EBIRA LAND, PEOPLE AND CULTURE

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.