I had read somewhere before that the area of Igbo land was bigger than it is today and was a huge stretch starting from its present land mass and covered much of the area known as south-west today, up to abeokuta (ebe okwute in Igbo - place of rocks/stone) before the peoples were pushed out of their original settlement eastwards towards present-day delta state and south-east.
During the slave trade era, the egbas were often referred to as Igbos, and they shared similar cultural behaviour with the Igbo.
I think the story of moremi and the Igbos still has a lot of history to be deciphered in it.
Stop twisting history The ife Ugbos are now part of the ILAJES in coastal ondo state (UGBOLAND is the largest kingdom in ILAJE area of ondo state.
The paramount ruler of the kingdom is the richest monarch in Nigeria and the second richest in Africa. The Igbo's have never been locals of any part of YORUBA land.
Dont distort history....... It will do you no GOOD
cahnellven: Stop twisting history The ife Ugbos are now part of the ILAJES in coastal ondo state . The Igbo's have never been locals of any part of YORUBA land
hmmmm......except Lagos where they now have constituency.
This people don't have an account of who they are..all they know and care about is BIAFRA
So why should I panic...I won't be surprised to see a thread claiming kano belongs to the igbos with the explanation that the northerners are foreigners
I patiently read this origin of the Yorubas and why they say Ile-Ife is the cradle of Yoruba civilization and can't stop shaking my head. Do Yoruba Christians and traditionalists alike believe in that staff about Olodumare and Obatala and what have you?
It actually makes for a good folklore, the type you say the Tortoise fell from a height and broke its shell or those about the hare running a race and what have you. Any attempt to add more value to this story amounts to nothing but insanity.
Southwest Nigeria is commonly referred to as “ Yorubaland “ which is home to a mosaic of distinct tribes and tribal states who collectively form the present day Yoruba tribal identity, however the original Yoruba designation exclusively referred to the Oyo, a tribe who at one time lived amongst the Hausas in what is presently Northern Nigeria.
In fact the word Yoruba is of Hausa origins.
Misrepresentations of Nigeria the Facts and the Figures by Yusef Bala Usman PH.D – Center for Democratic Development, Research and Training-
“ The fact is that the earliest record we have of the use of the very name Yoruba was in the Hausa Language and it seems to have applied to the people of the Alfinate Oyo. Don Masani wrote a book on the Muslim scholars of the Yarriba.”
Over the centuries the Oyo were gradually driven southward where they in turn became the conquerers of the indigenous people of “South-west Nigeria “ who like their Southeastern counterparts were referred to as the Igbo. The Southwestern Igbo were protected by an army of masked warriors known as the Egbo or Egba.
Olumida Lucas states that the name Egba is synonymous with Igbo. The indigenous Igbo (Egba) lived in the forest area surrounding Ife. The name Ife derives from an Igbo system of “divination” called Ifa. It was at Ife that the Igbo (Egba) were first confronted by Odudwa who along with his youngest son Oranyan are remembered as the founders of the Oyo (Yoruba) Kingdom at Ife.
At the time of Odudwa’s invasion the indigenous Igbo(Egba) resided under the leadership of Obatala whose name means the Oba or Obi Ala. Obi or Oba was initially an Igbo title of authority and Ala is the land deity of the Igbo. Amongst the Egbo tribes of Calabar the Oba appears in the form of the deity Obassi who is also called Abassi.
Like the indigenous forest dwelling Igbos,the present day Egbas are historically associated with the Obas. In fact the name of the Egba ruling council known as the Ogboni relates to the Igbo word Ogbonna which indirectly refers to an elder.
The Wikipedia Encyclopedia- “ Yoruba “
“ The numerous Egba communities found in the forests below Oyo’s Savannah region were a notable example of elected Obas though the Ogboni ,a legislative judicial council of notable elders wielded the actual political power” ( The Ogboni “ Cult “ played a central role in the Brazil slave rebellion of 1809.)
In their initial encounters the Oyo (Yoruba) were unable to penetrate the frightening Egba(Igbo) as these intimidating masked forest dwellers mastered the art of instilling fear into their opponents. In defense of their homeland the Egba(Igbo) went further in raiding and burning down the intruding Oyo(Yoruba) settlements in the town at Ife.
The Egba were first defeated through the scheming of a woman named Moremi who allowed herself to be captured as she used her beauty to seduce the Igbo (Egba) King into revealing the secrets of the masked Egba warriors.
She later returned to the Oyo providing her countrymen with the necessary information needed to finally conquer the Igbo(Egba) Kingdom. This defeat of the Igbo(Egba) is celebrated every year at the annual Eid Festival of Ife.
In 1835, the Egba declared themselves to be independent of the Oyo (Yoruba) and in response the Oyo along with the Ijebu drove them out of Ibadan, Ife and other towns north of their present day capital of Abeokuta.
As a result of contact between the Ijebu and the indigenous Igbo the city Ijebu-Igbo was established.The founding of the Egba Kingdom of Abeokuta in 1837 is considered to be the last kingdom to be recognized within the “Yoruba federation of tribes .” By this time the term Yoruba had expanded beyond its original usage in referring to the Oyo and now generally applied to all of the inhabitants of Southwestern Nigeria.
The tradition of the masked Egba(Igbo) warriors is likewise documented in Southeast Nigeria amongst the followers of the Egbo Society of Calabar.
EGBO- A secret society at one time existing as a political bond between various towns especially Eastern Nigeria. – World Book Dictionary A-K 1974.
In 1876, the Scottish Presbyterian missionary Mary Slessor came to Calabar. According to the accountings of Ms. Slessor in the “ Igbo “ dominated areas a secret society known as Egbo went around in masks and beat people. She claimed to have chased a group of Egbo and tore off a mask. The image of Mary Slessor would later appear on the 10 pound British Monetary note. ( The Egbo/Egba warriors seem to have a problem or weakness in defending themselves against foreign women. First Moremi in the west informs her people to burn the masks of the Egba(Igbo) warriors and later in the east Mary Slessor claims to have ripped a mask off of an Egbo man.)
The Egba of Abeokuta worship a deity called the Oro. Oro is a god who resides in a bush. In honor of Oro a sacred ceremony is performed at a secluded spot inside the bush. This ceremony is called Igbo Oro and is very similar to bush ceremonies observed by the Egbo Society of Calabar. There are many similar practices and rituals performed by both the Egba of “ Yorubaland “ and the Egbo Society of the east. In this regard it is of interest to note the name of the Biafran Officer from Ejagham(Calabar), the formidable Captain Ndom Egba.
This people don't have an account of who they are..all they know and care about is BIAFRA
So why should I panic...I won't be surprised to see a thread claiming kano belongs to the igbos with the explanation that the northerners are foreigners
bigfrancis21: I had read somewhere before that the area of Igbo land was bigger than it is today and was a huge stretch starting from its present land mass and covered much of the area known as south-west today, up to abeokuta (ebe okwute in Igbo - place of rocks/stone) before the peoples were pushed out of their original settlement eastwards towards present-day delta state and south-east.
During the slave trade era, the egbas were often referred to as Igbos, and they shared similar cultural behaviour with the Igbo.
I think the story of moremis and the Igbos still has a lot of history to be deciphered in it.
Which of the EGBA are you referring to, am very sure its not my own Abeokuta.
Which of the EGBA are you referring to, am very sure its not my own Abeokuta.
THE EGBA ARE IGBO-
Southwest Nigeria is commonly referred to as “ Yorubaland “ which is home to a mosaic of distinct tribes and tribal states who collectively form the present day Yoruba tribal identity, however the original Yoruba designation exclusively referred to the Oyo, a tribe who at one time lived amongst the Hausas in what is presently Northern Nigeria.
In fact the word Yoruba is of Hausa origins.
Misrepresentations of Nigeria the Facts and the Figures by Yusef Bala Usman PH.D – Center for Democratic Development, Research and Training-
“ The fact is that the earliest record we have of the use of the very name Yoruba was in the Hausa Language and it seems to have applied to the people of the Alfinate Oyo. Don Masani wrote a book on the Muslim scholars of the Yarriba.”
Over the centuries the Oyo were gradually driven southward where they in turn became the conquerers of the indigenous people of “South-west Nigeria “ who like their Southeastern counterparts were referred to as the Igbo. The Southwestern Igbo were protected by an army of masked warriors known as the Egbo or Egba.
Olumida Lucas states that the name Egba is synonymous with Igbo. The indigenous Igbo (Egba) lived in the forest area surrounding Ife. The name Ife derives from an Igbo system of “divination” called Ifa. It was at Ife that the Igbo (Egba) were first confronted by Odudwa who along with his youngest son Oranyan are remembered as the founders of the Oyo (Yoruba) Kingdom at Ife.
At the time of Odudwa’s invasion the indigenous Igbo(Egba) resided under the leadership of Obatala whose name means the Oba or Obi Ala. Obi or Oba was initially an Igbo title of authority and Ala is the land deity of the Igbo. Amongst the Egbo tribes of Calabar the Oba appears in the form of the deity Obassi who is also called Abassi.
Like the indigenous forest dwelling Igbos,the present day Egbas are historically associated with the Obas. In fact the name of the Egba ruling council known as the Ogboni relates to the Igbo word Ogbonna which indirectly refers to an elder.
The Wikipedia Encyclopedia- “ Yoruba “
“ The numerous Egba communities found in the forests below Oyo’s Savannah region were a notable example of elected Obas though the Ogboni ,a legislative judicial council of notable elders wielded the actual political power” ( The Ogboni “ Cult “ played a central role in the Brazil slave rebellion of 1809.)
In their initial encounters the Oyo (Yoruba) were unable to penetrate the frightening Egba(Igbo) as these intimidating masked forest dwellers mastered the art of instilling fear into their opponents. In defense of their homeland the Egba(Igbo) went further in raiding and burning down the intruding Oyo(Yoruba) settlements in the town at Ife.
The Egba were first defeated through the scheming of a woman named Moremi who allowed herself to be captured as she used her beauty to seduce the Igbo (Egba) King into revealing the secrets of the masked Egba warriors.
She later returned to the Oyo providing her countrymen with the necessary information needed to finally conquer the Igbo(Egba) Kingdom. This defeat of the Igbo(Egba) is celebrated every year at the annual Eid Festival of Ife.
In 1835, the Egba declared themselves to be independent of the Oyo (Yoruba) and in response the Oyo along with the Ijebu drove them out of Ibadan, Ife and other towns north of their present day capital of Abeokuta.
As a result of contact between the Ijebu and the indigenous Igbo the city Ijebu-Igbo was established.The founding of the Egba Kingdom of Abeokuta in 1837 is considered to be the last kingdom to be recognized within the “Yoruba federation of tribes .” By this time the term Yoruba had expanded beyond its original usage in referring to the Oyo and now generally applied to all of the inhabitants of Southwestern Nigeria.
The tradition of the masked Egba(Igbo) warriors is likewise documented in Southeast Nigeria amongst the followers of the Egbo Society of Calabar.
EGBO- A secret society at one time existing as a political bond between various towns especially Eastern Nigeria. – World Book Dictionary A-K 1974.
In 1876, the Scottish Presbyterian missionary Mary Slessor came to Calabar. According to the accountings of Ms. Slessor in the “ Igbo “ dominated areas a secret society known as Egbo went around in masks and beat people. She claimed to have chased a group of Egbo and tore off a mask. The image of Mary Slessor would later appear on the 10 pound British Monetary note. ( The Egbo/Egba warriors seem to have a problem or weakness in defending themselves against foreign women. First Moremi in the west informs her people to burn the masks of the Egba(Igbo) warriors and later in the east Mary Slessor claims to have ripped a mask off of an Egbo man.)
The Egba of Abeokuta worship a deity called the Oro. Oro is a god who resides in a bush. In honor of Oro a sacred ceremony is performed at a secluded spot inside the bush. This ceremony is called Igbo Oro and is very similar to bush ceremonies observed by the Egbo Society of Calabar. There are many similar practices and rituals performed by both the Egba of “ Yorubaland “ and the Egbo Society of the east. In this regard it is of interest to note the name of the Biafran Officer from Ejagham(Calabar), the formidable Captain Ndom Egba.
Similar to the Igbo of the east,the western Igbo descended Egba were always known to be revolutionaries in continual revolt against the Colonial British authorities, European missionaries, and their traditional Yoruba enemies being primarily that of the Oyo and Ijebu. In 1929 the Igbo market woman of the east led a tax revolt against the Colonial British Government which became known as the Abia Women’s Tax Revolt. The Egba women carried out a similar tax revolt in 1947 known as the Abeokuta Women’s Tax Revolt of Egba Market Women. The Egba market women were led by Fumilayo Ransome Kuti,a teacher and wife of a prominent Egba educationalist. The protest of over 10,000 Egba women caused the governing authorities to abolish taxes on women for several years and the Alake who conspired with the Colonial authorities spent three years in exile in Oshogbo.
Many of the positive social and ethical traits which are often associated with the Igbo are historically documented as being characteristic of the Egba as well. Robert Campbell who along with Martin Robison Delaney signed a pact with Egba leaders for the right of resettlement of African – Americans to “ Egbaland” states that the Egba are the most industrious people on the face of the earth.(Burton 1863:101)
James Africanus Beale Horton concerning the Egba(Akus): “ It must be admitted without question that there are no people on the coast who are so hard working and so long suffering in proportion to what they expect in return. “ He also went on to say that the Egba as a race are amongst the most industrious, perservering and hard working people on the coast of Africa.(Horton 1969:149)
In terms of education the Egba like the Igbo are deserving of great acclaim. The first Black-African to receive a nobel prize in Literature was an Egba man named Wole Soyinka who like the Igbo actively opposed the Nigerian Government during the Biafran War. Soyinka was detained by agents of the state between 1967 and 1969.
In this regard Booker T. Washington whose middle name Tanifeani attests to Egba origins should be noted as the founder of the famous Tuskeegee Institute.
What is it with Igbos and natural domination of anywhere they go to? In the 1700s during slavery in Virginia, US, Igbos dominated the slave trade of Virginia such that Virginia became known as Ibo land.
Egbo captives were so numerous and dominant in Virginia that some historians of the Colonial Era actually referred to Virginia as “Igboland”. By the 1700’s Virginia plantation owners gathered to discuss the “Igbo problem “ as the hardworking but resistant Egbo are acknowledged to have dominated the Virginia trade. This further lends credence to the alleged Willie Lynch speech of 1712 which advocated the implementation of harsh measures of containment designed to eradicate Egbo culture and in turn slave resistance on all levels. The speech of proposals was delivered by Willie Lynch on the Bank of the James River in Virginia, in 1712. 120 years later Nat Turner led a revolt in Virginia that killed approximately 60 whites. In accordance with his Igbo(Egbo) origins, Turner bestowed upon himself the honors of Odogo (Odogwu),a ceremonial ritual in which an Igbo warrior places feathers in his cap to signify the killing of a person of rank in war. After killing Hark Travis,the head of the Travis farm,Turner placed feathers in his cap and a red sash around his waist.
Douglas Chambers recently published a book which discusses the alleged role of the Igbo in the murder of President James Madison’s grandfather who was killed in Virginia. Igbo (Egbo) revolts were so frequent and intense throughout Virginia that it was understood that this revolutionary mentality on the part of the Egbo captives was an obvious reflection of Igbo culture as the Igbo proverb states;
“ What saves also kills and what kills also saves.”
Were this people the early inhabitants of Ife? where did they come from, and why were they send away?
Were they the folks that gave us Yoruba language? Are you insinuating that Igbos were the rightful owners of Yorubaland? Did the Yoruba language also belong to the Igbo?
Were this Ife Igbos the same as today Igbos in the east? or you are plotting eastern Igbo in the midst of Yoruba historical hub?
Your conclussion needs further butresing to be understood, but i love the good attempt anyway if you will make it more clearer.
the igbos created the yoruba race...dat is history
Dafuck I said it,you guys own the whole of nigeria
Next is NIGER then CHAD..
Now it OGUN STATE...how do you expect me to know when am not a yoruba person..the little I was taught about the yoruba's during yoruba language @ ondo state..they never mention anything concerning the igbos when we were studying about ile-ife...all I was taught about is the likes of oduduwa,sango,orumila and the rest,plus their culture,lifestyle and food....
Oga if you like claim ekiti as an igbo land not my biz...
mimifonwon: So i met a nigerian professor who teaches at northwestern university. i introduced myself as igbo and yoruba, and he in turn says- then that means we are kin, cuz am egba. I was like oh, so you are yoruba, and he says, no i am igbo aka egba. I was confused, because in my 24 years of life, i have only heard from my yoruba cousins and southwestern friends that egbas are yoruba. So We sat down over tea and this man of 64 years of age, started giving me history lessons, on how the southwestern Nigeria was orginally only inhabitated by igbo tribe and her clans. I kinda just noded and smiled. He began to tell me that their native tongue is more similar to onitsha igbo than yoruba. But i didnt say anything-mainly cuz all the yoruba people who say they are of egba clan speak only yoruba language. So i kept listening and he started telling me that the original yoruba were people like oyo and ijebus who are more close in relations with the northern tribes like hausa. He said that we young people have let colonialism corrupt our histories. I myself I am infactuated with history and research, but most of what he told me, he said were directly from his father and great grandfather. Ah i didnt know what to say. He went on to say that modern egbas due to yoruba conquering them through a woman now is loosing their language and culture, while buying into yoruba culture. I just smiled. But after I got home today from work I decided to research to know if this was true. I think our elders like our grandparents are the ones who can tell us the truths about our identities. It is sad but true because i think its about time that we youths start asking or great grand or grand parents who are still alive for our geneology and ethnic compositions. Anyways one of my friend's directed me to this video of people singing in egba dialect first, so do we have egba speakers here? I speak yoruba and ngwa igbo which is very different but yet similar to other igbo languages. My cousins speak ika igbo, and though i understand some of the things they say 60 percent of the time, they also have a hard time understanding me 100 %. But when I speak my ijebu-igbo yoruba dialect to any yoruba person i see, they understand me very well. So my other question is why is the igbo language so different when it comes to different clans. I remember My first time of meeting my cousin's nnewi inlaws and i greeted them the normal ngwa igbo greetings i have learned from childhood -which is called itu maazi. I did so, but they were confused and couldnt understand me. Even when I say "nda" or "olia" to people not from abia or owerri they dont understand me. So Why is Igbo so different from clan to clan? My igbo friend from southern cameroon speaks ohafia igbo, but sometimes when she speaks fast, i get lost in translation. So IGBOS WHy IS YOUR LANGUAGE SO DIFFERENT FROM clan to Clan or shall i call IGBO a nation and say from tribe to tribe? PLease help me with some answers, why do you guys have that type of variety?
Dafuck I said it,you guys own the whole of nigeria
Next is NIGER then CHAD..
Now it OGUN STATE...how do you expect me to know when am not a yoruba person..the little I was taught about the yoruba's during yoruba language @ ondo state..they never mention anything concerning the igbos when we were studying about ile-ife...all I was taught about is the likes of oduduwa,sango,orumila and the rest,plus their culture,lifestyle and food....
Oga if you like claim ekiti as an igbo land not my biz...
Wetin concern omo Edo with an igbo man....
ok ooo , but wait, did you believe the lectures where oduduwa dropped from the sky and didn't break his spinal cord
, is like NL is running out of meaningful threads.
