This Egbema in Edo and Delta are same Egbema in Imo and Rivers but Imo and Rivers have 13 Villages while this one have over 363 villages.







*HISTORY OF EGBEMA KINGDOM*


The ancient Kingdom of Egbema is politically split into the present day Edo and Delta States of Nigeria. Egbema Kingdom is bounded on the north by the Olodiama of Edo State and the Itsekiri of Delta State, west by the Arogbo Kingdom of Ondo State, east by Gbaramatu Kingdom and the Itsekiri of Delta State and South by the Ilaje of Ondo State and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Egbema people are the most likely Ijo sub-group to which the allegation of Ijo piracy on the Benin River could have been made. The only other sub-group with access to the Benin River are the Gbaramatu.

Egbema traditions, in fact, give indirect evidence of their predatory activities in the region of the Benin River. While they refer to the Oba of Benin as Ugbo Pere (lord of the hinter lands), the priest king of Egbema was Bini Pere (lord of Waters). Apart from cultural and other relations with other Ijo groups, therefore, Egbema history was affected by relations with the Benin Empire to the North, and with the Itsekiri to the south and with white traders in slaves on Benin river and its estuaries.

The dual relationship with the Edo and the Itsekiri is now reflected in the demarcation of the Egbema into the administrative areas of the Benin Division and Warri Division.

Origin and Settlement:
According to Pere G.O.E Tiemo, The AGADAGBA OF EGBEMA KINGDOM BINI PERE III (2006), there are nine traditional towns in Egbema known as Egbema Isenabiri, namely – Ofiniama, Ajakurama, Abere, Gbeuba, Bolou Jamagie/Abadigbene, Opuama/Polobubo, Ogbinbiri, Ogbudugbudu and Tu-Jamagie. In addition there are over Three hundred and fifty villages and hamlets. The people are fishermen, hunters, canoe builders, distillers of local gin and farmers.

Alagoa (1972) states that the earliest settlement of Ofiniama was founded by two traders Alopomini and Opiti from the Mein town of Gbekebo (patrilineal) in the Western Delta. They used to stop at the site to shoot birds (ofini) for food on their way to Ukuroama, Iko, Eko or Lagos.

The founders of Ajakurama, Gbeoba, Abere and Opuama/Polobubo first lived at Ofiniama for some time before they settled in their present site. The fifth settlement, Gbolukangan, was founded by settlers from Gbeoba. A new group of immigrants came from Operemo in the Western Delta and founded the settlement of Jamagie. The founders of Opuama, Ogbudugbudu and Ogbinbiri were also migrants from the Western Delta – apparently from Amatu in Iduwini ibe. The only unifying force in Egbema tradition was the common worship of Egbesu (Alagoa 1972:42-46).

Egbesu was the symbol of the unity of all Egbema and the Pere served as the human embodiment of that unity. But the very importance of Egbesu resulted in disputes over the control of the shrine and over the priesthood. Such disputes were avoided among sub-groups with traditions of common origin, where there was a recognised seniority among the towns, and within the town founded by the common ancestor, the lineage of that ancestor would be accorded right to the priesthood.

In Egbema, Ofiniama acquired de facto primacy as the most ancient settlement. But the founders of Ofiniama (Alopomini and Opiti) were never priests of Egbesu. Even the shrine, said to have been originally sited at Ofiniama is now at Ajakoroama.

According to the Pere Obula, the original location of Egbesu in Egbema was Bolou-Jamagie from where it was removed, first to Ogun-Ode at Ofiniama and finally to Ajakuroma. It was never “stolen” but carried to these places by agreement of all Egbema because of threats by first Olomu of the Itsekiri and later of his son Nana, to steal Egbesu and wage war against the Egbema.

The Egbema people collaborated in the installation of a Pere. Ofiniama put the sacred chalk on the new Pere (tori pu), the chief of Ogboinbiri served the wine (wuru tua) and the closest to the Pere. This need for a wide consensus must have helped to produce long periods without a Pere. It may be noted that the national god of the Mein (from whose territory Ofiniama was founded) is Mein Dirimegbeya, and not Egbesu, and that it is at Ekeremo of the Operemo from where Jamagie migrated that an Egbesu is to be found. These facts suggest that the Egbema may represent a case where political power and ritual authority were separated. That is, that although the temporal rulers of Ofiniama and its related settlements held political power, the source of spiritual authority appears to have come originally from elsewhere; although the ritual centre was eventually moved to Ajakoroama, an offshoot of Ofiniama (Alagoa 1972).

Trade and External Relations:
Egbema traditions give prominence to trade and contact with neighbouring groups and even the traditions of origin characterise the founders of Ofiniama as traders to Ukuroama or Iko. Ofiniama, like Arogbo, is situated on the modern route from the Western and Eastern Delta to Lagos. The traditions names two commodities used by the Ofiniama in this trade, namely camwood (Isele) and big canoes. Egbema traditions recorded at Ofiniama speak of early contact with Benin. Inabiri, son of Opiti, one of the founding fathers, was already a rich slave, owner when contact was establish with Benin. It was slaves of Inabiri called Okitia, who met some men from Udo.
According to Chief Pius Ikpi, the people of Ofunama through Inabiri made a live covenant with the people of Udo under a tree along the road at present day Arakhuan near UDO as confirmed by the Iyase of Udo in recent times.
That forms the basis for which Inabiri’s men made friends with the men of Udo, and soon Inabiri himself went by way of Udo to Benin where the reigning Oba gave him medicine that helped him get his first child. The road through Udo was closed, for some unknown reason, but a second route to Benin was opened in the life time of Inabiri. A third road through Ikusanghan in Olodiama became the normal route until the colonial period. This third route is to be identified with the road referred to by the records of European visitors.

The people of Egbema claim to have dealt directly with the White traders on the coast and to have supplied Edo traders with foreign goods (cannons, guns, matchets, coral beads). Egbema traditions refer to sailing ships bringing goods to them on the coast, but refer the crew men as dark white men (Dirimo Bekewei), thus implying mulattoes or people of mixed white and black ancestry, but apparently Sierra Leonians or Liberians.

Egbema claims to pre-eminence on the coast and on the Benin River support Itsekiri (and European) reference to Ijo interference with their trade in this area. Traditions of the Egbema in the Benin River area do, in fact, contain accounts of wars and treaties with Itsekiri settlements such as Jakpa, Itebu and others.

Chronology:
Egbema king lists and genealogies do not take their traditions beyond the early eighteen century, but elements in their traditions refer to earlier times.
The official accounts recorded by Alagoa (1972), for example, gave the name of the Oba who administered medicine to Inabiri as EKaladeran, the son of Ogiso. Benin tradition gives the name of the son of the last Ogiso ruler Benin variously as Ekaladerhan and Kaladerhan. These Benin traditions say Ekeladerhan never became Oba, but was exiled South to found the town of Ughoton or Gwato. In any case, the date of about 1170 at which the Ogiso dynasty gave place to the current dynasty is rather thesame period for the Ijo migrations to this corner of the Niger Delta. Other Egbema privately give the amen of the Oba who made medicine for Inabiri as Eware. If this name is identified as Oba Ewuare the Great, who was also a maker of charms and magic according to Benin tradition, it would give us a date for Egbema migrations in the late fifteenth century. It may be noted in addition, that the route to Benin through Ughoton (Kadaderhan’s town) was the last known of the Egbema, and since the Egbema claim to have supplied European goods to the Edo, this must refer to a period after the European factories at Ughoton were removed to locations in the Delta in the mid-seventeenth century. Accordingly, we may date Egebma settlement of the Western Delta limit between the end of the fifteenth and middle of the seventeenth century (Alagoa 1972).

Accounts of early European (Portuguese) trade with some Egbema villages like Arbo, Uloli and Boededoe (Benidodogha or Beninidodoa) provide a basis for claims to Egbema settlement prior to the seventeenth century. Contemporary historians have noted that there were several pirates attacks on Europeans in the course of their expeditions obviously owing to their relationship with the Itsekiris. One of such cases was exemplified in show of solidarity during the capture of Nana to the Gold coast immediately after the deportation of Oba Ovoranmwen from Benin through Gelegele waterside to Calabar. It is on records that the British colonialists took permission by way of right of passage on the water ways so as to avoid confrontations along the Benin river. The port at Binidodogha corrupted to read Binidodoe was under the command of Toni of Binidodo.

Ohanézè ndiigbo needs to do something about this issue.

We are taking it an inconsequential issue by ogogoro drunkards but in years to come it will actually affect us. Ohanézè needs to speak up to this ijaw riffraffs.

Under our very own watch.....opobo is gone.

I saw a thread in front page yesterday of "ijaw city Opobo".....I was like since when?

We don't have to overlook this.

The mad ijaw dogs are playing on our I don't care attitude.

Finally........the Ikwere People will one day regret ever denying thier igboness. Ijaw is seriously trying to claim the major/most populated tribe in Rivers State...... Ikwere is busy fighting igbos

Ijaws are larger than Igbos.

Sergio103:
Ohanézè ndiigbo needs to do something about this issue.

We are taking it an inconsequential issue by ogogoro drunkards but in years to come it will actually affect us. Ohanézè needs to speak up to this ijaw riffraffs.

Under our very own watch.....opobo is gone.

I saw a thread in front page yesterday of "ijaw city Opobo".....I was like since when?

We don't have to overlook this.

The mad ijaw dogs are playing on our I don't care attitude.

Finally........the Ikwere People will one day regret ever denying thier igboness. Ijaw is seriously trying to claim the major/most populated tribe in Rivers State...... Ikwere is busy fighting igbos

Continue crying..

Opobo has always been Ijaw even Fubara identifies as Ijaw and no Opobo person challenged him on it.

Nailly:


Continue crying..

Opobo has always been Ijaw even Fubara identifies as Ijaw and no Opobo person challenged him on it.

Did you hear one single thing Fubara spoke during his thank you message to Rivers people?

You understood the language?
Does that sound ijaw to you?

Nailly:
Ijaws are larger than Igbos.

We agree.

Ijaw is larger than Japan,China and west Africa combined

Sergio103:


Did you hear one single thing Fubara spoke during his thank you message to Rivers people?

You understood the language?
Does that sound ijaw to you?

What does Fubara mean in Igbo?
Oya tell me...


Talk more of his other name Siminaliayi.

Nailly:


What does Fubara mean in Igbo?
Oya tell me...


Talk more of his other name Siminaliayi.

What does John mean in ijaw?

He can answer whatever he likes...... doesn't change his ancestral dialect which is igbo

I'm glad all this madness ends on Nairaland, encroach on just one inch of Alaigbo with your Ogogoro nonsense and it will be a massacre. I'm glad Igbo language is now an established lingua in Opobo, Kalabari, BONNY and various other parts of the so called "ijaw territory" in Rivers state, this shows the supremacy of the Igbo language that even brazen attempts of expansionism by some ogogoro minority retards can ever erode however much they try...when we're done with you ijaw sewage rats in that Rivers state, we will take over Bayelsa (your only true homeland) since we have indigenous Igbos also in Bayelsa.

We're not Urhobos, Edos and other of your Niger Delta neighbors you think you can bully and get away with it, we have the numbers and resources to wipe you gnats out from surface earth if una reason una madness enter Igboland. Na only una dey fight Igbos, Yorubas, Itsekiri, Urhobo, Edo etc over their lands, ijaws want to be fulani so bad, but unfortunately you're too tiny and irrelevant to be as daring as the Fulani animals.

MallamSpicey:
I'm glad all this madness ends on Nairaland, encroach on just one inch of Alaigbo with your Ogogoro nonsense and it will be a massacre. I'm glad Igbo language is now an established lingua in Opobo, Kalabari, BONNY and various other parts of the so called "ijaw territory" in Rivers state, this shows the supremacy of the Igbo language that even brazen attempts of expansionism by some ogogoro minority retards can ever erode however much they try...when we're done with you ijaw sewage rats in that Rivers state, we will take over Bayelsa (your only true homeland) since we have indigenous Igbos also in Bayelsa.

We're not Urhobos, Edos and other of your Niger Delta neighbors you think you can bully and get away with it, we have the numbers and resources to wipe you gnats out from surface earth if una reason una madness enter Igboland.

Ijaws occupy the place physical.

Continue lying to yourself...

Sergio103:
Ohanézè ndiigbo needs to do something about this issue.

We are taking it an inconsequential issue by ogogoro drunkards but in years to come it will actually affect us. Ohanézè needs to speak up to this ijaw riffraffs.

Under our very own watch.....opobo is gone.

I saw a thread in front page yesterday of "ijaw city Opobo".....I was like since when?

We don't have to overlook this.

The mad ijaw dogs are playing on our I don't care attitude.

Finally........the Ikwere People will one day regret ever denying thier igboness. Ijaw is seriously trying to claim the major/most populated tribe in Rivers State...... Ikwere is busy fighting igbos

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/im-a-full-blooded-ijaw-man-fubara-replies-critics/%3famp

Fubara the governor of Rivers state said he's an Ijaw man and Opobo is an Ijaw town, nobody from Opobo has come out to challenge him, but you that you're not from Rivers state is shedding tears on their behalf from far away Anambra or Enugu

Dem use to dey gum body swear for you obidients ni?

Bardo:


Ijoland starts and stops in Bayelsa

Even Bayelsa is not 100% ijawland

You Igbos are very funny

So I should not believe Fubara and the other people in rivers who claim to be Ijaw

I should not believe tomopolo from Delta state who claim to be Ijaw

But I should believe you an Igbo man from Enugu state opinion on this issue

It's so funny how you Igbos spew some of this bullcrap online

Ikaeniyan0:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/im-a-full-blooded-ijaw-man-fubara-replies-critics/%3famp

Fubara the governor of Rivers state said he's an Ijaw man and Opobo is an Ijaw town, nobody from Opobo has come out to challenge him, but you that you're not from Rivers state is shedding tears on their behalf from far away Anambra or Enugu

Dem use to dey gum body swear for you obidients ni?

Ijoland starts and stops in Bayelsa

Even Bayelsa is not 100% ijawland

Sergio103:
Ohanézè ndiigbo needs to do something about this issue.

We are taking it an inconsequential issue by ogogoro drunkards but in years to come it will actually affect us. Ohanézè needs to speak up to this ijaw riffraffs.

Under our very own watch.....opobo is gone.

I saw a thread in front page yesterday of "ijaw city Opobo".....I was like since when?

We don't have to overlook this.

The mad ijaw dogs are playing on our I don't care attitude.

Finally........the Ikwere People will one day regret ever denying thier igboness. Ijaw is seriously trying to claim the major/most populated tribe in Rivers State...... Ikwere is busy fighting igbos

Is Egbema history in doubt? Becareful how you drag Ohaneze into foolish gossips from dreamers like the Ditari clown.

Bardo:


Ijoland starts and stops in Bayelsa

Even Bayelsa is not 100% ijawland

same with the 5 eastern states from anambra to enugu to ebonyi is igala land

3exe3:
same with the 5 eastern states from anambra to enugu to ebonyi is igala land

Ijaws don’t have any land. They live in swamps just like this guy

Bardo:


Ijaws don’t have any land. They live in swamps just like this guy

No, Ijaws are in Igbo land too...

Nailly:

No, Ijaws are in Igbo land too...

No shit. Same way there are Yorubas on Igbo land. Mere settlers

Bardo:


Ijaws don’t have any land. They live in swamps just like this guy

General Ditari aka Nailly, there's another Egbema in Anambra State, Ekwusigo LGA. The community is near the popular Ozubulu. I think you should go and claim them too.
You Ijaws will eventually get what you're looking for while making claims over Igbo territories.

Bini claiming Egbema now its Ijaw

I don’t blame them at all.
I blame those igbos denying who they are.

Such a shame

Sergio103:


Did you hear one single thing Fubara spoke during his thank you message to Rivers people?

You understood the language?
Does that sound ijaw to you?

Ibos are stone na, you can't swim, when did you start living on the river?. Opobo is ruled by Amayanabo, an ijaw title.

Nailly:
Ijaws are larger than Igbos.

Ditari if you try this your rubbish near Imo state we go behead you.

Only a matter of time and they'll claim Martians from Mars are Ijaw!

Ijaws are larger than Igbos.

AcadaWriter:
Ijaws are larger than Igbos.

Yes, e remain to teach am for Nigerian primary and secondary schools.

Sergio103:


Did you hear one single thing Fubara spoke during his thank you message to Rivers people?

You understood the language?
Does that sound ijaw to you?

the person talking to you a Yoruba man

Nailly:
Ijaws are larger than Igbos.

Ari bimi kpo, na ni ini nomu bi na zuagha, abi?

The Egbema in Imo State and Rivers State is not same nor share any boundary with the Ijaw Egbema. The traditional King of Imo Egbema is known as Nzeobi and the only relationship with Ijaw is in being a major oil producer like most of Niger Delta. However it is true that Ijaws interacted with Imo State Igbos as Arochukwu slave traders who worked with Ijaws sometimes bring Ijaws upland via Orashi river. The relationship between Ijaw and Egbema is same relationship between Ijaw and Ogbiya, Engenni, Abua, Ogba, Oguta, Ndoni and Aboh. Egbema is also known as Alanso or Alinso which means Holyland

Nailly:
Ijaws are larger than Igbos.

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You guys just love trolling. Who knows Ijaw people?
If not for GEJ who became president, a large majority of people have never met an Ijaw person.
It's only someone from another region entirely that will be making this kind of dumb statement just to annoy Igbos.
Even in Abuja or Lagos, one can move around in a whole month and will never even meet an Ijaw person. But just stepping out of one's house, the next fellow walking by is an Igbo man/woman.

Sergio103:
Ohanézè ndiigbo needs to do something about this issue.

We are taking it an inconsequential issue by ogogoro drunkards but in years to come it will actually affect us. Ohanézè needs to speak up to this ijaw riffraffs.

Under our very own watch.....opobo is gone.

I saw a thread in front page yesterday of "ijaw city Opobo".....I was like since when?

We don't have to overlook this.

The mad ijaw dogs are playing on our I don't care attitude.

Finally........the Ikwere People will one day regret ever denying thier igboness. Ijaw is seriously trying to claim the major/most populated tribe in Rivers State...... Ikwere is busy fighting igbos

Ohaneze should be disbanded if they are no longer up to the task of defending Igbo interests, the leaders are way too old anyway! Ijaw and Yorubas are proving to be a thorn in the flesh of Ndigbo in the south....it is about time we begin to navigate their hostility in a needful manner!

9japride:
[color=#006600][/color]

You guys just love trolling. Who knows Ijaw people?
If not for GEJ who became president, a large majority of people have never met an Ijaw person.
It's only someone from another region entirely that will be making this kind of dumb statement just to annoy Igbos.
Even in Abuja or Lagos, one can move around in a whole month and will never even meet an Ijaw person. But just stepping out of one's house, the next fellow walking by is an Igbo man/woman.

Even GEJ is not Ijaw. He is from Ogbia ethnic group whose language is totally different from Ijaw language. You can read up about the Ogbia language for yourself.
Don't be fooled by Ijaws blatant claims over territories all over the SS states. Some of us know their limits very well.