Info For Y'all Urhobo People: Nigeria`S Unique Tribe Alongside Unique Names As Well As Demonstrative Means Of Speaking
"Obo re uwevwe ephan oye eroro e vwo mue ode ke omo." (The status of the dwelling theatre determines which holler is appropriate to bestow on a child.) Urhobo Proverb,Nigeria.
Urhobo people,Warri,Delta state,Nigeria
The Urhobo people are Urhobo-Edoid Kwa language-speaking people of larger Benue (Niger)-Congo linguistic communication theatre unit of measurement located inwards the nowadays Delta State of Nigeria. They occupy the southern portion of the Republic of Benin lowland together with the floodplains together with swamps of the petroleum-rich Niger delta. Many live inwards the Ughelli local authorities part together with inwards Warri together with Ethiope,and inwards Okpe together with Sapele Local Government Areas. With a population of some 2 ane yard one thousand people, the Urhobo people are the fifth largest ethnic grouping inwards Nigeria together with constitute the largest unmarried ethnic grouping inwards Delta State. The population density inwards Urhoboland is virtually 660 persons per foursquare kilometer.
Urhobo women
The Urhobo land is made upwardly of 20 sub-groups, including Okpe which many believe is the largest of all Urhobo sub-groups. The Urhobos are noted for having their ain unique style of speaking Nigerian Pidgin English. Since their linguistic communication is really demonstrative that translates into their style of speaking English linguistic communication together with Pidgin English. As a resultant of their unique linguistic communication style, their names are also unique. An representative of a unique Urhobo holler would live the holler Onaodowan, belonging to the Onaodowan theatre unit of measurement from Warri together with the Onomakpome, belonging to the Onomakpome theatre unit of measurement from Sapele.
In 1963 census inwards Nigeria Urhobo were classified with the initiatory of all x major ethnic groups inwards Nigeria (Awolowo, 1968 241–242). The word Urhobo refer to a grouping of people together with non geographical territory. For representative Agbon Urhobo. The Urhobo have got social together with cultural affinity to the Edo speaking people of Nigeria (Northcote Thomas, 1910).
Those who were accorded burial rites are happily received into the flexure of the ancestors. The Urhobo philosophy of life has it that when a someone dies he joins the other members of his theatre unit of measurement inwards erivwin. Therefore anyone who died together with was received past times the advanced political party of the theatre unit of measurement is believed to live inwards a happy spot inwards erivwin but for the door of Urhoro to live barred against a deceased is to live inwards perpetual hell. Mbiti (1969) also makes a similar observation inwards most parts of traditional Africa.
The Urhobo utilisation the word ega" to serve" when they give offerings to pour libations for their ancestors. Ega also refers to a servant’s service to his original inwards homecoming for protection together with payments. The filial services that the Urhobo is expected to homecoming to his parents, whether still living or non are known as ega together with it is quite different from the mental attitude of worship men assume when they travel before God or the divinities. The spot inwards Urhobo could live summed upwardly inwards the full general observation that J.A Driberg
(1976:56) made virtually the Africans when he says:
No African prays to his dead grandad anymore than he "prays" to his living begetter In both cases the words employed are the same: He asks as of right, or he beseeches, or he expostulates with or reprimands but he never uses inwards this context the words for "prayer" together with "worship" which are strictly reserved for his religious dealings with the absolute powerfulness together with the divinities. The Latin word Pietas likely best describes the mental attitude of Africans to their dead ancestors as to their living elders.
Urhobo funeral of swell Urhobo boy Alex Ibru
The ancestors are made upwardly of the Irhi of the departed. They are looked upon as active members
of the family, which is extended to erivwin. In Urhobo belief they are non far away together with are inwards fact
believed to live keenly watching over the affairs of the members of the families who are still living on the
earth. Ancestral veneration features prominently inwards Urhobo dirges. Before an Urhobo takes a gulp of gin,
he volition initiatory of all of all pour out of it to his ancestors spell offering spontaneous prayers together with asking for
guidance together with blessing:
Iruo wn lo Your deeds shine
Ose r’ avware nyo vwe Our begetter hear us
Okewo vw’ akpo When you lot were on earth
Iruo nosotros lori asa ne je Your deeds shone everywhere
Wo vwo kpo ra Now inwards the solid ground of the dead
Iruo nosotros j’ilo Your deeds still shine
Urukpewe ka sa vw’ avware aboo Your calorie-free volition non diminish inwards ourtime
Urukpe na ka la vw’ emeshare We shall hold it live with sons
Urukpe na ka la vw’ emete We shall hold it live with daughters
There is no spousal human relationship inwards Urhobo that is regarded as properly contracted without offering prayers to the ancestors. Children are specially requested of the ancestors. The ancestors are also propitiated on many other occasions such as sickness together with constant communication is maintained with the dead:
Ogbaeki
1.Or’ ovwe owe r’ Ughene
2.Nye arodovwe me
3.Wo j’ ehun me je vwe fiaa
4.Wo j’ ota ru nu me hwe vwee
5. Okpl
6.Ogbaeki odafe
7.Obo r’ oma fu we
8.J’ oma ji fu vwe
9.Mi n’ erovwo r’ otovwe
10.Wo j’ ekwe ame r’obevwen kwe uwevwin mee
gbaeki
Translation
1.Owner of line-fishing pond inwards Ughelli
2.Have mercy on me
3. Let non my waist disappoint me
4.Do non allow the words of my oral fissure live my ruin
5.Okpole it is to you lot thatI pray
6.Ogbaeki the wealthy one7.As you lot residue inwards peace
8.Let me have got a peaceful time
9.I pray allow me live till old age
10.Make sure they do non throw the H2O of poverty into my house
In Urhobo land, the newborn is often treated with swell reverence because it has only precisely come
from the other sphere where it was inwards contact with the revered ancestors, where inwards a feel it was an
ancestor. According to Chief T. Maduku of Ephron-Otor; so witting is the Urhobo human being of this perpetual cycle of life together with decease that some-times a really oldman is referred to as a kid who speaks erivwin (the incomprehensible). It is also because of this beliefin the swell cycle of birth, death, together with rebirth that the thought of decease holds no horror. Death is familiarbecause every ane talks of the solid ground from which he has come upwardly together with has to return.
In summary, erhi came from erivwin to live born inwards the flesh; it must travel dorsum to erivwin at demise. While the trunk decomposes inwards the grave, the erhi leaves it at that spot for erivwin. Where it goes together with the grouping it joins depends upon how it comported itself spell it was on earth. If it were incorporated inwards a body, which lived well, died good together with was accorded funeral rites, the gates of urhoro would live thrown opened upwardly for it to bring together other irhi who shape the nucleus of the extended theatre unit of measurement inwards the world beyond. There they all human activity as ancestors to choose aid of the living.
Epha divination, similar to the Yoruba Ifá together with practiced past times many West African ethnic groups, is practised with strings of cowries. Urhobos also do Christianity, with many belonging to Catholic together with novel evangelical denominations. There are 1,261 ejo (deities), including the one-handed, one-legged mirror-holding whirlwind-god Aziza.
Urhobo epha divinition diasporan people at aUrhobo festival at Warri,Nigeria
Ceremony
The Urhobos live really unopen to together with sometimes on the surface of the Niger river. As such, most of their histories, mythologies, together with philosophies are water-related. They have got an annual line-fishing festival that includes masquerades, fishing, swimming contests, together with dancing. There is also an annual, two-day, Ohworu festival inwards the southern portion of the Urhobo expanse at which the Ohworhu H2O spirit together with the Eravwe Oganga are displayed. The Rex inwards an Urhobo clan or kingdom is called the Ovie. His married adult woman the queen is called Ovieya together with his children Ọmọ Ovie (child of the Rex also known as prince together with princes). Often nowadays, these names are also given to children without majestic heritage past times their parents. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 number of Urhobo sub-groups have got other titles other than Ovie, for example, the Okpe called their traditional ruler Orogie together with Olomu called theirs Ohworode together with Okere-Urhobo theirs Orosuen.
The "Huge Beast" (eravwe gangan), is the largest together with most elaborate masquerade piece that appears on the minute together with concluding twenty-four hr catamenia (Ohworhu-Ode) of the Ohworu festival at Evwreni. Photographed past times Perkins Foss together with Susan Moore inwards September 1972, this creature is danced past times 3 people, 2 within together with ane holding the tail. It represents the beast forces that are portion of the H2O spirit Ohworhu. This masquerade tradition, mutual to many southern Urhobo together with Isoko hamlet groups, is believed to have got been brought northward past times itinerant Urhobo fishermen from Izon (Ijo) line-fishing camps perchance 300 years ago.
Urhobo calendar
Urhobo Okpo (week) is made upwardly of iv days which regulates marketplace cycles, religious worship, marriages together with other community life. The iv day's of the Urhobo calendar week are:Edewo,Ediruo,Eduhre,Edebi. In Urhobo mythology, Edewo together with Eduhre are sacred days to divinities, spirits together with ancestors. Most marketplace days are held on these days, ancestors are venerated on Edewo. Most traditional religious rituals are held on Eduhre.
Divinities(spirits) are believed to live really active inwards the farmlands together with forests on Edewo together with Eduhre. Therefore, farmers inwards most Urhobo communities rarely travel to farm so as non to disturb the spirits. The twelve months of the Urhobo calendar yr are as significant.
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Ovuikpe -----------------January
Ava ------------------------February
Arha ----------------------March
Ane -----------------------April
Arhiori -------------------May
Asa -----------------------June
Eghwre ------------------July
Orianre -------------------August
Urhiori -------------------September
Ehwe --------------------October
Ushovo ------------------November
Ururuowe' ---------------December Most of the annual festivals are held during the months of Asa,Eghwre, Orianre together with Urhiori because these are the months of crop harvest together with farming activities is at its lowest. Most farmers are costless to partake inwards festivities. These are also periods to honour the spiritual forces that brought proficient harvest together with the gods of the land. Religion controls life style inwards traditional communities inwards Urhoboland.
Food
As with most tribes inwards Nigeria, a sure nutrient is considered to belong to or originate from a item tribe as inwards pounded yam together with egusi soup from the Igbos, Eba together with Ogbono soup (sometimes referred to as Ogbolo soup past times people of Esan or Etsakor descent). For the Urhobos at that spot are 2 foods considered Urhobo inwards nature. They are: Ukhodo (a yam together with unripe plantain dish sometimes cooked with lemon grass together with potash) together with Starch (actual holler of this staple is non often used) Ogwho soup (palm oil soup). The starch is made from cassava plant. It is heated together with stirred into a thick mound with palm oil added to give the starch its unique orange-yellow colour. The Ogwho soup is composed of smoked or dried fish, unique spices, potash together with oil palm juice. Other palm nut oil soups include amiedi pr banga, which is also eaten with starch together with or garri. Banga soup is also a delicacy made from palm kernel.
Source:http://www.urhoboassociation.org/The_Urhobo_People_New.html
http://www.sosyalarastirmalar.com/cilt3/sayi11pdf/ohwovoriole_felicia.pdf
URHOBO OKPE KINGDOM
THE ORIGIN OF THE OKPE PEOPLE
Who are the Okpe? In tracing the origin of peopleS, ethnic groups or nations, it is non unusual to encounter contending theories or perspectives. That of the Okpe fits into the mould of this historical imperative. The dependent area has been investigated past times several Okpe together with non Okpe scholars. The latter grouping includes Isaac Mebitaghan: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Brief History of Okpe Kingdom; Joseph O. Asagba: The Untold Story of a Nigerian Royal Family; together with Charles E. Osume: The Okpe People. In the one-time grouping nosotros discover fragments of the dependent area inwards the works of a British scholar, R.E. Bradbury, The Republic of Benin Kingdom together with the Edo-Speaking Peoples of South-Western Nigeria; together with M.P. Okumagba: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Short History of Urhobo. Professor Onigu Otite devoted important portions of his scholarly writings to the Okpe People. See his major publication, Autonomy together with Dependence: the Urhobo Kingdom of Okpe inwards Modern Nigeria; together with “Okpe” inwards his edited volume on The Urhobo People. Our word on the origin of Okpe derives from these various sources.
The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Major Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd).
That the ancestors of the Okpe people migrated from Republic of Benin is to a greater extent than often than non accepted past times all scholars. The migration of the ancestors of the Okpe people from Republic of Benin to their nowadays location was inwards several stages. First, the progenitor of the Okpe, Prince Igboze migrated from Republic of Benin together with founded the settlement of Olomu. Second, his senior boy Okpe, inwards monastic say to avoid continued conflict with his nephew, Olomu (the boy of Okpe’s sis that was married to an Ijaw), moved his relatives together with unopen associates to found Okpe r’Ikpere (Okpe-Isoko) inwards contemporary Isoko territory. Third, the eldest boy of Okpe, Orhue with 2 of his brothers, Evbreke together with Esezi migrated from Okpe r’Ikpere to found Orerokpe. His tertiary brother, i.e., the minute boy of Okpe, Orhoro, who had stayed behind together with founded Orhoro settlement (contemporary Ozoro) inwards Isoko territory, joined them inwards Orerokpe much later. These iv brothers, Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi, all children of Okpe together with grandsons of Prince Igboze, established Okpe Kingdom, together with hence, the iv ruling houses that deport their respective names.
Migrations
Prince Igboze of Benin, the progenitor of the Okpe nationality, migrated from Republic of Benin early on inwards the Christendom millennium together with established his kingdom inwards Olomu. It is fairly good established that a serial of migrations from Republic of Benin to the nowadays primal senatorial district inwards Delta State had occurred betwixt 1170 together with 1400. While Otite claimed that “Okpe ancestors together with predecessors were descendants of a human being called Urhobo”, (“Okpe”, inwards Urhobo People, p. 12) who had migrated from Republic of Benin inwards 1170, Osume challenged this view pointing out that none of the migrations from Republic of Benin identified Okpe as with this item moving ridge of migration referred to past times Otite. He averred that “One needs to exercise extreme caution before --- identifying Okpe as an Urhobo someone or citing 1170 as the appointment of an assumed early on tradition of Okpe migration”. This early on date, Osume opined, “might live truthful for Urhobo migration, NOT for the Okpe”. Osume took issues with the appointment cited inwards the installation brochure of Orhoro I inwards 1972 which stated that: “The Okpe people are the descendants of the iv princely brothers… Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi, whose ancestor migrated from Republic of Benin inwards virtually 1170.
That the Okpe are the descendants of the iv princely brothers identified to a higher spot is valid. The iv princely brothers were the sons of Okpe together with grandsons of Prince Igboze. However, the appointment of 1170 as opined past times Otite together with others is contestable. As indicated past times Osume, the appointment of 1170 was “imposed on the history of Okpe”. He stated that the “ancestors of the iv princely brothers, Igboze past times name, left Republic of Benin anytime betwixt 1550 together with 1650”, together with that Prince Igboze could non have got departed from Republic of Benin inwards 1170 “as an Urhobo speaker, but as ane of the princely sons of the Oba of Benin”. He declared: “The appointment of ‘1170’ as the appointment Okpe ancestor, IGBOZE migrated from Republic of Benin is hence an anachronism, because at that time, he was non fifty-fifty BORN yet. So who was that Okpe ancestor alluded to past times the 1170 date”? Osume postulated that the 1170 appointment “was likely smuggled into Okpe history past times those elements that vigorously want to spot the Okpe as portion of Urhobo”. However, the 16th together with 17th century dates quoted past times Osume is as contestable. Is the Okpe community as good as the Kingdom so youthful? At best, to a greater extent than inquiry is needed for the dating of Okpe Kingdom. There is fifty-fifty the problematic number of distinction betwixt Okpe Kingdom together with Okpe people. However, Otite (“Okpe”, inwards The Urhobo People, p. 121) acknowledged that : ”the Okpe are descendants of an ancient ruler inwards Ife. Who was that “ancient ruler inwards Ife” that Otite was referring to? Was he the ruler with majestic linkages to the Republic of Benin kingdom? Joseph Asagba also asserted this position. (See his The Untold Story of a Nigerian Royal Family, p. xxx). This acknowledgement lends acceptance to the Okpe version of their history tracing their progenitor to Prince Igboze of Republic of Benin who had linkages with Ife, but which separates the Okpe from the Urhobo. According to R.E. Bradbury inwards his book, The Republic of Benin Kingdom together with the Edo Speaking Peoples of South-Western Nigeria, p. 128, the classification of the Okpe with the Urhobo past times the British was influenced past times geographic contiguity together with the expediency of colonial direction “rather than on a linguist basis”, precisely as the British had grouped the Isoko as Urhobo. To class Okpe as Urhobo, Osume argued, “is a historical anomaly”, for the Okpe linguistic communication “is to a greater extent than akin or closer to the Edo of the Republic of Benin Kingdom than the Urhobo dialects”. He declared: “Okpe is non Urhobo”. When a people disregard or oblivious of the authenticity of their ain history, they confront the danger of allowing other people to write their history for them!
Founding of Orerokpe
The migration of Prince Igboze, together with that of his boy together with grandchildren leading to the founding of Orerokpe occurred inwards iv stages. First, Prince Igboze founded his kingdom inwards Olomu. Second, his son, Okpe migrated from Olomu to found Okpe r’Ikpere (Okpe-Isoko) inwards contemporary Isoko territory. Prince Igboze died inwards Olomu, shortly after the drowning of his most senior married adult woman inwards a canoe accident. In monastic say to avoid a civil state of war with Olomu, the grandson of Prince Igboze, Okpe together with his relatives elected to migrate from Olomu; (Olomu was the boy of Okpe’s sis who had married an Ijaw man). Third, Orhoro, the minute boy of Okpe, founded Orhoro (Ozoro) inwards contemporary Isoko territory. Fourth, next the Pb of Orhue, the eldest boy of Okpe, Evbreke together with Esezi accompanied Orhue to found Orerokpe, the headquarters of the Okpe Kingdom. Orhue’s expedition inwards search of fertile together with to a greater extent than spacious solid ground took him to the nowadays Orerokpe. Upon his homecoming to Okpe r’ikpere he told his brothers virtually his expedition together with asked them to accompany him to Orerokpe. Evbreke together with Esezi went with him, spell Orhoro joined his brothers at Orerokpe at a much subsequently date.
Establishment of Okpe Kingdom
Shortly after their settlement inwards Orerokpe, the iv brothers – Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi – decided to expand their territory past times founding settlements together with villages. These settlements were grouped nether iv quarters named after each of them – Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi. The primal location is known as Adane-Okpe (Okpe Four Quarters) together with constituted the nowadays iv ruling houses of the Okpe Kingdom: Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi. Given the growth of their territory, together with the demand to institute a kingdom, the brothers decided that ane of them should assume the kingship as the Orodje of Okpe. Being the most senior, Orhue would have got assumed the kingship but he disqualified himself because of his advanced age. He also did non desire either Orhoro, his blood brother side past times side to him inwards historic catamenia or Evbreke the minute blood brother to him to assume the kingship because of their perennial quarrels. They hence asked Esezi, the youngest together with tertiary blood brother to Orhue to live the initiatory of all Orodje of Okpe. He was, accordingly, crowned past times Orhue, together with thus ascended the throne as Esezi I, Orodje of Okpe. Thus, the regulation together with character of the Okpe people of avoiding quarrels together with seeking peace became a characteristic characteristic of the Okpe people as it was established past times the founding iv brothers of the Okpe Kingdom.
THE UDJAT-EYE WHICH IS ACTUALLY UJDATEYE AND MEANS YOU WILL LIVE UP TO YOURSELF.
Sacred Groves together with Tree Worship with the Urhobo
By Ochuko Tonukari
There has been, of late, enormous involvement inwards the study of nature conservation past times traditional societies. The protection of patches of wood as sacred groves together with of several tree species as sacred trees belong to the religion-based conservation ethos of ancient people all over the world. Although such practices became extinct inwards most parts of the world, basically due to changes inwards religion, together with during recent times due to changes inwards resources utilisation patterns, sacred groves together with sacred trees proceed to live of much importance inwards the organized religious belief together with civilization of many parts of the world.
Urhobo human being Bruce Onobrakpeya, Africa's foremost visual artist, Sculptor together with painter
According to a really elderly together with learned Urhobo man, “the concept of the sacredness of trees, from the Urhobo historical past times enters into every facet of Urhobo traditional religion. It rests on the earliest conceptions of the unity of life inwards nature, inwards the feel of communion together with fellowship with the divine centre together with source of life. The sacred tree is said to live deeply rooted inwards the primitive religious ideas of earliest Urhobo people. In the history of Urhobo religious evolution, it lies behind the primitive era.”
In the primitive totemic organized religious belief of the Urhobo people of the fourth dimension past, at that spot existed within a clan’s hunting territory sacred locations identified past times distinct landmarks similar stones, trees, together with rivers where the clans kept their sacred hoards. The essential characteristic of totemism from Urhobo cultural perspective is the belief inwards a supernatural connecter betwixt a grouping of people together with a grouping of objects similar sure beast species, sometimes plants, or to a greater extent than rarely other objects. Usually at that spot is a taboo on killing or eating an beast totem.
In Urhobo totemism, nosotros discover that flora species may live totems precisely as beast species or rivers are. On the other hand, the protection of flora species or groves or their planting on grounds of sacredness could live considered a to a greater extent than advanced stage inwards the evolution of Urhobo religion. Such groves together with sacred trees are associated to a greater extent than with agricultural societies.
Thus inwards most parts of Urhoboland, each community had its ain sacred grove. Especially worshipped were sanctuaries built with enormous age-old trees which were never to live cutting down. The traditional Urhobo people worshipped the spirits of nature, especially of woodlands. They also had their ain sacred forests, which were the venue of populace offerings together with various rituals. When they began uniting, these sites became centres for various sorts of religious worship. For the Urhobos, the sacred groves served the purpose of sanctuaries together with temples.
The many landscapes inwards Urhoboland inwards the distant past times were dotted with hundreds of sacred places. Sacred enclosures formed ane of the major categories of solid ground use. These commonly contained groves of trees together with springs of water; within them the environs was preserved, as a rule, inwards its natural state. As ane Urhobo traditionalist noted, "If you lot come upwardly upon a grove of old trees that have got lifted upwardly their crowns to a higher spot the mutual elevation together with unopen out the calorie-free of the sky past times the darkness of their interlacing boughs, you lot experience that at that spot is a spirit inwards the place, so lofty is the wood, so solitary the spot, so wondrous the thick unbroken shade."
Another elderberry remarked, "Here stands a still grove dark with the shade of ane mighty Okpagha tree together with numerous Ogriki; at the sight of it anyone could say, “there is a spirit here!” He also indicated that trees were the initiatory of all temples of the gods, together with "even at nowadays elementary Urhobo people dedicate a tree of exceptional elevation to a god. Gods favour wild trees unsown past times mortal hands"
One aged adult woman spoke of sure Igbe devotees gathering regularly to pray nether the trees on a lilliputian sacred grove fenced all circular at Orhoakpor. According to her, this grove was x miles inwards circumference. Another grove nigh Isiokolo stretched all the way downward a depression mountainside to the river. She traces the beginnings of sacred groves inwards Urhoboland to the hunting together with gathering era of Urhobo historical past times (Awharen). Among the Agbon people, she says, "Groves of this tree are sacred. In them no axe may live set to whatever tree, no branch broken, no firewood gathered, no grass burnt; together with wildlife which have got taken refuge at that spot may non live molested. In these sacred groves cocks, sheep together with goats are sacrificed together with prayers are offered for pelting or fine conditions or on behalf of sick children".
The Urhobo people of Agbon extraction, inwards ancient times had many sacred groves. Such areas ranged from a quarter of a hectare to 3 hectares; inwards them tree cutting was taboo. Some of these groves survived upwardly to the 1980s, providing splendid sites for examining the vegetation that had existed a century earlier, as several species of trees were rare or non seen at all elsewhere.
In the past, various stories concerned with descent, beliefs together with taboos are closely connected to the forest, its animals together with land, with conservation as a value inherent inwards most traditional beliefs together with reflected inwards them. Urhobo people abide by sure regions of the wood as the resting places of their deities. Nature has such an overwhelming influence that various clans inwards Urhoboland refrain from hunting animals similar the Orhua, Ogborigbo, together with a host of others due to a totemic human relationship with these species.
Also at that spot are a lot of trees that are considered sacred with Urhobo people. For instance, the Okpagha is considered sacrosanct. Streams are often found precisely about mature Okpagha trees. Most traditional Urhobos believe that spirits reside inwards these trees. Those from Avwraka believe that sacred spirits dwell deep within forests. One Igbe adult woman has a epitome that illustrates the Urhobo wood ecosystem inwards which plants, animals, human beings, spirits together with devils live together .
There could live many reasons why the groves vanished from Urhoboland. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 variety of multiple uses was allowed inwards groves. Although they were strictly protected inwards most places, religious utilisation of their resources was allowed. As much wood mightiness live taken as was necessary for sacrifices. Animals, such as goats, mightiness live captured together with offered to the deity. Trees inwards the grove could live used inwards edifice a temple within it or fifty-fifty away from it. Wood from the sacred trees was believed to hold its magical powers when fashioned into other objects together with was used for making a variety of objects similar statues of gods, staffs, sceptres, etc. Wood was fifty-fifty supplied to private persons at a fixed cost for sacrifices.
It seems the groves also suffered from the pressures of urbanization, as baths, roads, hospitals, churches, stadia, gymnasiums, schools, etc., were established. At times they also had to cater to the timber needs of the ever-increasing population.
What caused the concluding downfall of the groves inwards Urhoboland?
The groves lasted as places of religious importance downward through the Christianization of the Urhobo country. As centres of heathen worship, they became the objects of Christian zeal. Some over-zealous pastors issued that the groves live cutting downward unless they had already been appropriated for some purpose compatible with Christianity.
No doubt, due mainly to the ascent of dogmatic religions similar Christianity which advocated faith inwards ane God together with was explicitly for the eradication of ‘pagan practices, the tradition of maintaining sacred groves together with sacred trees vanished from most areas inwards Urhoboland. Urhobo tradition itself has grown out of the amalgamation of scores of local cults which are often nature-based. Therefore the worship of plants, groves, animals together with natural objects similar rivers, mounts, ant-hills together with rocks continues to have got some spot inwards it. Outdoor sanctuaries were the initiatory of all temples of the gods. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sacred spot demarcated for a deity was called Ogua.
Urhobo has rich folk traditions that centers on the veneration of the “ecosystem people.” The protection of whole communities as sacred ponds together with groves is a remarkable characteristic of Urhobo landscapes. One of the most widespread of the traditions inwards Urhobo is the protection given to sure trees, which dot the countryside together with are often the only large trees inwards the midst of towns together with villages.
The sacred groves of Urhobo are "sacred places where trees together with plants were allowed to grow undisturbed together with where reptiles, birds together with animals could have got costless living without fright of poaching or interference past times man". These sacred groves are of 2 kinds. Some are inwards the midst of human habitation together with inwards most cases attached to households or non far away from them. These sacred groves used to have got Edjo of various categories as deities; but of belatedly these distinctions got blurred due to different beings worshipped inwards the same sacred groves. The other types of sacred grove, the Eghwarode, on the other hand, be inwards the ranges engulfed inwards forests.
Most times, sacred trees together with pocket-size groves comprehend larger sacred forests inwards Urhoboland. Such groves together with forests are often the only remains of the original vegetation, whose presence inwards the landscape is dramatically observable on large deforested together with terraced slopes.
Not only did sacred groves be inwards to a greater extent than favourable climatic conditions, but their presence is noticed fifty-fifty inwards compounds of sure Urhobo traditionalists, herbalists together with some Igbe devotees.
The Okpagha together with Ogriki trees have got had a conspicuous spot inwards the cultural landscape of Urhobo people’s collective retentivity for to a greater extent than than 500 years. It was alleged that Aziza himself found enlightenment nether Okpagha together with Owe trees. In fact, a lot of Urhobo women inwards the past, who experienced difficulties inwards kid deliveries were reported to have got pose to bed inwards sacred groves.
The devastation of forests with their wildlife amounted to weakening the powerfulness base of operations of sacred groves. Also the burning of bushes during harmattan seasons was said to have got desecrated a lot of sacred groves. Although adequate ritual measures were carried out to appease the gods, but they seem far likewise offended, likewise defiled to uphold their usual, assumed efficacy
Okpagha tree, for instance, was highly venerated past times traditional Urhobo people. This huge tree is a sacred tree of Urhobo together with grows inwards the shade of humid tropical evergreen forests. The author has seen other trees growing inwards many locales inwards Urhoboland which are sacred to the people. Somewhere precisely about Agbon Primary School, at that spot is ane expanse that is untouchable till date. Its woodland is goose egg other than primeval, uncleared forests which was believed to live haunted past times ancestral spirits together with woodland spirits precisely as most sacred groves are the abodes of spiritual deities inwards other parts of the world fifty-fifty till today.
In the association of gods with item flora species nosotros have got a parallelism with ancient Urhobo people. Okpagha or Owe tree was said to belong to Aziza, Ogriki to Edjo Ughere, Omiovwor tree to the goddess Omiovwor, Akpobrisi tree (though nobody dare nigh it) for the Akpobrisi god, together with so on. However, within the grove the deity was non identified with whatever special flora species.
An elderberry stated that, most Urhobo deities that are worshipped nether sacred groves could live found inwards the forest, inwards a spot surrounded past times water, rivers, coming together places nether trees, new-grown groves, etc. The Akpobrisi tree is likened to Akpobrisi himself. Some aspects of Urhobo tradition concur that he is the possessor of all the wood solid ground that surrounds its abode. Aziza is essentially considered past times the Urhobos as a deity of the woods, whose province is to guard the fields, crops together with herds of the peasantry together with to drive away their enemies.
Most gods together with goddesses whom the indigenous population of Urhobo worshipped were non accustomed to dwell inwards the secluded atmosphere of temples; they loved the opened upwardly air. Even today, for the Edjo Orerhe (village deities) at that spot are no temples inwards many villages. The deity may live inwards the shadow of a large tree. Generally they are lodged inwards pocket-size shrines. In a proficient number of villages no object is placed to correspond the deity together with the tree itself is regarded as the embodiment of the deity.
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Urhobo swell man.Gamaliel Onosode, Nigerian technocrat; a leading boardroom instrumentalist inwards Nigeria's corporate environs together with Nigerian administrator together with politician
Bountiful rainfall together with relatively depression population promoted the growth of luxuriant forests which, though subjected to heavy commercial pressures during the lastly 10 years or so, still screen nearly seventy per cent of Urhoboland’s surface. It is a coming together spot of several ecosystems, namely marine, estuarine, riverine together with a variety of land-based ones. The forests belong to the tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous together with dry out deciduous types.
The waters back upwardly rich fisheries together with tillage is confined to 73 per cent of its solid ground surface; at that spot is a bewildering variety of cultivated crops which include cassava, plantain, okra, palm tree, cocoyam, yam, together with fruits similar mango, coconut, banana, pineapple, pawpaw, cashew, guava, together with so on. Small patches of sugarcane, pepper, tomatoes together with vegetable are found all over the neighborhood.
Since population was sparse together with wood patches cleared for tillage small, the forests must have got recovered inwards most places except inwards lands maintained as savannas through periodic burning. Therefore the vegetation of sacred groves, the relics of which remain to this day, disputes the theory of climatic modify as the ground for wood decline together with spread of savannas inwards Urhoboland.
Burnt ash enriches the soil with nutrients together with has a neutralizing effect on soil acidity. Unlike the fire-sensitive together with tall primary wood trees of evergreens, the secondary vegetation which sprouted on the tillage fallows would furnish to a greater extent than usable biomass similar easily harvestable leafage manure together with coppice shoots together with hardwoods together with bamboo for a variety of purposes. At the same time, the loss of evergreen wood would resultant inwards a decrease inwards scores of useful flora species. Streams together with springs are adversely affected together with fire-proneness increases inwards the ecosystem. The Urhobo hamlet communities would hence acquire to set aside substantial expanse of wood unopen to their settlements as security forests. Before the arrival of organized religions, when paganism, with deities inwards the groves or mount cliffs or H2O sources would live to a greater extent than common, the security forests would naturally plough into sacred places as well. Tree cutting hither would live taboo, which is truthful to this twenty-four hr catamenia inwards many parts of the Urhoboland.
In the past times the Urhobo forests are patches of often climax evergreen wood protected past times shifting cultivators primarily on religious grounds. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of trees inwards Urhoboland are rich inwards biological diversity, together with are also places of worship for Urhobo peasant societies. All along the places, shifting tillage was a really of import shape of solid ground utilisation which involved the clearing of primary forests, at to the lowest degree initially. However, at that spot is growing evidence to advise that the shifting cultivators followed sure ethics spell dealing with the wood ecosystems. The most of import aspect is the retention of often sizeable patches of forests from few hectares to a few hundred hectares as inviolable sacred groves.
According to ane elder, the forests are the belongings of the gods of the villages inwards which they are situated, together with the trees ought non to live cutting without having acquire out from the Osedjo of the village, whose business office is hereditary, together with who hither also is priest to the temple of the hamlet god. The idol receives goose egg for granting this permission; but the fail of the ceremony of asking his acquire out brings his vengeance on the guilty person. The taboo on cutting trees inwards the sacred groves continues to this twenty-four hr catamenia inwards sure parts of Urhobland.
Another elder’s arguing referring to hamlet gods is relevant here:
Each Urhobo hamlet has a different god, some male, some female, but past times the Urhobos they are called Edjo as requiring bloody sacrifices to appease their wrath.
From this statement, nosotros may infer that the forests were virtually nether the command of hamlet communities with well-defined territories. Thus the mutual belongings resources of a village, similar forests, were used past times a pocket-size number of people nether a well-regulated social scheme without the demand for policing. The sacred groves, with their deities requiring bloody sacrifices, were evidently nether the command of Urhobo peasant societies.
The groves undoubtedly were together with still proceed to portion as temples of worship all along the tracts of Urhoboland. In spite of the Christianization procedure that has swept through most parts of Urhoboland, the interior villages proceed to live the centres of primitive cults, where organized religious belief inwards its early on shape is still inwards vogue.
We inwards Urhoboland have got ever felt the magic of the trees. They represented natural enigmas where many things happened as element of an overall cosmic monastic say together with nether which lay the source of enlightenment. Hence nosotros never felt the demand for much enclosure, comfortable with the thought of a elementary parasol that could shield us from estrus together with pelting whilst allowing the breeze to flow over our bodies. The most profound social images such as those of worship together with teaching were non that of a closed building, but a spot nether the spreading boughs of a tree confirming our affinity to the natural, together with our propensity to an open-to-sky place. So inwards traditional Urhobo lodge where the wood was as ubiquitous as the breeze, it was natural that wood rather than stone or Earth was the secular together with sacred edifice material.
According to ane erudite Isiokolo leader, the abundance of trees on Urhoboland coupled with the philosophical together with religious notions of the civilization engendered a unique receptivity towards timber. There was a maxim inwards traditional Urhobo lodge - trees together with plants ever have got something to say - confirming the Urhobo traditional belief that trees had a soul together with were the abodes of spirits. It is said that Urhobo traditional organized religious belief partly was founded on this belief of the divinity of trees. The tree was Idjere Akpor ve Odjuvwu, the route past times which sky together with Earth meet; together with thus old trees struck past times lightening were often revered objects, considered evidence that the Gods had indeed landed. Almost every edifice type, live it a house, shrine, temple or palace used wood as its major structural fabric bearing the extremes of climatic conditions. It was amidst these arduous together with sensitive rhythms that evolved Urhobo's civilization of wood.
What thus remains most noticeable inwards this dialogue is the ever-dwindling phonation of Urhobo civilization with regard to the worship of trees, non because at that spot is no unmarried culprit this civilization tin dot to together with accuse, but because the civilization itself is dying. For is it non a post-industrial inevitability that ane no longer hears the hammers joining timber beams; together with only natural that the electrical drill dominates a steel-driven urban frequency? With every rare together with remnant traditional townhouse razed to the ground, does non Urhobo limited a helplessness, an involuntary desperation to hold live its modernity, at the cost of renouncing its past? The sacred grove together with the worship of tree is nostalgia, a piece frozen inwards Urhobo myth. The civilization of wood is dead!
But inwards observing today's Urhobo towns, it occurs that buildings are designed inwards the expectation non that they volition stand upwardly the attempt of time, but that they volition live torn downward sooner rather than subsequently together with replaced past times something to a greater extent than appropriate to the economical together with technological demands of the future. The annual grade of modify within the densely built urban zones is virtually 30%, encompassing facade improvements to entire novel structures. In Warri to a greater extent than than a 6 foursquare feet of edifice is demolished every day, to a greater extent than than 6 times that number constructed on a daily basis. On its scarce together with notoriously expensive solid ground the listing is long of the many pocket-size together with large structures - obscure together with prominent, dilapidated together with fresh - that challenge whatever elementary agreement virtually the normal course of study of aging, necessitating a substantial reinterpretation of the important of durability together with ephemerality inwards architecture. This peculiar outlook to apprehending the metropolis as a serial of fleeting events rather than an object of substance echoes the age-old profundity of transience, modify together with renewal. In Warri, which so constantly seems nether construction - urban skylines crowded with forests of cranes - the ghost of its ancient civilization of wood still possesses the 'brand novel city' built everyday.
And so similar the 'Angelus Novus' inwards Paul Klee's painting, Urhobo seems similar the angel of its ain history looking as though he is virtually to displace away from something he is fixedly contemplating. His eyes are staring, his oral fissure is open, his wings are spread. His confront is turned towards the past times where he sees a deep-rooted culture. He perceives a chain of events, a unmarried catastrophe that keeps piling wreckage upon wreckage together with hurls it at his feet. The angel would similar to stay, awaken the dead, hold live what is beingness wrecked. But a tempest is blowing from Paradise; it has caught inwards his wings with such violence that he tin no longer unopen them. It irresistibly propels him into the hereafter to which his dorsum is turned, spell the pile of debris before him grows skyward. The tempest is Urhobo’s progress.
Urhobo Names together with Their Meanings
(Revised: August, 2005)
By Aruegodore Oyiborhoro, ED.D., F.A.A.A.
Long Island, New York, USA
Every Urhobo holler given to a kid has a important attached to it. The Urhobo believe that a kid lives upwardly to the likeness or important of the holler that she or he bears. For instance, at that spot is a full general belief that if a 'thief' is the holler of a kid that kid may grow upwardly to live a 'rogue.' If, on the other hand, your kid is given a holler that suggests a 'rich person,' at that spot is the belief that such a kid invariably grows upwardly to live a wealthy individual. Urhobo parents are hence really careful of the names that they give to their children.
For the most part, grandparents or unopen older relatives have got the privilege of giving names to new-borns. This is commonly an honor. However, different some of their ethnic neighbors, Urhobo people do non have got whatever special
naming ceremonies that require performing sure rites. Apart from the parents together with grandparents, traditionally Urhobo rarely allowed new-borns to live touched or sometimes seen straight past times others until the historic catamenia of 3 months. Mother together with kid are commonly rigid plenty to have got an outing at this age. This involves visiting the in-laws together with other unopen relatives. At this time, the kid should have got an established given name. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 nascency registry is a recent notion inwards Urhoboland. Traditionally, Urhobo parents do non “count” the number of their children. Parents are non permitted past times Urhobo cultural practices to count their children. The number of fingers often represents a count of one's children.
Urhobo names have got deep meanings. Names are non mere labels, as they are inwards some other societies. Many Urhobo names invoke SPIRITUAL or religious significance. Sometimes nosotros give names to connote a
CHALLENGE to self or others. Urhobo people thrive best when challenged. We also give names as a celebration together with APPRECIATION of the gift of a kid itself. Several Urhobo names reverberate accolade and
ACHIEVEMENT. Certain names are merely PHILOSOPHICAL, spell others are GENDER specific. The Urhobo also give names that emphasize the importance of PEOPLE as an of import RESOURCE.
Sometimes names are given to announce SPECIAL DAYS, especially if the private was born on that specific day. The Urhobo are a really republican people. They piece of work really hard to acquire wealth together with fame inwards an old-fashioned way. Your wealth is as proficient as its source. Urhobo volition investigate the source of your wealth. If it is suspect, you lot stand upwardly to lose your respect, dignity together with fame. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 proficient number of Urhobo names have got to do with WEALTH AND MONEY. Names are also given to announce COLORS, WEATHER conditions, NATURAL RESOURCES together with PLACE of origin or where born. The listing that follows contains a sample of some mutual Urhobo names. It must live pointed out that a few of the names nether GENDER are non so
mutual whatever more. The names are placed inwards categories. Each category contains the long form, brusque form, gender, together with important attached to each name. Urhobo names are sometimes sentences or fifty-fifty phrases. The ‘long forms’ may inwards fact live the 'short forms' of the actual long names. The ‘short forms’, therefore, are inwards some cases doubly brusque forms of the existent names.
However, the actual meanings of the names are never inwards doubt. Some of these names may belong to cross categories warranting repetition inwards some cases. This is deliberate. Most Urhobo names start with vowels inwards the initial spot except where abbreviated.
NAMES SHORT FORMS GENDER MEANINGS
Akpenvwoghene Akpenvwe Unisex Praise God
Anaborhi Naborhi UNISEX Be born with proficient destiny
Edewor Dewor Male Sacred twenty-four hr catamenia of worship inwards traditional
religion
Ejiroghene Ejiro Unisex Praise God
Ejokparoghene Jokpa or Oghene Unisex Let's trust inwards God
Ejomafuvwe Jomafuvwe or
Jomafu Unuisex Let peace reign inwards my life
Enohor/Elohor Nohor or Lohor Female Blessing
Erhiaganoma Erhi or Rhiaganoma Male Guardian spirit overpowers the body
Erhimeyoma Oyoma Unisex My guardian spirit (God) is good
Erhinyoja Rhinyoja or Onyoja Unisex Guardian spirit (God) meets our challenges
(hears our prayers)
Erhinyuse Use Unisex Guardian spirit (God) answers prayers
Erhiroghene Erhi or Oghene Unisex The spirit of God
Eseoghene Ese Unisex God's gift
Eserovwe Ese or Ovwe Unisex God’s grace or Free gift
Oghenebrume Brume Unisex God decided inwards my favor
Oghenechovwe Chovwe or Oghene Unisex God aided me
Oghenefejiro Ofejiro or Oghene Unisex God is praiseworthy
Oghenegaren Garen or Oghene Unisex God is great
Oghenekevwe Kevwe or Oghene Unisex God gave (provided for) me
Oghenekohwo Oghene or Kohwo Unisex God provides
Ogheneme Ome or Oghene Unisex My God
Oghenemine Mine or Mimi Unisex I appear upwardly to God
Oghenenyore Nyore or Oghene Unisex God answers prayers
Ogheneruemu Oghene Unisex God makes things possible
Oghenerukevwe Rukevwe or Ruks Unisex God did this for me
Ogheneruno Oruno or Runo Unisex God has so much (great)
Oghenetega Tega or Oghene Unisex God is worship-worthy
Oghenevwede Oghenede or
Oghene Unisex God owns the day
Oghenevwogagan Gaga or Oghene Unisex God provides all strength
Oghenochuko Ochuko or Oghene Unisex God provides my support
Okeroghene Okeoghene or
Oghene Unisex God’s ain time
Omamerhi Mamerhi or Oma Unisex Good guardian spirit
Onakpoma Ono Unisex Who creates life?
Onomavwe Ono Unisex Who is my creator?
Onomine Ono or Mimi Unisex Whom do I appear upwardly to?
Onovughakpor Ono or Onovughe Unisex Who tin predict what life tin bring?
Oyovwikemo Kemo or Yovwike Unisex May our children live blessed
Oyovwikerhi Kerhi or Yovwike Unisex May my guardian spirit (God) live blessed
Urhobo tribe woman.Blessing Okagbare, Olympic bronze medalist
Names with CHALLENGE Connotations
Achojah Achojah Male Rise upwardly to challenge
Aruegodore Egodo Male We have got come upwardly (established) home
Edojah Dojah Male Day of challenge
Efemini Efe Male Let's consider how wealthy you lot tin be
Efetobo Efe Unisex Wealth is achieved
Efetobore Tobore Male Wealth has at nowadays been achieved
Etanomare Tanomare or Nomare Unisex Freed from blame (despair)
Ighomuedafe Igho or Dafe Male Money intoxicates the wealthy
Miriodere Miriode Unisex I at nowadays have got a name
Mitaire Mitai Unisex I have got achieved (reached) their match
Mivwodere Mivwode Unisex I at nowadays have got a name
Oboganriemu Obogan Male Be rigid to endure (eat)
Ogbamremu Ogba Male The brave meets a lot of challenges
Ojakorotu Jakorotu or Orotu Male This is a grouping challenge
Ojanomare Janoma Unisex I have got met the challenge
Onajite Ojite Unisex This is sufficient
Onanojah Onojah Male This is a challenge
Onogaganmue Ono or Ogagan Male Who is intoxicated with power?
Onoharhese Noharhese Unisex Who blames proficient deeds?
Udumebraye Udume or Dumebraye Male My presence gives them heartache (challenge)
Names with ACHIEVEMENT Connotations
NAMES SHORT FORMS GENDER MEANINGS
Edafetanure Tanure Male The wealthy have got spoken
Follow this link for more:http://www.urhoboga.org/images/Urhobo_Names_and_Their_Meanings.pdf
On the Matter of Clans together with Kingdoms inwards Urhobo History together with Culture
By Peter P. Ekeh
Chair, Urhobo Historical Society
Presented as a lecture at an Assembly of Urhobo Community, Abuja, Nigeria, Saturday, Apr 26, 2008. Several members of Urhobo Historical Society contributed their thoughts to the construction of this paper. I want, inwards particular, to give thank you lot Mr. Onoawarie Edevbie, Dr. Isaac James Mowoe, Dr. Emmanuel Ojameruaye, together with Chief Simpson Obruche for their extensive comments on the paper. I should add together that the concern of this newspaper is shared past times the membership of Urhobo Historical Society.
As a term for describing a basic unit of measurement of Urhobo culture, the word “clan” came into existence at the attack of British colonial dominion inwards Urhoboland inwards the starting fourth dimension decades of the 20th century. From prehistoric times, together with fifty-fifty during that era of colonial rule, the Urhobo people employed their ain native expressions, including ẹkpotọ (that is, ẹkpo r’ otọ inwards total phrasing), to depict these units of Urhobo culture. Other words that were so used to depict Urhobo’s cultural units were ẹkuotọ together with ubrotọ. However, that colonial term of “clans” dominated Urhobo studies together with everyday analysis of Urhobo ways of life until its potency was undermined inwards the belatedly 1990s.
Late Nigerian thespian Justus Esiri is Urhobo human being from Abraka.
Its electrical flow competitor term of “kingdom” was initiatory of all applied to the special instance of Okpe past times Onigu Otite inwards his 1969 Ph.D. thesis for London University, which has since been published as Autonomy together with Dependence: The Urhobo Kingdom of Okpe inwards Modern Nigeria (1973). Otite’s academic utilisation of the term “kingdom” was specialized together with was largely circumscribed past times the unique events of Okpe history. The publication of Otite’s volume inwards the early on 1970s did non diminish the utilisation of the term “clans” for describing Urhobo’s subcultures nor did it Pb to whatever upswing inwards the utilisation of “kingdoms” inwards Urhobo studies together with everyday life.
The recent widespread upsurge inwards the utilisation of the word “kingdoms” inwards the cultural life of the Urhobo people followed from the publication of a volume of a different genre. Titled Urhobo Kingdoms: Political together with Social Systems together with published inwards 1997, its authors were notable: they were the Ovie1 of Ogor, His Royal Highness O. I. Adjara III,2 together with his co-author Andy Omokri. Although this volume cannot live said to have got made whatever academic impact beyond Urhoboland together with its Diaspora, its import on Urhobo social life has been considerable. While it is hardly known exterior the leading circle of Ivie3 together with high chieftains inwards Urhoboland, its influence inwards this dominant grouping of aristocrats appears to have got been immediate together with positive.
Today, the term “clan” has largely been swept off Urhobo political vocabulary. However, it is uncertain whether “kingdoms” has effectively replaced the British term “clans” or indeed traditional indigenous Urhobo terms, such as ẹkpotọ, for which the British had coined the word “clans” a century ago. Indeed, this greenback of disquiet may good live phrased differently, as a query: Is it possible that the introduction of “kingdoms” has done to a greater extent than damage to Urhobo’s cultural circumstances than whatever appearance of prestige that it has bestowed on our majestic institutions? What ane tin say with some certainty is that at that spot is considerable confusion inwards the usages together with meanings of “kingdoms” inwards modern Urhobo cultural life. Certainly, the term “kingdoms” has left out of its semantic sway whole areas of civilization that are of traditional concern to the Urhobo people. Into this deepening confusion has at nowadays strolled the Delta State Government waiving what appears to live an all-embracing novel claim that it has an inherent powerfulness to decree Urhobo “kingdoms” into existence past times way of authorities gazettes. Without a doubt, a night cloud of cultural crisis at nowadays hangs over the Urhobo horizon. In these circumstances, at that spot is demand to clarify the historical together with cultural meanings of “clans” together with “kingdoms.” To live still together with allow this confusion to live waged inwards ignorance serves no ane good – non Urhobo culture, non the Delta State Government, together with sure as shooting non Urhobo chieftains.
Before I proceed whatever farther with this analysis, I desire to create a dot abundantly clear. This newspaper is non intended to defend the British colonial term “clans” or to assail its putative competitor “kingdoms.” On the contrary, it is to invite an engaging conversation on a vital aspect of Urhobo history together with civilization which is currently nether distress. Urhobo civilization is ours together with nosotros must non allow it to flounder.
Pre-Historic Origins of Urhobo Cultural Units
For now, permit me to pose aside the 2 controversial price of “clans” together with “kingdoms.” In their place, I volition utilisation the politically neutral aspect of “Urhobo Cultural Units” or to a greater extent than merely “Urhobo’s Subcultures.” These are sociological notions for which the word “clans” or “kingdoms” had been suggested as a shorthand. Note that I have got non employed some other pop expression, polities, inwards characterizing these subunits of Urhobo culture. That is because the word polities is limited past times its political anthropological baggage to matters political whereas the units of Urhobo civilization that are the dependent area of our word hither have got vast historical together with cultural nuances together with interpretations.
These basic subunits of Urhobo civilization were prehistoric. That is, their existence predated modern historiography that assigns dates together with ascertainable fourth dimension periods to historical events. Today, Urhobo scholars together with civilization artists have got arrived at a amount total of twenty-two of these units of Urhobo culture. By maxim that they are prehistoric, nosotros hateful to say that all of them -- Agbarha-Ame, Agbarha Otor, Agbarho, Agbon, Arhavwarien, Avwraka, Ephron, Evwreni, Eghwu, Idjerhe, Oghara, Ogor, Okere, Okparebe, Okpe, Olomu, Orogun, Udu, Ughelli, Ughievwen, Uvwie, together with Uwherun – were good settled before the ascent of important historical epochs that defined the boundaries of medieval together with modern Urhobo history. Thus, it is presumed that all these twenty-two subunits of Urhobo civilization were inwards existence before the ascent of Republic of Benin Empire inwards the 1440s together with before the arrival of the Portuguese inwards the Western Niger Delta inwards the 1480s.
To say that Urhobo’s subcultures were ancient together with prehistoric is non to advise that they are of the same historic catamenia together with generation. On the contrary, a grouping of these subcultures was of swell antiquity, giving nascency to newer subcultures. In general, the older subcultures were geographically separated from the less ancient ones. There is ample evidence from internal Urhobo folk cognition together with rituals that suggests that the oldest cultural subunits of Urhoboland are inwards the low-lying swampy southeastern part which is bounded past times Patani River together with Ijawland inwards the due south together with Isokoland inwards the east. These primeval subcultures of Urhoboland include Uwherun, Evwreni, Arhavwarien, Okparebe, Eghwu, together with Olomu.
It is noteworthy that inwards precolonial times, Iyede inwards modern Isoko was counted with the earliest subcultures of Urhoboland. It has since been re-assigned to Isoko, suggesting that the cultural walls that separate Urhobo from Isoko are thin.4 The migrations into Urhoboland that are variously claimed to have got occurred, with points of origin inwards lands ane time ruled past times the Ogiso dynasty inwards areas at nowadays named Benin, most likely followed the creeks into this swampy part of southeastern Urhoboland together with Isokoland; rather than through the impenetrable rainforests of northwestern Urhoboland.
Urhobo's Subcultures together with the Conquest of Western Niger Delta’s Rainforests
Urhobo folk history suggests that it was from the swampy southeastern Urhobo part that the conquest of the bigger together with to a greater extent than ample rainforests of northwestern Urhoboland was launched together with accomplished. Those who achieved this extraordinary feat of conquest were fresh units who founded novel sub-cultures inwards areas that they conquered, spreading Urhobo linguistic communication together with civilization across these virgin tropical rainforests. Some of these sub-cultures were established inwards groups. Thus, the so-called Oghwoghwa Cultural Group (see Erivwo: 2003: 109-113) -- consisting of Ogor, Ughelli, Agbarha-Otor, together with Orogun – likely launched their crusade inwards tandem, occupying contiguous vital lands inwards the rainforests of the Western Niger Delta. Other groups went farther away from the southeast homeland. Thus, having followed similar paths from Isoko (in the instance of Agbon) together with Erhowa (in modern Isoko, inwards the instance of Okpe)) together with having both registered settlements inwards Olomu inwards southeastern Urhobo, the ancestors of the Okpe people together with of Agbon conquered together with claimed vital territories closer to River Ethiope.
Great boy of Urhobo Ben Okri, Nigerian poet together with novelist
Another genre of crusade of expansion of territory past times a grouping of Urhobo sub-cultures inwards the rainforests of the Western Niger Delta is noteworthy. Just as Olomu proved to live a fertile starting dot together with a gateway for secondary groups of sub-cultures for campaigns of conquests of large portions of rainforests of the Western Niger Delta, so has Agbarha-Otor turned out to live a veritable cradle inwards breeding novel tertiary sub-cultures. It was from Agbarha-Otor that groups left to found Agbarha-Ame, inwards modern Warri, naming their subculture after their ancestral solid ground as Agbarha. Then an fifty-fifty to a greater extent than arduous crusade was waged when 2 separate groups of Agbarha-Otor migrants crossed the River Ethiope together with occupied virgin rainforests on the Western side of an untamed river. They named their novel sub-cultures after their ancestral towns inwards Agbarha-Otor as Idjerhe together with Oghara.
Historic Significance of the Conquest of Western Niger Delta’s Rainforests past times Urhobo Cultural Units
It is likely unnecessary at this dot of our analysis to sweat a blow-by-blow business concern human relationship of the founding of the twenty-two sub-groups of Urhobo culture. But it is of import that nosotros attach some significance to the to a higher spot arguing of the groups of founding subcultures that are at nowadays to a greater extent than controversially labeled as “clans” or “kingdoms.”
Modern Urhobos correctly boast that they correspond the largest grouping inwards the Western Niger Delta. Moreover, Urhobo occupies a sizeable chunk of the dry out lands of the Western Niger Delta. All these nosotros owe to those whose courage together with heroism enabled the Urhobo to occupy prime number rainforests. We must non forget that nosotros shared the same rainforests with the Isoko together with the Ukwuani. That our portion of these lands is enviable owes everything to the fact that our prehistoric ancestors were able to conquer them.
“Conquest” is an evocative term inwards historical scholarship. Conquerors often subdue their ain people together with so overcome others. Such conquerors of peoples are often crowned as kings. But the conquest upon which our ancestors embarked was of a different type. It was the conquest of an untamed together with unoccupied rainforest that was deemed to live dangerous. Today, nosotros cannot imagine how fearsome these lands were inwards their pristine form. They had wildlife inwards abundance. That they are all gone from our territory is likely due to the fact that portion of the responsibleness of our founding ancestors was to destroy wild animals. It is said that Evwreni was founded past times a grouping of hunters who were hired past times Iyede to kill menacing elephants. Elephants (eni inwards Urhobo), lions (okpohrokpo), tigers (ẹdjẹnẹkpo), gorillas (ọsia), together with hippotemuses (ẹrhẹ) have got all gone from our lands, but they were ane time hither inwards Urhoboland inwards some abundance.
There is some other dot of significance to live stressed. Apart from the fact that the secondary together with tertiary subcultures of northwestern Urhoboland have got larger territories than those inwards the low-lying swampy southeast, it is noteworthy that -- with the remarkable exception of Olomu -- these primeval subcultures of the southeast are almost all single-town cultures. In contrast, the larger secondary together with tertiary subcultures of the northwest are multiple-town cultures. The multiplicities of towns together with villages inwards these cultures – inwards Ughelli, Agbarha-Otor, Orogun, Okpe, Agbon, Agbarho, Idjerhe, etc. – are striking. Such multiplication of settlements of towns together with villages within each subculture enabled the conquest together with business of as much territory as was accomplished inwards these lands that were ane time untamed.
Properties together with Characteristics of Cultural Units of Urhoboland
These subcultures of Urhobo have got borne the burden of Urhobo history. They also send the weight of Urhobo civilization together with its political organisation. Together, they all deport sure markers together with characteristics that set Urhobo together with its people apart from other cultures together with peoples. So that nosotros may live sure that these subcultures define what Urhobo is, nosotros should map out their properties together with characteristics.
(i) Territory with Boundaries together with Integrity
Every Urhobo subculture has a territory that has boundaries with other sub-cultures together with occasionally with non-Urhobo cultural entities, such as the Isoko, Ijaw, together with Ukwuani. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 unique aspect of Urhoboland is that the Urhobo people were the initiatory of all to occupy their ain portions inwards the hinterland of the rainforests of Western Niger Delta. In most instances, therefore, bearers of each subculture of Urhobo occupy territory that their ancestors were the initiatory of all to conquer together with occupy. This attribute of Urhobo’s subcultures has imparted a feel of collective ownership of the territories of these units of Urhobo culture. The integrity of each of Urhobo’s subcultures derives from its ownership of its ain territory that it has conquered together with occupied through its ain exploits.
(ii) Sub-Cultural Headquarters together with Eponymous Ancestral Shrines
Each subculture has its ain headquarters. It is commonly located inwards the initiatory of all spot inwards which the founding ancestors settled. These headquarters have got eponymous ancestral shrines, venerating the spirits of the founding ancestors whose names are associated with the entire subculture.
It is noteworthy that the high regard for these ancestral shrines is shared across all communities, including Christian families. In effect, these eponymous ancestral shrines are regarded as historic institutions.
(iii) Endowment of Individual’s Identity as an Urhobo Person
Every someone who claims to live Urhobo does so only through his or her membership of a subculture or subcultures as their father’s or mother’s nascency right. No ane tin claim to live Urhobo directly, without belonging to a subculture or subcultures of Urhobo. This attribute carries with it the claim of sure rights from members of the subculture who are expected to piece of work for the survival together with improvement of the entire subculture. But it is an attribute that also imposes of import responsibilities on the subculture inwards its human relationship to private members. Until recent times, protection of the private together with aid for his remains after decease were responsibilities of the subculture or its farther divisions.
(iv) Totems together with Taboos of Sub-Cultures
For the sake of maintaining the spiritual welfare of its members, some subcultures instituted their ain set of totems together with taboos whose observance would live binding on their communities. The powerfulness of totems instituted past times Ughelli together with Orogun – fifty-fifty over those of their members who are at nowadays converted to Christianity – is legendary. Other sub-cultures have got similar regimes of totems.
(v) Sub-Cultural Control of Urhobo’s Linguistic Dialects
In the realm of language, Urhobo is a solid ground of swell dialectic variability. Remarkably, each subculture has its ain dialect of the Urhobo language. Native speakers of the Urhobo linguistic communication tin easily tell from what sub-culture a speaker of the Urhobo linguistic communication hails.
(vi) Urhobo Sub-cultures together with the Institution of King (Ovie)
One of the most powerful cultural tools that each of Urhobo’s subcultures has (or had) at its disposal was the establishment of kingship. Called Ovie throughout Urhobo culture, an Urhobo Rex exists only at the sub-cultural level. Each subculture controls the rules that regulation the ascension to the subculture’s throne. More importantly, each subculture could create upwardly one's hear to exercise its right to have got a Rex or non to have got one. However, past times mutual Urhobo usage, no subculture is allowed to have got to a greater extent than than ane Ovie at a time.5
It is noteworthy that until the explosion of majestic institutions began inwards the 1950s, from instigation from various Nigerian governments, only a handful of Urhobo’s sub-cultures exercised their inherent rights to have got kings. Ogor together with Ughelli had stable regimes of kingship for a proficient portion – but past times no way all – of their history. The Okpe had an historic instance of monarchy that went awry together with thereafter the Okpe were reluctant to revive the institution, until 1945, centuries afterwards. The Agbon people chose for centuries of their history to acquire by with the maxim Okpako r’ Agbon oy’ Ovie r’ Agbon – meaning, Agbon sub-culture’s eldest is its King. Many other attitudes toward majestic institutions emanated from the other subcultures of Urhoboland. The dot is, it was their right to determine whether they wanted a Rex together with if so on what terms.
(vii) An Axiom of Co-Equality with Urhobo Sub-Cultures
There is an underlying axiom inwards the relations with the units of Urhobo culture. It is that they are co-equal. For instance, although Okpe together with Agbon are each many times larger inwards solid ground together with population than most of the Urhobo subcultures of the southeast, they cannot claim to live culturally superior to the much smaller sub-cultural units of southeast Urhoboland, such as Okparebe together with Arhavwarien.
British Colonial Rule together with the Naming of Urhobo’s Sub-Cultures as Clans
British colonial dominion inwards Urhoboland began effectively inwards the initiatory of all decade of the 20th century, next a delay lasting many years (1894-1899) on business concern human relationship of a dispute betwixt the Royal Niger Company together with agents of the Niger Coast Protectorate Government over what British involvement had administrative jurisdiction inwards Urhoboland (see Salubi 1958). When British colonial dominion commenced, it was clear that the British had lilliputian cognition of Urhobo culture. This was largely because missionaries had non been as active inwards the Western Niger Delta as they had been elsewhere, say inwards Yorubaland together with Igboland (see Ekeh 2005).
The British made upwardly for lost ground inwards their agreement of Urhobo civilization past times relying heavily on “intelligence reports” provided past times colonial administrative officers. For centuries, Europeans, including the British, relied on Atlantic coastal peoples for their data on the Urhobo. As it turned out, much of that data was either incorrect or outright mischievous.6 Now, the colonial administrators’ intelligence reports sought to pigment a right epitome of Urhobo ethnography. These efforts led the British to conclude that Urhobo civilization was essentially based on a clan system. They identified the units that nosotros have got been calling Urhobo’s subcultures along with many of their properties that nosotros described above.
How did the British colonial officers come upwardly up with the word “clans” to depict these subcultures of Urhoboland? By the early on 1900s together with 1910s, when the label was applied, Colonial Social Anthropology was non mature plenty to live helpful to colonial officers inwards their efforts at agreement such entities as Urhobo. It is to a greater extent than probable that the label was picked upwardly from Scottish history of Clans. In many ways, Urhobo sub-cultures were really much similar ancient Scottish clans.
Urhobo Reactions to British Colonial Ethnography of Urhoboland
As tin live imagined, Urhobos were the principal informants for those who composed the intelligence reports. These reports were of course of study non made public, but key decisions were made on the strength of the data provided inwards them. It was hence the British policies, apparently based on the intelligence reports, which the Urhobo people could judge. While accepting together with fifty-fifty appreciating many administrative policies of the British Colonial Government, a proficient number of them were rejected past times the Urhobo people who fought against their implementation together with indeed for their reversal.
Two instances volition illustrate the point. The British wrongly assigned Orogun together with Avwraka (which they misnamed as Abraka) to Kuale [that is, Ukwuani] Division inwards Warri Province for administrative purposes. Similarly, Idjerhe (misnamed Jesse past times the British) was assigned to Republic of Benin Division inwards Republic of Benin Province for administration. The Urhobo people did non similar these decisions together with fought hard for their homecoming from what they saw as their perverse allocation. All 3 of them were eventually returned to the Urhobo flexure past times beingness regrouped inwards administrative units that consisted exclusively of Urhobo sub-cultures.
Urhobo Progress Union arose inwards the 1930s as a vehicle for conveying Urhobo concerns to the British Colonial Government. One of the initiatory of all populace responsibilities of Urhobo Progress Union was to convey Urhobo’s objection on the incorrect rendering of their holler to the British. Urhobos objected to unacceptable names given past times the British to Urhobo together with its sub-units, manifestly owing to pronunciation problems that the British encountered with complicated Urhobo names. Thus, the British had difficulties with the “rh” inwards Urhobo. They simplified it, changing “Urh” to S” together with thus yielding “Sobo,” a holler that Urhobos found offensive.7 Urhobo Progress Union fought really hard to modify Urhobo’s spoilt holler together with it succeeded when the British made a correction inwards a Gazette of Oct 1, 1938. Urhobo Progress Union was itself involved inwards making changes inwards its ain sphere, changing its holler from its previous version of Urhobo Progressive Union inwards the belatedly 1930s.
We have got pointed to these Urhobo reactions inwards monastic say to highlight the dot that the Urhobo people were non unaware of what the British were doing with their cultural institutions. Urhobo Progress Union sure as shooting knew of the label “Clans” which the British used to depict Urhobo’s sub-cultures. It had no objection. Indeed, UPU employed the term clans inwards its official duties of working for Urhobo progress. Right upwardly until the mid-1960s, when UPU was inwards its high stage of activities on behalf of the Urhobo people, it used the term clans frequently. Thus, inwards his 1965 address to the General Council of Urhobo Progress Union, the President-General of the Union, Chief T. E. A. Salubi, referred to the role of the clans inwards spreading evolution inwards Urhoboland, as follows:
I would love to hope, indeed expect, that the grade of oneness together with unity so transparently exhibited at Sapele on the occasion [of Urhobo National Day Celebration] volition diffuse downward to our different clan areas together with live reflected inwards our ordinary life together with day-to-day dealings with ane some other inwards our towns together with villages (Salubi 1965, emphasis added).
It should live added that Nigerian nationalist scholars, including especially historians, objected to the utilisation of such anthropological price as tribes together with clans, considering them to live derogatory together with offensive. However, the full general rejection of “clans” was from exterior Urhoboland. The much preferred term of “kingdoms” did non grab upwardly with Urhobo nationalist sentiments until the belatedly 1990s!
Nigerian Governments’ Interactions with Urhobo’s Sub-Cultures
Various Nigerian Governments, at the Regional together with State levels particularly, which followed British Colonial Government, have got also dealt with the significance of these sub-cultural entities that the British labelled as clans of Urhoboland. It is fair to say that most Nigerian Governments have got accepted together with respected the fact that Urhobo is inwards essence a confederation of twenty-two sub-cultures whose bases together with roots are ancient together with prehistoric. Until the bizarre incident of 2006 inwards which Delta State Government sought to split an Urhobo sub-cultural unit of measurement into two, all previous Nigerian Governments had respected the integrity of each of the twenty-two units of Urhobo culture. Before dealing with the abnormality of that 2006 legislative episode past times the Delta State Government that clearly violated the creed of Urhobo history together with culture, it volition live helpful to sketch how various previous generations of Nigerian governments, responded to Urhobo’s cultural system. Such an outline volition likely assist us all to consider why the 2006 legislative affront on Urhobo history together with civilization is so remarkably different from the conduct of previous Nigerian Governments.
How Western Nigerian Government Dealt with Action Group’s Difficulties with the Urhobo People
The initiatory of all Nigerian Government which the Urhobo had to bargain with was led past times the Action Group political party of Western Nigeria, from 1952 to 1964. Unfortunately, Urhobos had a major work with the Action Group together with its leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, concerning the dispute on the championship of the King of Itsekiri together with the ownership of the metropolis of Warri (see Edevbie 2007). The Urhobo’s response was an uncompromising together with consistent rejection of the Action Group at the electoral polls. At a fourth dimension when voting counted, the Urhobo’s antipathy towards the Action Group was hurtful for a political party that lacked a clear bulk inwards the Western House of Assembly. No amount of penalisation of the Urhobo worked to persuade them to switch to the Action Group inwards their political preferences.
The Action Group did its utmost to insinuate itself into Urhobo political affairs. Its bluntest tool was invocation of a belongings of Urhobo sub-culture. It is that every sub-culture was entitled to have got an Ovie. It so happened that inwards the 1950s few of Urhobo’s sub-cultures had their ain Ivie. The Action Group Government hence orchestrated the pick of candidates for the throne of Ovie inwards each sub-culture where at that spot was no seating Ovie. The Action Group supported its ain candidates for these thrones.
Although this ploy did non piece of work inwards convincing Urhobos to vote for the Action Group at the polls, it opened upwardly a novel chapter inwards Urhobo history. Playing within the logic of Urhobo civilization that allocated the right of kingship to its sub-cultures, it nonetheless expanded Urhobo’s majestic institutions good beyond what the Urhobos themselves wanted. One ground why many sub-cultures of Urhobo neglected to exercise their right to have got a Rex was that it was costly to maintain an Ovie. Now, members of the novel shape of Ivie were to a greater extent than dependent on Government subsidies than on their ain people, opening upwardly novel dynamics inwards Urhobo populace affairs.
Mid-West Government together with Ordered Selection of Ivie
By the fourth dimension the Mid-West Region was carved out of the Western Region inwards 1964, it was really good established that kingship was mandatory inwards Urhobo sub-cultures, still so called clans. What the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs sought to do was to convey monastic say to the pick of the Ovie of each sub-culture. Urhobo chieftains seemed to have got warmed upwardly to the thought of this widespread kingship, hoping that it was ane way of gaining sponsorship from the Government.
Two facts followed from this inordinate expansion of majestic institutions inwards Urhoboland. The initiatory of all is that the resulting Ivie were at nowadays ever to a greater extent than dependent on the Government. But their sheer numbers meant that they could non live as good cared for as if they were fewer. The other fact is that the kings became less dependent on their ain people. These are dynamics that were liable to touching on an establishment that was invented from the necessity together with imperatives of survival inwards a unsafe rainforest. It was no longer quite clear what the functions of the Ivie were. No doubt, many Government functionaries saw them as agents of the Government.
Whatever views ane holds of the establishment of Ovie, the Government had come upwardly to play a major role inwards moulding its spot together with functions inwards Urhobo culture. The catastrophic events of the 2006 legislation that sought to create an Urhobo sub-culture from the sparse pages of a Government Gazette likely correspond the ultimate inwards the unintended consequences of Government take-over of an ancient Urhobo convention. But before nosotros examine that notorious event, nosotros must initiatory of all weigh the semantic changes that occurred inwards the characterization of units of Urhobo culture.
Renaming Urhobo’s Sub-cultures as Kingdoms
There is a mensurate of trivialization that has lately crept into the naming of Urhobo institutions as they are rendered inwards a culturally alien English linguistic communication language. For an Urhobo -- peculiarly for an Ughelli someone -- at that spot is an emotional divergence betwixt saying: “Ovie r’ Ughele” (in Urhobo) or “Ovie of Ughelli” (in English). The trivialization gets worse, along with the rather serious grammatical infraction that should live evident, inwards a novel pop rendering inwards English linguistic communication of the same appellation: “Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom."8 The infatuation with this new-found word “kingdom” descends downward the chain of the modern Urhobo aristocracy. To give an representative from some other sub-culture of Urhoboland: In his exemplary curriculum vitae, which was crafted some fourth dimension inwards the early on 1980s, Chief T. E. A. Salubi cites ane of his most valued titles as “Okakuro of Agbon.” Since the belatedly 1990s, the same championship is at nowadays cited past times its holders as “Okakuro of Agbon Kingdom."9
Such banality of linguistic communication regarding aristocratic titles inwards recent times has arisen from the introduction of the English linguistic communication word “kingdom” into modern Urhobo culture. Its rampant together with gratuitous utilisation has caused several problems for our agreement of Urhobo institutions. First, “kingdom” is virtually untranslatable into Urhobo language. Second, it has been used as a replacement – that is, supposedly, as the synonym -- for the English linguistic communication word “clan.” Remember that “clan” was introduced into Urhobo past times British colonial administrators as a way of characterizing Urhobo’s sub-cultures.
The origin of this novel usage of “kingdom” has been traced to HRH Adjara III together with Andy Omokri’s (1997) Urhobo Kingdoms: Political together with Social Systems. This is how the belatedly Professor F. M. A. Ukoli sketched the ascent of the term “kingdoms” inwards modern Urhobo culture:
The Urhobo constitute an ethnic group, but at that spot is swell multifariousness inwards the origins of the various clans as good as multifariousness inwards their culture. Indeed, the differences are so marked that H.R.H Adjara III together with Omokri, inwards their recent volume Urhobo Kingdoms, elevate the 22 clans which constitute the entire Urhobo tribe to the status of kingdoms (Ukoli 2007: 647).
Remarkably, Adjara III together with Omokri did non discard the term clan inwards their analysis of Urhobo social together with political systems. In fact, ane time ane moves beyond the rather dramatic championship of their book, they were fairly respectful of the term “clan.” They define Urhobo inwards price of its clans, non kingdoms: “At nowadays at that spot are twenty-two clans inwards Urhoboland. Most of the clans are made upwardly of groups of villages which line their origin to a mutual ancestor” (p. 5). Similarly, they define the Ovie inwards price of the clan: “The establishment of clanheadship inwards Urhoboland is a most revered one. In some clans, the clan caput is known as Ovie literally translated to live king” (p. 16).
Whatever Adjara III together with Omokri intended to say inwards the pages of their book, it is the book’s championship “Urhobo Kingdoms” that has won the day. Adjara III’s aristocratic colleagues have got understood the volume as recommending that the term clans live replaced past times the apparently to a greater extent than appealing together with to a greater extent than ponderous “kingdom.” And the Government of Delta State has readily adopted the novel terminology, with consequences that are far removed from what whatever lovers of Urhobo history together with civilization volition live pleased to accept.
Delta State Government’s “Creation” of an Urhobo “Kingdom” together with Its Violation of Urhobo History together with Culture
Throughout the course of study of Nigerian history, from the 1950s onwards at whatever rate, Nigerian Governments have got accepted together with so manipulated existing institutions of traditional rulership. They operate inwards that way likely inwards monastic say to seek wages for their political parties together with to delight powerful individuals inwards those parties. In doing so, they have got deposed opponents together with installed supporters as occupiers of such existing traditional institutions of rulership. Some prominent examples volition illustrate this point. In the 1950s, Ahmadu Bello’s Government of Northern Nigeria removed Emir Sanusi of Kano from his throne together with banished him from Kano Emirate. Similarly, inwards the 1950s also, Obafemi Awolowo’s Government of Western Nigeria removed the Alafin of Oyo from his business office together with banished him from his realm. In the 1960s, at the starting fourth dimension of the existence of Mid-West Region, Festus Okotie-Eboh orchestrated the removal of the reigning Rex of Itsekiri, his long-time opponent, together with facilitated the installation of a supporter of his as the novel King of Itsekiri.
In all these instances, previous Nigerian Governments accepted the traditions of the people together with the establishment of rulership that they mandated. What these previous Nigerian Governments did was to exploit the logic of these traditions past times placing their supporters on the seats of traditional rulership, spell removing their opponents. None of them defied the traditions of the people past times creating novel realms. The Government of Northern Nigeria did non split Kano upwardly together with spot its ain candidate on a fraction of the Kano Emirate. Western Nigeria Government did non split upwardly Oyo up, inwards defiance of Yoruba traditions together with history. Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh together with the novel Mid-West Government of 1964 did non split Itsekiri upwardly together with install their favourite candidate as Rex of ane section. In previous instances of Government’s intervention inwards traditional affairs of kingship, the people’s traditions have got been good respected.
In such respects, the conduct of Delta State Government inwards 2006 inwards splitting upwardly Urhobo’s Idjerhe sub-culture together with inwards creating a novel “Kingdom” of Mosogar from the ancient territories of Idjerhe is unprecedented inwards the annals of Urhobo history together with culture. Moreover, it would live hard to discover similar examples of the Government’s defiling of a people’s traditions elsewhere inwards Delta State. Let it live clearly stated at the attack here: Urhobo history together with civilization were severely violated inwards what appears to live the uncontested human activity of “creating” an Urhobo “kingdom” past times Delta State Government inwards 2006.
The British had active together with intense contacts with the Urhobo people for at to the lowest degree l years, for much of the initiatory of all one-half of the 20th century. Although they came as colonizers, they nonetheless respected the integrity of Urhobo history together with culture. They correctly identified Urhobo’s ancient sub-cultures together with acted within their framework together with logic. Similarly, the Action Group Government that took over from the British respected the traditions of the Urhobo people, despite historic difficulties betwixt them together with the political political party that controlled the Government at that time. And it is fair to say that the Mid-West together with Bendel State Governments were largely respectful of Urhobo traditions.
So why has this grave violation of Urhobo history together with civilization occurred inwards a governmental regime that has no standing quarrel with the Urhobo people? Two explanations have got been offered past times some Urhobo leaders who have got bothered to verbalize over this matter. The initiatory of all is that people inwards Government do non bother themselves with the creed of Urhobo history together with culture. They say that some politicians would live surprised that whatever worries virtually Urhobo history together with civilization have got been expressed. The minute ground that has been suggested for permitting this brazen human activity of violation of Urhobo history together with civilization to occur is that the term “kingdoms” has travel so trivialized that people inwards Government at nowadays believe that they tin create them. As ane Urhobo leader pose it, “People inwards Asaba would hesitate to create ‘clans’ but non ‘kingdoms.’”
It must live noted that the Delta State Government has no Constitutional powers to create local governments inwards Delta State. Nor does it have got the powerfulness to alter their boundaries. Why is it so possible that the Delta State House of Assembly tin legislate on the existence together with boundaries of Urhobo sub-cultures – telephone band them clans or kingdoms, if these price please? It has been said that this affair has been gazetted together with that ane time matters appear inwards a Government Gazette, at that spot is non much ane tin do. Well, Urhobos have got a right to inquiry the validity of a Gazette that violates their history together with culture. In the long run, this whole cultural fiasco has really lilliputian to do with Idjerhe together with its sub-units. The work is that it strikes at the pump of Urhobo’s cultural existence.
Unforeseen together with Untoward Consequences of Delta State’s Creation of a “Kingdom” inwards Urhoboland
There are numerous reasons why the Urhobo people should live troubled past times the spectre of Delta State Government taking over the command of Urhobo traditions, an instance of which was the so-called creation of a “kingdom” inwards Idjerhe sub-culture of Urhoboland. We volition confine ourselves to only a few of these reasons.
First, the Idjerhe episode of “kingdom creation” is most probable to live imitated together with repeated elsewhere – if it is allowed to survive. If every novel installment of Delta State Government that comes to powerfulness has the right together with potency to create “kingdoms” inwards Urhoboland, so nosotros should await a multiplicity of novel “kingdoms” -- or “clans,” designating them past times their other English linguistic communication label – to live created for Urhobos within several decades. There are everywhere short-sighted together with ambitious politicians who volition inquire to live made kings of fifty-fifty pocket-size villages if the chance arises. Internal divisions within each of Urhobo’s sub-cultures may precipitate such clamour for kingship of novel “kingdoms.” While at that spot may live ready-made cases of divisions that volition readily prompt whatever novel Delta State Governments for novel “kingdoms, the greater danger is that fifty-fifty the to a greater extent than stable together with established instances of kingship inwards Urhoboland volition non live prophylactic from the spread of the cancer of Government’s “kingdom creation.”
Second, whatever increment inwards the number of Ivie inwards Urhoboland is a threat to the strength of our majestic institutions. Many Urhobo leaders of thought already consider the twenty-two Ivie, who derive their potency from Urhobo culture, to live on the high side. It should live recalled that inwards the 1930s together with 1940s, persuasion leaders inwards Urhoboland together with its Diaspora seriously weighed the alternative of initiating a unmarried Urhobo kingship. If nosotros cannot accomplish such a goal, nosotros must nonetheless non farther weaken our circumstances past times foolishly allowing the creation of artificial “kingdoms” inwards Urhoboland at the whim of Governments who may non ever live good disposed towards the vibrancy of Urhobo cultural formations. The add-on of a unmarried Ovie to the scheme of twenty-two kings that nosotros at nowadays have got is a threat to our civilization together with to the dignity of those who currently occupy the thrones of Ivie inwards Urhoboland. (http://www.waado.org/organizations/UPU/president_general_reception_abuja/lectures/clans_kingdoms_ekeh.htm)
Urhobo people,Warri,Delta state,Nigeria
The Urhobo people are Urhobo-Edoid Kwa language-speaking people of larger Benue (Niger)-Congo linguistic communication theatre unit of measurement located inwards the nowadays Delta State of Nigeria. They occupy the southern portion of the Republic of Benin lowland together with the floodplains together with swamps of the petroleum-rich Niger delta. Many live inwards the Ughelli local authorities part together with inwards Warri together with Ethiope,and inwards Okpe together with Sapele Local Government Areas. With a population of some 2 ane yard one thousand people, the Urhobo people are the fifth largest ethnic grouping inwards Nigeria together with constitute the largest unmarried ethnic grouping inwards Delta State. The population density inwards Urhoboland is virtually 660 persons per foursquare kilometer.
Urhobo women
The Urhobo land is made upwardly of 20 sub-groups, including Okpe which many believe is the largest of all Urhobo sub-groups. The Urhobos are noted for having their ain unique style of speaking Nigerian Pidgin English. Since their linguistic communication is really demonstrative that translates into their style of speaking English linguistic communication together with Pidgin English. As a resultant of their unique linguistic communication style, their names are also unique. An representative of a unique Urhobo holler would live the holler Onaodowan, belonging to the Onaodowan theatre unit of measurement from Warri together with the Onomakpome, belonging to the Onomakpome theatre unit of measurement from Sapele.
In 1963 census inwards Nigeria Urhobo were classified with the initiatory of all x major ethnic groups inwards Nigeria (Awolowo, 1968 241–242). The word Urhobo refer to a grouping of people together with non geographical territory. For representative Agbon Urhobo. The Urhobo have got social together with cultural affinity to the Edo speaking people of Nigeria (Northcote Thomas, 1910).
Those who were accorded burial rites are happily received into the flexure of the ancestors. The Urhobo philosophy of life has it that when a someone dies he joins the other members of his theatre unit of measurement inwards erivwin. Therefore anyone who died together with was received past times the advanced political party of the theatre unit of measurement is believed to live inwards a happy spot inwards erivwin but for the door of Urhoro to live barred against a deceased is to live inwards perpetual hell. Mbiti (1969) also makes a similar observation inwards most parts of traditional Africa.
The Urhobo utilisation the word ega" to serve" when they give offerings to pour libations for their ancestors. Ega also refers to a servant’s service to his original inwards homecoming for protection together with payments. The filial services that the Urhobo is expected to homecoming to his parents, whether still living or non are known as ega together with it is quite different from the mental attitude of worship men assume when they travel before God or the divinities. The spot inwards Urhobo could live summed upwardly inwards the full general observation that J.A Driberg
(1976:56) made virtually the Africans when he says:
No African prays to his dead grandad anymore than he "prays" to his living begetter In both cases the words employed are the same: He asks as of right, or he beseeches, or he expostulates with or reprimands but he never uses inwards this context the words for "prayer" together with "worship" which are strictly reserved for his religious dealings with the absolute powerfulness together with the divinities. The Latin word Pietas likely best describes the mental attitude of Africans to their dead ancestors as to their living elders.
Urhobo funeral of swell Urhobo boy Alex Ibru
The ancestors are made upwardly of the Irhi of the departed. They are looked upon as active members
of the family, which is extended to erivwin. In Urhobo belief they are non far away together with are inwards fact
believed to live keenly watching over the affairs of the members of the families who are still living on the
earth. Ancestral veneration features prominently inwards Urhobo dirges. Before an Urhobo takes a gulp of gin,
he volition initiatory of all of all pour out of it to his ancestors spell offering spontaneous prayers together with asking for
guidance together with blessing:
Iruo wn lo Your deeds shine
Ose r’ avware nyo vwe Our begetter hear us
Okewo vw’ akpo When you lot were on earth
Iruo nosotros lori asa ne je Your deeds shone everywhere
Wo vwo kpo ra Now inwards the solid ground of the dead
Iruo nosotros j’ilo Your deeds still shine
Urukpewe ka sa vw’ avware aboo Your calorie-free volition non diminish inwards ourtime
Urukpe na ka la vw’ emeshare We shall hold it live with sons
Urukpe na ka la vw’ emete We shall hold it live with daughters
There is no spousal human relationship inwards Urhobo that is regarded as properly contracted without offering prayers to the ancestors. Children are specially requested of the ancestors. The ancestors are also propitiated on many other occasions such as sickness together with constant communication is maintained with the dead:
Ogbaeki
1.Or’ ovwe owe r’ Ughene
2.Nye arodovwe me
3.Wo j’ ehun me je vwe fiaa
4.Wo j’ ota ru nu me hwe vwee
5. Okpl
6.Ogbaeki odafe
7.Obo r’ oma fu we
8.J’ oma ji fu vwe
9.Mi n’ erovwo r’ otovwe
10.Wo j’ ekwe ame r’obevwen kwe uwevwin mee
gbaeki
Translation
1.Owner of line-fishing pond inwards Ughelli
2.Have mercy on me
3. Let non my waist disappoint me
4.Do non allow the words of my oral fissure live my ruin
5.Okpole it is to you lot thatI pray
6.Ogbaeki the wealthy one7.As you lot residue inwards peace
8.Let me have got a peaceful time
9.I pray allow me live till old age
10.Make sure they do non throw the H2O of poverty into my house
Urhobo mask
In Urhobo land, the newborn is often treated with swell reverence because it has only precisely come
from the other sphere where it was inwards contact with the revered ancestors, where inwards a feel it was an
ancestor. According to Chief T. Maduku of Ephron-Otor; so witting is the Urhobo human being of this perpetual cycle of life together with decease that some-times a really oldman is referred to as a kid who speaks erivwin (the incomprehensible). It is also because of this beliefin the swell cycle of birth, death, together with rebirth that the thought of decease holds no horror. Death is familiarbecause every ane talks of the solid ground from which he has come upwardly together with has to return.
In summary, erhi came from erivwin to live born inwards the flesh; it must travel dorsum to erivwin at demise. While the trunk decomposes inwards the grave, the erhi leaves it at that spot for erivwin. Where it goes together with the grouping it joins depends upon how it comported itself spell it was on earth. If it were incorporated inwards a body, which lived well, died good together with was accorded funeral rites, the gates of urhoro would live thrown opened upwardly for it to bring together other irhi who shape the nucleus of the extended theatre unit of measurement inwards the world beyond. There they all human activity as ancestors to choose aid of the living.
Epha divination, similar to the Yoruba Ifá together with practiced past times many West African ethnic groups, is practised with strings of cowries. Urhobos also do Christianity, with many belonging to Catholic together with novel evangelical denominations. There are 1,261 ejo (deities), including the one-handed, one-legged mirror-holding whirlwind-god Aziza.
Urhobo epha divinition diasporan people at aUrhobo festival at Warri,Nigeria
Ceremony
The Urhobos live really unopen to together with sometimes on the surface of the Niger river. As such, most of their histories, mythologies, together with philosophies are water-related. They have got an annual line-fishing festival that includes masquerades, fishing, swimming contests, together with dancing. There is also an annual, two-day, Ohworu festival inwards the southern portion of the Urhobo expanse at which the Ohworhu H2O spirit together with the Eravwe Oganga are displayed. The Rex inwards an Urhobo clan or kingdom is called the Ovie. His married adult woman the queen is called Ovieya together with his children Ọmọ Ovie (child of the Rex also known as prince together with princes). Often nowadays, these names are also given to children without majestic heritage past times their parents. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 number of Urhobo sub-groups have got other titles other than Ovie, for example, the Okpe called their traditional ruler Orogie together with Olomu called theirs Ohworode together with Okere-Urhobo theirs Orosuen.
The "Huge Beast" (eravwe gangan), is the largest together with most elaborate masquerade piece that appears on the minute together with concluding twenty-four hr catamenia (Ohworhu-Ode) of the Ohworu festival at Evwreni. Photographed past times Perkins Foss together with Susan Moore inwards September 1972, this creature is danced past times 3 people, 2 within together with ane holding the tail. It represents the beast forces that are portion of the H2O spirit Ohworhu. This masquerade tradition, mutual to many southern Urhobo together with Isoko hamlet groups, is believed to have got been brought northward past times itinerant Urhobo fishermen from Izon (Ijo) line-fishing camps perchance 300 years ago.
Urhobo calendar
Urhobo Okpo (week) is made upwardly of iv days which regulates marketplace cycles, religious worship, marriages together with other community life. The iv day's of the Urhobo calendar week are:Edewo,Ediruo,Eduhre,Edebi. In Urhobo mythology, Edewo together with Eduhre are sacred days to divinities, spirits together with ancestors. Most marketplace days are held on these days, ancestors are venerated on Edewo. Most traditional religious rituals are held on Eduhre.
Divinities(spirits) are believed to live really active inwards the farmlands together with forests on Edewo together with Eduhre. Therefore, farmers inwards most Urhobo communities rarely travel to farm so as non to disturb the spirits. The twelve months of the Urhobo calendar yr are as significant.
Urhobo swell man.Gamaliel Onosode, Nigerian technocrat; a leading boardroom instrumentalist inwards Nigeria's corporate environs together with Nigerian administrator together with politico with his wife
Ovuikpe -----------------January
Ava ------------------------February
Arha ----------------------March
Ane -----------------------April
Arhiori -------------------May
Asa -----------------------June
Eghwre ------------------July
Orianre -------------------August
Urhiori -------------------September
Ehwe --------------------October
Ushovo ------------------November
Ururuowe' ---------------December Most of the annual festivals are held during the months of Asa,Eghwre, Orianre together with Urhiori because these are the months of crop harvest together with farming activities is at its lowest. Most farmers are costless to partake inwards festivities. These are also periods to honour the spiritual forces that brought proficient harvest together with the gods of the land. Religion controls life style inwards traditional communities inwards Urhoboland.
Urhobo human being Richard Mofe-Damijo inwards his traditional Urhobo dress
Food
As with most tribes inwards Nigeria, a sure nutrient is considered to belong to or originate from a item tribe as inwards pounded yam together with egusi soup from the Igbos, Eba together with Ogbono soup (sometimes referred to as Ogbolo soup past times people of Esan or Etsakor descent). For the Urhobos at that spot are 2 foods considered Urhobo inwards nature. They are: Ukhodo (a yam together with unripe plantain dish sometimes cooked with lemon grass together with potash) together with Starch (actual holler of this staple is non often used) Ogwho soup (palm oil soup). The starch is made from cassava plant. It is heated together with stirred into a thick mound with palm oil added to give the starch its unique orange-yellow colour. The Ogwho soup is composed of smoked or dried fish, unique spices, potash together with oil palm juice. Other palm nut oil soups include amiedi pr banga, which is also eaten with starch together with or garri. Banga soup is also a delicacy made from palm kernel.
Source:http://www.urhoboassociation.org/The_Urhobo_People_New.html
http://www.sosyalarastirmalar.com/cilt3/sayi11pdf/ohwovoriole_felicia.pdf
URHOBO OKPE KINGDOM
THE ORIGIN OF THE OKPE PEOPLE
Who are the Okpe? In tracing the origin of peopleS, ethnic groups or nations, it is non unusual to encounter contending theories or perspectives. That of the Okpe fits into the mould of this historical imperative. The dependent area has been investigated past times several Okpe together with non Okpe scholars. The latter grouping includes Isaac Mebitaghan: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Brief History of Okpe Kingdom; Joseph O. Asagba: The Untold Story of a Nigerian Royal Family; together with Charles E. Osume: The Okpe People. In the one-time grouping nosotros discover fragments of the dependent area inwards the works of a British scholar, R.E. Bradbury, The Republic of Benin Kingdom together with the Edo-Speaking Peoples of South-Western Nigeria; together with M.P. Okumagba: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Short History of Urhobo. Professor Onigu Otite devoted important portions of his scholarly writings to the Okpe People. See his major publication, Autonomy together with Dependence: the Urhobo Kingdom of Okpe inwards Modern Nigeria; together with “Okpe” inwards his edited volume on The Urhobo People. Our word on the origin of Okpe derives from these various sources.
The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Major Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd).
That the ancestors of the Okpe people migrated from Republic of Benin is to a greater extent than often than non accepted past times all scholars. The migration of the ancestors of the Okpe people from Republic of Benin to their nowadays location was inwards several stages. First, the progenitor of the Okpe, Prince Igboze migrated from Republic of Benin together with founded the settlement of Olomu. Second, his senior boy Okpe, inwards monastic say to avoid continued conflict with his nephew, Olomu (the boy of Okpe’s sis that was married to an Ijaw), moved his relatives together with unopen associates to found Okpe r’Ikpere (Okpe-Isoko) inwards contemporary Isoko territory. Third, the eldest boy of Okpe, Orhue with 2 of his brothers, Evbreke together with Esezi migrated from Okpe r’Ikpere to found Orerokpe. His tertiary brother, i.e., the minute boy of Okpe, Orhoro, who had stayed behind together with founded Orhoro settlement (contemporary Ozoro) inwards Isoko territory, joined them inwards Orerokpe much later. These iv brothers, Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi, all children of Okpe together with grandsons of Prince Igboze, established Okpe Kingdom, together with hence, the iv ruling houses that deport their respective names.
Migrations
Prince Igboze of Benin, the progenitor of the Okpe nationality, migrated from Republic of Benin early on inwards the Christendom millennium together with established his kingdom inwards Olomu. It is fairly good established that a serial of migrations from Republic of Benin to the nowadays primal senatorial district inwards Delta State had occurred betwixt 1170 together with 1400. While Otite claimed that “Okpe ancestors together with predecessors were descendants of a human being called Urhobo”, (“Okpe”, inwards Urhobo People, p. 12) who had migrated from Republic of Benin inwards 1170, Osume challenged this view pointing out that none of the migrations from Republic of Benin identified Okpe as with this item moving ridge of migration referred to past times Otite. He averred that “One needs to exercise extreme caution before --- identifying Okpe as an Urhobo someone or citing 1170 as the appointment of an assumed early on tradition of Okpe migration”. This early on date, Osume opined, “might live truthful for Urhobo migration, NOT for the Okpe”. Osume took issues with the appointment cited inwards the installation brochure of Orhoro I inwards 1972 which stated that: “The Okpe people are the descendants of the iv princely brothers… Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi, whose ancestor migrated from Republic of Benin inwards virtually 1170.
That the Okpe are the descendants of the iv princely brothers identified to a higher spot is valid. The iv princely brothers were the sons of Okpe together with grandsons of Prince Igboze. However, the appointment of 1170 as opined past times Otite together with others is contestable. As indicated past times Osume, the appointment of 1170 was “imposed on the history of Okpe”. He stated that the “ancestors of the iv princely brothers, Igboze past times name, left Republic of Benin anytime betwixt 1550 together with 1650”, together with that Prince Igboze could non have got departed from Republic of Benin inwards 1170 “as an Urhobo speaker, but as ane of the princely sons of the Oba of Benin”. He declared: “The appointment of ‘1170’ as the appointment Okpe ancestor, IGBOZE migrated from Republic of Benin is hence an anachronism, because at that time, he was non fifty-fifty BORN yet. So who was that Okpe ancestor alluded to past times the 1170 date”? Osume postulated that the 1170 appointment “was likely smuggled into Okpe history past times those elements that vigorously want to spot the Okpe as portion of Urhobo”. However, the 16th together with 17th century dates quoted past times Osume is as contestable. Is the Okpe community as good as the Kingdom so youthful? At best, to a greater extent than inquiry is needed for the dating of Okpe Kingdom. There is fifty-fifty the problematic number of distinction betwixt Okpe Kingdom together with Okpe people. However, Otite (“Okpe”, inwards The Urhobo People, p. 121) acknowledged that : ”the Okpe are descendants of an ancient ruler inwards Ife. Who was that “ancient ruler inwards Ife” that Otite was referring to? Was he the ruler with majestic linkages to the Republic of Benin kingdom? Joseph Asagba also asserted this position. (See his The Untold Story of a Nigerian Royal Family, p. xxx). This acknowledgement lends acceptance to the Okpe version of their history tracing their progenitor to Prince Igboze of Republic of Benin who had linkages with Ife, but which separates the Okpe from the Urhobo. According to R.E. Bradbury inwards his book, The Republic of Benin Kingdom together with the Edo Speaking Peoples of South-Western Nigeria, p. 128, the classification of the Okpe with the Urhobo past times the British was influenced past times geographic contiguity together with the expediency of colonial direction “rather than on a linguist basis”, precisely as the British had grouped the Isoko as Urhobo. To class Okpe as Urhobo, Osume argued, “is a historical anomaly”, for the Okpe linguistic communication “is to a greater extent than akin or closer to the Edo of the Republic of Benin Kingdom than the Urhobo dialects”. He declared: “Okpe is non Urhobo”. When a people disregard or oblivious of the authenticity of their ain history, they confront the danger of allowing other people to write their history for them!
Founding of Orerokpe
The migration of Prince Igboze, together with that of his boy together with grandchildren leading to the founding of Orerokpe occurred inwards iv stages. First, Prince Igboze founded his kingdom inwards Olomu. Second, his son, Okpe migrated from Olomu to found Okpe r’Ikpere (Okpe-Isoko) inwards contemporary Isoko territory. Prince Igboze died inwards Olomu, shortly after the drowning of his most senior married adult woman inwards a canoe accident. In monastic say to avoid a civil state of war with Olomu, the grandson of Prince Igboze, Okpe together with his relatives elected to migrate from Olomu; (Olomu was the boy of Okpe’s sis who had married an Ijaw man). Third, Orhoro, the minute boy of Okpe, founded Orhoro (Ozoro) inwards contemporary Isoko territory. Fourth, next the Pb of Orhue, the eldest boy of Okpe, Evbreke together with Esezi accompanied Orhue to found Orerokpe, the headquarters of the Okpe Kingdom. Orhue’s expedition inwards search of fertile together with to a greater extent than spacious solid ground took him to the nowadays Orerokpe. Upon his homecoming to Okpe r’ikpere he told his brothers virtually his expedition together with asked them to accompany him to Orerokpe. Evbreke together with Esezi went with him, spell Orhoro joined his brothers at Orerokpe at a much subsequently date.
Establishment of Okpe Kingdom
Shortly after their settlement inwards Orerokpe, the iv brothers – Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi – decided to expand their territory past times founding settlements together with villages. These settlements were grouped nether iv quarters named after each of them – Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi. The primal location is known as Adane-Okpe (Okpe Four Quarters) together with constituted the nowadays iv ruling houses of the Okpe Kingdom: Orhue, Orhoro, Evbreke together with Esezi. Given the growth of their territory, together with the demand to institute a kingdom, the brothers decided that ane of them should assume the kingship as the Orodje of Okpe. Being the most senior, Orhue would have got assumed the kingship but he disqualified himself because of his advanced age. He also did non desire either Orhoro, his blood brother side past times side to him inwards historic catamenia or Evbreke the minute blood brother to him to assume the kingship because of their perennial quarrels. They hence asked Esezi, the youngest together with tertiary blood brother to Orhue to live the initiatory of all Orodje of Okpe. He was, accordingly, crowned past times Orhue, together with thus ascended the throne as Esezi I, Orodje of Okpe. Thus, the regulation together with character of the Okpe people of avoiding quarrels together with seeking peace became a characteristic characteristic of the Okpe people as it was established past times the founding iv brothers of the Okpe Kingdom.
The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Major Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd).
THE URHOBOS ARE AKKA PEOPLE
Urhobo people (AKKA People): The origin together with history of Urhobo formally known as Akka people has been a discourse of debate for some fourth dimension now. Those who knew or appear to know some facts which are hidden from the populace have got held these secrets because they stand upwardly to gain from it. The mental attitude of some of them as nosotros know had been to create upwardly faux stories together with crusade of calumny inwards monastic say to inherit property. Urhobos; docile as they are, are keen to know their rich history. In Urhobo-world.org, nosotros have got embarked on this journeying to right the erroneous impression that the urhobos were a savage people as reported inwards the exterior world together with were children to some other ethnic groups as observed inwards the behavioural attitudes together with spoken communication of others nosotros know of.
We have got embarked on this journeying non only to right the incorrect impressions but to dig out the truth together with authenticity of our heritage. There remains ane question; why is the seeming hatred for the Urhobo past times some ethnic groups within her boundaries? Answer: History ever repeat itself; nosotros found inwards ancient Arab Republic of Egypt that the Republic of Benin (Bini), Ijaw (Izon), Itsekiri, Igbo, Hausa, Urhobo, Ga together with Yoruba including others ane time lived together amicably together with inwards upheavals several years before the Arabs, Greeks together with Romans evict them inwards a volume exodus from Egypt. Incidentally they dominated as leaders inwards the Delta of Arab Republic of Egypt where the Akka people comprising the ethnic groups listed to a higher spot ane time lived. During this catamenia inwards time; enemies together with friends were made. Indeed, an Itsekiri-Greek King ane time rebelled thereby changing the holler of Amon metropolis to Akhetaten. He banished the gods: Re ( god of Urhobo in Egypt ), Osiris (Oziri inwards Ijaw, Ausar inwards Hausa, Aesar inwards Uvwie-Urhobo, Roman together with Greek, Izezi inwards Okpe-Urhobo ), Ptah ( Yoruba god of everything ), Amon (Urhobo god of the moon ), including many other lesser gods except Shu together with Aten (Aton god).
“This same Pharaoh (King) was our beloved Moses inwards the Bible”. - (Moustafa Gadalla; Tut-Ankh-Amon, the Living Image of the Lord. Gadalla publishers, 1997).
Remember Moses coming downward from the mount Sinai? That mount was truly known as Mount Horemhobo. (Notice the halt of Horemhobo i.e. Hobo)
Also; holler upwardly the origin of the holler Uhobo which eventually became Urhobo? It is really very possible that the holler of the patriarch General Horemhobo who was the lastly Pharaoh of the eighteen th dynasty was assigned to the one-time most senior Akka ethnic grouping as Urhobo people, he ruled Arab Republic of Egypt from 1348-1335 BCE. On the other hand, the badly flogged stories of Urhobo people beingness naturally children of ane patriarchal ethnic grouping is a lie. The proof lies inwards the fact that the Urhobos ane time lived inwards both Zevbaka together with Amono inwards ancient Egypt, the Benis lived inwards Bini spell the Itsekiris lived inwards Goshen , all on the right side of the river Nile spell the Yorubas lived inwards Sakara together with other places on the opposite side of the Nile .
By these times, the Akka people at nowadays known as Urhobo were leaders as evidenced past times the Pharaohs Khuvu, Djedevren together with Djedakare to holler a few. Also, the names of the pre-dynastic to dynastic catamenia kings does non reverberate the civilization of Beni inhabitants but of Amono together with Zevbaka inhabitants. Zevbaka is an Okpe name. The original holler of Eve was Hava (Heva), important 2 inwards Okpe language.-(Messod together with Roger Sabbah; Secrets of the exodus; did the Pharaohs write the Bible? Thorsons publishers, 2000).
The Urhobo people precisely similar other people of Nigeria together with Africa lost their history of Arab Republic of Egypt together with of the so-called Edo part which they know as Akka region. They left these places due to upheavals together with quest for fertile lands. Akka; a holler the Urhobos brought from Arab Republic of Egypt is really important inwards the lives of mankind today. The Story of Akka volition live revealed as nosotros progress inwards this website. It is really truthful that the People of Beni, Izon, Itsekiri, Hausa, Urhobo together with Yoruba have got mixed culturally during their remain together with since their eviction from Arab Republic of Egypt . But some other ethnic grouping which got away from these groups is the Hebrew but at that spot are bits inwards Hebrew linguistic communication which have got Republic of Benin , Izon, Itsekiri, Urhobo together with Yoruba languages undertones. For instance: Genesis 15: 13, 16, has the alarm to Abraham “…Know of a surety that thy seed shall live a stranger inwards a solid ground that is non theirs, together with shall serve them; together with they shall afflict them iv hundred years… But inwards the quaternary generation they shall come upwardly hither again,” Rendered inwards Hebrew language: “Wa dor rabi, Iyashwbw hena”.
The initiatory of all 2 syllables sounds similar Wa do (Greeting), inwards Urhobo. The tertiary syllable sounds similar Ra bi (God borns, or deliver's) inwards Yoruba. The quaternary syllable sounds similar Iyashewa biwa (Bundage?), inwards Yoruba. The lastly syllable, Hena maybe inwards Beni .
You live the Judge together with nosotros want you lot happy voyage inwards this website.
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN NAMES ARE URHOBO NAMES
THE UDJAT-EYE WHICH IS ACTUALLY UJDATEYE AND MEANS YOU WILL LIVE UP TO YOURSELF. UDJATEYE IS Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 WORD IN UVWIE ETHNIC GROUP OF URHOBO.
The Europeans who deciphered the Hieroglyphs should live commended. Nevertheless, the truth should live told. Some lay claim to Ancient Arab Republic of Egypt but nosotros don't blame them. Anybody especially those who are related to the original Ancient Egyptians volition no dubiety live proud of their history. The data below volition prepare the Urhobo people that their history together with Ancestors were stolen together with blackmailed respectively just as the iconographies above have been misinterpreted to live something else. The Udjat-eye iconography was where they got the word EYE from. But it truly way "You volition live upwardly to yourself". It is a word denoting the optic (Aro, Ero inwards Urhobo) telling the Sunday that it volition live upwardly to itself because the Sunday was the initiatory of all to live created likely past times itself together with sustains itself.
Sacred Groves together with Tree Worship with the Urhobo
By Ochuko Tonukari
There has been, of late, enormous involvement inwards the study of nature conservation past times traditional societies. The protection of patches of wood as sacred groves together with of several tree species as sacred trees belong to the religion-based conservation ethos of ancient people all over the world. Although such practices became extinct inwards most parts of the world, basically due to changes inwards religion, together with during recent times due to changes inwards resources utilisation patterns, sacred groves together with sacred trees proceed to live of much importance inwards the organized religious belief together with civilization of many parts of the world.
Urhobo human being Bruce Onobrakpeya, Africa's foremost visual artist, Sculptor together with painter
According to a really elderly together with learned Urhobo man, “the concept of the sacredness of trees, from the Urhobo historical past times enters into every facet of Urhobo traditional religion. It rests on the earliest conceptions of the unity of life inwards nature, inwards the feel of communion together with fellowship with the divine centre together with source of life. The sacred tree is said to live deeply rooted inwards the primitive religious ideas of earliest Urhobo people. In the history of Urhobo religious evolution, it lies behind the primitive era.”
Urhobo swell son, David Ejoor, retired Nigerian Army together with governor of the now-defunct Mid-Western Region
In Urhobo totemism, nosotros discover that flora species may live totems precisely as beast species or rivers are. On the other hand, the protection of flora species or groves or their planting on grounds of sacredness could live considered a to a greater extent than advanced stage inwards the evolution of Urhobo religion. Such groves together with sacred trees are associated to a greater extent than with agricultural societies.
Thus inwards most parts of Urhoboland, each community had its ain sacred grove. Especially worshipped were sanctuaries built with enormous age-old trees which were never to live cutting down. The traditional Urhobo people worshipped the spirits of nature, especially of woodlands. They also had their ain sacred forests, which were the venue of populace offerings together with various rituals. When they began uniting, these sites became centres for various sorts of religious worship. For the Urhobos, the sacred groves served the purpose of sanctuaries together with temples.
The many landscapes inwards Urhoboland inwards the distant past times were dotted with hundreds of sacred places. Sacred enclosures formed ane of the major categories of solid ground use. These commonly contained groves of trees together with springs of water; within them the environs was preserved, as a rule, inwards its natural state. As ane Urhobo traditionalist noted, "If you lot come upwardly upon a grove of old trees that have got lifted upwardly their crowns to a higher spot the mutual elevation together with unopen out the calorie-free of the sky past times the darkness of their interlacing boughs, you lot experience that at that spot is a spirit inwards the place, so lofty is the wood, so solitary the spot, so wondrous the thick unbroken shade."
Another elderberry remarked, "Here stands a still grove dark with the shade of ane mighty Okpagha tree together with numerous Ogriki; at the sight of it anyone could say, “there is a spirit here!” He also indicated that trees were the initiatory of all temples of the gods, together with "even at nowadays elementary Urhobo people dedicate a tree of exceptional elevation to a god. Gods favour wild trees unsown past times mortal hands"
One aged adult woman spoke of sure Igbe devotees gathering regularly to pray nether the trees on a lilliputian sacred grove fenced all circular at Orhoakpor. According to her, this grove was x miles inwards circumference. Another grove nigh Isiokolo stretched all the way downward a depression mountainside to the river. She traces the beginnings of sacred groves inwards Urhoboland to the hunting together with gathering era of Urhobo historical past times (Awharen). Among the Agbon people, she says, "Groves of this tree are sacred. In them no axe may live set to whatever tree, no branch broken, no firewood gathered, no grass burnt; together with wildlife which have got taken refuge at that spot may non live molested. In these sacred groves cocks, sheep together with goats are sacrificed together with prayers are offered for pelting or fine conditions or on behalf of sick children".
The Urhobo people of Agbon extraction, inwards ancient times had many sacred groves. Such areas ranged from a quarter of a hectare to 3 hectares; inwards them tree cutting was taboo. Some of these groves survived upwardly to the 1980s, providing splendid sites for examining the vegetation that had existed a century earlier, as several species of trees were rare or non seen at all elsewhere.
Urhobo human being Michael Ibru
Also at that spot are a lot of trees that are considered sacred with Urhobo people. For instance, the Okpagha is considered sacrosanct. Streams are often found precisely about mature Okpagha trees. Most traditional Urhobos believe that spirits reside inwards these trees. Those from Avwraka believe that sacred spirits dwell deep within forests. One Igbe adult woman has a epitome that illustrates the Urhobo wood ecosystem inwards which plants, animals, human beings, spirits together with devils live together .
There could live many reasons why the groves vanished from Urhoboland. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 variety of multiple uses was allowed inwards groves. Although they were strictly protected inwards most places, religious utilisation of their resources was allowed. As much wood mightiness live taken as was necessary for sacrifices. Animals, such as goats, mightiness live captured together with offered to the deity. Trees inwards the grove could live used inwards edifice a temple within it or fifty-fifty away from it. Wood from the sacred trees was believed to hold its magical powers when fashioned into other objects together with was used for making a variety of objects similar statues of gods, staffs, sceptres, etc. Wood was fifty-fifty supplied to private persons at a fixed cost for sacrifices.
It seems the groves also suffered from the pressures of urbanization, as baths, roads, hospitals, churches, stadia, gymnasiums, schools, etc., were established. At times they also had to cater to the timber needs of the ever-increasing population.
What caused the concluding downfall of the groves inwards Urhoboland?
The groves lasted as places of religious importance downward through the Christianization of the Urhobo country. As centres of heathen worship, they became the objects of Christian zeal. Some over-zealous pastors issued that the groves live cutting downward unless they had already been appropriated for some purpose compatible with Christianity.
No doubt, due mainly to the ascent of dogmatic religions similar Christianity which advocated faith inwards ane God together with was explicitly for the eradication of ‘pagan practices, the tradition of maintaining sacred groves together with sacred trees vanished from most areas inwards Urhoboland. Urhobo tradition itself has grown out of the amalgamation of scores of local cults which are often nature-based. Therefore the worship of plants, groves, animals together with natural objects similar rivers, mounts, ant-hills together with rocks continues to have got some spot inwards it. Outdoor sanctuaries were the initiatory of all temples of the gods. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sacred spot demarcated for a deity was called Ogua.
Urhobo has rich folk traditions that centers on the veneration of the “ecosystem people.” The protection of whole communities as sacred ponds together with groves is a remarkable characteristic of Urhobo landscapes. One of the most widespread of the traditions inwards Urhobo is the protection given to sure trees, which dot the countryside together with are often the only large trees inwards the midst of towns together with villages.
The sacred groves of Urhobo are "sacred places where trees together with plants were allowed to grow undisturbed together with where reptiles, birds together with animals could have got costless living without fright of poaching or interference past times man". These sacred groves are of 2 kinds. Some are inwards the midst of human habitation together with inwards most cases attached to households or non far away from them. These sacred groves used to have got Edjo of various categories as deities; but of belatedly these distinctions got blurred due to different beings worshipped inwards the same sacred groves. The other types of sacred grove, the Eghwarode, on the other hand, be inwards the ranges engulfed inwards forests.
Urhobo mask
Sacred trees similar Ogriki, Okpagha, remnants of sacred groves, or intact groves with rare plants together with sacred ponds, are associated with the Mother Goddess temples. Behind the facade of sure villages, the colourful cultural festivals of the beautiful temple complexes, with their caparisoned elephants, men masked as demons or deities, sword-wielding oracles dressed inwards crimson together with dripping blood, the exhilarating Omiovwor the music from 7 instruments, with the drum inwards the Pb are the quickly fading folklore virtually entangled groves together with their mysterious deities.Most times, sacred trees together with pocket-size groves comprehend larger sacred forests inwards Urhoboland. Such groves together with forests are often the only remains of the original vegetation, whose presence inwards the landscape is dramatically observable on large deforested together with terraced slopes.
Not only did sacred groves be inwards to a greater extent than favourable climatic conditions, but their presence is noticed fifty-fifty inwards compounds of sure Urhobo traditionalists, herbalists together with some Igbe devotees.
The Okpagha together with Ogriki trees have got had a conspicuous spot inwards the cultural landscape of Urhobo people’s collective retentivity for to a greater extent than than 500 years. It was alleged that Aziza himself found enlightenment nether Okpagha together with Owe trees. In fact, a lot of Urhobo women inwards the past, who experienced difficulties inwards kid deliveries were reported to have got pose to bed inwards sacred groves.
Urhobo woman, Blessing Okagbare, Olympic bronze medalist
Okpagha tree, for instance, was highly venerated past times traditional Urhobo people. This huge tree is a sacred tree of Urhobo together with grows inwards the shade of humid tropical evergreen forests. The author has seen other trees growing inwards many locales inwards Urhoboland which are sacred to the people. Somewhere precisely about Agbon Primary School, at that spot is ane expanse that is untouchable till date. Its woodland is goose egg other than primeval, uncleared forests which was believed to live haunted past times ancestral spirits together with woodland spirits precisely as most sacred groves are the abodes of spiritual deities inwards other parts of the world fifty-fifty till today.
In the association of gods with item flora species nosotros have got a parallelism with ancient Urhobo people. Okpagha or Owe tree was said to belong to Aziza, Ogriki to Edjo Ughere, Omiovwor tree to the goddess Omiovwor, Akpobrisi tree (though nobody dare nigh it) for the Akpobrisi god, together with so on. However, within the grove the deity was non identified with whatever special flora species.
An elderberry stated that, most Urhobo deities that are worshipped nether sacred groves could live found inwards the forest, inwards a spot surrounded past times water, rivers, coming together places nether trees, new-grown groves, etc. The Akpobrisi tree is likened to Akpobrisi himself. Some aspects of Urhobo tradition concur that he is the possessor of all the wood solid ground that surrounds its abode. Aziza is essentially considered past times the Urhobos as a deity of the woods, whose province is to guard the fields, crops together with herds of the peasantry together with to drive away their enemies.
Most gods together with goddesses whom the indigenous population of Urhobo worshipped were non accustomed to dwell inwards the secluded atmosphere of temples; they loved the opened upwardly air. Even today, for the Edjo Orerhe (village deities) at that spot are no temples inwards many villages. The deity may live inwards the shadow of a large tree. Generally they are lodged inwards pocket-size shrines. In a proficient number of villages no object is placed to correspond the deity together with the tree itself is regarded as the embodiment of the deity.
Urhobo swell man.Gamaliel Onosode, Nigerian technocrat; a leading boardroom instrumentalist inwards Nigeria's corporate environs together with Nigerian administrator together with politician
Bountiful rainfall together with relatively depression population promoted the growth of luxuriant forests which, though subjected to heavy commercial pressures during the lastly 10 years or so, still screen nearly seventy per cent of Urhoboland’s surface. It is a coming together spot of several ecosystems, namely marine, estuarine, riverine together with a variety of land-based ones. The forests belong to the tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous together with dry out deciduous types.
The waters back upwardly rich fisheries together with tillage is confined to 73 per cent of its solid ground surface; at that spot is a bewildering variety of cultivated crops which include cassava, plantain, okra, palm tree, cocoyam, yam, together with fruits similar mango, coconut, banana, pineapple, pawpaw, cashew, guava, together with so on. Small patches of sugarcane, pepper, tomatoes together with vegetable are found all over the neighborhood.
Since population was sparse together with wood patches cleared for tillage small, the forests must have got recovered inwards most places except inwards lands maintained as savannas through periodic burning. Therefore the vegetation of sacred groves, the relics of which remain to this day, disputes the theory of climatic modify as the ground for wood decline together with spread of savannas inwards Urhoboland.
Burnt ash enriches the soil with nutrients together with has a neutralizing effect on soil acidity. Unlike the fire-sensitive together with tall primary wood trees of evergreens, the secondary vegetation which sprouted on the tillage fallows would furnish to a greater extent than usable biomass similar easily harvestable leafage manure together with coppice shoots together with hardwoods together with bamboo for a variety of purposes. At the same time, the loss of evergreen wood would resultant inwards a decrease inwards scores of useful flora species. Streams together with springs are adversely affected together with fire-proneness increases inwards the ecosystem. The Urhobo hamlet communities would hence acquire to set aside substantial expanse of wood unopen to their settlements as security forests. Before the arrival of organized religions, when paganism, with deities inwards the groves or mount cliffs or H2O sources would live to a greater extent than common, the security forests would naturally plough into sacred places as well. Tree cutting hither would live taboo, which is truthful to this twenty-four hr catamenia inwards many parts of the Urhoboland.
In the past times the Urhobo forests are patches of often climax evergreen wood protected past times shifting cultivators primarily on religious grounds. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of trees inwards Urhoboland are rich inwards biological diversity, together with are also places of worship for Urhobo peasant societies. All along the places, shifting tillage was a really of import shape of solid ground utilisation which involved the clearing of primary forests, at to the lowest degree initially. However, at that spot is growing evidence to advise that the shifting cultivators followed sure ethics spell dealing with the wood ecosystems. The most of import aspect is the retention of often sizeable patches of forests from few hectares to a few hundred hectares as inviolable sacred groves.
According to ane elder, the forests are the belongings of the gods of the villages inwards which they are situated, together with the trees ought non to live cutting without having acquire out from the Osedjo of the village, whose business office is hereditary, together with who hither also is priest to the temple of the hamlet god. The idol receives goose egg for granting this permission; but the fail of the ceremony of asking his acquire out brings his vengeance on the guilty person. The taboo on cutting trees inwards the sacred groves continues to this twenty-four hr catamenia inwards sure parts of Urhobland.
Another elder’s arguing referring to hamlet gods is relevant here:
Each Urhobo hamlet has a different god, some male, some female, but past times the Urhobos they are called Edjo as requiring bloody sacrifices to appease their wrath.
From this statement, nosotros may infer that the forests were virtually nether the command of hamlet communities with well-defined territories. Thus the mutual belongings resources of a village, similar forests, were used past times a pocket-size number of people nether a well-regulated social scheme without the demand for policing. The sacred groves, with their deities requiring bloody sacrifices, were evidently nether the command of Urhobo peasant societies.
The groves undoubtedly were together with still proceed to portion as temples of worship all along the tracts of Urhoboland. In spite of the Christianization procedure that has swept through most parts of Urhoboland, the interior villages proceed to live the centres of primitive cults, where organized religious belief inwards its early on shape is still inwards vogue.
We inwards Urhoboland have got ever felt the magic of the trees. They represented natural enigmas where many things happened as element of an overall cosmic monastic say together with nether which lay the source of enlightenment. Hence nosotros never felt the demand for much enclosure, comfortable with the thought of a elementary parasol that could shield us from estrus together with pelting whilst allowing the breeze to flow over our bodies. The most profound social images such as those of worship together with teaching were non that of a closed building, but a spot nether the spreading boughs of a tree confirming our affinity to the natural, together with our propensity to an open-to-sky place. So inwards traditional Urhobo lodge where the wood was as ubiquitous as the breeze, it was natural that wood rather than stone or Earth was the secular together with sacred edifice material.
According to ane erudite Isiokolo leader, the abundance of trees on Urhoboland coupled with the philosophical together with religious notions of the civilization engendered a unique receptivity towards timber. There was a maxim inwards traditional Urhobo lodge - trees together with plants ever have got something to say - confirming the Urhobo traditional belief that trees had a soul together with were the abodes of spirits. It is said that Urhobo traditional organized religious belief partly was founded on this belief of the divinity of trees. The tree was Idjere Akpor ve Odjuvwu, the route past times which sky together with Earth meet; together with thus old trees struck past times lightening were often revered objects, considered evidence that the Gods had indeed landed. Almost every edifice type, live it a house, shrine, temple or palace used wood as its major structural fabric bearing the extremes of climatic conditions. It was amidst these arduous together with sensitive rhythms that evolved Urhobo's civilization of wood.
What thus remains most noticeable inwards this dialogue is the ever-dwindling phonation of Urhobo civilization with regard to the worship of trees, non because at that spot is no unmarried culprit this civilization tin dot to together with accuse, but because the civilization itself is dying. For is it non a post-industrial inevitability that ane no longer hears the hammers joining timber beams; together with only natural that the electrical drill dominates a steel-driven urban frequency? With every rare together with remnant traditional townhouse razed to the ground, does non Urhobo limited a helplessness, an involuntary desperation to hold live its modernity, at the cost of renouncing its past? The sacred grove together with the worship of tree is nostalgia, a piece frozen inwards Urhobo myth. The civilization of wood is dead!
But inwards observing today's Urhobo towns, it occurs that buildings are designed inwards the expectation non that they volition stand upwardly the attempt of time, but that they volition live torn downward sooner rather than subsequently together with replaced past times something to a greater extent than appropriate to the economical together with technological demands of the future. The annual grade of modify within the densely built urban zones is virtually 30%, encompassing facade improvements to entire novel structures. In Warri to a greater extent than than a 6 foursquare feet of edifice is demolished every day, to a greater extent than than 6 times that number constructed on a daily basis. On its scarce together with notoriously expensive solid ground the listing is long of the many pocket-size together with large structures - obscure together with prominent, dilapidated together with fresh - that challenge whatever elementary agreement virtually the normal course of study of aging, necessitating a substantial reinterpretation of the important of durability together with ephemerality inwards architecture. This peculiar outlook to apprehending the metropolis as a serial of fleeting events rather than an object of substance echoes the age-old profundity of transience, modify together with renewal. In Warri, which so constantly seems nether construction - urban skylines crowded with forests of cranes - the ghost of its ancient civilization of wood still possesses the 'brand novel city' built everyday.
And so similar the 'Angelus Novus' inwards Paul Klee's painting, Urhobo seems similar the angel of its ain history looking as though he is virtually to displace away from something he is fixedly contemplating. His eyes are staring, his oral fissure is open, his wings are spread. His confront is turned towards the past times where he sees a deep-rooted culture. He perceives a chain of events, a unmarried catastrophe that keeps piling wreckage upon wreckage together with hurls it at his feet. The angel would similar to stay, awaken the dead, hold live what is beingness wrecked. But a tempest is blowing from Paradise; it has caught inwards his wings with such violence that he tin no longer unopen them. It irresistibly propels him into the hereafter to which his dorsum is turned, spell the pile of debris before him grows skyward. The tempest is Urhobo’s progress.
Urhobo Names together with Their Meanings
(Revised: August, 2005)
By Aruegodore Oyiborhoro, ED.D., F.A.A.A.
Long Island, New York, USA
Every Urhobo holler given to a kid has a important attached to it. The Urhobo believe that a kid lives upwardly to the likeness or important of the holler that she or he bears. For instance, at that spot is a full general belief that if a 'thief' is the holler of a kid that kid may grow upwardly to live a 'rogue.' If, on the other hand, your kid is given a holler that suggests a 'rich person,' at that spot is the belief that such a kid invariably grows upwardly to live a wealthy individual. Urhobo parents are hence really careful of the names that they give to their children.
For the most part, grandparents or unopen older relatives have got the privilege of giving names to new-borns. This is commonly an honor. However, different some of their ethnic neighbors, Urhobo people do non have got whatever special
naming ceremonies that require performing sure rites. Apart from the parents together with grandparents, traditionally Urhobo rarely allowed new-borns to live touched or sometimes seen straight past times others until the historic catamenia of 3 months. Mother together with kid are commonly rigid plenty to have got an outing at this age. This involves visiting the in-laws together with other unopen relatives. At this time, the kid should have got an established given name. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 nascency registry is a recent notion inwards Urhoboland. Traditionally, Urhobo parents do non “count” the number of their children. Parents are non permitted past times Urhobo cultural practices to count their children. The number of fingers often represents a count of one's children.
Urhobo names have got deep meanings. Names are non mere labels, as they are inwards some other societies. Many Urhobo names invoke SPIRITUAL or religious significance. Sometimes nosotros give names to connote a
CHALLENGE to self or others. Urhobo people thrive best when challenged. We also give names as a celebration together with APPRECIATION of the gift of a kid itself. Several Urhobo names reverberate accolade and
ACHIEVEMENT. Certain names are merely PHILOSOPHICAL, spell others are GENDER specific. The Urhobo also give names that emphasize the importance of PEOPLE as an of import RESOURCE.
Sometimes names are given to announce SPECIAL DAYS, especially if the private was born on that specific day. The Urhobo are a really republican people. They piece of work really hard to acquire wealth together with fame inwards an old-fashioned way. Your wealth is as proficient as its source. Urhobo volition investigate the source of your wealth. If it is suspect, you lot stand upwardly to lose your respect, dignity together with fame. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 proficient number of Urhobo names have got to do with WEALTH AND MONEY. Names are also given to announce COLORS, WEATHER conditions, NATURAL RESOURCES together with PLACE of origin or where born. The listing that follows contains a sample of some mutual Urhobo names. It must live pointed out that a few of the names nether GENDER are non so
mutual whatever more. The names are placed inwards categories. Each category contains the long form, brusque form, gender, together with important attached to each name. Urhobo names are sometimes sentences or fifty-fifty phrases. The ‘long forms’ may inwards fact live the 'short forms' of the actual long names. The ‘short forms’, therefore, are inwards some cases doubly brusque forms of the existent names.
However, the actual meanings of the names are never inwards doubt. Some of these names may belong to cross categories warranting repetition inwards some cases. This is deliberate. Most Urhobo names start with vowels inwards the initial spot except where abbreviated.
NAMES SHORT FORMS GENDER MEANINGS
Akpenvwoghene Akpenvwe Unisex Praise God
Anaborhi Naborhi UNISEX Be born with proficient destiny
Edewor Dewor Male Sacred twenty-four hr catamenia of worship inwards traditional
religion
Ejiroghene Ejiro Unisex Praise God
Ejokparoghene Jokpa or Oghene Unisex Let's trust inwards God
Ejomafuvwe Jomafuvwe or
Jomafu Unuisex Let peace reign inwards my life
Enohor/Elohor Nohor or Lohor Female Blessing
Erhiaganoma Erhi or Rhiaganoma Male Guardian spirit overpowers the body
Erhimeyoma Oyoma Unisex My guardian spirit (God) is good
Erhinyoja Rhinyoja or Onyoja Unisex Guardian spirit (God) meets our challenges
(hears our prayers)
Erhinyuse Use Unisex Guardian spirit (God) answers prayers
Erhiroghene Erhi or Oghene Unisex The spirit of God
Eseoghene Ese Unisex God's gift
Eserovwe Ese or Ovwe Unisex God’s grace or Free gift
Oghenebrume Brume Unisex God decided inwards my favor
Oghenechovwe Chovwe or Oghene Unisex God aided me
Oghenefejiro Ofejiro or Oghene Unisex God is praiseworthy
Oghenegaren Garen or Oghene Unisex God is great
Oghenekevwe Kevwe or Oghene Unisex God gave (provided for) me
Oghenekohwo Oghene or Kohwo Unisex God provides
Ogheneme Ome or Oghene Unisex My God
Oghenemine Mine or Mimi Unisex I appear upwardly to God
Oghenenyore Nyore or Oghene Unisex God answers prayers
Ogheneruemu Oghene Unisex God makes things possible
Oghenerukevwe Rukevwe or Ruks Unisex God did this for me
Ogheneruno Oruno or Runo Unisex God has so much (great)
Oghenetega Tega or Oghene Unisex God is worship-worthy
Oghenevwede Oghenede or
Oghene Unisex God owns the day
Oghenevwogagan Gaga or Oghene Unisex God provides all strength
Oghenochuko Ochuko or Oghene Unisex God provides my support
Okeroghene Okeoghene or
Oghene Unisex God’s ain time
Omamerhi Mamerhi or Oma Unisex Good guardian spirit
Onakpoma Ono Unisex Who creates life?
Onomavwe Ono Unisex Who is my creator?
Onomine Ono or Mimi Unisex Whom do I appear upwardly to?
Onovughakpor Ono or Onovughe Unisex Who tin predict what life tin bring?
Oyovwikemo Kemo or Yovwike Unisex May our children live blessed
Oyovwikerhi Kerhi or Yovwike Unisex May my guardian spirit (God) live blessed
Urhobo tribe woman.Blessing Okagbare, Olympic bronze medalist
Names with CHALLENGE Connotations
Achojah Achojah Male Rise upwardly to challenge
Aruegodore Egodo Male We have got come upwardly (established) home
Edojah Dojah Male Day of challenge
Efemini Efe Male Let's consider how wealthy you lot tin be
Efetobo Efe Unisex Wealth is achieved
Efetobore Tobore Male Wealth has at nowadays been achieved
Etanomare Tanomare or Nomare Unisex Freed from blame (despair)
Ighomuedafe Igho or Dafe Male Money intoxicates the wealthy
Miriodere Miriode Unisex I at nowadays have got a name
Mitaire Mitai Unisex I have got achieved (reached) their match
Mivwodere Mivwode Unisex I at nowadays have got a name
Oboganriemu Obogan Male Be rigid to endure (eat)
Ogbamremu Ogba Male The brave meets a lot of challenges
Ojakorotu Jakorotu or Orotu Male This is a grouping challenge
Ojanomare Janoma Unisex I have got met the challenge
Onajite Ojite Unisex This is sufficient
Onanojah Onojah Male This is a challenge
Onogaganmue Ono or Ogagan Male Who is intoxicated with power?
Onoharhese Noharhese Unisex Who blames proficient deeds?
Udumebraye Udume or Dumebraye Male My presence gives them heartache (challenge)
Names with ACHIEVEMENT Connotations
NAMES SHORT FORMS GENDER MEANINGS
Edafetanure Tanure Male The wealthy have got spoken
Follow this link for more:http://www.urhoboga.org/images/Urhobo_Names_and_Their_Meanings.pdf
On the Matter of Clans together with Kingdoms inwards Urhobo History together with Culture
By Peter P. Ekeh
Chair, Urhobo Historical Society
Presented as a lecture at an Assembly of Urhobo Community, Abuja, Nigeria, Saturday, Apr 26, 2008. Several members of Urhobo Historical Society contributed their thoughts to the construction of this paper. I want, inwards particular, to give thank you lot Mr. Onoawarie Edevbie, Dr. Isaac James Mowoe, Dr. Emmanuel Ojameruaye, together with Chief Simpson Obruche for their extensive comments on the paper. I should add together that the concern of this newspaper is shared past times the membership of Urhobo Historical Society.
As a term for describing a basic unit of measurement of Urhobo culture, the word “clan” came into existence at the attack of British colonial dominion inwards Urhoboland inwards the starting fourth dimension decades of the 20th century. From prehistoric times, together with fifty-fifty during that era of colonial rule, the Urhobo people employed their ain native expressions, including ẹkpotọ (that is, ẹkpo r’ otọ inwards total phrasing), to depict these units of Urhobo culture. Other words that were so used to depict Urhobo’s cultural units were ẹkuotọ together with ubrotọ. However, that colonial term of “clans” dominated Urhobo studies together with everyday analysis of Urhobo ways of life until its potency was undermined inwards the belatedly 1990s.
Late Nigerian thespian Justus Esiri is Urhobo human being from Abraka.
Its electrical flow competitor term of “kingdom” was initiatory of all applied to the special instance of Okpe past times Onigu Otite inwards his 1969 Ph.D. thesis for London University, which has since been published as Autonomy together with Dependence: The Urhobo Kingdom of Okpe inwards Modern Nigeria (1973). Otite’s academic utilisation of the term “kingdom” was specialized together with was largely circumscribed past times the unique events of Okpe history. The publication of Otite’s volume inwards the early on 1970s did non diminish the utilisation of the term “clans” for describing Urhobo’s subcultures nor did it Pb to whatever upswing inwards the utilisation of “kingdoms” inwards Urhobo studies together with everyday life.
The recent widespread upsurge inwards the utilisation of the word “kingdoms” inwards the cultural life of the Urhobo people followed from the publication of a volume of a different genre. Titled Urhobo Kingdoms: Political together with Social Systems together with published inwards 1997, its authors were notable: they were the Ovie1 of Ogor, His Royal Highness O. I. Adjara III,2 together with his co-author Andy Omokri. Although this volume cannot live said to have got made whatever academic impact beyond Urhoboland together with its Diaspora, its import on Urhobo social life has been considerable. While it is hardly known exterior the leading circle of Ivie3 together with high chieftains inwards Urhoboland, its influence inwards this dominant grouping of aristocrats appears to have got been immediate together with positive.
Today, the term “clan” has largely been swept off Urhobo political vocabulary. However, it is uncertain whether “kingdoms” has effectively replaced the British term “clans” or indeed traditional indigenous Urhobo terms, such as ẹkpotọ, for which the British had coined the word “clans” a century ago. Indeed, this greenback of disquiet may good live phrased differently, as a query: Is it possible that the introduction of “kingdoms” has done to a greater extent than damage to Urhobo’s cultural circumstances than whatever appearance of prestige that it has bestowed on our majestic institutions? What ane tin say with some certainty is that at that spot is considerable confusion inwards the usages together with meanings of “kingdoms” inwards modern Urhobo cultural life. Certainly, the term “kingdoms” has left out of its semantic sway whole areas of civilization that are of traditional concern to the Urhobo people. Into this deepening confusion has at nowadays strolled the Delta State Government waiving what appears to live an all-embracing novel claim that it has an inherent powerfulness to decree Urhobo “kingdoms” into existence past times way of authorities gazettes. Without a doubt, a night cloud of cultural crisis at nowadays hangs over the Urhobo horizon. In these circumstances, at that spot is demand to clarify the historical together with cultural meanings of “clans” together with “kingdoms.” To live still together with allow this confusion to live waged inwards ignorance serves no ane good – non Urhobo culture, non the Delta State Government, together with sure as shooting non Urhobo chieftains.
Urhobo son Tanure Ojaide, prolific Nigerian poet together with writer: tanureojaide.com
Pre-Historic Origins of Urhobo Cultural Units
For now, permit me to pose aside the 2 controversial price of “clans” together with “kingdoms.” In their place, I volition utilisation the politically neutral aspect of “Urhobo Cultural Units” or to a greater extent than merely “Urhobo’s Subcultures.” These are sociological notions for which the word “clans” or “kingdoms” had been suggested as a shorthand. Note that I have got non employed some other pop expression, polities, inwards characterizing these subunits of Urhobo culture. That is because the word polities is limited past times its political anthropological baggage to matters political whereas the units of Urhobo civilization that are the dependent area of our word hither have got vast historical together with cultural nuances together with interpretations.
These basic subunits of Urhobo civilization were prehistoric. That is, their existence predated modern historiography that assigns dates together with ascertainable fourth dimension periods to historical events. Today, Urhobo scholars together with civilization artists have got arrived at a amount total of twenty-two of these units of Urhobo culture. By maxim that they are prehistoric, nosotros hateful to say that all of them -- Agbarha-Ame, Agbarha Otor, Agbarho, Agbon, Arhavwarien, Avwraka, Ephron, Evwreni, Eghwu, Idjerhe, Oghara, Ogor, Okere, Okparebe, Okpe, Olomu, Orogun, Udu, Ughelli, Ughievwen, Uvwie, together with Uwherun – were good settled before the ascent of important historical epochs that defined the boundaries of medieval together with modern Urhobo history. Thus, it is presumed that all these twenty-two subunits of Urhobo civilization were inwards existence before the ascent of Republic of Benin Empire inwards the 1440s together with before the arrival of the Portuguese inwards the Western Niger Delta inwards the 1480s.
To say that Urhobo’s subcultures were ancient together with prehistoric is non to advise that they are of the same historic catamenia together with generation. On the contrary, a grouping of these subcultures was of swell antiquity, giving nascency to newer subcultures. In general, the older subcultures were geographically separated from the less ancient ones. There is ample evidence from internal Urhobo folk cognition together with rituals that suggests that the oldest cultural subunits of Urhoboland are inwards the low-lying swampy southeastern part which is bounded past times Patani River together with Ijawland inwards the due south together with Isokoland inwards the east. These primeval subcultures of Urhoboland include Uwherun, Evwreni, Arhavwarien, Okparebe, Eghwu, together with Olomu.
It is noteworthy that inwards precolonial times, Iyede inwards modern Isoko was counted with the earliest subcultures of Urhoboland. It has since been re-assigned to Isoko, suggesting that the cultural walls that separate Urhobo from Isoko are thin.4 The migrations into Urhoboland that are variously claimed to have got occurred, with points of origin inwards lands ane time ruled past times the Ogiso dynasty inwards areas at nowadays named Benin, most likely followed the creeks into this swampy part of southeastern Urhoboland together with Isokoland; rather than through the impenetrable rainforests of northwestern Urhoboland.
Urhobo's Subcultures together with the Conquest of Western Niger Delta’s Rainforests
Urhobo folk history suggests that it was from the swampy southeastern Urhobo part that the conquest of the bigger together with to a greater extent than ample rainforests of northwestern Urhoboland was launched together with accomplished. Those who achieved this extraordinary feat of conquest were fresh units who founded novel sub-cultures inwards areas that they conquered, spreading Urhobo linguistic communication together with civilization across these virgin tropical rainforests. Some of these sub-cultures were established inwards groups. Thus, the so-called Oghwoghwa Cultural Group (see Erivwo: 2003: 109-113) -- consisting of Ogor, Ughelli, Agbarha-Otor, together with Orogun – likely launched their crusade inwards tandem, occupying contiguous vital lands inwards the rainforests of the Western Niger Delta. Other groups went farther away from the southeast homeland. Thus, having followed similar paths from Isoko (in the instance of Agbon) together with Erhowa (in modern Isoko, inwards the instance of Okpe)) together with having both registered settlements inwards Olomu inwards southeastern Urhobo, the ancestors of the Okpe people together with of Agbon conquered together with claimed vital territories closer to River Ethiope.
Great boy of Urhobo Ben Okri, Nigerian poet together with novelist
Another genre of crusade of expansion of territory past times a grouping of Urhobo sub-cultures inwards the rainforests of the Western Niger Delta is noteworthy. Just as Olomu proved to live a fertile starting dot together with a gateway for secondary groups of sub-cultures for campaigns of conquests of large portions of rainforests of the Western Niger Delta, so has Agbarha-Otor turned out to live a veritable cradle inwards breeding novel tertiary sub-cultures. It was from Agbarha-Otor that groups left to found Agbarha-Ame, inwards modern Warri, naming their subculture after their ancestral solid ground as Agbarha. Then an fifty-fifty to a greater extent than arduous crusade was waged when 2 separate groups of Agbarha-Otor migrants crossed the River Ethiope together with occupied virgin rainforests on the Western side of an untamed river. They named their novel sub-cultures after their ancestral towns inwards Agbarha-Otor as Idjerhe together with Oghara.
Historic Significance of the Conquest of Western Niger Delta’s Rainforests past times Urhobo Cultural Units
It is likely unnecessary at this dot of our analysis to sweat a blow-by-blow business concern human relationship of the founding of the twenty-two sub-groups of Urhobo culture. But it is of import that nosotros attach some significance to the to a higher spot arguing of the groups of founding subcultures that are at nowadays to a greater extent than controversially labeled as “clans” or “kingdoms.”
Modern Urhobos correctly boast that they correspond the largest grouping inwards the Western Niger Delta. Moreover, Urhobo occupies a sizeable chunk of the dry out lands of the Western Niger Delta. All these nosotros owe to those whose courage together with heroism enabled the Urhobo to occupy prime number rainforests. We must non forget that nosotros shared the same rainforests with the Isoko together with the Ukwuani. That our portion of these lands is enviable owes everything to the fact that our prehistoric ancestors were able to conquer them.
“Conquest” is an evocative term inwards historical scholarship. Conquerors often subdue their ain people together with so overcome others. Such conquerors of peoples are often crowned as kings. But the conquest upon which our ancestors embarked was of a different type. It was the conquest of an untamed together with unoccupied rainforest that was deemed to live dangerous. Today, nosotros cannot imagine how fearsome these lands were inwards their pristine form. They had wildlife inwards abundance. That they are all gone from our territory is likely due to the fact that portion of the responsibleness of our founding ancestors was to destroy wild animals. It is said that Evwreni was founded past times a grouping of hunters who were hired past times Iyede to kill menacing elephants. Elephants (eni inwards Urhobo), lions (okpohrokpo), tigers (ẹdjẹnẹkpo), gorillas (ọsia), together with hippotemuses (ẹrhẹ) have got all gone from our lands, but they were ane time hither inwards Urhoboland inwards some abundance.
There is some other dot of significance to live stressed. Apart from the fact that the secondary together with tertiary subcultures of northwestern Urhoboland have got larger territories than those inwards the low-lying swampy southeast, it is noteworthy that -- with the remarkable exception of Olomu -- these primeval subcultures of the southeast are almost all single-town cultures. In contrast, the larger secondary together with tertiary subcultures of the northwest are multiple-town cultures. The multiplicities of towns together with villages inwards these cultures – inwards Ughelli, Agbarha-Otor, Orogun, Okpe, Agbon, Agbarho, Idjerhe, etc. – are striking. Such multiplication of settlements of towns together with villages within each subculture enabled the conquest together with business of as much territory as was accomplished inwards these lands that were ane time untamed.
Properties together with Characteristics of Cultural Units of Urhoboland
These subcultures of Urhobo have got borne the burden of Urhobo history. They also send the weight of Urhobo civilization together with its political organisation. Together, they all deport sure markers together with characteristics that set Urhobo together with its people apart from other cultures together with peoples. So that nosotros may live sure that these subcultures define what Urhobo is, nosotros should map out their properties together with characteristics.
(i) Territory with Boundaries together with Integrity
Every Urhobo subculture has a territory that has boundaries with other sub-cultures together with occasionally with non-Urhobo cultural entities, such as the Isoko, Ijaw, together with Ukwuani. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 unique aspect of Urhoboland is that the Urhobo people were the initiatory of all to occupy their ain portions inwards the hinterland of the rainforests of Western Niger Delta. In most instances, therefore, bearers of each subculture of Urhobo occupy territory that their ancestors were the initiatory of all to conquer together with occupy. This attribute of Urhobo’s subcultures has imparted a feel of collective ownership of the territories of these units of Urhobo culture. The integrity of each of Urhobo’s subcultures derives from its ownership of its ain territory that it has conquered together with occupied through its ain exploits.
(ii) Sub-Cultural Headquarters together with Eponymous Ancestral Shrines
Each subculture has its ain headquarters. It is commonly located inwards the initiatory of all spot inwards which the founding ancestors settled. These headquarters have got eponymous ancestral shrines, venerating the spirits of the founding ancestors whose names are associated with the entire subculture.
It is noteworthy that the high regard for these ancestral shrines is shared across all communities, including Christian families. In effect, these eponymous ancestral shrines are regarded as historic institutions.
(iii) Endowment of Individual’s Identity as an Urhobo Person
Every someone who claims to live Urhobo does so only through his or her membership of a subculture or subcultures as their father’s or mother’s nascency right. No ane tin claim to live Urhobo directly, without belonging to a subculture or subcultures of Urhobo. This attribute carries with it the claim of sure rights from members of the subculture who are expected to piece of work for the survival together with improvement of the entire subculture. But it is an attribute that also imposes of import responsibilities on the subculture inwards its human relationship to private members. Until recent times, protection of the private together with aid for his remains after decease were responsibilities of the subculture or its farther divisions.
(iv) Totems together with Taboos of Sub-Cultures
For the sake of maintaining the spiritual welfare of its members, some subcultures instituted their ain set of totems together with taboos whose observance would live binding on their communities. The powerfulness of totems instituted past times Ughelli together with Orogun – fifty-fifty over those of their members who are at nowadays converted to Christianity – is legendary. Other sub-cultures have got similar regimes of totems.
(v) Sub-Cultural Control of Urhobo’s Linguistic Dialects
In the realm of language, Urhobo is a solid ground of swell dialectic variability. Remarkably, each subculture has its ain dialect of the Urhobo language. Native speakers of the Urhobo linguistic communication tin easily tell from what sub-culture a speaker of the Urhobo linguistic communication hails.
(vi) Urhobo Sub-cultures together with the Institution of King (Ovie)
One of the most powerful cultural tools that each of Urhobo’s subcultures has (or had) at its disposal was the establishment of kingship. Called Ovie throughout Urhobo culture, an Urhobo Rex exists only at the sub-cultural level. Each subculture controls the rules that regulation the ascension to the subculture’s throne. More importantly, each subculture could create upwardly one's hear to exercise its right to have got a Rex or non to have got one. However, past times mutual Urhobo usage, no subculture is allowed to have got to a greater extent than than ane Ovie at a time.5
It is noteworthy that until the explosion of majestic institutions began inwards the 1950s, from instigation from various Nigerian governments, only a handful of Urhobo’s sub-cultures exercised their inherent rights to have got kings. Ogor together with Ughelli had stable regimes of kingship for a proficient portion – but past times no way all – of their history. The Okpe had an historic instance of monarchy that went awry together with thereafter the Okpe were reluctant to revive the institution, until 1945, centuries afterwards. The Agbon people chose for centuries of their history to acquire by with the maxim Okpako r’ Agbon oy’ Ovie r’ Agbon – meaning, Agbon sub-culture’s eldest is its King. Many other attitudes toward majestic institutions emanated from the other subcultures of Urhoboland. The dot is, it was their right to determine whether they wanted a Rex together with if so on what terms.
(vii) An Axiom of Co-Equality with Urhobo Sub-Cultures
There is an underlying axiom inwards the relations with the units of Urhobo culture. It is that they are co-equal. For instance, although Okpe together with Agbon are each many times larger inwards solid ground together with population than most of the Urhobo subcultures of the southeast, they cannot claim to live culturally superior to the much smaller sub-cultural units of southeast Urhoboland, such as Okparebe together with Arhavwarien.
British Colonial Rule together with the Naming of Urhobo’s Sub-Cultures as Clans
British colonial dominion inwards Urhoboland began effectively inwards the initiatory of all decade of the 20th century, next a delay lasting many years (1894-1899) on business concern human relationship of a dispute betwixt the Royal Niger Company together with agents of the Niger Coast Protectorate Government over what British involvement had administrative jurisdiction inwards Urhoboland (see Salubi 1958). When British colonial dominion commenced, it was clear that the British had lilliputian cognition of Urhobo culture. This was largely because missionaries had non been as active inwards the Western Niger Delta as they had been elsewhere, say inwards Yorubaland together with Igboland (see Ekeh 2005).
The British made upwardly for lost ground inwards their agreement of Urhobo civilization past times relying heavily on “intelligence reports” provided past times colonial administrative officers. For centuries, Europeans, including the British, relied on Atlantic coastal peoples for their data on the Urhobo. As it turned out, much of that data was either incorrect or outright mischievous.6 Now, the colonial administrators’ intelligence reports sought to pigment a right epitome of Urhobo ethnography. These efforts led the British to conclude that Urhobo civilization was essentially based on a clan system. They identified the units that nosotros have got been calling Urhobo’s subcultures along with many of their properties that nosotros described above.
How did the British colonial officers come upwardly up with the word “clans” to depict these subcultures of Urhoboland? By the early on 1900s together with 1910s, when the label was applied, Colonial Social Anthropology was non mature plenty to live helpful to colonial officers inwards their efforts at agreement such entities as Urhobo. It is to a greater extent than probable that the label was picked upwardly from Scottish history of Clans. In many ways, Urhobo sub-cultures were really much similar ancient Scottish clans.
Urhobo Reactions to British Colonial Ethnography of Urhoboland
As tin live imagined, Urhobos were the principal informants for those who composed the intelligence reports. These reports were of course of study non made public, but key decisions were made on the strength of the data provided inwards them. It was hence the British policies, apparently based on the intelligence reports, which the Urhobo people could judge. While accepting together with fifty-fifty appreciating many administrative policies of the British Colonial Government, a proficient number of them were rejected past times the Urhobo people who fought against their implementation together with indeed for their reversal.
Two instances volition illustrate the point. The British wrongly assigned Orogun together with Avwraka (which they misnamed as Abraka) to Kuale [that is, Ukwuani] Division inwards Warri Province for administrative purposes. Similarly, Idjerhe (misnamed Jesse past times the British) was assigned to Republic of Benin Division inwards Republic of Benin Province for administration. The Urhobo people did non similar these decisions together with fought hard for their homecoming from what they saw as their perverse allocation. All 3 of them were eventually returned to the Urhobo flexure past times beingness regrouped inwards administrative units that consisted exclusively of Urhobo sub-cultures.
Urhobo Progress Union arose inwards the 1930s as a vehicle for conveying Urhobo concerns to the British Colonial Government. One of the initiatory of all populace responsibilities of Urhobo Progress Union was to convey Urhobo’s objection on the incorrect rendering of their holler to the British. Urhobos objected to unacceptable names given past times the British to Urhobo together with its sub-units, manifestly owing to pronunciation problems that the British encountered with complicated Urhobo names. Thus, the British had difficulties with the “rh” inwards Urhobo. They simplified it, changing “Urh” to S” together with thus yielding “Sobo,” a holler that Urhobos found offensive.7 Urhobo Progress Union fought really hard to modify Urhobo’s spoilt holler together with it succeeded when the British made a correction inwards a Gazette of Oct 1, 1938. Urhobo Progress Union was itself involved inwards making changes inwards its ain sphere, changing its holler from its previous version of Urhobo Progressive Union inwards the belatedly 1930s.
We have got pointed to these Urhobo reactions inwards monastic say to highlight the dot that the Urhobo people were non unaware of what the British were doing with their cultural institutions. Urhobo Progress Union sure as shooting knew of the label “Clans” which the British used to depict Urhobo’s sub-cultures. It had no objection. Indeed, UPU employed the term clans inwards its official duties of working for Urhobo progress. Right upwardly until the mid-1960s, when UPU was inwards its high stage of activities on behalf of the Urhobo people, it used the term clans frequently. Thus, inwards his 1965 address to the General Council of Urhobo Progress Union, the President-General of the Union, Chief T. E. A. Salubi, referred to the role of the clans inwards spreading evolution inwards Urhoboland, as follows:
I would love to hope, indeed expect, that the grade of oneness together with unity so transparently exhibited at Sapele on the occasion [of Urhobo National Day Celebration] volition diffuse downward to our different clan areas together with live reflected inwards our ordinary life together with day-to-day dealings with ane some other inwards our towns together with villages (Salubi 1965, emphasis added).
It should live added that Nigerian nationalist scholars, including especially historians, objected to the utilisation of such anthropological price as tribes together with clans, considering them to live derogatory together with offensive. However, the full general rejection of “clans” was from exterior Urhoboland. The much preferred term of “kingdoms” did non grab upwardly with Urhobo nationalist sentiments until the belatedly 1990s!
Nigerian Governments’ Interactions with Urhobo’s Sub-Cultures
Various Nigerian Governments, at the Regional together with State levels particularly, which followed British Colonial Government, have got also dealt with the significance of these sub-cultural entities that the British labelled as clans of Urhoboland. It is fair to say that most Nigerian Governments have got accepted together with respected the fact that Urhobo is inwards essence a confederation of twenty-two sub-cultures whose bases together with roots are ancient together with prehistoric. Until the bizarre incident of 2006 inwards which Delta State Government sought to split an Urhobo sub-cultural unit of measurement into two, all previous Nigerian Governments had respected the integrity of each of the twenty-two units of Urhobo culture. Before dealing with the abnormality of that 2006 legislative episode past times the Delta State Government that clearly violated the creed of Urhobo history together with culture, it volition live helpful to sketch how various previous generations of Nigerian governments, responded to Urhobo’s cultural system. Such an outline volition likely assist us all to consider why the 2006 legislative affront on Urhobo history together with civilization is so remarkably different from the conduct of previous Nigerian Governments.
How Western Nigerian Government Dealt with Action Group’s Difficulties with the Urhobo People
The initiatory of all Nigerian Government which the Urhobo had to bargain with was led past times the Action Group political party of Western Nigeria, from 1952 to 1964. Unfortunately, Urhobos had a major work with the Action Group together with its leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, concerning the dispute on the championship of the King of Itsekiri together with the ownership of the metropolis of Warri (see Edevbie 2007). The Urhobo’s response was an uncompromising together with consistent rejection of the Action Group at the electoral polls. At a fourth dimension when voting counted, the Urhobo’s antipathy towards the Action Group was hurtful for a political party that lacked a clear bulk inwards the Western House of Assembly. No amount of penalisation of the Urhobo worked to persuade them to switch to the Action Group inwards their political preferences.
The Action Group did its utmost to insinuate itself into Urhobo political affairs. Its bluntest tool was invocation of a belongings of Urhobo sub-culture. It is that every sub-culture was entitled to have got an Ovie. It so happened that inwards the 1950s few of Urhobo’s sub-cultures had their ain Ivie. The Action Group Government hence orchestrated the pick of candidates for the throne of Ovie inwards each sub-culture where at that spot was no seating Ovie. The Action Group supported its ain candidates for these thrones.
Although this ploy did non piece of work inwards convincing Urhobos to vote for the Action Group at the polls, it opened upwardly a novel chapter inwards Urhobo history. Playing within the logic of Urhobo civilization that allocated the right of kingship to its sub-cultures, it nonetheless expanded Urhobo’s majestic institutions good beyond what the Urhobos themselves wanted. One ground why many sub-cultures of Urhobo neglected to exercise their right to have got a Rex was that it was costly to maintain an Ovie. Now, members of the novel shape of Ivie were to a greater extent than dependent on Government subsidies than on their ain people, opening upwardly novel dynamics inwards Urhobo populace affairs.
Mid-West Government together with Ordered Selection of Ivie
By the fourth dimension the Mid-West Region was carved out of the Western Region inwards 1964, it was really good established that kingship was mandatory inwards Urhobo sub-cultures, still so called clans. What the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs sought to do was to convey monastic say to the pick of the Ovie of each sub-culture. Urhobo chieftains seemed to have got warmed upwardly to the thought of this widespread kingship, hoping that it was ane way of gaining sponsorship from the Government.
Two facts followed from this inordinate expansion of majestic institutions inwards Urhoboland. The initiatory of all is that the resulting Ivie were at nowadays ever to a greater extent than dependent on the Government. But their sheer numbers meant that they could non live as good cared for as if they were fewer. The other fact is that the kings became less dependent on their ain people. These are dynamics that were liable to touching on an establishment that was invented from the necessity together with imperatives of survival inwards a unsafe rainforest. It was no longer quite clear what the functions of the Ivie were. No doubt, many Government functionaries saw them as agents of the Government.
Whatever views ane holds of the establishment of Ovie, the Government had come upwardly to play a major role inwards moulding its spot together with functions inwards Urhobo culture. The catastrophic events of the 2006 legislation that sought to create an Urhobo sub-culture from the sparse pages of a Government Gazette likely correspond the ultimate inwards the unintended consequences of Government take-over of an ancient Urhobo convention. But before nosotros examine that notorious event, nosotros must initiatory of all weigh the semantic changes that occurred inwards the characterization of units of Urhobo culture.
Renaming Urhobo’s Sub-cultures as Kingdoms
There is a mensurate of trivialization that has lately crept into the naming of Urhobo institutions as they are rendered inwards a culturally alien English linguistic communication language. For an Urhobo -- peculiarly for an Ughelli someone -- at that spot is an emotional divergence betwixt saying: “Ovie r’ Ughele” (in Urhobo) or “Ovie of Ughelli” (in English). The trivialization gets worse, along with the rather serious grammatical infraction that should live evident, inwards a novel pop rendering inwards English linguistic communication of the same appellation: “Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom."8 The infatuation with this new-found word “kingdom” descends downward the chain of the modern Urhobo aristocracy. To give an representative from some other sub-culture of Urhoboland: In his exemplary curriculum vitae, which was crafted some fourth dimension inwards the early on 1980s, Chief T. E. A. Salubi cites ane of his most valued titles as “Okakuro of Agbon.” Since the belatedly 1990s, the same championship is at nowadays cited past times its holders as “Okakuro of Agbon Kingdom."9
Such banality of linguistic communication regarding aristocratic titles inwards recent times has arisen from the introduction of the English linguistic communication word “kingdom” into modern Urhobo culture. Its rampant together with gratuitous utilisation has caused several problems for our agreement of Urhobo institutions. First, “kingdom” is virtually untranslatable into Urhobo language. Second, it has been used as a replacement – that is, supposedly, as the synonym -- for the English linguistic communication word “clan.” Remember that “clan” was introduced into Urhobo past times British colonial administrators as a way of characterizing Urhobo’s sub-cultures.
The origin of this novel usage of “kingdom” has been traced to HRH Adjara III together with Andy Omokri’s (1997) Urhobo Kingdoms: Political together with Social Systems. This is how the belatedly Professor F. M. A. Ukoli sketched the ascent of the term “kingdoms” inwards modern Urhobo culture:
The Urhobo constitute an ethnic group, but at that spot is swell multifariousness inwards the origins of the various clans as good as multifariousness inwards their culture. Indeed, the differences are so marked that H.R.H Adjara III together with Omokri, inwards their recent volume Urhobo Kingdoms, elevate the 22 clans which constitute the entire Urhobo tribe to the status of kingdoms (Ukoli 2007: 647).
Remarkably, Adjara III together with Omokri did non discard the term clan inwards their analysis of Urhobo social together with political systems. In fact, ane time ane moves beyond the rather dramatic championship of their book, they were fairly respectful of the term “clan.” They define Urhobo inwards price of its clans, non kingdoms: “At nowadays at that spot are twenty-two clans inwards Urhoboland. Most of the clans are made upwardly of groups of villages which line their origin to a mutual ancestor” (p. 5). Similarly, they define the Ovie inwards price of the clan: “The establishment of clanheadship inwards Urhoboland is a most revered one. In some clans, the clan caput is known as Ovie literally translated to live king” (p. 16).
Whatever Adjara III together with Omokri intended to say inwards the pages of their book, it is the book’s championship “Urhobo Kingdoms” that has won the day. Adjara III’s aristocratic colleagues have got understood the volume as recommending that the term clans live replaced past times the apparently to a greater extent than appealing together with to a greater extent than ponderous “kingdom.” And the Government of Delta State has readily adopted the novel terminology, with consequences that are far removed from what whatever lovers of Urhobo history together with civilization volition live pleased to accept.
Delta State Government’s “Creation” of an Urhobo “Kingdom” together with Its Violation of Urhobo History together with Culture
Throughout the course of study of Nigerian history, from the 1950s onwards at whatever rate, Nigerian Governments have got accepted together with so manipulated existing institutions of traditional rulership. They operate inwards that way likely inwards monastic say to seek wages for their political parties together with to delight powerful individuals inwards those parties. In doing so, they have got deposed opponents together with installed supporters as occupiers of such existing traditional institutions of rulership. Some prominent examples volition illustrate this point. In the 1950s, Ahmadu Bello’s Government of Northern Nigeria removed Emir Sanusi of Kano from his throne together with banished him from Kano Emirate. Similarly, inwards the 1950s also, Obafemi Awolowo’s Government of Western Nigeria removed the Alafin of Oyo from his business office together with banished him from his realm. In the 1960s, at the starting fourth dimension of the existence of Mid-West Region, Festus Okotie-Eboh orchestrated the removal of the reigning Rex of Itsekiri, his long-time opponent, together with facilitated the installation of a supporter of his as the novel King of Itsekiri.
In all these instances, previous Nigerian Governments accepted the traditions of the people together with the establishment of rulership that they mandated. What these previous Nigerian Governments did was to exploit the logic of these traditions past times placing their supporters on the seats of traditional rulership, spell removing their opponents. None of them defied the traditions of the people past times creating novel realms. The Government of Northern Nigeria did non split Kano upwardly together with spot its ain candidate on a fraction of the Kano Emirate. Western Nigeria Government did non split upwardly Oyo up, inwards defiance of Yoruba traditions together with history. Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh together with the novel Mid-West Government of 1964 did non split Itsekiri upwardly together with install their favourite candidate as Rex of ane section. In previous instances of Government’s intervention inwards traditional affairs of kingship, the people’s traditions have got been good respected.
In such respects, the conduct of Delta State Government inwards 2006 inwards splitting upwardly Urhobo’s Idjerhe sub-culture together with inwards creating a novel “Kingdom” of Mosogar from the ancient territories of Idjerhe is unprecedented inwards the annals of Urhobo history together with culture. Moreover, it would live hard to discover similar examples of the Government’s defiling of a people’s traditions elsewhere inwards Delta State. Let it live clearly stated at the attack here: Urhobo history together with civilization were severely violated inwards what appears to live the uncontested human activity of “creating” an Urhobo “kingdom” past times Delta State Government inwards 2006.
The British had active together with intense contacts with the Urhobo people for at to the lowest degree l years, for much of the initiatory of all one-half of the 20th century. Although they came as colonizers, they nonetheless respected the integrity of Urhobo history together with culture. They correctly identified Urhobo’s ancient sub-cultures together with acted within their framework together with logic. Similarly, the Action Group Government that took over from the British respected the traditions of the Urhobo people, despite historic difficulties betwixt them together with the political political party that controlled the Government at that time. And it is fair to say that the Mid-West together with Bendel State Governments were largely respectful of Urhobo traditions.
So why has this grave violation of Urhobo history together with civilization occurred inwards a governmental regime that has no standing quarrel with the Urhobo people? Two explanations have got been offered past times some Urhobo leaders who have got bothered to verbalize over this matter. The initiatory of all is that people inwards Government do non bother themselves with the creed of Urhobo history together with culture. They say that some politicians would live surprised that whatever worries virtually Urhobo history together with civilization have got been expressed. The minute ground that has been suggested for permitting this brazen human activity of violation of Urhobo history together with civilization to occur is that the term “kingdoms” has travel so trivialized that people inwards Government at nowadays believe that they tin create them. As ane Urhobo leader pose it, “People inwards Asaba would hesitate to create ‘clans’ but non ‘kingdoms.’”
It must live noted that the Delta State Government has no Constitutional powers to create local governments inwards Delta State. Nor does it have got the powerfulness to alter their boundaries. Why is it so possible that the Delta State House of Assembly tin legislate on the existence together with boundaries of Urhobo sub-cultures – telephone band them clans or kingdoms, if these price please? It has been said that this affair has been gazetted together with that ane time matters appear inwards a Government Gazette, at that spot is non much ane tin do. Well, Urhobos have got a right to inquiry the validity of a Gazette that violates their history together with culture. In the long run, this whole cultural fiasco has really lilliputian to do with Idjerhe together with its sub-units. The work is that it strikes at the pump of Urhobo’s cultural existence.
Unforeseen together with Untoward Consequences of Delta State’s Creation of a “Kingdom” inwards Urhoboland
There are numerous reasons why the Urhobo people should live troubled past times the spectre of Delta State Government taking over the command of Urhobo traditions, an instance of which was the so-called creation of a “kingdom” inwards Idjerhe sub-culture of Urhoboland. We volition confine ourselves to only a few of these reasons.
First, the Idjerhe episode of “kingdom creation” is most probable to live imitated together with repeated elsewhere – if it is allowed to survive. If every novel installment of Delta State Government that comes to powerfulness has the right together with potency to create “kingdoms” inwards Urhoboland, so nosotros should await a multiplicity of novel “kingdoms” -- or “clans,” designating them past times their other English linguistic communication label – to live created for Urhobos within several decades. There are everywhere short-sighted together with ambitious politicians who volition inquire to live made kings of fifty-fifty pocket-size villages if the chance arises. Internal divisions within each of Urhobo’s sub-cultures may precipitate such clamour for kingship of novel “kingdoms.” While at that spot may live ready-made cases of divisions that volition readily prompt whatever novel Delta State Governments for novel “kingdoms, the greater danger is that fifty-fifty the to a greater extent than stable together with established instances of kingship inwards Urhoboland volition non live prophylactic from the spread of the cancer of Government’s “kingdom creation.”
Second, whatever increment inwards the number of Ivie inwards Urhoboland is a threat to the strength of our majestic institutions. Many Urhobo leaders of thought already consider the twenty-two Ivie, who derive their potency from Urhobo culture, to live on the high side. It should live recalled that inwards the 1930s together with 1940s, persuasion leaders inwards Urhoboland together with its Diaspora seriously weighed the alternative of initiating a unmarried Urhobo kingship. If nosotros cannot accomplish such a goal, nosotros must nonetheless non farther weaken our circumstances past times foolishly allowing the creation of artificial “kingdoms” inwards Urhoboland at the whim of Governments who may non ever live good disposed towards the vibrancy of Urhobo cultural formations. The add-on of a unmarried Ovie to the scheme of twenty-two kings that nosotros at nowadays have got is a threat to our civilization together with to the dignity of those who currently occupy the thrones of Ivie inwards Urhoboland. (http://www.waado.org/organizations/UPU/president_general_reception_abuja/lectures/clans_kingdoms_ekeh.htm)
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