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A Tribute To The Beautiful Itsekiris Of The Niger Delta / Igbele: Evil Forest Where Itsekiris Dump Corpses Of Witches, Wizards / Warri- The Urhobos, The Itsekiris And The Ijaws : Facts And Factlets. (2) (3) (4)
Re: The Itsekiris. by anonymous6(f): 1:47pm On Nov 04, 2011 |
The Itsekiri's are a tribe of mixed origin, and one of their ancestors are the YORUBA's [b]"The Itsekiri (also called the, Isekiri, Itsekri or Ishekiri or Itsekhiri) are an ethnic group of Nigeria's Niger Delta area, Delta State. The Itsekiri presently number between 800,000–1,000,000 people and live mainly in the Warri South, Warri North and Warri South West local government districts of Delta State on the Atlantic Coast of Nigeria. Significant communities of Itsekiris can be found in parts of Edo and Ondo states and in various other Nigerian cities including Lagos, Sapele, Benin City, Port Harcourt and Abuja. Many people of Itsekiri descent also reside in the United Kingdom, the USA and Canada. The Itsekiris traditionally refer to their land as the Kingdom of Warri or 'Iwerre' as its proper name – which is geographically contiguous to the area covered by the three Warri local government districts. The area is a key centre of Nigeria's crude oil and natural gas production and petroleum refining and the main town Warri (a multi-ethnic metropolis) forms the industrial and commercial nucleus of the Delta State region. The Itsekiri monarch is known by the title 'Olu of Warri'. The Itsekiris speak a language very closely akin to Yoruba and Igala but which has also been significantly influenced by other languages particularly Portuguese, Edo (Benin), English and a few borrowings from neighbouring Ijo and Urhobo languages. Although linguistically related to the Yoruba ethnic group, however, the Itsekiris are of very mixed ethnic origins (primarily of Yoruba (Ijebu, Ilaje,Ondo and Owo), Edo, Igala, Urhobo,Ijo and Anglo-Scottish and Portuguese descent) and are today mainly Christian (Protestant and Roman Catholic) by religion. Thus having had 6 centuries of direct cultural exposure to Western Christianity and other African influences, contemporary Itsekiri language and culture has successfully evolved into a hybrid of the many cultures that have influenced its development. Similarly owing to the complex genetic mix of most Itsekiris over the centuries, many individuals self-identifying as Itsekiri would usually be a complex mix of any of the aforementioned ethnic and racial groups."[/b] "Whilst genetically, the Itsekiris are a complex mixture of the many different ethnicities and races that have settled in their area, however, the Itsekiri language is very closely related to the south-eastern and Ijebu Yoruba dialects and to the Igala language of North Central Nigeria. It has also been influenced significantly by the Bini, Portuguese and English languages due to centuries of interaction with people from those nations. However, it remains a key branch of the Yoruboid family of languages even retaining archaic or lost elements of the proto Yoruba language due to its relative isolation in the Niger-Delta where it developed away from the main cluster of Yoruba language dialects." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itsekiri_people [b]"The ITSEKIRI Now, we may first try to describe the Itsekiri peopl e whose kingdom is Warri. As already pointed out, the Dutch map of 1705 referred to above, marks their homeland as Awyri which over time had variously been spelt Iwere, Ouere, Oere, Warree, Wari. and now Warri. The Edo and the Yoruba call them Iwere. The people who constitute the Itsekiri tribe have diverse origins: early settlers from Ijebu, some from Igala and Aboh came to settle in various communities such as Omadino, Ureju, Ugborodo , Inroin, etc at various times out of human memory . Then a party from the Benin Royal family about the end of the 15th century set up a monarchy which constituted these erstwhile autonomous mini-communities into a nationality which it is today. Prof. P. C Lloyd says that "in the English literature they are known as Warri or Jekri, though in the 19th century they were often referred to as Benin since contacts with them were first made on the banks of the Benin River". Here was a Kingdom founded by the royal party from Benin, but by the early sixteenth century through th e seventeenth, it had done so much overseas trade to match or exceed that of the mother - kingdom; the reason being its advantageous position within the empire on the rim of the Atlantic. The Itsekiri speak a Yoruba dialect whose vocabulary has been widened by the infusion of a large number of Portuguese, Bini and English words. As an introduction of the influence of the Bini culture in Itsekiri land, it is pertinent to recall part of the address presented to Prince Solomon I.A Akenzua, then Edaiken of Uselu (now His majesty the Oba of Benin by the Itsekiri community in Benin) by the Itsekiri community in Benin on the occasion of his retirement from public service and return home in 1973. We would like to recall the special historical relationships that bind your people and ours. Both Bini and Itsekiri histories agree that Ginuwa, a prince, as your goodself, left this great city to found the Iwerre (Warri) Kingdom about 1480. In the 15th and 16th centuries, these two kingdoms emerged as a civi l izing force in this part of the world and provided great splendour which attracted European adventurers, missionaries and merchants alike. The visit of D' Aviero of Portugal of Benin City in 1485 and the establishment of a Catholic Mission in Benin about 1515 AD were great historical developments that have had their parallels only in Iwerreland. At the beginning of the 17th century, a son of a reigning Olu went to Portugal for ten years (as the Oba's ambassador went to Portugal between 1481 and 1495 to be educated in the best schools and returned with a Portuguese lady of a high birth as his wife, their son , Antonio Domingo was Olu of Warri in the 1640s. The site of the Catholic Cathedral (St. Anthony) built in Ode-Itsekiri, is still called (Satoni), we have proud similar chieftaincy titles-Iyatsere as Iyase; Ologbotsere as Ologhosere; Uwangue as Uwanguel Otsodi as oshodin and many other, Even your present esteemed title of Edaiken compares with "Daniken", the last ceremonial stage of the Olu-Elect bef ore coronation. And, our Itselu means "sacred quarters" of the Olu's mother as Uselu in Benin. Aslo, our war songs, lyrics and burial songs have common roots with Bini ceremonial songs. Truly, these cultural bonds span the vast areas of royalty, chieftnancy, language, music and dancing, rituals to dynastic ties. The Warri throne, being a direct off-shoot of the Benin monarchy, bears all its attributes. Historically, the Olu of Warri, like the Oba, is the personal focus of the people's loyalty and affection. The crown, highly glamorised, is the symbol of supreme authority in both kingdoms. The Olu, like the Oba (aiguobasinwin) does no wrong and can not be queried or challenged (Afo massin; Afo were tse were); he is the keeper of the corporate conscience of his people. The Oba is titled Uku-Akpolokpolo, which literally means high and extremely very large. In essence, it means next to God, divine and infinite. He is also addressed: Ogie N'Ogbomwan be edge uwuikomwam; i.e king who can confer life a n d death. A similar title of the Olu of Warri is Ogie-uwu i.e , king over death. The Oba is also addressed: Ekpen N'uwa i.e the tiger at home. In spite of the contemporary societal forces which have constrained the practical meanings of these titles, in the nitty-gritty of the norms of Benin and Warri societies, these mind-bending titles, theoretical as they are, still do provide the pillars and sign-posts that guide most traditional activities. These titles remain stilted and honorific. Examining some royal titles in Benin and Warri, one would be amazed at the striking oneness of their roots. Even in some cases, Warri tended religiously to follow Benin titles every sixty years on the average. The fourth Olu of Warri, Ojoluwa who ascended the throne in 1550 assumed the title of the fifteenth Oba of Benin Ozolua who reigned in 1483; the fifth Olu Esigie who became king in 1570 bore the title Esigie, the sixteenth Oba of Benin who came to the throne in 1504. And the thirteenth Olu Akengboye (1710) took t he title of the twenty-second Oba Akengboi (1669). Others who followed were the fortheeenth Olu Atogbwua (1735) who bore the title Orhogbua, the seventeenth Oba (1550). And the sixteenth Olu Akengbuwa (1807) took the title of the thirtieth Oba Akengbuda (1750). Even Erejuwa in Warri and erediauwa in Benin sound alike. In both cultures, part from the crown, and other high-profile symbols of royalty are swords and scarlet cloth. The Itsekiri have derived the names of these items from Bini."[/b] http://www.edofolks.com/html/pub123.htm |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Chyz2: 4:53pm On Nov 04, 2011 |
What were the itsekiris(sekiri,Ishekiri,etc.) actual name? The name is actually an Ijo name meaning "Evil". I don't think that is a coincidence. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by jason123: 6:02pm On Nov 04, 2011 |
Chyz*: Haba! How do you know? |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Chyz2: 7:22pm On Nov 04, 2011 |
jason123: If you don't believe me go ask an Ijo or better yet, just google it. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by lakal(m): 10:24pm On Nov 04, 2011 |
Chyz*: Just cause it means something In Ijo does not mean that it has the same meaning in Itsekiri. "Igbo" is a word in Yoruba, but it is not the meaning of the Igbo ethnic group. What if "Itsekiri" means Blessing everywhere or Blessing througout the land in Itsekiri? |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Chyz2: 1:35am On Nov 05, 2011 |
lakal: And im sure "Igbo" means something else in other African languages too but you are forgetting that yoruba is not beside igbos so that name didnt come from them. Also, that name "Igbo" has been in existance even before the supposed "birth" of the yoruba people. . . .The itsekiri on the other hand were neighbors of the ijaw and were made enemies to the ijaw. It is a word used by the Ijaw to describe the itsekiri. My guess is that the europeans just used it to name their tribe. Anybody who knows ijaws knows that thats an ijaw word/name, so is Warri although warri is not ijaw land. Find out how the name came abt. It has nothing to do with blessing. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by lakal(m): 2:57am On Nov 05, 2011 |
Chyz*: 1.) Hausa is not beside Yoruba, and yet the name came from Hausas, supposedly. So that point is dead. 2.) How do you if the word "igbo" is or isn't older than what are now known as the Igbo people? 3.) Again, just because it means something in Ijaw, does not mean that it can't mean something in itsekiri. You don't even know if the tones are the same, I bet. 4.) Warri is not an Ijaw word, and Ijaws don't claim it to be either. Ownership of Warri is a different matter. 1 Like |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Chyz2: 3:54am On Nov 05, 2011 |
lakal: Read, learn, then STFU. Your emotions aren't going to change the facts. Too bad for you: http://www.waado.org/Organizations/UHS/WarriPeaceCongress/BackgroundPapers/IjawBackgroundPaper.htm |
Re: The Itsekiris. by lakal(m): 4:04am On Nov 05, 2011 |
Chyz*: I don't think that[b] I'm[/b] the one getting emotional. 1 Like |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Nobody: 4:07am On Nov 05, 2011 |
lakal: You're not. Chyz tends to get overly sensitive/sentimental and less focused. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Chyz2: 4:09am On Nov 05, 2011 |
Ileke-IdI: I know right. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Chyz2: 4:11am On Nov 05, 2011 |
lakal: The itsekiri own the ijos a lot. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Nobody: 4:15am On Nov 05, 2011 |
Chyz*: uh uhm |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Chyz2: 4:24am On Nov 05, 2011 |
Ileke-IdI: How've u been cutie? |
Re: The Itsekiris. by PhysicsQED(m): 6:26pm On Nov 08, 2011 |
. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by PhysicsQED(m): 6:32pm On Nov 08, 2011 |
We should be cautious of some stories we read on NL: "NOMENCLATURE The Itsekiri call themselves Itsekiri or iwere, and the Yoruba and Edo use the same names; the Urhobo call them irhobo, a term sometimes said to mean "those who float on the water"; the Ijaw call them selemo. In the English literature they are known as Warri or Jekri, though in the 19th century they were often referred to as Benin, since contact with them was first made on the banks of the Benin River. Warri and Itsekiri have been spelt in many different though recognizable ways by European writers, e.g., Oere, Ouere, Awerri, Owerri; Jekri, Jakri." - The Benin Kingdom and the Edo-speaking peoples of South-Western Nigeria by R.E. Bradbury together with a section on The Itsekiri by P.C. Lloyd, London, International African Institute, 1957. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by omabegho: 10:23pm On Jun 13, 2012 |
Please can anyone help with the full meaning of the itsekiri name "omabegho" thanks |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Detongue: 10:00am On Jun 14, 2012 |
Itsekiri dede, mo kia han (greeting all d Itsekiri ppl in d house) so proud to b born into dis small but unique tribe can someone help with d Itsekiri anthem. Ogiame Suoooooo |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Detongue: 10:05am On Jun 14, 2012 |
[quote author=omabegho]Please can anyone help with the full meaning of the itsekiri name "omabegho" thanks[/quote Omabegho-- A child with respect. Not very sure, but not too far from it |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Detongue: 10:15am On Jun 14, 2012 |
Chyz*: dis is not funny. I'm sure u did not ask ur parents b4 posting. Itsekiri > blessing protectng us. Itse as in Amen, kiri means protect, guide, shield, cover etc. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Nobody: 6:27pm On Aug 24, 2013 |
mohadana: Itsekiri came from Benin City about the middle of the 15th Century, under the leadership of (Ginuwa) a son of the reigning Oba of Benin called Olua, Oginuwa died at Ijalla and was buried there. The Itsekiri called the place "Eri-Olu Itsekiri," or "Itsekiri's Royal Grave." The 'Aramula' oracle was consulted as to the best land in which to settle. One Idibie, who was priest to the oracle, hurled a harpoon into the river and Speared a large fish, which he followed by means of the float attached to the harpoon to Ode Itsekiri or Iwerri, which is now known as Big Warri" And of them an Asst. District Officer R.B. Kerr in his own report(2) in 1931 wrote:"The Itsekiris are a sub-tribe of the Yoruba tribe. It is said that their leader was one OGINUWA, a favourite son of the Oba who had him put into a magic box and conveyed in this fashion accompanied by seventy sons of Benin Chiefs to found a new and mystical Kingdom which is today the Warri Kingdom."The Itsekiri homeland with an estimated ltsekiri population of about 270,000 is traditionally known as Iwere, and the people themselves are called Itsekiri. How have they come about these names, and what are the myths about them? Ijijen, the first son of Ginuwa, and who became the Second Olu of the Kingdom, was given a royal welcome at Ode-ltsekiri: Egert Omoneukarin has given this account(3):"Before this stage however, Ijijen has already sighted a very large area of land with grown up leafs (sic leaves) which he identified as "EWERE-LEAFS"This leaf signifies "goodluck and peace" in Edo land. Knowing the importance of this leaf and its ceremonial significant in Benin Kingdom, he drew his host (sic host's) attention to his discovery……… Itsekiriene (the host) was compelled to Christian (sic christen) the land IWERE Another account(4)on the origin of Iwere says that"the purported blessing of Okhienwere by the Oba and his Chiefs (upon) the travelling royal team, when they were leaving the Kingdom, was continuously used by the group in wishing their leaders well as they journeyed On (through the Sea Kingdom)…… Iwere (is a) mispronunciation (of Okhienwere) a word of Edo language."Whichever is the source of the word, these myths are so strong in ltsekiri-land that one tends to believe one or the other.In several waves of migration before the 15th Century, and some a little later, groups from Igala in Nupe country came in through the creeks; Yoruba from ljebu-Ode, Akure and Owo found their way into parts of the Kingdom and a group from Aboh also came in. Some along the coast came in through Gulani/Amatu. No wonder the historian John Sagay(5) says "that the people who constitute. the tribe called ltsekiri have diverse origins". And Stride and ifeka(6) say that "the ltsekiri are probably a mixture of several people …… And in my book(7) published early this year; I have said."Before long this hotch-potch of several peoples from Ode, the coast via Arnatu or Gulani Aboh, Akure and Owo, Igala in Nupe country and Benin welded into a coherent ethnic group which is today called ltsekiri. They synthesized a Yoruba dialect whose vocabulary today has been widened by the infusion of a large number of Portuguese, English and Bini words." Prof.P.C. Lloyd( has said of them; "The ltsekiri call themselves ltsekiri or Iwere, and the Yoruba and Edo use the same names; the Urhobo call them Irhobo, a term sometimes said to mean ‘those floating on water’, the Ijaw call them Selemo. In the English literature they are known as Warri or Jekri, though in the 19th century, they were often referred to as Benin, since contact with them was first made on the banks of the Benin River"And according to Prof. Obaro Ikime(9) " Warri, the name of the modern township is clearly a corruption of the name Iwere which the Itsekiri sometimes use to refer to themselves or their capital, Ode-Itsekiri," The African Encyclopaedia(10) says: "The Itsekiri people live on the Western edge of the Niger Delta in the Midwest State of Nigeria……… The largest town of their area is Warri which has become an important center of Nigerian’s petroleum industry. The Itsekiri language is closely related to Yoruba."So far, no doubt we have seen that the Itsekiri people, also known as Iwere, call their homeland Warri, a corruption of Iwere. P. C. Lloyd(11) has said:"Warri and Itsekiri have been spelt in many different though recognizable ways by European writers, e.g. Oere, Ouere, Awerri, Owerri, Jekri, Jakri". This is a very useless piece of write up. It says Itshekiri are from Benin and it also says Itshekiris are Yoruba.. Then it says Itshekiri are of diverse origin.. Just as confusing as NIGERIA itself. Yoruba people founded Akure and still speak Yoruba, Founded Ilorin and still speak Yoruba. Hausa people migrated to Ghana and maintain Hausa.. How then would Benin or edo people just move to a short distance like Ode Itshekiri and forget their EDO dialect ? . They are Yoruba of the Ilaje and Egun..settled in Ijaw land. They were Timber men or people living on floating timber that drifted to different places. They even floated to as far as Rivers state where they mingled with ijaws in Nembe, KALABARI and even Okrika and were assimilated. They were the ones that took the yoruba words in the Ijaw language of the people to them. Words like OLOSHI, Anyi or enyi, Iro for lie . Suun for stretch and so on.. They were just concentrated at the Warri area and when the Portuguese came a point man or leader met at Ode Itshekiri was made the lead who took advantage of that to establish authority. His authority was over all the people inclduing the native Ijaws and other Ilajes. The settlement of ODE ITSHEKIRI was the Ijaw evil forest known as SHI KIRI meaning evil forest..The people settled there who were both Ilaje and Ijaw were then known as people of SHI KIRI and their leader who was the chosen lead by the Portuguese became the leader of the entire region.. The shi kiri people who were speaking a form of the Ilaje Yoruba dialect became lord of the entire region which included Ijaw settlements and other Ilaje speaking areas. The mixture of the Ilaje dialect and Ijaw and even Uhrobo became the new dialect of the SHI KRI people.. They were behaving abnormally and so were dubbed WERRE which means insane people.. werre or shi kiri became a name which was recorded as Warri also associated with the family arrangement of the Ijaws called WARI... |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Asoozy: 4:04pm On Aug 25, 2013 |
Re: The Itsekiris. by jeevyww(m): 12:06pm On Feb 16, 2015 |
DereI: Op from your post I can clearly tell you are Itsekiri,well its good to know your history but its a shame you know only part or maybe what you have been told or read online..let me break it down..PA Alfred Rewane wrote that according to the Benin historian Jacob Egharevba, the Benin crown prince Iginiwa,who later became Ginuwa 1 Olu of Warri,was mandated by his father oba olua (in 1473) the oba of Benin to go and found a kingdom in and reign over the Riverine areas,Hence,the Olu is called,Ogiame,which in Edo means "The king who Reigns over riversland".Ginuwa 1 founded the warri kingdom in 1480". THE IJAW VERSION OF THE HISTORY OF ITSEKIRI In 1475 Olua was king of Benin and his sons where Ginuwa and Ozolua,Ginuwa was outsmarted by his brother and driven out of the kingdom...Benin Historical Records according to MR Talbot Ginuwa and seventy followers where put in a canoe and st towards the ijaw domain they sailed to the west Atlantic and finally into the Estuary of the River dodo where they were intercepted by Iduwini(ijaws) fishermen they had camwood(isele in ijaw) pasting all over them the ijaws called them Iselemotu (people coated with camwood paste) and they(Itsekiri) are still called that till today THE CHANGE OF THE THE OLU OF ITSEKIRI to OLU OF WARRI After the blody riots in warri of 1952 a 9ommision was set up by the late Awolowo in Ibadan and funny only the urhobos and Itsekiri were invited,to show how long the Ijaw man has been marginalized,Alfred Rewane in his book "The link with the past" wrote that through the suggestions of chief Okorodudu,the warri province would be changed to Warri and that the tittle Olu of Itsekiri would become Olu of warri,both the Urhobo and Government delegation accepted and it has remained till this day Dom Domingos It is not far from the truth that Itsekiri women can be loose,and this was affirmed by women of Itskiri stock milandiring with portuguese traders,they unlike the ijaws and urhobos who at that time saw it as an abormination to marry outside from their tribe,had affairs with these traders and the result where children of mixed stock known as mullatos,Dom Domingos(Eyeomason Atoangboye) he returned from portugal and was installed as king (Atuwatse) in 1625 In conclusion it is a known fact that the Area known as warri today is originally owned by the Urobos who where farmers and stayed hinther lands and the Ijaws who where fishermen and lived to the coast,I say it with all sense of Confidence cos I have done years of research on this topic and time and space won't let me on this forum but the Itshekiri were visitors to these lands and the Urobos and Ijaws welcomed them with open hands,the Ijaws have always been people who were timid and hardly mixed with the outside world things that still affect them today,the Itsekiri were open to Education vis avis their relationship with the Portuguese this made them enlightened and made them Educated people hence it was to their advantage has they started having people in power and government,these were the issues that led to the warri crisis in 97/98 but all said,we have come to live together in one state and I believe God placed us together for a purpose |
Re: The Itsekiris. by Ilaje1: 11:22pm On Nov 16, 2017 |
Detongue: Small and unique? oluku wo gha rin. |
Re: The Itsekiris. by nengibo: 11:57pm On Nov 16, 2017 |
Chyz2:This an old comment, but I would like to correct something, if you know Ijaw language you will know that wari means house |
Re: The Itsekiris. by tomiogbe(m): 4:02am On May 04, 2018 |
Ok |
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