the Benin Kingdom. Benin City is only the capital of the Benin Kingdom, not the Kingdom itself ! Edo state is a small part of the Kingdom and you ijaw are trying to crown a "king" in a part of an already established kingdom. I hope you people can understand this and stop your madness ! When you migrate into an area, try and learn the history of the land. Don't just start making claims of "we were here first" and don't start "crowning" your "son" in a foreign land, you might get slaughtered by the owners of the land. This is an advise and a warning!

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by nengibo: 1:17pm On Nov 29, 2017
historyworld030:
I guess even the french get their names from the ijaw, right ?
ijaw are the biggest and best namers in the world.
Perharps God himself gets his name from the ijaws.
And trump, and michael jackson and eddy murphy, they must have got their names from the ijaw.
I love how some stuuupid ijaw think they can rewrite history and brainwash everybody into believing their fanatastic tales.
Keep dreaming ijaw, you were the first where again ? Yeah the first in hell, right ?
Morrons who are telling a story which allegeadly happened thousands of years ago and of which there is no historical record !
You guys must be involved in time travel, right ?

Pointless ranting won't change fact

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Nobody: 4:13pm On Nov 29, 2017
You seem to be using the word "facts" in a cavalier way.
Here are some facts:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IlUMUGUorw


Some ancient maps of Benin Kingdom:

This one dates to around 1699:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8595525w/f1.item.r=Benin.zoom

An other map of Benin made in the 17th century once again:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b530530714.r=Benin?rk=214593;2

An other map of Benin from the 17th century:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8595583b.r=Benin?rk=193134;0

This one date to the 19th century:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8469390z/f1.item.r=Benin.zoom

An other map from the 17th century:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8595527q/f1.item.r=Benin.zoom


nengibo:

Pointless ranting won't change fact

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by miqos03: 4:45pm On Nov 29, 2017
Wow
Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Nobody: 4:45pm On Nov 29, 2017
The Ijaws and the Benin Kingdom has still not resolved this issue? It's time the FG wade into this matter before we have a full blown war on our hands

1 Like

Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Nobody: 4:46pm On Nov 29, 2017
historyworld030:
Ijaw, you guys need to stop your fabrications, and get more educated. Edo history is too well documented. And contrary to what you think, the Oba of Benin is not just the Oba of Benin City. His real title is Omo n'Oba n'Edo. He is the King of the Benin Kingdom. Benin City is only the capital of the Benin Kingdom, not the Kingdom itself ! Edo state is a small part of the Kingdom and you ijaw are trying to crown a "king" in a part of an already established kingdom. I hope you people can understand this and stop your madness ! When you migrate into an area, try and learn the history of the land. Don't just start making claims of "we were here first" and don't start "crowning" your "son" in a foreign land, you might get slaughtered by the owners of the land. This is an advise and a warning!


Crowning a king within the domain of a greater king is a declaration of war. Are the ijaw youths ready for the outcome of these decisions? I'm not an Edo man, but it's clear to see where the lines are drawn

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Blissbeatz(m): 4:46pm On Nov 29, 2017
........
Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by AceRoyal: 4:49pm On Nov 29, 2017
Ijaws like trouble, they have forgetten that the Benins and other tribes in Edo state are also War tribes.
In this case, there is no contest, you cannot be a visitor in another man's house and want to claim Lord over his property.
I hope this is peacefully resolved!

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by EROMS38(m): 4:50pm On Nov 29, 2017
Rubbish ijaw propaganda.

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by enemyofprogress: 4:50pm On Nov 29, 2017
Benin the lost race grin grin

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Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by cardoctor(m): 4:51pm On Nov 29, 2017
Again?
Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by ModsWillKillNL: 4:51pm On Nov 29, 2017
W
Re: Gelegele-gbene And The Ijaw, Benin Crisis – Before Edo State Burns by Nobody: 4:51pm On Nov 29, 2017
.

Elose11:
My friend, you started well until you began delving into your so called Benin folklore you know next to nothing about. That so called folklore is as told by the Ijaw.
Benin never migrated from Ife. The Benin folklore says that their ancestors originated from the sky. Therefore, the Benin king then was known as Ogiso, meaning king of the sky.
Ife came in when the kingdom started having internal strives.Since they could not agree on a king among themselves, they then send to their prince who had earlier fled to

Ife to escape been killed to come and rule over them. It was this Benin prince who had become a ruler in ife and is now called oduduwa, that sent his son to rule Benin.

As you can see, my friend, there is no where in Benin folklore where it was said that the Benins migrated from Ife. It was only a Benin prince who had now become the ruler of ife, that sent his son, oranmiyan, to rule Benin in his stead. And only when the Benins requested him to come over and rule over them

The problem with Nigerians [Benin people in this context] is that reading & research is a far removed habit/culture from your lifestyles.

Your lost Binu prince story was a renaissance-esque thought that began in the 80s. A plant that sprouted from the question raised by Prince Edun Akenzua. He said ‘Bini kingdom is surrounded by several kingdoms. Why did Bini have to send to Ife for help to resolve their political imbroglio’ — this birthed the revisionism in Bini history which your Oba brought to full glare with his ‘Obedient servant’ book. Bini history prior to this had no traces of a lost prince, not even in the first indigenously written Bini by Egarevba.

The lost prince theory is hinged on noun rendition - Oduduwa to Izoduwa, two words meaning differnt things with different etymologies.
Oduduwa was an Ife resident, he resided in Ora Hills in More Quarter of Ife. His ancestral settlement has been combed and artefacts were found there but it has not been excavated for it is a sacred and secluded place.

After Oduduwa unified the entire sub-settlements into one, all occupants moved towards the palace [where Ife palace is presently]. Oduduwa moved his people to Idio [it was the previous palace but right beside the present palace]. His family and his settlers from his previous settlements all live there, worship him there and his shrine is there.

Oduduwa had an actual Yoruba name. His name was Osin-Ora. This name is usually guarded heavily, only those belonging to his family cult [non blood relatives could not join until few decades ago], the same way it is only in Ife we have Oduduwa cult and he is the only deity apart from the Supreme God who does not have an effigy. This secrecy dedicated to the man is why not much of his information is out there. The are other families in Ife holding information on Osin-Ora but Ejio family compound for example was the family that went out to meet Oduduwa and his family on the way to welcome him from up the hills - they hid this in the story of Sky Descent theory to prevent people from going to the hill for it is visited only when a new Ooni is to be coronated. He stays there for a while, walks the path Oduduwa took, stops at certain family compounds as he did and heads to his Idio compound.

Oduduwa was a nickname given to him for starting a new era in Ife history. It is different from and has nothing to do with your Izoduwa lost prince. Your theory is synonymous to saying the Ugbo or Igbos Moremi betrayed and triggered their evacuation from Ife are the present Ugbo-Ukwu or Igbo in present day East of Nigeria.

Please look for your lost prince in the Atlantic Ocean.

Ife history is well documented in family cults/rituals, orikis & festivals. The latter which, in Ife, is never a funfair stuff but a re-enactment of actual events.

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