What languages exactly do the Ibaji people of Kogi speak? I have been told they speak both Igbo and Ibaji Igala. Please confirm this.

Also, I would like to confirm if the Oturukpo people of Benue state are bilingual in Idoma and Igbo.

Pazienza, Radoillo, Tonychristopher.

bigfrancis21:
What languages exactly do the Ibaji people of Kogi speak? I have been told they speak both Igbo and Ibaji Igala. Please confirm this.

Also, I would like to confirm if the Oturukpo people of Benue state are bilingual in Idoma and Igbo.

Pazienza, Radoillo, Tonychristopher.

O

Here to learn about that group
Expert historians should expatiate more.

For me I think it might be true by the virtue of their location.

The Ibaji speak the Ibaji dialect of Igala. Many also speak Igbo as a second language.

Can't speak for Oturkpo. Although I can imagine that since they trade with the Igbo of Northern Enugu State, many have mastered the Igbo language for business purposes.

Radoillo:
The Ibaji speak the Ibaji dialect of Igala. Many also speak Igbo as a second language.

Can't speak for Oturkpo. Although I can imagine that since they trade with the Igbo of Northern Enugu State, many have mastered the Igbo language for business purposes.

Thanks for your response.

A writer somewhere seems to posit that the Ibaji people were an originally Igbo group settled in Ibaji area who have inter-mingled with the Igalas but still retain their original Igbo, in addition to the Ibaji Igbo dialect. He also said evidence of this Igbo settlement in Ibaji could be seen in Igbo-like in place names in Kogi as one travels along Lokoja-Abuja such as Uwani, Ezeagu etc.

When you said, many have mastered the Igbo language for business purposes, was it more of a sure sentence or one of probability?

bigfrancis21:


Thanks for your response.

A writer somewhere seems to posit that the Ibaji people were an originally Igbo group settled in Ibaji area who have inter-mingled with the Igalas but still retain their original Igbo, in addition to the Ibaji Igbo dialect. He also said evidence of this Igbo settlement in Ibaji could be seen in Igbo-like in place names in Kogi as one travels along Lokoja-Abuja such as Uwani, Ezeagu etc.

I've driven on the Lokoja-Abuja route several times and haven't noticed any Uwani or Ezeagu. I'll find out what I can from older members of my extended family who are familiar with that area.

When you said, many have mastered the Igbo language for business purposes, was it more of a sure sentence or one of probability?

I was going to write 'many may have mastered'. I was making an informed guess.

Expect Barcanista to say they are ijaw

Please bro, I will contribute to this later.

pazienza:
Please bro, I will contribute to this later.

Ok!

bigfrancis21:
What languages exactly do the Ibaji people of Kogi speak? I have been told they speak both Igbo and Ibaji Igala. Please confirm this.

Also, I would like to confirm if the Oturukpo people of Benue state are bilingual in Idoma and Igbo.

Pazienza, Radoillo, Tonychristopher.

bro ibaji speak their own dialect of igala OK which is where I am from and not everyone understand Igbo there ok they are igalas originally

the reason why Igbo is a second language is because its close to anambra and most people adopt the influential Igbo language when doing business with Igbo's around there and also the idomas around Enugu nsukka border

southern igala are very close to igbos a lot ....this activities made some igala to settle in present day ebu oshimili north in delta state and ifeku island in border of Edo state. and olumbanasa nzam anambra state also

also some illah of delta state. despite being assimilated to be igbos still have their igala roots

Revolva:



bro ibaji speak their own dialect of igala OK which is where I am from and not everyone understand Igbo there ok they are igalas originally

the reason why Igbo is a second language is because its close to anambra and most people adopt the influential Igbo language when doing business with Igbo's around there and also the idomas around Enugu nsukka border

southern igala are very close to igbos a lot ....this activities made some igala to settle in present day ebu oshimili north in delta state and ifeku island in border of Edo state. and anambra state also

also illlah of delta state. despite being assimilated to be igbos still have their igala roots

How come there's no group that used to be Igbo but have assimilated into other cultures but there are always Igbo groups that used to be Igala or Bini.

Revolva:



bro ibaji speak their own dialect of igala OK which is where I am from and not everyone understand Igbo there ok they are igalas originally

the reason why Igbo is a second language is because its close to anambra and most people adopt the influential Igbo language when doing business with Igbo's around there and also the idomas around Enugu nsukka border

southern igala are very close to igbos a lot ....this activities made some igala to settle in present day ebu oshimili north in delta state and ifeku island in border of Edo state. and anambra state also

also illlah of delta state. despite being assimilated to be igbos still have their igala roots

Understood. I do think also that upward migrations from the Igbo northern area to Igala southen parts may have occurred in the past to influence the Ibaji Igala dialect and the Igbo language being spoken in the area. I do not think it is entirely due to business trading purposes. Akpanya and Eke Avurugo villages in Igala south speak Igbo as first or native language. Also, some villages in Igala south have undeniably Igbo names such as Onicha, Umueze, etc.

Or maybe Ibaji people were originally Igbos acculturated into Igala during the Attah of Igala's several raids on the northern Igbo exteriors, which is quite likely given the physical differences between Ibaji Igalas (who resemble Igbos more) and 'core' Igalas from Idah and surrounding areas.

I am a firm believer in DNA testing, maybe DNA testing would reveal more the tribal DNA make up for the entire Igalas.

Afam4eva:

How come there's no group that used to be Igbo but have assimilated into other cultures but there are always Igbo groups that used to be Igala or Bini.

Changing sentiments since the Biafran war would make any of these groups distance themselves from their Igbo origins. It is unfortunate, however, DNA testing always keeps records of DNA admixture.

I really intend to perform genetic testing in many villages around the Igbo-speaking borders, for example in the Ika area and Ibaji area, to see the level of admixture that has taken place in these areas. Such results would be able to help understand better their genetic ratios.

bigfrancis21:


Understood. I do think also that upward migrations from the Igbo northern area to Igala southen parts may have occurred in the past to influence the Ibaji Igala dialect and the Igbo language being spoken in the area. I do not think it is entirely due to business trading purposes. Akpanya and Eke Avurugo villages in Igala south speak Igbo as first or native language. Also, some villages in Igala south have undeniably Igbo names such as Onicha, Umueze, etc.

Or maybe Ibaji people were originally Igbos acculturated into Igala during the Attah of Igala's several raids on the northern Igbo exteriors, which is quite likely given the physical differences between Ibaji Igalas (who resemble Igbos more) and 'core' Igalas from Idah and surrounding areas.

I am a firm believer in DNA testing, maybe DNA testing would reveal more the tribal DNA make up for the entire Igalas.

well thats true DNA will show...but i know that ibajis have element of igbos in them....you know we igalas come from different origins...even the custodians of the culture in IDAH ...the people of idah have different origins till date...there are igala family that have ancestress with igbos...some with Northerners.....

some from other part also goes to the idomas...


so bro how do you tell that you have igala origin who made that clear to you...despite you are from illah....please tell me more of illah

Afam4eva:

How come there's no group that used to be Igbo but have assimilated into other cultures but there are always Igbo groups that used to be Igala or Bini.

because Igbos are everywhere and Igbo language is very influential and has high population of speakers. It's easier for Igbo to influence other groups than for other groups to influence Igbo. Igbos can be influenced by other groups but can't be to the extent of almost wiping out all Igbo traces. I had a Southern Igala friend long time ago that looks Igala and has tribal marks but he can't speak good Igala. I forgot to ask the name of his place. He said his people practice Igala culture but Igbo language is dominant in his place.

ehikwe22:
because Igbos are everywhere and Igbo language is very influential and has high population of speakers. It's easier for Igbo to influence other groups than for other groups to influence Igbo. Igbos can be influenced by other groups but can't be to the extent of almost wiping out all Igbo traces. I had a Southern Igala friend long time ago that looks Igala and has tribal marks but he can't speak good Igala. I forgot to ask the name of his place. He said his people practice Igala culture but Igbo language is dominant in his place.

People like you that make statements like this make assumptions that 300 to 500 years ago, there was a collective people called Igbo who all accepted they were Igbos and we're on a mission to colonize other speakers. This notion is very wrong. The collective Igbo consciousness is a recent one, from the 1900s following British colonization of Nigeria. Prior to that, each Igbo clan was independent of each other and never saw themselves as one or one people. Onitsha saw themselves different from Obosi, Nnewi from Awka etc. This notion should be dropped. In the past a LOT of movements happened, people crossed linguistic boundaries and settled in new territories, where they understood that they were settlers/visitors and over the years assimilated into the environment or culture. Just as people settled inn Igbo land, some Igbos equally migrated into nearby territories such as Igala land, Idoma land, Cross River areas etc and have assimilated into these groups.

Your Igala friend may come from Eke Avurugo, Akpanya or Odolu areas of southern Igala land where Igbo is a native language except in Odolu where it is a second language. From the physical characteristics of Ibaji people, it is possible that Ibaji people could have been originally an Igbo stock Igalanized to Igala over time given the numerous raids the Attah of Igala conducted around the northern Igbo borders. It is often said that 'core' Igalas from Idah, Dekina etc refer to Ibaji people as 'omo Igbo' because of their physical and cultural characteristics.

Afam4eva:

How come there's no group that used to be Igbo but have assimilated into other cultures but there are always Igbo groups that used to be Igala or Bini.

There are, just that the Igbos tend to live independent lives with imdependent settlements and chiefdoms and each flaunts his own history with pride unlike most other tribes who are more centralized or have a central rulership system which tends to dictate the norms for everyone.

Big lie. Illah is Igbo and never igala but have igala settlers. Stop grabbing igbo lands. Ebu came under attack by Igalas who came to farm and fish. The history is obvious. Ebu migration is recent, same with Ifesa and other part of Anambra river valley. Igala has not place in illah, ebu and Anambra but some families trace their origin to Igala. The aborigines has been there before now.

Revolva:



bro ibaji speak their own dialect of igala OK which is where I am from and not everyone understand Igbo there ok they are igalas originally

the reason why Igbo is a second language is because its close to anambra and most people adopt the influential Igbo language when doing business with Igbo's around there and also the idomas around Enugu nsukka border

southern igala are very close to igbos a lot ....this activities made some igala to settle in present day ebu oshimili north in delta state and ifeku island in border of Edo state. and anambra state also

also illlah of delta state. despite being assimilated to be igbos still have their igala roots

thrasy:
Big lie. Illah is Igbo and never igala but have igala settlers. Stop grabbing igbo lands. Ebu came under attack by Igalas who came to farm and fish. The history is obvious. Ebu migration is recent, same with Ifesa and other part of Anambra river valley. Igala has not place in illah, ebu and Anambra but some families trace their origin to Igala. The aborigines has been there before now.

hey i know illah is now assimilated to be Igbo and not every one in Illah has the same ancestry ok the igalas have assimilated to become igbo and one cant reall y know today because igbos from other areas join them ..Thank god you said it have igala settlers..ok that is what what are saying even the igbos who settled there were all from somewhere ...everyone is a settler somehow.
Ebu we all know till now speak igala and they are from idah ..i dont know where is ifesa and oh yeas anambra river valley the NZams olumbanasa ..

Igala has not place in illah, ebu and Anambra but some families trace their origin to Igala. The aborigines has been there before now.

you are one funny clown

Imagine u saying this...shows you are just a bigot....you wanna tell mne about Ebu again people i know down to where they come from in Idah and ibaji..we even hold meeting sometimes and they still know they are from idah up till date they come to visit idah sometimes i mean they prominent ones who are still in touch of their igala heritage not all thes elost ones that have been assimilated to delta igbos.

Same with igalas in anambra and as for Illah ..the igalas there have been assimilated to become lost ok thank you

remmeber we were all living together in the ancient times before religion and politricks seperated everybody mr man nopbody is grabbing any shit hole land ok stop being biased

Ebu pople knew 100 percent they are from Idah

read dis mr man

watch this top gov okowa aide crowning shimite bello of Ebu..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33ekPD9i7y0


she was given ‘Akpeli Ugo Fufu 1’. which is pure igala and it means white eagle infact her name shimite is igala name the full meaning is Ojochemite but it has been corrupted to shimite if you read properly in dis link below she even said it that ebus are from idah so what are you even arguing here ...na you wan tell igalas their extentions or wat ......nobody is grabbing her to be part of kogi but she is just being truthful of her origin and you cant change it


https://businessday.ng/life-arts/article/the-crowning-of-shimite-bello-spirit-behind-deltas-entrepreneurship-drive/

so bro how do you tell that you have igala origin who made that clear to you

This question please.

Revolva:


hey i know illah is now assimilated to be Igbo and not every one in Illah has the same ancestry ok the igalas have assimilated to become igbo and one cant reall y know today because igbos from other areas join them ..Thank god you said it have igala settlers..ok that is what what are saying even the igbos who settled there were all from somewhere ...everyone is a settler somehow.
Ebu we all know till now speak igala and they are from idah ..i dont know where is ifesa and oh yeas anambra river valley the NZams olumbanasa ..



you are one funny clown

Imagine u saying this...shows you are just a bigot....you wanna tell mne about Ebu again people i know down to where they come from in Idah and ibaji..we even hold meeting sometimes and they still know they are from idah up till date they come to visit idah sometimes i mean they prominent ones who are still in touch of their igala heritage not all thes elost ones that have been assimilated to delta igbos.

Same with igalas in anambra and as for Illah ..the igalas there have been assimilated to become lost ok thank you

remmeber we were all living together in the ancient times before religion and politricks seperated everybody mr man nopbody is grabbing any shit hole land ok stop being biased

Ebu pople knew 100 percent they are from Idah

read dis mr man

watch this top gov okowa aide crowning shimite bello of Ebu..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33ekPD9i7y0


she was given ‘Akpeli Ugo Fufu 1’. which is pure igala and it means white eagle infact her name shimite is igala name the full meaning is Ojochemite but it has been corrupted to shimite if you read properly in dis link below she even said it that ebus are from idah so what are you even arguing here ...na you wan tell igalas their extentions or wat ......nobody is grabbing her to be part of kogi but she is just being truthful of her origin and you cant change it


https://businessday.ng/life-arts/article/the-crowning-of-shimite-bello-spirit-behind-deltas-entrepreneurship-drive/

He didn't say anything different from what you said. Ebu isn't Igala land. Igalas were refugees or economic migrants, in today's parlance, to Ebu land as they were fond of migrating down south into the Igbo-speaking areas for economic reasons or fleeing persecution. They arrived and met Igbo speakers there, thus the existence of both languages. It is wrong to say that all Ebus are of Igala origin. Some of them are, not all. Those who feel they are of Igala origin should identify with Idah.

My observations: the lady in the video looks just like any Igbo lady or someone with heavy Igbo mix. Most 'core' Igala ladies from Kogi (not the Ibajis) don't look like her. Also, 'Ugo' in the title is the Igbo word for 'eagle'.

bigfrancis21:


He didn't say anything different from what you said. Ebu isn't Igala land. Igalas were refugees or economic migrants, in today's parlance, to Ebu land as they were fond of migrating down south into the Igbo-speaking areas for economic reasons or fleeing persecution. They arrived and met Igbo speakers there, thus the existence of both languages. It is wrong to say that all Ebus are of Igala origin. Some of them are, not all. Those who feel they are of Igala origin should identify with Idah.

My observations: the lady in the video looks just like any Igbo lady or someone with heavy Igbo mix. Most 'core' Igala ladies from Kogi (not the Ibajis) don't look like her. Also, 'Ugo' in the title is the Igbo word for 'eagle'.

Bro Ebus are of Igala origin i know many of them what are you saying....self..they know where theyare truly from..looks dont matter..even in present day Kogi and benue some igalas and idomas have igbo looks..haba

Ebu may be in delta state today yes its not part of igala land.....but its Igala family...infact its just along the border self not tooo far from edo border illushi who are also from idah to kogi also on the same linear terrain..

You cant tell me about Ebus i know them reach back of my hand.....Ok.. all Ebus are 100 percent from idah and they speak Igalas till today the Igbos language have affected many of them why because they are very small community surrounded by igbos speaking people

Revolva:


Bro Ebus are of Igala origin i know many of them what are you saying....self..they know where theyare truly from..looks dont matter..even in present day Kogi and benue some igalas and idomas have igbo looks..haba

Ebu may be in delta state today yes its not part of igala land.....but its Igala family...infact its just along the border self not tooo far from edo border illushi who are also from idah to kogi also on the same linear terrain..

You cant tell me about Ebus i know them reach back of my hand.....Ok.. all Ebus are 100 percent from idah and they speak Igalas till today the Igbos language have affected many of them why because they are very small community surrounded by igbos speaking people

don't mind the bigot, he wants you to believe all ibaji people are speak igbo but he doesn't want to believe Ebu speak igala

darfay:



don't mind the bigot, he wants you to believe all ibaji people are speak igbo but he doesn't want to believe Ebu speak igala

Right now am presently in IDah kogi state for a historical visit and meeting with a prominent historian of igala history

I may from here tommorow visit ibaji also cos dats my place last last it's not easy to do dis journey from Lagos

But if I can't make it to ibaji I will come back again some other time

Pls and pls Ebu speaks igala and they don't deny their origin ..even in ibaji just some few speak Igbo not as if the whole ibaji speak Igbo never they learn the Igbo due to proximity with Igbos over a long time

Right now am in Idah kogi state at the attah IGala palace where the all igala re union was held

Igalas from all over and outside kogi was here from Ebu .delta inyele .ifeku Edo and also nsukka people and ukwu Ani people and oko people in delta state that traces their root to igala were here and also itsekiri historian was also here to narrate how itsekiri have igala heritage

More to come soon you guys will know how powerful igala were before they scattered across nigeria


Find the story here and read

https://www.nairaland.com/5698365/igala-people-unites-united-igala#86838803

Revolva:
Right now am in Idah kogi state at the attah IGala palace where the all igala re union was held

Igalas from all over and outside kogi was here from Ebu .delta inyele .ifeku Edo and also nsukka people and ukwu Ani people and oko people in delta state that traces their root to igala were here and also itsekiri historian was also here to narrate how itsekiri have igala heritage

More to come soon you guys will know how powerful igala were before they scattered across nigeria


Find the story here and read

https://www.nairaland.com/5698365/igala-people-unites-united-igala#86838803

z


You see how you confuse yourself. The Igalas who came to from Idah to Ebuland are not more than the Aborigine Igbos who are of Eri stock that have inhabited Onitsha before the Umuezechime came and the Igalas that migrated from Idah to Onitsha cross the niger to Ebu and also settle in some part of Illah and Olukumi. Just like Jaja of Opobo went to Opobo from Onitsha to become king so as the Igalas from Idah came to Igbo land for economic and political reasons, trying to dominate the aborigines but met fierce resistance in Ebu, Illah, Onitsha, Nzam, Enugu north e.t.c. Ebu speak Igbo not because of neighboring communities but because of the heavy presence of Igbo Aborigines there. Ebu and Olukumi Igala migration was not something of centuries, it is nit up to 500yrs. Some communities in Idah till date are Igbo communities. Most Igbo communities in Kogi only claimed Igala because of the civil war. They do not speak Igbo because of being neighbors but they are Igbos by origin.

If you are talking of your Igala historian Abdullah Ayegba, he is not a researcher but a bigot. The earliest settles of Idah are from Eri before the Binis came, the Afonjas and Nupe came, then the Jukun warriors from Wakuri, this merger formed what we have as Igala with Igbo culture and Yoruba language. Do not deceive yours. Ofu, Ibaji (previously Obaji), Igalamela Oduolu, and part of Olamaboro are Igbos by origin till present day. Forget the Muslim inflitrating those places.

thrasy:
z


You see how you confuse yourself. The Igalas who came to from Idah to Ebuland are not more than the Aborigine Igbos who are of Eri stock that have inhabited Onitsha before the Umuezechime came and the Igalas that migrated from Idah to Onitsha cross the niger to Ebu and also settle in some part of Illah and Olukumi. Just like Jaja of Opobo went to Opobo from Onitsha to become king so as the Igalas from Idah came to Igbo land for economic and political reasons, trying to dominate the aborigines but met fierce resistance in Ebu, Illah, Onitsha, Nzam, Enugu north e.t.c. Ebu speak Igbo not because of neighboring communities but because of the heavy presence of Igbo Aborigines there. Ebu and Olukumi Igala migration was not something of centuries, it is nit up to 500yrs. Some communities in Idah till date are Igbo communities. Most Igbo communities in Kogi only claimed Igala because of the civil war. They do not speak Igbo because of being neighbors but they are Igbos by origin.

If you are talking of your Igala historian Abdullah Ayegba, he is not a researcher but a bigot. The earliest settles of Idah are from Eri before the Binis came, the Afonjas and Nupe came, then the Jukun warriors from Wakuri, this merger formed what we have as Igala with Igbo culture and Yoruba language. Do not deceive yours. Ofu, Ibaji (previously Obaji), Igalamela Oduolu, and part of Olamaboro are Igbos by origin till present day. Forget the Muslim inflitrating those places.

The earliest settlers are from ERi abi then who begot eri and where is eri from I mean eri ancestry

You are just saying this and backing it up just because the attah said some element of yorubas and bini n ibo were around idah before the wukari came in let me also tell you igalas were also there with the Yoruba n ibos n binis ok maybe he omitted that side

How can wukari just invade idah and take the place without the real igalas there who are to assimilate them together with whom ever was around idah as at then

Abeg history is deep