THE 6TH D9125 ROTACULTURAL FIESTA/WORLD PEACE. ANUVA 2015 ROAD TO OKENE 2015... The History Of Ebira People! (itopa Ane Ebira). We are an ethno-linguistic group in Nigeria. Many of us are from Kogi State, Kwara State, Nasarawa State, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Edo State. Okene is said to be our administrative centre, the Ebira-speaking people in Kogi state, are not far from the Niger-Benue confluence. ORIGIN OF THE EBIRAS (IGBIRRAS). An elder beats the Agidibo to salute the spirits. Ebira Tao is the largest of the several Ebira groups found in about 8 states of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Our sister groups are Ebira Koto and Ebira Mozum (Kogi state), Ebira Panda, Ebira Oje/Toto (Nassarawa state), Ebira Etuno (Edo state), Ebira Agatu (Benue state) Ebira Oloko (Ondo/Oyo/Osun states). The history of our origin were those compiled from Attah Omadivi and other Ebiran Clan Heads by the British colonial administrators in early 20th century. Our elders, through oral tradition, trace our descent to Wukari (in the present Taraba state) where we were an integral part of the Kwararafa confederation. In about 1680 AD, our ancestors (along with the Idoma and Igala) migrated out of Wukari over a chieftaincy dispute. Our people later split into various groups and settled in different locations between 1680 and 1750 AD. We Ebira Tao first sojourned with the Igalas at Idah but later crossed the River Niger and settled at Ebira Opete located in the vicinity of Upake in Ajaokuta LGA. Our father of Ebira Tao who led us to this premier settlement in Ebiraland was Itaazi. Itaazi had five (5) sons who all later migrated from Ebira Opete and were the founders of the various districts in Ebiraland. The children and the districts they founded are; Adaviruku/Ohizi (Adavi), Ododo (Okehi), Obaji (Eyika), Uga (Okengwe) and Ochuga/Onotu (Ihima). His daughter named Ohunene settled in Eganyi district. Members of the various clans in Ebiraland are descendants of the children of Itaazi. Ohizi had five children who are progenitors of the five traditional Adavi clans named after them. These are: upopo-uvete (Apasi), Uka, Idu (Aniku), Adeyika and Uhwami. A migrant group from Eganyi known as Ezi-Onogu clan is also found in Adavi. The sons of Ododo who are the ancestors of Okehi clans were Okovi Oviri and Enwgukonyai. Obaji the founder of Eika had ten children named Ohiaga, Iyewe, Avassa, Ehemi, Anchi, Epoto, Egiri, Ubobo, Ogu and Eyire. Uga of Okengwe had two sons whose children constitute the present Okovi and Agada group of clans. Due to a sizeable concentration of other Ebira clans in Okengwe district, they formed a socio-political coalition known as Ada-ehi. Ochuga had six children and their descendants make up the six clans in Ihima. These are Emani, Oha/Idu, Ohueta, Ure, Ohongwa and Odumi. The seventh clan is Akuta who migrated from Okengwe. Though Itaazis daughter named Ohunene was the founder of Eganyi, not all the clans there are descended from her. Eganyi clans are Ede, Esugu, Eheda, Ogu, Onoko, Idu, Anavapa and Ogodo. The Aningere who are skilled craftsmen are found in all districts. They are, however, more concentrated in Okengwe and Adavi districts. Eheda, Ogu, Onoko, Idu, Anavapa and Ogodo. The Aningere who are skilled craftsmen are found in all districts. They are, however, more concentrated in Okengwe and Adavi districts. We constitutes one of the ethnic groups in the Middle Belt zone of Nigeria. But, however, did not evolve a centralized form of leadership until the advent of the British colonial authorities, which brought together the various Ebira clans under the leadership of Attah Omadivi in 1902. therefore, the year 1902 marked the evolution of a monarchical form of administration and the gradual development of central administration in Ebiraland. LOCATION AND SIZE OF THE EBIRA COMMUNITY. Ebiraland is a small hilly inland area that stretches roughly for twenty three kilometres west of the Niger at Ajaokuta and thirty two kilometers southwest of the Niger-Benue confluence. The range of hills occasionally rises to six hundred and sixty seven (667)metres above the sea level. Ebiraland, the home of Ebira Tao, is in the central senatorial District of Kogi state. It has a landmass of 3,426 km2. The 1991 national census puts the population of the area 722,032. Another national head count was undertaken in 2006. The provisional figure of 884,396 released by the National Population Commission (NPC) is being disputed. It is distributed as follows: Okene LGA (320,260), Adavi LGA (202,194), Okehi LGA (199,999), Ajaokuta LGA (122,321) and Ogori Magongo LGA (39,622). Our communities which started as tiny villages have joined together as near towns, gradually and progressively expanding towards one another with Okene as a city in modern times. Ebiraland thus presents an aerial view of one huge near urban settlement with intervening barriers. OUR CULTURAL AND ADMINISTRATION: We are republican by nature, outspoken and very hard working. Farming and cloth-weaving are our occupations for which Ebiras are well known. we are presently spread in five Local Government Areas of Kogi state namely: Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ajaokuta and Ogori-magongo. A sizeable number of our people are found in Lokoja Local Government Area, Ondo, Ogun, and Oyo states. Our paramount ruler is called Ohinoyi of Ebiraland. Currently and reigning paramount king (Ohinoyi of Ebiraland) is his Majesty Dr. Ado Ibrahim. The Pre-Colonial Ebira community was essentially segmentary. It consisted of five principal clans among several others, namely, Okengwe, Eika, Okehi, Adavi, and Ihima. The respective priests (heads) of these clans were known as; Ohindase, Adeika, Ohiomahi, Asema and Obonbanyi. Each clan was selfgoverning and did not regard any other as superior to it. Significantly, the clan was the main unit of political organization. The post of the clan head was normally conferred on the oldest living male member of the clan. His religious duties and disciplinary powers were, however, limited to his own family. His political influence was quite small and although he presided over the meetings of his clan, his judgement was determined largely by the consensus of opinion of the elders. The administration of all the clan heads constituting a community in Ebiraland lay in the hands of the elders, influential individuals and the chief priest (Ohinoyi). To be continued... Have you registered to attend the 6th Annual District ROTA-CULTURAL FIESTA/WORLD PEACE? TAG: ANUVA 2015, in Okene THEME: ENLIGHTENING AND CONNECTING US TO THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND US. Date: Thursday 5th To Sunday 8th February, 2015. VENUE: RIO HOTEL, BESIDE FCE, OTITE, Kogi State, Nigeria. If not, hurry up and visit any UBA bank near to you and pay in the sum of N1500 from now till 31st December, 2014. Account details: Bank: UBA. Account Name: Rotaract District 9125 Nigeria Account number: 1002486221. Dont forget to pay today and tell others to do same. For further info; Contact the chairperson Rotr Rukayat Ozozoma Momohjimoh on 09030912380. Rotr. Salihu Yazeed ADRR, zone H, D9125 Kogi state Nigeria of Rotary International. For the planning committee.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 09:03:45 +0000
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