Ane Ebira, we are an
ethno-linguistic group in Nigeria. Many of us are from Kogi State, Kwara
State, Nasarawa State, Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja, and Edo State. Okene is said to be our administrative
centre, the Ebira-speaking people in Kogi state, are not far from the
Niger-Benue confluence.
Origin of the Ebiras
An elder beats the Agidibo to
salute the spirits (Photo by EbiraView) Ebira Tao is the largest of the several
Ebira groups found in about 8 states of Nigeria including the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT). Our sister groups are Ebira Koto and Ebira Mozum (Kogi state),
Ebira Panda, Ebira Oje/Toto (Nassarawa state), Ebira Etuno (Edo state), Ebira
Agatu (Benue state) Ebira Oloko (Ondo/Oyo/Osun states). The history of our origin
were those compiled from Attah Omadivi and other Ebiran Clan Heads by the
British colonial administrators in early 20th century. Our elders, through oral
tradition, trace our descent to Wukari (in the present Taraba state) where we
were an integral part of the Kwararafa confederation. In about 1680 AD, our
ancestors (along with the Idoma and Igala) migrated out of Wukari over a
chieftaincy dispute. Our people later split into various groups and settled in different
locations between 1680 and 1750 AD. We Ebira Tao first sojourned with the
Igalas at Idah but later crossed the River Niger and settled at Ebira Opete
located in the vicinity of Upake in Ajaokuta LGA.
Our 'father' of Ebira Tao who led
us to this premier settlement in Ebiraland was Itaazi. Itaazi had five (5) sons
who all later migrated from Ebira Opete and were the founders of the various districts
in Ebiraland. The children and the districts they founded are Adaviruku/Ohizi (Adavi),
Ododo (Okehi), Obaji (Eyika), Uga (Okengwe) and Ochuga/Onotu (Ihima). His daughter
named Ohunene settled in Eganyi district. Members of the various clans in Ebiraland
are descendants of the children of Itaazi. Ohizi had five children who are progenitors
of the five traditional Adavi clans named after them. These are upopo-uvete (Apasi),
Uka, Idu (Aniku), Adeyika and Uhwami. A migrant group from Eganyi known as
Ezi-Onogum clan is also found in Adavi. The sons of Ododo who are the ancestors
of Okehi clans were Okovi Oviri and Enwgukonyai. Obaji the founder of Eika had
ten children named Ohiaga, Iyewe, Avassa,
Ehemi, Anchi, Epoto, Egiri,
Ubobo, Ogu and Eyire. Uga of Okengwe had two sons whose children constitute the
present Okovi and Agada group of clans. Due to a sizeable concentration of
other
Ebira clans in Okengwe district,
they formed a socio-political coalition known as Ada-ehi. Ochuga had six
children and their descendants make up the six clans in Ihima. These are Emani,
Oha/Idu, Ohueta, Ure, Ohongwa and
Odumi. The seventh clan is Akuta who migrated from
Okengwe. Though Itaazi's daughter
named Ohunene was the founder of Eganyi, not all the clans there are descended
from her. Eganyi clans are Ede, Esugu, Eheda, Ogu, Onoko, Idu,
Anavapa and Ogodo. The Aningere
who are skilled craftsmen are found in all districts. They are, however, more
concentrated in Okengwe and Adavi districts.
We constitutes one of the ethnic
groups in the Middle Belt zone of Nigeria. But, however, did not evolve a
centralized form of leadership until the advent of the British colonial authorities,
which brought together the various Ebira clans under the leadership of Attah
Omadivi in 1902. therefore, the year 1902 marked the evolution of a monarchical
form of administration and the gradual development of central administration in
Ebiraland.
Location and size of the Ebira
community Ebiraland is a small hilly inland area that stretches roughly for
twenty three kilometres west of the Niger at Ajaokuta and thirty two kilometers
southwest of the Niger-Benue confluence. The range of hills occasionally rises to
six hundred and sixty seven metres above sea level. Ebiraland, the home of
Ebira Tao, is in the central senatorial District of Kogi state. It has alandmass
of 3,426 km2. The 1991 national census puts the population of the area 722,032.
Another national head count was
undertaken in 2006. The provisional figure of 884,396 released by the National
Population Commission (NPC) is being disputed. It is distributed as follows:
Okene LGA (320,260), Adavi LGA (202,194), Okehi LGA (199,999), Ajaokuta LGA
(122,321) and Ogori Magongo LGA (39,622). Our communities which started as tiny
villages have joined together as near towns, gradually and progressively expanding
towards one another with Okene as a city in modern times. Ebiraland thus
presents an aerial view of one huge near urban settlement with intervening barriers.
Our Culture and Administration
We are republican by nature,
outspoken and very hard working. Farming and cloth-weaving are occupations for
which Ebiras are well known. We are presently spread in five Local Government
Areas of Kogi state namely:
Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ajaokuta and Ogori-magongo. A sizeable number is of our
people are found in Lokoja Local Government Area, Ondo, Ogun, and Oyo states.
Our paramount ruler is called
Ohinoyi of Ebiraland. The Pre-Colonial Ebira community was essentially
segmentary. It consisted of five principal clans among several others, namely,
Okengwe, Eika, Okehi, Adavi, and
Ihima. The respective priests (heads) of these clans were known as Ohindase,
Adeika, Ohiomahi, Asema and Obonbanyi. Each clan was self-governing and did not
regard any other as superior to it. Significantly, the clan was the main unit
of political organization. The post of the clan head was normally conferred on
the oldest living male member of the clan. His religious duties and disciplinary
powers were, however, limited to his own family. His political influence was
quite small and although he presided over the meetings of his clan, his
judgement was determined largely by the consensus of opinion of the elders. The
administration of all the clan heads constituting a community in Ebiraland lay in
the hands of the elders, influential individuals and the chief priest (Ohinoyi).
Economically, the clan head held in trust for the clan, part of the income from
all the clan lands, such as the produce from palm oil and locust bean trees, during
the pre-colonial period. Also, the leg of whatever game that was killed was given
to him, which he shared with the kindred heads. We so much cherish our
traditional festivities in spite of the infiltration of some negative
tendencies in recent times.
Our people were used to coming
together in the face of crisis. Thus, in moments of war, we come together as a
united front to ward off the incursion of the enemy. Indeed, our people have built
strong confidence inour warfare and ‘superior’ weapons – bows and arrows. The invasion
of Ebira country by the Nupe (1865-1900) did not make them doubt our military
superiority. Our Nupe invaders were successfully resisted by our people under
our amiable warrior leader who later became Attah Omadivi. The Nupe invasion
was organized in the form of raids for slaves. But our people were soon to
realize that our warfare and ‘superior’ weapons could not defend us against the
British super superior weaponry in 1902.
In 1895, an outstation was placed
at Kabba by the Royal Niger Company and a fort was built there by Captain Turner,
an officer attached to the Niger Constabulary. On 1st January, 1900,
Frederick Lugard took over the
government of Northern Nigeria from the Royal Niger Company and hoisted the
British flag at Lokoja. Kabba was formed into a province which included the
Akoko, Kukuruku and Ebira countries, and was administered from Lokoja, which
was also the headquarters of the protectorate of Northern Nigeria, with Sir
William Wallace as its first Resident.
In 1902, a small military escort
led by Mr. Malcom and Lt. F.F.W.Byng-Hall sent into Ebira country was seen by our
people as an incursion. They refused to meet with the British demand for the
supply of food, seeing this as a direct insult on their persons. Mr. Malcom and
his party, outnumbered, were attacked with arrows by the Ebira and escaped by a
night march to Kabba, arriving the next day. The British soldiers used this as
casus belli and marched on them with fire arms. The Ebira country was
subjugated and pacified. The resident in Ebiraland described the result of them
expedition as follows: “The Ebira were no doubt severely punished during the
expedition and I now find them very afraid of the whiteman” With the defeat of
our people, the British then imposed their rule on us, politically uniting the various
clans by force. During the British occupation of our land, Agidi, one of the
notable personalities among the Ebira, led an armed resistance against any form
of British rule. In 1902, he and his men attacked the small British group led
by Mr. Malcom, the political officer.
Who barely escaped death. After
this event, Ebiraland was declared a land of ‘savages’ and
Mr Malcom ordered a detachment of
the West African Frontier Force (WAFF) to sit among our people in order to
‘tame’ them.
In 1903, a punitive expedition
under Major Marsh, Lieutenants Sparrenbarg, Moran, Byng-Hall,
Gallway, Smith, Oldman and
Captain Lewis, was organized to call Agidi to order and to establish
permanent peace in Ebiraland. In
this expedition, the British received the whole hearted cooperation of Omadivi,
who was the representative of Ohindase Abogunde – the chief priest at the time.
Omadivi, like Ohindase, was from the Okengwe clan. Omadivi supplied vital
information, most especially on how to capture Agidi who was his political
rival. In fact, both Omadivi and Agidi were notable personalities or
influential individuals in the Ebira of that time. While the former was loyal
to the Chief priest, the latter was not. By 1904, Ebiraland was fully pacified and
Mr. Morgan, the Resident of Kabba province, was able to say with confidence
that the Ebira people now feared the ‘‘whiteman” and were at “peace with each
other”. Our Cultural Festivals (Eche-Ozi Ete)
We have several annaul cultural
festivals and among the prominent ones are 'Echane', 'Eche
Ori' and 'Ekuechi'. Eche-Ane. This
is an annual masquerade festival celebrated in rotation from one district to
the other in Ebiraland (between April–June). In the past, it was only during
the period of the festival that betrothed girls were given away in marriage to their
suitors. That is why the festival is called 'Eche-ane' (women festival). Ebira
Masquerades or Mascots, though carried long canes, came out primarily to
entertain people and received gifts in return. It is regrettable that this very
popular and interesting festival has been bastardized and now a source of
constant breach of peace. We want to use this media to enlighten our youth that
a people without a culture is like a people without history, our traditional
festivities if handled with humility and the necessary modernity could become a
world class tourism that can take us to the world map of hospitality, hence
improved Ebira economy, employment and influence word over. This we cannot
achieve except we shun violence within ourselves so that our name
EBIRA shall come to bear fruit in
heart of mankind. As we invite them to join in the celebration of our
unmatchable heritage Ebira Kaneri. Eche-Ori We are farmers and farming is the
pride of the Anebira economy, 'Eche Ori' is our new yam festival celebrated
only in two districts of Ebiraland. These are Ihima and Eganyi. During the
festival, traditional worshippers make sacrifices in the secret groove of 'Ori'
(deity) high up in the mountain to show gratitude for its protection and
provision of bounteous harvest. The worshipers carry long canes with which they
whip one another in turns without anyone exhibiting any sign of pain. This is a
mark of strength or manhood. Another important attraction of the festival is
the delightful 'Echori' music in which female singers feature prominently. Only
after this festival can one eat or sell new yams in our markets as it is a
taboo to do so before the festival in Ihima and Eganyi.
Ekuechi (traditional night
masquerade)
This is a night masquerade
festival which marks the end of the Ebira calendar year and the beginning of a
new one. Ododo is popularly acclaimed to be the initiator of this masquerade festival.
The 'Akatapa' masquerade heralds the beginning of the festival often saying
"Irayi ododo osi gu, Irayi akatapa osi gu eeeh! Osa yeeeh!" which
means "the year of the Ododo has ended; the year of Akatapa has ended.
Here is another year". The festival begins with a festival eve in which
folk singers (omikede) perform to the delight of both men and women. The following
day, the real festival in which masquerades sing and dance to entertain people from
dusk to dawn takes place. It is restricted to men and few special women called
onoku only so all and majority of our women stay indoors throughout the
duration of the festival. All dead relatives are believed to return to earth on
a visit this night, so, women prepare delicious 'Apapa' (bean read) and he-goat
meat for the visitors. The women also, at times, leave monetary gifts with the
men for the visiting dead relatives. Trust men, the meals and gifts are properly
and neatly delivered to the beneficiaries who only the men have the privilege
of seeing and interacting with, that night.
Traditional Marriage in Ebira
Land Ebira people, mostly living along the River Benueplain down and beyond the
River Niger, are a tribe found in Kogi state in Okene, Okehi, Adavi and
Ajaokuta local government areas and in some parts of Nassarawa, Plateau and Edo
states.
The word Ebira means good
behaviour when translated literally with ethics and hospitality as compliments.
The unique features of the Ebira culture with its ethnic aestheticism are appreciated
most in the event of traditional marriages.
Victoria Mayaki sheds more light
on this. When a man sees a lady he intends to marry, he discusses his
intentions with her, who, if interested, tells him to bring his people to express
his intentions to her parents. In respect to the Ebira tradition, the man does not
walk to the parents of the woman to disclose his intentions; his parents or
elders mostly the women do this by going to the lady’s parents to introduce
themselves and also to inform them of their reason for coming to the house.
After this is done, the parents
of the lady then conduct a thorough investigation on the upbringing,
background, family history and so on, of the intending groom to unravel any
history of madness, terminal diseases or criminality in the man’s family. This
is with a view to deciding whether or not to give their daughter’s hand in marriage
to a family with a tainted reputation in the society.
After the research, if their
findings are appreciable, an approval is given to the man to visit the
bride-to- be from time to time to further get to know themselves properly.
A date is later picked for the
formal introduction of both families and this is called “Ise Ewere” which
literally means what has been in secret is now in the open. During the
celebration, there is usually the presentation of gift items made by the family
of the groom to the family of the bride. The gift items usually include; about
42 tubers of yam, dried fish or bush meat, 10 liters of palm oil, a bag of
salt, assorted wines and kola nut.
The groom may also decide to
present two wrappers to his would-be bride but this is optional.
On the day of introduction, it is
not necessary that the man attends the occasion as his family members do the
necessary things on his behalf.
The bride’s family in turn,
entertains the groom’s with food and drinks. The families interact with one
another and formally introduce every member of both families.
After this is done, the date for
traditional marriage is then fixed. The tubers of yam and other items brought
are distributed to neighbours and members of the extended family no matter how
small. Much significance is given to this to ask for their prayers for a happy
marriage as well as to ensure the acknowledgement of the community that the
lady now has someone she intends to get married to.
The amount to be collected as
bride price is also agreed upon by the parents of the bride and it depends to a
large extent, on the financial strength of the man. Apart from the bride price,
there are other things like “ozemeiyi” that is “I am attracted to her” which a
certain amount of money is attached to, and “otanuvogei” that is “joining hands
together”. There is also “idoza” that is “farming price” paid to the bride’s family
because Ebira people are predominantly farmers.
In the olden days when every
young man had to farm, the groom and his friends appoint a day to farm for the
father of the bride but these days because most young men don’t farm any
longer, they pay money instead.
On the day of the traditional
marriage, women in the man’s family are seen singing and dancing carrying
tubers of yams on their heads to the lady’s house. The singing and dancing
continues at their arrival at the lady’s house where the ceremony kicks off.
Other items to be taken are cans of palm oil, groundnut oil, dried fish, some clothing
materials in some boxes, jewelries and other things for adornment of the lady.
The ceremony is usually colorful
with display of dances by maiden groups mostly the bride’s friends and by women
groups. A religious leader and the parents of the couple offer prayers for them
to bless their marriage and a certificate is thereafter given to the couple by
the religious leader to acknowledge their marriage.
The lady is thereafter, escorted
by her friends and other women to her husband’s house with her belongings.
This article was copied from
Wikipedia edited and modified and there is still room for further modification
and referencing
References
Oyikete Ebira, by S.S.
Salami(edited by Isaac H. Jimoh).
The Evolution and Development of
Central Administration in Ebiraland, 1920-1997. By Victor
Osaro Edo http://ebiraview.blogspot.com/2011/01/sketch-history-of-ebira-itopa-ebira.html
Ethnologue report on Ebira
language PanAfriL10n page on Ebira.
