At Ega, in the heart of Idah ancient market, close
to the bank of River Niger is where the statue of
symbolic Princess Inikpi is located and reverend.
According to a reporter:
" i tried to take her picture with my digital camera
but surprisingly, the click did not respond, i
thought it was a battery problem, so i bought
another battery but the same thing happened.
inwardly, i wondered what was the mystery behind
my experience. when i mentioned it to the people
around, i was advised to perform a ritual before i
could take her picture.
the ritual involve going near the statue and speak
to the princess; telling her why i wanted to take
her picture and possibly drop some gift with any
amount of money before being allowed to take her
picture. this is did; i told her my mission and i
droped the sum of N70 (seventy naira). Thereafter,
my digital camera came alive and i took as many
shots as was possible. this initial experience not
withstanding all through my stay, i found the Idah
people very hospitable and caring."
Now, who is Princess Inikpi, whom history records
as being buried alive and how?
if she was indeed a princess, how could her
father, the king permit such atrocity?
Princess Inikpi's story is one emanating from an
inevitable consequence of history and not an
accident of history.
The history of the Igala kingdom will surely not be
complete without recollecting the very important
role of princess Inikpi. she was a very beautiful
woman, from the royal family, a heroine with great
attributes. her story is that of selfless commitment
and sacrifice to the course and survival of the
Igala nation.
According to historical records, a war was
imminent between the Bini kingdom and the Igalas.
Nowhere was safe in Igala land was safe
anymore. The farmlands were already cordoned
off by the enemies and the streams poisoned so
that anyone that drank from them would die.
The Igalas feared imminent death from starvation
and lack of water. When oracle was consulted, it
proclaimed that a reversal of their misfortune and
victory in the war could only come when the
princess, the only daughter of the king is buried
alive.
Princess Inikpi was the only beloved daughter of
Ayegbu Oma Idoko , the Atta of Igala kingdom.
when he was informed of the only solution to
forestall the destruction of his homeland by the
Oracle through some eunuch in his palace, he was
crushed and heartbroken and sheded tears.
He earnestly wished wished there was an
alternative. for days, he could not eat nor drink.
The princess noticed how downcast her father
was and asked to know the reason behind his
sadness. Instead of opening up, he held off telling
her the story for seven days, but on the eight, he
relented and told her the words of the Oracle.
Princess Inikpi did not object, she did not fight.
she went voluntarily on that day to the bank of
River Niger, where she was buried alive. It was a
sad resolution but the Igala people hailed her for
her heroism. after the sacrifice, the story went on
that as the Bini armies advanced to swoop, they
saw the whole town in FLAMES and retreated
feeling that there was no need taking war to a
place already on fire; but it was the blood of Inikpi
that deceived them.
Observance of the role the Princess played in
averting disaster in Igala land still represents an
important historical event in the life of the igala
people. Today, so many people in Idah bear the
name Inikpi in honor of the princess.
The sacrifice was a costly one, very expensive
indeed, it however made peace reign again in Igala
land.
Till today, the late Princess Inikpi who was
sacrificed so that the Igalas might live remains the
unifying factor in Igala land
Please Drop Your Comment Below!!

Ok, up to u igala pple

me na pure nwa afo igbo

Hmm. Interesting.

I was under the impression that the people whom the Igalas fought during the time of Inikpi were the Jukuns, under the Aku Uka of Wukari, rather than the Bini.

"Inikpi" = Moremi
Just a popular Story/Legend common to all "Proto-Yoruba" groups that have been slightly modified among each subgroup depending on region.

I miss Ojonugwa