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Ebira-Nupoid · Nigeria’s peoples

Ebira

The Ebira live south-west of the Niger and Benue confluence, mainly in central Kogi State, where Okene has long been their centre.

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At a glance

Where do the Ebira people live?
Their homeland is in Adavi, Ajaokuta, Kogi, Okehi and Okene in Kogi State, across 5 local government areas. They are also a large share of Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory and Toto in Nasarawa State.
What language do the Ebira speak?
Ebira, a language of the Ebira-Nupoid family (Atlantic-Congo › Volta-Congo › Benue-Congo › Ebira-Nupoid).
Who is the traditional ruler of the Ebira?
Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, seated at Okene.

Overview

The Ebira live south-west of the Niger and Benue confluence, mainly in central Kogi State, where Okene has long been their centre. Ebira is spoken by about 2 million people. The Ebira Tao live around Okene; the Ebira Koto (Egbura) at Koton Karfe, Abaji and Toto; and a related people, the Etuno, at Igarra in Edo State.[3],[2]High confidence

Where the Ebira live

Local government areas by state. Homeland: the group is the majority. Shared area: a large share of a mixed area. Smaller presence: present, but a small share.

  • Kogi

    • Adavi
    • Ajaokuta
    • Kogi
    • Okehi
    • Okene
    • Bassa
    • Lokoja

  • Federal Capital Territory

    • Abaji

  • Nasarawa

    • Toto
    • Nasarawa

Areas are approximate and show where people live. They are not claims of land ownership.

Communities beyond the homeland

Igarra (Etuno)

Akoko-Edo, Edo State.[14],[2],[1],[15]High confidence

Founded by Ariwo Ovejijo, a prince of Idah who left with his followers after he felt cheated of the throne of the Attah of Igala; he ruled as the first Otaru. Igarra’s new yam festival is Upe Enu.[14]

Farming on fertile soil (yam, cassava, palm produce); historically, a bead trade.[14]

Okene

Okene, Kogi State: Okengwe.[3]High confidence

The centre of the Ebira Tao and seat of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland. The Opete stool, which tradition says the Ebira brought from Kwararafa, is now the emblem of Okene's ruler. Okengwe, Ubororo and Okehi were founded by groups moving south from Ebira Opete.[3]

Adavi clans

Adavi, Kogi State: Adavi-Eba, Ogaminana, Kuroko.[3],[15]High confidence

Ohizi (Adaviruku), eldest son of Itaazi, had five children whose descendants are the five traditional Adavi clans of the Ebira Tao.[3]

Eika

Okehi, Kogi State.[3],[15]High confidence

Ouda Adidi of Eika was the first head the British set over the Ebira villages after 1903.[3]

Ebira Opete (Ajaokuta)

Ajaokuta, Kogi State.[3]High confidence

After leaving Idah the Ebira Tao crossed the Niger to the land around Ajaokuta, which they call Ebira Opete after the stool they kept there; the Eganyi also live in Ajaokuta.[3]

Ebira Koto at Koton Karfe

Kogi, Kogi State.[3],[15]High confidence

The Ebira Koto (Egbura) branch settled at Igu, which the Hausa called Koton Karfe, “strong land”, because, the Ebira say, the jihadists fought to take it and never succeeded.[3]

Ebira Toto (Panda)

Toto, Nasarawa State: Umaisha.[3],[15]High confidence

The Panda branch left Idah with the other Ebira and settled north of the Benue; they are the Ebira of Toto LGA in Nasarawa State.[3]

Ebira of Abaji

Abaji, the Federal Capital Territory.[3]High confidence

Ebira Koto live in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.[3]

Ebira Mozum

Bassa, Kogi State.[3],[15]High confidence

The Agatu branch, father of the Ebira Mozum, chose to settle among the Bassa.[3]

Language

Ebira, a language of the Ebira-Nupoid family (Atlantic-Congo › Volta-Congo › Benue-Congo › Ebira-Nupoid). ISO 639-3: igb.[1],[2]High confidence

Traditional ruler

Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, seated at Okene.[4],[5]High confidence

Sources

Every claim carries a confidence level: high (well attested), medium (one source or approximate) or disputed (sources disagree).

  1. Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian. Glottolog: Ebira (ebir1243)
  2. Wikipedia contributors. Ebira language
  3. Wikipedia contributors. Ebira people
  4. Wikipedia contributors. Ohinoyi of Ebiraland
  5. Wikipedia contributors. Okene
  6. Omachonu, Gideon S.; Dalhatu, Abigail Musa. (2018). The Languages of the North Central Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. JOLAN Supplement III (tables of languages by LGA for Benue, FCT, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau)
  7. Wikipedia contributors. Koton Karfe
  8. Ajaokuta LGA, Kogi State. facts.ng
  9. Direction from the HistoNaija owner: Ajaokuta is Ebira land; the Igala live in the riverside communities along the Niger, as they still do
  10. Wikipedia contributors. Toto, Nigeria
  11. Wikipedia contributors. Abaji
  12. Wikipedia contributors. Bassa, Kogi State
  13. Wikipedia contributors. Lokoja
  14. Wikipedia contributors. Igarra
  15. GRID3. (2020). GRID3 NGA Settlement Names (settlement points with ward and LGA)