UKWUANI AND THE URHOBO PEOPLE UP TO 1900 – A STUDY IN INTER-GROUP RELATIONS

UKWUANI AND THE URHOBO PEOPLE UP TO 1900 – A STUDY IN INTER-GROUP RELATIONS

CHAPTER ONE 

INTRODUCTION 

The intergroup relationships between the Ukwuani and Urhobo peoples up to 1900 are the subject of this book. The impact of inter-group ties between the Ukwuani and Urhobo groups has not garnered much attention from historians recently. The history, culture, and annual festivals of the Urhobo and Ukwuani people have all been extensively written about. Although many of these people are currently live witnesses to the events, historians have not paid much attention to the more recent events or the inter-group ties between them, which have essentially altered nearly all elements of Ukwuani and Urhobo territories. So, the purpose of this study is to create the relationship between Ukwuani and Urhobo’s history  to their experiences and analyze the events as they occurred and show how they were affected in terms of their political, social and economic activities up to 1900.

GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND OF THE UKWUANI’S

The Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Delta State contains the Ukwuani ethnic group, which is administratively divided into three local government areas, namely Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, and Ukwuani Local Government Areas1 with their respective administrative headquarters in Aboh, Utagba-Ogbe (Kwale), and Obiaruku.

Ukwuani land is a political division in Delta State, Nigeria, and is situated between latitude 6031 and 5025 North and longitude 6061 and 6042 East. has roughly 500,000 people living there in 1963. 3 The Benin Division, the Ijaw Division, the Urhobo and Isoko Divisions, the Niger River, the North-Easterly Ika Division, and the Benin Division all have borders with Ukwuani country,  Ika and Asaba Divisions, and on the South-East by Ahoada Division of the Rivers State.4

Because of its location, Ukwuani is divided into two ecoregions: the northern tropical rain forest and the southern and eastern deltaic swampy forest, which cover the southern and southern-eastern coastal cities, respectively. 5 Many creeks, impenetrable deep forest, and floods occur periodically throughout the year in the swampy area. Also, the region receives sufficient rainfall throughout the year, and the vegetation is a mix of savannah grassland and evergreen forest, with exceptionally fertile soil.

Abbi, Aboh, Afor, Akoku, Amai, Ndoni (Rivers), Isukwe (Rivers), Onuaboh, Ashaka, Ebedei, Emu, Ejeme Aniogo, Ezionum, Eziokpor, Utagba-Ogbe (Kwale), Ndemili, Obiaruku, Obetim Uno, Obikwele, Owa Alidima, Umuolu. 7

Garri which is produced from cassava forms one of the major export communities in this region and both palm oil and kernels are extensively produced for internal use and for export. Certain cash crops like cocoa and rubber are also cultivated while the latter forms one of the main export cash crop in the territory.8 In addition, other cash crops like maize, melon, tomatoes, okro, beans and groundnut are also cultivated and produced in abundance both for subsistence and for commerce with the neighbouring towns and villages. It is no wonder that many of the people in the region are traders while a few are weavers.

Additionally, Kwale and Aboh are very often referred either to the inhabitants of the Ukwuani country or the territory itself. But in either case, the terms or names so employed are basically unsuitable for the word ‘Kwale’ goes back to the days of British pacification of Ukwuani land. Consequence upon this initial hostile attitude of the Ukwuani towards the British, the first political officer had to fall back on a town which was then predominantly Urhobo speaking (although some speak a bit of Ukwuani) and now part of the Urhobo Division. This provincialism which existed in the area made them pronounce Ukwuani-Ukwuale or Kwale.

According to an oral account given by Chief Obodiowe Edike,9 the choice of Abraka as temporary British headquarters was motivated by a number of factors; firstly, the town was friendly to the administrators. Secondly, it was situated on a level plain as against the swampy impassable path of Ukwuani. Thirdly, it was sighted on the main road leading to Warri – the provincial headquarters, and so facilitated communication and re-enforcement of troops. And fourthly, Abraka was very close to River Ethiope, the only source of pure water in the division.

Because of the choice of Abraka as a station, the British were much more familiar with Urhobo-speaking elements, in and around Abraka than they were with the Ukwuani people. As these Urhobo people called their Ukwuani neighbours “Ukwuale” or “kwale”, their own rendering of Ukwuani, this name gained currency. The British thus adopted the word ‘Kwale’ as a simplified word for Ukwani and called the headquarters ‘Kwale’. Thus, the new station built in Utagba-Ogbe on a Government Reserved Area became known as ‘kwale’.10 This name was used in all official correspondence until 1950 when at the instance of the people, the proper name ‘Ukwuani’ was officially adopted.11

It is important to note that Ukwuani communities have a shared boundary with one another, as was mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Also, the property is at a highly vital location in Nigeria because all of the main roads in the nation meet in Ukwuani land, which explains her quick development. For instance, Ukwuaniland is traversed by the New Sapele-Agbor Road, sometimes known as the “New Road”. Both the Agbor-Ogwashi Road and the Warri-Umutu-Ekuku-Agbor Road that lead to Onitsha pass through Ukwuani area. In Ukwuani territory, rivers, rainfall, and most recently taps and boreholes, are the sources of water supply. Also, it is important to remember that Ukwuani has never registered an earthquake or earth tremor  is no major mountain or rock in the different communities that make up the Ndokwa nation.

GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND OF THE URHOBOS

The Urhobo are the largest ethnic group in the same state and are scattered across nine (9) Local Government Areas, including Sapele, Udu, Uvwie, and part of Warri South. They are also a very noticeable portion of the Delta State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 12 Longitudes 50401 and 60251 East and latitudes 50151 and 60 North define the continuous land that the Urhobo call home. 13 They have roughly twenty two polities which includes: Agbarha-Ame (Agbassa), Agbarha-Otor, Agbarho, Agbon, Arharwarien, Avwraka, Ephon-Otor, Eghwu, Evwreni, Idjerhe, Oghara, Ogor, Okere (Urhobo), Okparabe, Okpe, Olomu, Orogun, Udu, Ughelli, Ughivwen, Ughowerun and Uvwie. 14

The River Ethiopia forms the northern boundary of the region (except at the Northwest corner where it stretches into a strip of land on the right bank of the river). It is bordered on the south by the Western Ijaw Local Governments of Bomadi and Patani, on the east by Isoko North, Ukwuani, and Ndokwa West, and on the west by the Warri South Local Government. 15 Hence, the Binis to the north, the Ijaw to the south, the Ukwuani and Isoko to the east, and the Itsekiri to the west are their close neighbors.

Located in the evergreen forest of southern Nigeria, the Urhobos are predominantly farmers. Such products as yam, cassava, maize, plantain, banana and cocoyam constitute the core products of subsistence farming embarked upon by almost every family. It was however, for the abundance of oil palm products that early European interest in Urhobo land was generated as we see in subsequent chapters in the course of this work. Although not as popular as oil palm, rubber is a primary cash crop that survives the economy of the people.

Fishing is another occupation through which the Urhobo people make their living and this is not surprising as a number of rivers and creeks flows through the land. Among these are the River Ethiope which flows through Sapele and parts of Abraka clan, the Warri River which seeps through land areas in Ughievwen (Okwagbe), Agbarho, Agbon, and Abraka clans. Also, a tributary of the Forcados River, known as Okpare, runs through Obomu clan into Ekakpamre creek and Kiagbodo River.16

Apart from fishing which is made possible by the presence of these rivers, the Urhobo’s who live along these rivers produce the local gin also known as ‘Ogogoro’ from raffia palms.17 Pottery and raffia mats also form a lucrative soruce of revenue for the people especially the Ughievwens in Ughelli South Local Government Area.

Additionally, with respect to the population, the National Census count of 1932 gave the Urhobo division a population of about 359,000. But during the census counting of 1952, the government of the then Mid-Western Region of Nigeria gave Urhobo Division a population of 323,000.18 That means the Division recorded a drop of 36,000 in population which is an absolute absurdity.

In all parts of Urhobo land, the average annual temperature is about 270C with no marked seasonal or monthly variations. Mainly on account of the fact that the Niger Delta lies across the part of the South-West moisture-laden winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean. All parts of Urhobo land experience heavy rainfall, in that annual rainfall average of 2500mm or more in characteristic of most areas.19

The Urhobo land holds a very strategic position in Nigeria and some key routes in the nation pass through it, which contributes to her rapid development. It is also crucial to note that some of the various communities that make up the Urhobo land have shared boundaries with one another. Water is obtained from rains, rivers, taps, and boreholes (in modern times), but most crucially, there are no mountains or rocks in any of the Urhobo land’s several villages, and the region has never experienced an earthquake or other type of earth tremor.

TRADITIONS OF ORIGIN OF UKWUANI PEOPLE

Because there is so little documentation on the history and origin of Ukwuani, it has been extremely challenging to match occurrences with dates in writing about its history. So, one must rely on oral traditions from the Okpalas, Okwas, Onotus (Inotu’s), Ezes, Adas, and some other knowledgeable men in Ukwuani who also obtained their knowledge through oral tradition.

Likewise, there are several legends surrounding the beginnings of Ukwuani, and this has been the source of much debate. The disagreement developed because there are vested interests in the matter, with each component of a clan, community, or family seeking to dominate and be seen as superior to others.

The term “Ukwuani” refers to both the people and  their language and so its usage therefore encompasses both the people and their language.  For record purposes, the word “Ndokwa” was coined from the names of two former district councils in former Aboh Division, namely: Ndosumili and Ukwuani District Councils. The word ‘Ndokwa’ therefore consists of the first three letters of Ndosumili and the second, third and fifth letters in Ukwuani.20 As was earlier stated, the Ukwuani people are found in Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West and Ukwuani Local Government Areas(s) of Delta State. However, some Ukwuani people are found in other parts of Delta State and Rivers State respectively. Although most writers and historians on the other hand, who have written on Ukwuani history did not include these ones as part of the ‘Ndokwa Nation’ or ethnic group (for they confined the ethnic definition of Ukwuani people to only those found in the above mentioned Local Government Areas) it is important to note here that the Ukwuani speaking people in these other parts of Delta and Rivers State also form part of the ‘Ndokwa Nation’ because for one thing, they speak Ukwuani language just like their counterparts in the above mentioned L.G.As. In addition, they have similar traditions of origin like them in the sense that most of them trace their origins to some of the recognized Ndokwa/Ukwuani communities in Delta State.

The Ukwuani people, just like every other tribe or ethnic group in Nigeria has their own traditions of origin. It is difficult to explore the whole gamut of traditions of Ukwuani people because the range is almost endless as a result of the fact that the various clans that make up the Ukwuani ethnic group do not have a single tradition of origin. Be that as it may, efforts will be made here to examine those traditions that have common relevance to this ethnic group and also are prominent among the people.

In consequence of the heterogeneity of Ukwuani clans, divergent views were held with regards to the historical origins of the people. However, from the varying account of the elders, three waves of migration appeared to account for the present population of the Ukwuani people.

The first wave comprises the independent settlers, which are represented by the clans of Umu-Akashiada, Ebedei and Akarai who claim to have migrated from Benin. As they were the first clans to arrive, they occupied the best part of the country. These clans were followed by a second wave of independent settlers whose ancestors migrated from Eastern Nigeria. The settlements consists of Abarra Clan, Utu-Oku, UMu-Barautchi, Ndoni, Onya and Adai Clans. They settled along the banks of the Niger and were the first groups of Igbo extraction to establish isolated settlements in Ukwuani lands. Towards the end of the sixteenth century, a third wave: in the form of a well-organized expedition of Edo conquerors arrived Ukwuani land. The Aboh clan and its offshoot clan of Abbi, Amai, and Umukwata represent them.21

Among the first wave of migrants who were all of Edo extraction, the Umu-Akashiada claim to be the earliest clan to settle in Ukwuani Country. The clans consist of the Eziokpo, Ezionum, Umuebu, and Obiaruku clans. (Abraka, having now emerged with the Urhobos).

According to Chief Oshilim Nwazuosa22, the ancestors of the clan, Akashiada migrated from Benin and settled at Umuoshi quarter of Eziokpo. Tradition states that Akashiada ahd two wives and the first wife gave birth to three sons: Okpor, Ezie and Ebu, while the second wife had a son called Ovili. As members of the various families increased rapidly after the death of Akashiada, the first settlement became too congested for the migrants, as a result, the brothers decided to separate their families from one another and found new settlements. Okpo, the eldest son became the direct heir of the original settlement at Umuoshi and his descendants named the settlement Eziokpo (after Okpo). Ezie, the second son moved southward with his family and founded a site, which his descendants named Ezionum, after their ancestor. Ebu, the youngest son then migrated westward with his family and settled at first in Obi-Agbulugu, he later moved to One-Oto or Obi-ata, and finally settling at the present site, which his descendants called Umuebu (the descendants of Ebu). Ovili, the only son of the second wife moved further west and founded the village of Ovili (Abraka-Inland).

The tribes of Ebedei (at the present-day location of Ogume in the hinterland of Ukwuani) and Akarai established a large number of separate villages between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries (at the present site of Aboh, between the Ase Creek and the Niger River). These clans originated in Benin.

According to Pa Enehume Nmor23’s oral history, one Udei was one of Ebledei’s forefathers. He stated that he left Benin and moved to the current location of Aboh where he had two children, Okpu and Ezie-Ogoli. The Ebedei clan was founded by these two sons. They moved from Aboh and established themselves in the area that is now Ogume on the southern bank of the Okumeshi stream.

Due to lack of farmland, Okpu crossed to the northern side of Okumeshi where he discovered some fertile land as he was hunting. He planted ‘Ani Divinity’ (Earth Covenant Divinity) indicating right of ownership on this spot and invited his brother Ezie-Ogoli to join him. Both brothers settled in the present site of Umunyalum. Later, Ezie-Ogoli moved to Ogbe Ata from where his descendants moved further to the present site of Umuezie-Ogoli quarter because of a fight between Umunyalum and Umuezie-Ogoli. During this fight, Umunyalum quarter was burnt to ashes and in fear of biter reprisal, Umuezie-Ogoli had to move away because if they had remained at Ogbe Ata, they would have to pass through Umunyalum quarter while going to their farm. Prior to this disruption, other migrants had joined the two brothers and constituted themselves into various quarters of Ebedei. These included the quarters of Ogbe Uzu who migrated from Akarai, Umu-Osele who migrate from Benin, Isemelu and Ukwu-ole quarters who moved in from Ogume.

The clan of Ndoni, comprising the villages of Ndoni and Oniku on the other hand, claims to have migrated from Utafi in Ahoada Division of Rivers State. According to the oral testimony of Elder Ikpeoha Onyeso24, the leader of the emigrants from Utafi settled at Oniku while his followers moved to Ndoni. This is why Oniku claimed to be the ancestral village of the Ndoni clan. For example, the priest of Ani (earth covenant divinity) for the whole clan is always the Oke (the oldest man) of Oniku. This priest also fixed the date for the festival of Udieri, which is jointly celebrated by the two villages. Furthermore, when an Ndoni man loses a wife by death, he must go to Oke of Oniku to offer sacrifice to Ani’.

INVASIONS

Young independent towns in Ukwuani country started to face a series of Beninian invasions by the middle of the fifteenth century. It has been claimed that Oba Ewuare the Great (1440) specifically tried to subdue the Akashiada Clans and compel them to submit to Benin’s rule. Ewuare was known to be an accomplished magician, doctor, traveler, and warrior. 25 He also possessed strength, bravery, and wisdom. He battled and conquered 201 towns and villages in Ekiti, Ikare, Afenmai, and Western Igbo, capturing them and forcing the locals to pay tribute to him in exchange for the release of their petty rulers.

According to the interview with Chief Okpor Nduka26, the Oba was regularly sending his soldiers to intimidate the various clans, as such clans were expected to entertain them. Failure to provide hospitality was regarded as contempt and visited with instant annexation. In one of their routine exercise, Edo troops tried to force Akashiada clans to pay tribute but Unuebu, the most powerful and populated Akashiada clan, withstood the Edo soldiers and forced them to flee.

However, the sixteenth century ushered in a well organized Edo conquering party, which the Ukwuani could not resist. This was the Aboh party that resulted not only in the establishment of Aboh kingdom, but also in the foundation of many towns in Ukwuani. As they travelled southwards, their numbers dwindled because families decided to settle at various points enroute. Thus, clans like Obetim, Ossissa, Ashaka and Amai were founded in the process.

As the rest of the party moved northwards together with their families as nomads, they arrived the present site of Umukwata where they established their first camp. After staying together for many years, Amai moved westward and founded Amai; Eti migrated further west and founded Orogun and Amacha went southwest and founded Abbi. Ukwata, the oldest man among the leaders was left with his family to occupy the original settlement, which, his descendants named Umukwata (the descendant of Ukwata) after their father. Gradually, as they migrated further, other clans like Ogume, Akoku, Onicha, Emu, Umuolu, Utagba-Ogbe (Kwale), Utagba-Uno were founded.

In all of these, it is important to admit that there are vested interest on this topic – the origin of Ukwuani, as was earlier stated. This is partly because each clan, village or family component try to exact influence and superiority over others and this consequently has made the subject of great controversy. 

TRADITIONS OF ORIGIN OF URHOBO PEOPLE 

The Urhobo people have their own origin traditions, just like the Ukwuani. As a result of the fact that each of the different clans that make up the Urhobo ethnic group do not have a single tradition of origin, it is exceedingly challenging to examine the entire gamut of traditions of the Urhobo people. Here, an effort will be made to look at those customs that are popular with the populace and have common connection to the Urhobo ethnic community.

The Urhobo people have roughly four main origin stories, however they are not necessarily mutually exclusive. These stories were collected at various times, locations, and by various researchers. They consist of: Autonomy, emigration from the original Edo Territory,  (iii) Traditions of Origin from Ife and (iv) Traditions of Origin from the Sudan and Egypt.27 To begin, it is best to look at these traditions one after the other.

Autochthony

Such autochthonous people were thought to be Urhobo, with no known history of migration from anywhere else, according to tradition among the Urhobo. Traditions among the Urhobo are rife with claims of original occupants and owners of their region. They were the indigenous people who had been residing in their regions since before anyone could remember. Although there is no historical or archeological proof for this custom, it is common among Urhobo responses and shouldn’t be disregarded.

The numerous intervening “foreign” aspects have been totally incorporated into a common and recognizable pool of cultural and organizational structures among all the Urhobo people, indicating that the above-mentioned aboriginal strata must have been quite strongly established.

Emigration from an Original Edo Territory

Urhobo emigrants from their Edo territory consist of two categories: the masses (ordinary) people, and the ruling elite. An overwhelming number of Urhobo claim that they came from Benin, but they emphasize that they were not Bini people who turned to be Urhobo on reaching their territories. Instead, they assert that they were already Urhobo’s before they left Benin. This tradition is the one found in recorded works. 28

Traditions of Benin origin suggest two major migrations during the  two dynasties in Bini history. In the first place, the Urhobo remember clearly the Ogiso Dynasty consisting of the 31 known rulers (Ogisos) before the alleged journey to Ife that gave rise to the Eweka dynasty. Also, such terms as ‘Igodomigodo’, the name by which the territory was known, are repeated and are well remembered in connection with cruelty, bitterness, deprivations, insecurity of life and property, and tyranny, and consequently too, in connection with a period when the Urhobo, apparently less powerful, left their Edo abode in search of peace and plentiful economic resources.29

The second major migrations occurred after 1770 A.D. during the second Benin dynasty and in particular, reference is made to the reign of Egbeka at about 1370 A.D.30 when the Urhobo were said to have emigrated from Benin.

Traditions of Origin from Ife

The Urhobo also recall traditions with Ife origins, but neither those in Ife nor those in Urhobo territory can recall the specifics of the link, which is unsurprising given the difficulties and limitations of memory when maintaining oral records. There are a lot of Urhobo in and around Ile-Ife, although these are arranged more like immigrants than as natives. These locations cited by the Urhobo’s in Ile-Ife as the sites from whence Urhobo people traveled appeared better considered as centers of Urhobo concentrations within living memory. However Ife-originated customs are firmly entrenched.

Traditions of Origin from the Sudan and Egypt

At first glance, the Urhobo people’s ancestral traditions with the Sudan and Egypt appear to be in conflict. Nonetheless, they provide the social and cultural frameworks necessary for analyzing historical events by serving as significant indications of the sociocultural ties that exist between the Edo and Yoruba speaking peoples.

It’s crucial to note at this point that there are Urhobo clans of Ibo origin in addition to the origins indicated above.31

The entire group now has some general characteristics that have undergone constant modification to assume a generally acceptable culture in certain areas, such as marriage, burial rites, dressing pattern, and social values, which can be referred to as Urhobo culture, due to extensive interaction and cross-migration, though.

The clans that constitute the entity known as Urhobo are:

No. Clan Headquarters Local Government Areas

Abraka

Agbarha

Agbarho

Agbassa

Agbori

Arhavwarien

Effumentor

Evwreni

Ewu

Idjerhe

Oghara

Ogor

Olumu

Okere-Urhobo

Okparabe

Okpe

Orogun

Udu

Ughelli

Ughievwen

Uvwie

Uwherun Otorho-Abraka

Agbarha-Otor

Orho-Agbarho

Agbassa

Isiokolo

Arhavwarien

Effuruntor

Evareni

Ewu

Jesse Town

Ogharefe

Otogor

Otorere-Olumu

Okere

Okparabe

Orerokpe

Orogun

Otor-Udu

Otovwodo

Otughievwen

Effurun

Uwherun Ethiope West

Ughelli North

Ughelli North

Warri South

Ethiope West

Ughelli South

Ughelli South

Ughelli North

Ughelli South

Ethiope East

Ethiope East

Ughelli North

Ughelli South

Warri South

Ughelli South

Okpe and Sapele

Ughelli North

Udu

Ughelli North

Ughelli South

Uvwie

Ughelli North

Table A: Urhobo Clans Headquarters and Local Government Areas.32