THE HISTORY OF EBIRA PEOPLE (ITOPA ANE EBIRA )EBIRA PEOPLE
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THE MOST OUTSPOKEN, TALENTED AND HARDWORKING PEOPLE OF KOGI STATE IN NIGERIA
The Ebira (also spelt Igbira or Igbirra) are the outspoken and very hard working agrarian Nupoid-speaking ethno-linguistic group located in the Central Senatorial district of Kogi State (not far from the Niger-Benue confluence) in Nigeria.
INTRODUCTION
Ebiraland occupies a hilly sketch of guinea savannah grassland approximating 2,977 square kilometres. The land lies approximately between 60 and 80 north of latitude and between 60 and 100 east longitude in the south-west zone of the Niger-Benue confluence area with a very pleasant climate; to the west and north-west, it shares common boundaries with the Yoruba speaking people of Owe, Akoko, Ijumu and Oworo; to the south and south-west, it is bounded by Ogori, Ososo and other Akoko-Edo settlements; the Hausa, Nupe and Ebira groups at Lokoja are bounded to the north and the River Niger to the east. To be found across the River are the Igala and Bassa Nge. The word Ebira refers to the people themselves (or could be called Anebira), their language, their character and their geo-political location (et’Ebira or et’Anebira), when considered etymologically. Beyond these, the land is, however, more than a matter of territory: it is also a metaphysical or mystical entity capable of having an effect on people’s lives and receiving sacrifice. The land is, one might say, a force to be reckoned with. (Picton 68)
Recent in depth research indicates that the Ebira have been part and parcel of what is now generally known as Central Nigeria since 4000 BC (Ohiare 1988). The Ebira zone is also prominent in the prehistoric civilization of the Iron Age generally characterised by the Central Nigeria as epitomised by Nok Culture. Even recently the iron-working site of Ife-Ijummu (Kogi State) has been dated to 260 B.C. Thus, it could be deduced that the Ebira as a group existed for a long time in locations within Central Nigeria not far from where they are located presently (Ohiare 1988, Willamson 1967, Beneth 1972).
Many Ebira people are from Kogi State, Kwara State, Nasarawa State, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Edo State.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF EBIRA PEOPLE
Okene is said to be the administrative centre of the Ebira-speaking people in Kogi state.
The word “Ebira” refers to the people themselves, (GOOD CHARACTER) their language and their geographical location. Using the name of the most popular town of the land, we may refer to them as Ebira Okene.
Other Ebira groups are Ebira Igu in Kogi and Koton Karfi local government areas of Kogi state; Ebira Toto and Umaisha ofNassarawa (Toto) local government area of Nassarawa state; Ebira Mozum of Bassa local government area of Kogi state; and Ebira Etuno of Igarra District of Ako-Edo local government area of Edo state. Other Ebira are to be found in Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory and Agatu in Benue state.
The Ebira people are republican by nature, outspoken and very hard working. Farming and cloth-weaving are occupations for which the Ebiras are well known. The paramount ruler of the people is called Ohinoyi of Ebiraland. The Ebira cherish their traditional festivals in spite of the infiltration of some negative tendencies.
EBIRA PEOPLE
Geography (Environment)
A common physical feature of Ebiraland is the conspicuous presence of blocks of dissected hills and the metaphoric rocks enveloping the greater part of the land. The hills rise to a peak of 2000 ft. and probably represent the remnants of an old post of Gondowana pedi-plain (Clayton 1957). The African laterite and plain which embraces the greater part of Ihima, Okengwe and Ageva are occupied by extensive undulating plains (1200-1400ft). They are studded with smooth rounded rocks of in selbergs. The laterite soils are derived from metaphoric rocks of greyish-buff (18 inches) and clayed pan which overlay vascular iron stone (Omorua 1959:1). The depth of the soil is however variable, ranging from two to three feet to about three inches where the ironstone approaches the surface, as in the Itakpe hills in Adavi district. There is also the Niger literic plain forming a lower terrace below the higher plains. This is conspicuous in Ajaokuta, Eganyi, Ebiya and part of Adavi in the north and north-east of Ebiraland. Another very important feature is the rim from the highland. This escarpment which extends to Ihima, Eika and part of Ajaokuta widens into abroad zone of dissected hills. The soil formation of the rims is mostly skeletal, consisting of pale brown and orange brown sands and grits. The escarpment contains quartz stones interspersed with pockets of deeper sand wash (Omorua 1959:1-2). The implications of these features to the past and contemporary history of the land are many. A few of them are as follows. The nature of the topography has affected the relief pattern of Ebiraland, which is marked out of the dissected peaks with knife-edged ridges, and steep V-shaped valleys. Valleys of this type occur in Okene, Okengwe and Eika towns. Apart from exerting much influence on the climate, the features in part provided security and protection for the ancient Ebira. Thus they resisted external incursions into their geo-polity as in the case of the Ajinomoh jihadist wars in the 1880s discussed elsewhere (Okene 1990:26-30). Furthermore, the features influenced the pattern of the people’s technical know-how as it relates to the production of crafts like pottery, dyeing and blacksmithing and of the people instruments of production or destruction such as hoes, cutlasses and spears and bows and arrows. The Ebira were famous in Central Nigeria for the production of these crafts (Barth 1990:510-515; Jones 1969:38). In contemporary times, these features serve as a reservoir of the iron-ore deposit now discovered in large quantity in some hills of the land. Itakpe hill in Adavi district alone has an iron-ore deposit estimated between 37 and 47 million tons, and of more than 60 per cent iron content (Okene 1995:37). This is meant to provide raw material for the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Industry set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Other minerals to be found in substantial commercial quantities in Ebira include marble, limestone, copper, chalk and mica.
DRUMERS
LANGUAGE
Ebira people speaks Ebira (Egbira), a Nupoid language belonging to the larger Niger-Congo language phylum. Ebira is spoken by about 2 million people in Nigeria especially in Kogi State.
According to Greenberg’s classification of African languages, Ebira belongs to the Kwa group of the Niger-Congo family, which also comprises the Nupe, Gbari and Gade (Greenberg, 1966). But Hoffman and Bendor-Samuel in their studies of Nigerian languages set up Ebira as a separate entity (Adive 1985:56-57).
There are two schools of thought about the Ebira origins. The written source (archeological) and the oral traditions. The Ebira, through oral tradition, trace their descent to Wukari (in the present Taraba state) where they were a constituent part of the Kwararafa confederation. In about 1680 AD, they (along with the Idoma and Igala) migrated out of Wukari a chieftaincy dispute. The Ebira later split into various groups and settled in different locations between 1680 and 1750 AD. The Ebira Tao first sojourned with the Igalas at Idah but later crossed the River Niger and settled at Ebira Opete located the vicinity of Upake in Ajaokuta LGA. The 'father' of the Ebira Tao who led them 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, Udu or Idu (Aniku), Adeyika and Uhwami. A migrant group from Eganyi known as Ezi-Onogu 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.
From the written source, Ohiare (1985) linguistically defined Ebira as those who speak the language or dialect called Ebira or those who recognize themselves as one but have lost touch of the ability to speak the language as a result of some historical development. Describing their location, Ozigi (2004) said that Ebira are predominantly in the Niger–Benue confluence area and scattered in locations as Okene, Okehi, Adavi and Ajaokuta. These are the Ebira Tao group of the Central Senatorial District of Kogi State.
There are also the Ebira kotos. They are found in Koton Karfe area of Kogi Local Government of Kogi State. There is the Ebira Mozum of Bassa Local Government area of Kogi State. There are large Ebira settlement in other areas apart from Kogi State as found in Umaisha, Toto, Lafia District of Nassarawa State and Federal Capital Territory. There is also Ebira Agatu in Benue State, Ebira Etuno (Igarra) in Edo State.
The concern of this write up is the Ebira Tao group. Historically, the people belong to the Kwararafa or Apa group of the North Central region. Among the other ethnic group in the Kwararafa region are the Jukun, the Igala, the Idoma, the Langtang, Kaje etc.
The tradition of origin of the Ebira Tao first started in the Gongola Basin and ended with their migration to the lower Benue valley. The Ebira took their name from the lower Benue valley. They described themselves as people from Ebira. Tradition collected from among the Idoma say Ebira were already in the area of Abinse down to the area of modern Agatu district when Idoma ancestors met them. This was about the 15th and16th centuries as claimed by Ohiare (1985). This indicated that the Ebira presence around the Benue valley was about the 14th Century. It was from here that the wave of migration dispersed the Ebira and other associated groups to the confluence area. From here also the people migrated to Ebira opete and the Okehi hills.
Several reasons were given for this migration. They were succession disputes, outbreak of epidemics, and flight from punishment which the people considered as unjustified and oppressive.
There is yet another period of Ebira historical development. This began with their migration across the Niger at Itobe to the right bank of the Niger around the present location of Ajoakuta. This place was known as Ebira opete. Ebira man from Kogi state
The Ebira had to move further from the Igala territory for obvious reasons of succession. It was a common practice in the royal circle of Idah that the losing side in succession dispute was always obliged by tradition to move out of the capital enmasse to the inland and sometime beyond the boundaries of the Kingdom (in this case, the Ebira belonged to the losing side and so had to move).
According to Ozigi (2004) the dominant theme in the struggle of the Ebira opete settlers was to secure political independence of Attah in Idah. So, it was their desire to be rid of Idah’s political influence. This forced the people to begin gradual westward. Some settled in Okehi and Upai hills and others in Igarra (Etuno) area. From Opete the Ebira moved gradually in families, lineages and clans to the hills of Okehi, Upai and Eikaoku, a compact area chosen for security purposes. Political organization of the people in their new area reflected the settlement patterns based on family lineage and clan group conducted its affairs as a semi-autonomous entity. In each clan group, lineages often acted independently. The leaders of these clan groups never failed to strengthen their political authority through religious sanctions ordained by the ancestors.
Institutions of ancestral cults featured spirits like “Eku oba”, “Eku echichi”, akatapa’, and “Eku irahu”, that gave political potency to their religious sanctions. By mid-19th century, the Ebira had settled permanently in their present locations and lived in the district founded by the ancestors. Various settlements were founded by the Ebira children like Okovi, Agada, Eika, Adavi, Ihima and Eganyi. These settlements were named after them.
CLANS
The main clans and sub clans in Ebira settlements were as follows:
Okovi (Asuwe, Adobe, Ehebe, Omavi, Ure and Omoye as sub clans)
Agada (Akuta, Avi, Ogu, Esusu, and Ohimoroko as sub clans)
Eika (Ihiaga, Iyewe, Avasa, Eyire, Epoto, Anchi, Iheme, Agiri, Ubobo, Uhuodo and Ogu as sub clans)
Adavi (Aniku, Uhami, Uka, Upopo uvete as sub clans)
Ihima (Emani, Ure, Ohueta, Odumi, Ohionwa and oha as sub clans)
Eganyi (Eheda, Onoko, Esugu, Ogodo, Onogu, Ede and Ogu as sub clans)
These clans were very important in the socio–political life of the Ebira people. They were the basis of authority and social relations in Ebira traditional community.
By the mid-19th century, about the 1860’s the Jihadists invaded the Ebira settlement and distorted their socio–political organization. The Jihadists, under the leadership of Madaba from Bida, first invaded into the Okene area by way of raiding. For the first time, the Ebira were faced with formidable and a united force under a purposeful and dynamic leadership that could challenge these Jihadists. These leadership traits were found in Ohindase Ukpai and he did put very strong resistance in this direction.
In the second incursion, which came about the 1870’s, was a combined force of Bida, Ilorin and Ibadan under Nupe leadership. Ebira 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 invasion of the enemy. Indeed, our people have built strong confidence in our 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. The 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.
ADAYI ACHEGIDI OKINO, alias Oki'ri was born in (1815-1935) 120yrs.
He was a legendary; excellent archer; user of single arrow fame; he was a reputable marksman during the invasions of the Ebiras by the combined teams of Jihadists from Bida, Ibadan and Ilorin under the command of Emir Masaba. It is said that he would shoot his arrow up into the air but the arrow would still come down to hit his target. This was how he and other Ebira warriors, hunters, herbalists and other activists used various defence mechanisms to ward off the three times attacks on the Ebiras by the Jihadists He too led Ebira to great success in Ireku Ajinomoh another ethnic wars.
COLONIAL RULE
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. Under colonial rule, the people of Ebira lost their sovereign right. The existing structures were dismantled and replaced with new ones. There was imposition of colonial agents through whom the colonialist communicated with the people. There was the imposition of poll tax (Ekehi irehi or house money), there was forced labour to construct rail lines, road network, etc.
It is also noteworthy that these invasions had set the people on the way to central Leadership. 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. The people resisted patriotically colonial imposition in various ways. Ibrahim (1985) identified that there was military resistance against the colonialists in such places like Ikuehi, Kuroko and Okene.
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”.
These various oppositions to colonial imposition led to the Oyibo Arimo crisis of 1924 and 1926. It was these series of crisis that culminated into the formation of IGBIRA TRIBAL UNION (ITU) that constituted a major political force in the post independent era.
When the British invaded and conquered Ebiraland at the beginning of the century. The people found a confederation of five-clan groups (they are Eika, Okehi, Adavi, Okengwe, and Ihima) each operating a devine form of government as established by Ododo of Okehi and Obaji of Eika (the two greatest heroes of Ebiraland).
Following a breakdown of traditional law and order as a result of wars, migration, famine etc. the two heroes enthroned cult of eldership, resuscitated the masquerade cult and established iragba and the masquerade as the institution of government and instrument of discipline respectively. Ododo and Obaji also established a devine form of chieftaincy. The installation of the Chief priest was linked with the Iragba and the priest elect would pass through a ceremony of death and masquerades and was finally installed by the Ekuoba. Each clan group in Ebiraland was politically autonomous with its clan’s chief priest rotating among the clans in order of seniority. This was the situation until the invasion of the Ajinomoh in the second half of the 19th century. As from 1900 the British took over Ebiraland, created Kabba Division and appointed Owudah Adidi as agent in 1902 Omadivi took refuge in the house of Owudah Adidi at Obangede. Omadivi was a widely traveled man. He appreciated the white man’s power and motive for invading Ebiraland. He quickly allied with them. Omadivi had wielded much power around himself and events worked in his favour when in 1904 he was installed the chief of Ebiraland after the Major Marsh expedition which sacked Okene. In 1917, Omadivi died as the District Head of Ebiraland and the stage was set for the struggle for his position. Among the contenders for this position were Ohindase Arudi Adano, Ibrahim Chogudo Onoruoiza and Ozigizigi of Obehira.
Ibrahim Onoruoiza won the contest at the youthful age of 17 amidst bitter opposition. The credentials that won him this position included high level of intelligence, brilliant and efficient performance as white man’s tax assessment scribe and messenger. Ibrahim immediately commenced his activities to open up roads to Ajaokuta and Lokoja for trading activities. Fascinated by the work of Ibrahim, the British Resident officer, Mr. Byng-Hall created Ebira Division with the Attah as the Sole Native Authority.
The nature of the physical environment influenced not only the land tenure system but also agriculture practices which in fact were the main determinant of the people’s economy. Agricultural production was geared towards both domestic consumption and exchange. Almost every household, which was the basic unit of production, was involved in farming. Over time the people, through production efficiency, division of labour and specialisation, took advantage of both internal and external economies of scale. By early 19th century, realising its potentialities, the Okengwe district specialised in the production of beni-seed which it traded and exchanged with the groundnuts in the production of which Adavi clan-groups and communities in the immediate north of the land had also become specialised (Okene 1995:79-84). Apart from fishing and hunting, which complemented farming, the Ebira economy also to some extent depended on local industries and craft production like palm oil, animal husbandry, iron technology and blacksmithing, textiles dyeing, wood carving and basket, mat and raffia weaving. Because of its unique nature, the textiles industry requires a brief discussion. Cotton, the main raw material of the industry, is a crop of antiquity with the Ebira. The Ebira had migrated with the crop and with the knowledge of its production to their present location, the soil of which was fortunately very favourable for its commercial cultivation. An exclusively female preserve, the distinct technique employed by the Ebira textiles producers was vertically mounted single loom system, locally called Oguntoro. According to Brown, Ralph Willis, Picton and Mack, (Brown 1970:60; Willis 1972:51; Picton & Mack 1979:17,77,80, 82) the Ebira cloth weaving had undergone series of styles, patterning and specialization that made it excellent and one of the best in the Western Sudan before the advent of the British rule. In the same vein, Henry Barth noted in 1851 that Ebira Woven cloth favourably rivaled those of other areas in terms of pattern, colour, decoration and texture. Barth did observe the superiority of the Ebira Woven cloth compare to other regions in the Kurmi International Market, Kano when he visited the City during the same period (Barth 1990:511)
Generally speaking, the settlement pattern of the Ebira in their present location was largely determined by the topography of the area and their migrational groupings. They settled in highly knitted related families, kindreds, clans and clan-groups on several hills tops which include Eikoku Okengwe, Okehi, Ukpai and Okerekere. The socio-political institutions which became consolidated over time were primarily geared towards the maintenance of discipline, social harmony and peace which were essential ingredients for social relations and economic progress within and without Ebira ecological zone.
The basis of political organisations of the Ebira started from the family. As the smallest unit, the family consisted of the father, wives, children and grandchildren. The unit lives in a specially designed Ohuoje while the Ovovu (outer compound), was the exclusive use of other people under the custody of the family. These include the family slaves, war or famine refugees on asylum and family labourers. The oldest surviving male was the head of the family. He personified the cultural, clannish and economic heritages as the representatives of the ancestors in the family. Several families who believed they were patrilineally related by blood formed the next political unit of lineage, “abara”. The head was the oldest surviving male of the lineage. Though, his decision was not final as he had to consult with the heads of the families that made up the lineage, the chief had prerogative power over the economic activities of the lineage. The lineage land and relics were vested on him and the sylvan produce of the lineage were gathered in his palace annually for distribution to the various member families based on the ancestral law of age grade. Several lineages have survived to the present. These include Etumi, Avi, Adovosi, Egiri and Ogagu. The clan was the next political unit of the Ebira of this study. Though third in the strata, the clan was the main and most sensitive of all the political units. Each clan had both a prefix in its name of either Ozi- (i.e. children of) or Ani- (i.e the people of) and a totemic symbol indicating either a sacred object or an animal attached to their clan name. For example, Eziehimozoko, a clan in Okengwe district had an additional eulogy of eziede, “children of crayfish”, attached to their clan name. In the past, a clan name and a totemic eulogy served as identification marks for the various migrational groups or parties. The head of each of the clans, many of which have also survived to the present, was the oldest surviving male. His power was nominal, as he administered through consultation. Nevertheless, he was the representative of the ancestors in the clan. He therefore executed sanctions and controls over its members. These were thought to emanate from the ancestors who watched over the affairs of the people from the world of the ancestral spirits.
The largest socio-political unit among the Ebira was the clan-group locally called Ekura. About six of such clan-groups survive to the present. They are Okengwe, Okehi, Adavi, Eika, Ihima, and Eganyi. Though each was self-autonomous, they however related on issues of common concern. The head of each was priest-chief, Ohinoyi-ete.
Ebira women Each group was made up of several clans believed they had distant patrilineal blood tie. For instance, the Okengwe group comprised of Akuta, Ehimozoko, Avi, Esusu, Ogu, Asuwe, Omoye, Omavi, Eire and Adobe. The chief-priest consulted the heads of the clans on any serious matter affecting the group. In addition, he administered justice in conjunction with his deputy, Ohireba, and the council of elders of the group. Despite the obvious limitation to his authority, the priest-chief was the highest spiritual and socio-political head of the clan-group. He was believed to have a daily communication with the ancestors. He ministered to, and indeed mustered the earth shrine to solicit for fertility, adequate rainfall and good harvest. He exercised sanctions and ensure control, discipline, and compliance with the societal norms and rules. He was vested with the interpretation of the ancient ancestral laws through divination, sacrifices and indeed long experience. Through these, the six priest-chiefs in close cooperation, consultation and communion with one another were able to administer justice and maintain the society of Ebira in relative social harmony up till the eve of the British invasion in 1902/1903.
AKUVARIVA (LOCUST)
In 1932, a swarm of locust invaded Ebiraland and devastated the farm fields. This led to a very lean harvest which was in turn antecedence by famine. People were reduced to bags of bones and many died of starvation. The account of life at this period in Ebira history would be incomplete if we leave out some humorous but sad episodes which our elders often love to recount.
For example, a man was said to be so hungry that he went to sleep under a dumb-palm tree to wait for its fruit to fall. One of the fruits fell on his head and killed him. It was somebody else who came to pick the fruit. Even more funnily sad is the story of two friends who went in search of food in the bush. They got a few palm kernels and one of them proceeded to crack them. In the process, a palm-nut flung under impact of the stone, and deposited itself in the hollow between the neck and shoulder. This hollow in Ebira is called ‘Agadaba.’ He started a frantic search for the kernel not knowing where it was. Amused by how eager his friend was to find the kernel that he on his part was seeing clearly, the friend began to laugh. He laughed and laughed, shouting ‘Agadaba! Agadaba!! Agadaba!!!’ He laughed and laughed to death. His horrified friend stooped down to pick him up, and the kernel fell to the ground. He was so hunger-stricken that he first chewed the kernel before raising alarm about the death of his friend.
IHIMA BRIEF HISTORY
Ebira Itaazi is the father of five children including (Onotu) Ihima. His mother’s name is Upai who died and was buried in Ihima hills called Ataba-Upai. From that date, the yearly remembrance ceremony is known as Eche-Irikuta (the festival of the tomb). During the Eche Irikuta, the dates of both Echeane and Echeori are fixed.
IHIMA LINEAGE
The traditional name of Ihima is Onotu. He is the son of Ebira-Itaazi a great hunter and farmer. He married three (3) wives. The first gave birth to Emani? The Second wife gave birth to Ure, Ohueta and Odumi while the third wife gave birth to Ohionwa and Oha clans in Ihima. Ohionwa and Oha’s mother is called Eje. Her name was descriptive because of her fair complexion. She hails from Kabba (Owe land) Okun Area of Kogi State.
I shall discuss the history of Ihima in details in one of my write up.
TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IN EBIRA LAND
The word Ebira means 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.
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.
Ebira groom with his bride and friends
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.
Ebira bride and the groom
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.
Alh. Shuaib Ondeku sheds more light on this when he was alive (May his soul continue rest in peace). 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.
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.
EBIRA PEOPLE RELIGIOUS BELIEF
Before the advent of Islam, Ebira people practiced a form of African traditional religion with a central focus on a god called Ohomorihi, the rain-maker who lives in the sky. Rites are performed to appease the god whose attributes include punishing evildoers and rewarding good people. Other religious figures below the Ohomorihi are ori (deities) and spirits. In Ebira tradition, there is a belief in a spirit world where dead ancestors live
Ebira acknowledge the existence of Almighty Allah with utmost reverence. The innate belief of the people places Him, "Ohomorihi" (Supreme Being), first before any other thing. These claim clearly manifest in the various attributes accorded Supreme Almighty Allah by the people. Ohomorihi means creator of rain. In most cultures and even sciences, the essence of living and life is tied to water. Earthly fertility is predicated on water, human conception and delivery is also located in watery substances. All source of life can be traced to water.
In Ebira religious belief, Ohomorihi is the source and controller of this water from which all these beings are sourced because Orihi is rain and is produced from the divine center (Ohomo). This belief establishes the absolute supremacy of Almighty Allah over all living and non-living beings, materials and spiritual matters.
Other names and attributes of Ohomorihi includes "adayi ebeba anayin abayi" (Our father above who owns us all), "Ikoko koi koi" (The powerful, the Omnipotent), "Ovaraka dosi" (of limitless size, the magnificent with unimaginable magnitude, the Omnipresent), "Ochiji mokariye" (the silent arbiter, unpredictable dispenser of justice), "Ovaraka huduma" (whose stair roars like thunder), "Oku`za ohuru, Oku`za atito" (adorns one with gunpowder and soil with ashes), "Ogodo godo onuva`za eme tu" (so far removed from physical touch), "Odu ajini osi ihuo teyi" (inflict pains today and inject gains tomorrow, create sorrow today and restore joy tomorrow); oda yoza ri odoza here (feeds you and drains you). from these names one can understand why He is the first point of reference in all matters- secular, spiritual or ritual.
Ebira people know that man sins and therefore cannot reach Allah (Ohomorihi) direct so they play through Ete (Mother Earth). deities or lesser gods known as Ori and Ohiku (ancestors).
Ete occupies a vital position in Ebira cosmology. It is a force of balance considered next to Allah (Ohomorihi) because whatever goes up must come down to earth. It is on earth that human`s life is both sustained and buried, "a spiritual entity from which all life derives," (Aniako 1980, p. 35-36), Thus, when a child at play eats sand, as it is often the case in African traditional settings, it is seen as the ritual process of reconnecting back to earth, first initiated through the burial of the placenta of the child at birth. man lives through cultivation of food crops and exploitation of crust of ornamental riches buried in within the earth. It also serves as man`s final resting place at death. Ete thus has dual essence of fortune and misfortune commission and reversion. Ete is also a force of equipoise between man and Ebira cosmology which is concretized by the balance between mother Earth and patriarchal dominance of man even in ancestral world. Women (Mother earth) are alternative force that checks the excesses of man evil tendencies. The overriding importance of Ete as the centre of universe is physically expressed at the centre of every traditional Ebira home as Eteohuje (centre of the compound). It is at this centre the that ancestral sacrifice and rituals are held.
Allah created Ori (spirit being or nature spirit) as the intercessor between man and Himself. Ori is actually worshipped and celebrated in two towns of Ihima and Eganyi in Ebiraland probably because of its intervention to avert serious calamities in these two towns according to Ebira mythology. It came to cleanse these two towns of serious epidermic. As such, it assumes prominence with shrines created for it with its attendant devotees echeori annual festival instituted in memory of this ritual cleansing. Echeori is celebrated as a New Yam Festival for seasonal renewal. Okino (2004, p 9) claims that the "pioneer religion of the ancestors of Ebira people is Ori" probably because of its intercessory nature between the people and the higher order.
The other spirit that Ebira people relates to is the Ancestral Spirit (Eku), an embodiment of dead ancestors, Ohiku.
CULTURAL FESTIVALS (ECHE-OZI ETE)
The Ebiras have several annual cultural festivals. Three of the most 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). Masquerades, 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.
Eche-Ori
'Eche Ori' is a new yam festival celebrated only in two districts in 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 the market as it is a taboo to do so before the festival in Ihima and Eganyi.
Ekuechi (Traditional 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 in heralding the beginning of the festival often say "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 (ome ikede) 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 only so all women stay indoors throughout the duration of the festival. All dead relatives are believed to return to an 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
Ekuechi festival of the Ebira Tao of Kogi State in Nigeria is anchored on ancestral celebration and interaction. The performance process entails the celebration of myth, legend and traditional social events. It is observed annually by the people to mark the end of the year and usher in a new one. It is a two-day/night affair with a preceding eve (Unehe) which usually starts in late November, runs through December and ends in early January with each Ebira community choosing its own date as affirmed by the priest of Ireba Eku (masquerade cult) shrine, the Ozumi especially.
Ekuechi performance is a men-dominated event from which women are forbidden to watch or participate, but have covert roles that are tangential to the festive essence of ekuechi. Their overt exclusion is essentially to prevent them from apprehending maskless masquerades in their ancestral
manifestations. It is around this masklessness of masquerades that Ododo (2004) conceptualises the Facekuerade notion. This paper therefore interrogates the origin story of Ekuechi and the vital space women occupy in it as well as their iconic essence in the performance design of the festival. This effort is essentially to contribute to the contemporary discussion on women and gender ambiguity from the perspective of the Ebira. But first, let us position the Facekuerade notion
Facekuerade Concept
Across cultures in Nigeria evidence abounds of masquerades that do not don masks but are expressly called masquerades. Some examples can be found in Yorubaland, such as the Oloolu of Ibadan and Jenju of Abeokuta. Others that exist in Yoruba speaking areas of Nigeria include Okelekele masquerade of Ekinrin-Ade in Kogi State; Melemuku masquerade of Oyo town, Atupa of Ilora, both of Oyo state; Olukotun masquerade of Ede, Komenle of Agba and Akereburu of Owu all in Osun state.
The star masquerade performer at Ekuechi festival, Eku’rahu (Night Singing Masquerade), does not wear mask as well as Akatapa (Jester) and Eku’ahete (feet stamping Masquerade) do not wear masks. The Eku’echichi (Rubbish Heap Masquerade) and Eku’Okise (Soothsaying Masquerade) that perform during the day fully masked in Echane festival also participate in Ekuechi maskless. The absence of masks notwithstanding, they are all still referred to as masquerades. Adinoyi–Ojo (89) submits that “the night has masked them from women and children to whom eku is supposed to be a mystery”.
Origin Traditions of Ekuechi
Generally, in Africa, theories of autochthonous origins for masquerades are often propounded through oral traditions as Horton (1963), Adedeji (1969) and Njaka (1974) demonstrated in recording the myths that established the origin of masquerades in Kalabari, Yoruba and Igbo cultures in Nigeria respectively. The Ebira example is not too different.
There are few accounts of how Eku concept started. However, the differences in these accounts are not fundamental. Generally, Ireba Eku (masquerade cult) was believed to have been formed under the divine instruction of God to check the excesses of women, apart from serving as a medium of ancestral contact. Myth has it that after creating man and woman as husband and wife, one-day Allah sent for the man but he was too busy to honour the call. Instead, he requested his wife to heed Allah’s call on his behalf. Allah gave her Irakwo (an egg-like object that contains the secrets of life and has the capacity to manifest supernatural powers) for her husband.
Having discovered its contents and being fascinated by them, she hid it in her uterus and later swallowed it without giving it to her husband. She thereafter became quite powerful, performing supernatural feats like turning into any animal and changing back to a human being. She could instantly grow wings to fly around in astral travels, and also capable of all sorts of mysterious transformations. Her husband became envious of her powers. In sympathy, God enabled the husband to create the Eku masquerade cult from which women membership is strongly discouraged, as a counterforce to the powers the women possess. Corroborating the notion of Eku as a counterforce to witchcraft, the Adeika of Eika, the traditional Chief of Eika clan in Ebiraland in an interview recorded by Adeiza submits that:
"Eika is the senior clan in Ebiraland and Ekuechi originated from them. The real origin of the festival is a traditional secret and I wonder whether I should reveal it. Well, well, I will…
Ekuechi originated from necessity, for when witchcraft crept into Ebiraland it was the women who reigned supreme in the cruel craft and they cheated us men by it. Many people were being killed by them especially men. In retaliation, we men also set up the Eku cult to dread the women. Women are made to believe that Ekus who perform during Ekuechi are ancestor spirits raised from the dead to come and admonish, warn and punish evildoers in their songs and ritual. (Adeiza, 1994) Ibrahim (12) further corroborates this position by revealing that “the masquerade executed recalcitrant women (witches)”. This is one of the major reasons women’s participation in the night performance of Eku’rahu is highly forbidden. According to Ogunba (24): In many African cultures women are not admitted into the secrets of the masking art; indeed, they are often the favourite target of masking and satirical ridicule, the assumption being that they live a more poetical life than their menfolk, have secret powers, are more of spirits than human beings, and therefore an object of fear or veneration.
A more encompassing conceptual thought on this phenomenon of female exclusion from masquerade cults within the African patriarchal context resides in the understanding that women are feeble-minded and cannot keep secrets. Also, because "They are also mysterious and sometimes unclean. They cannot therefore approach these ancestral manifestations, whose character is diametrically opposed to their own. Any meeting between them would have adverse effects on both parties. Much harm would come to the women and masquerades would lose something of their virtue. (Nzekwu 132).
Women’s association with witchcraft, misfortune, pollution and impurity is not peculiar to the Ebira alone. In South Africa for instance, a Bantu group called the Ba-Rongas subject their widows to a series of intensive purification rites to “throw away the malediction of death” (Juniod, 1962). The Ode-lay masked performers of Freetown in Sierra Leone “protect the maskers from witches” by dusting their costumes with special medicinal substance (Nunley, 1987). Also, the Franciscan monks of the Thirteenth Century addressed women as “the head of sin, a weapon of the devil, mother of guilt, corruption of the ancient” (Tavris and Offir, 1977). In New Zealand, there is the general belief among the Maoris that when a woman “enters the area in which a sacred boat is being built, the sea worthiness of the boat is affected and it cannot be launched. The presence of a profane being serves to remove the divine blessing” (Caillois, 1959). Several of such ill- perceptions of women abound in most cultures. Some of the reasons usually advanced are hinged on the desire of men to dominate women; as a result, antisocial labels are heaped on them. The other reason is informed by the unclean aspect of women imposed by nature, like the menstrual cycle. On this count alone, women are forbidden from most religious rites, be it Traditional, Christianity or Islam.
The Ebira hold very strong view about this too. In their belief, potency of charms can be neutralised if a menstruating woman comes in contact with it. Sometimes, for certain ritual observances, one is strongly advised to avoid any carnal relationship with women no matter their state of purity. Many of them are aware of these injunctions and also sometimes capitalise on them to taunt men, test their strength of character and ability to resist seductive advances in such sanctimonious state. Oftentimes, the weak will easily fall prey and get destroyed in the process.
But in Ebira society, it is not just the public right of discussion that is withdrawn, also the right to conscious quest for knowledge. The mysticism surrounding the Eku (masquerade) cult is still intact, for previous attempts to neutralise it has always met with stiff mystic and physical opposition from custodians and a cross-section of Ebira people who believe strongly in the inviolability of such cultural practices.
According to oral and several written accounts (which are also sourced from orality), Obaji and Ododo, sons of Itaazi, were said to be the progenitors of Eku. These were two brothers who constantly antagonised each other on account of seniority contestation. But seniority was generally conceded to Obaji, and Ododo was not pleased. One day, Obaji took ill and was about to die. His brother, Ododo, said he would not like Obaji to be his senior here on earth and again be his senior in the great beyond (Idaneku). Ododo then decided to change his identity with his dying brother. When Obaji died, Ododo put on the costumes of Eku and the women were made to believe that Ododo rose from the dead. So, Obaji became the senior of the living, while Ododo became the senior of the dead in the world beyond. Adega, a prophesying masquerade character who specialises in the chants of historical events, myths and legends, gave a similar account in his 1983 annual Echane festival performance:
"Ozi Ododo vana si ozi Obaji dosi mo nyi ehi ni Ijo ozi Obaji vaso ka yo ozi Ododo Ka ani ewun ma ze ada anini Do ozi Ododo va se so ka ine hi ni Do Ododo ka Obaji ana vo zoku yoni ehononi Dore vana ve ozoku idaneku yo ni Di Ododo wusu ni Da hure Eku ni Ihe gwo eta ani do Obaji oni re wu suni (Adega, 1983)”.
Translation
Ododo’s son took Obaji’s daughter for a concubine When Obaji’s daughter told Ododo’s son of her father’s illness, Ododo’s son went home to relay the information Ododo in envy opined that Obaji who is his senior in the human world Will again be his senior in the world beyond (Idaneku). Therefore, Ododo passed on before Obaji. His Children made Eku out of him. The third day, Obaji also passed on…
Another account holds it that Ododo did not actually commit suicide but that he actually donned the masquerade costumes at his supposed funeral, as he was never publicly interred. But we are not told how the mask character was later reconciled with Ododo’s living identity. However, in a very recent study, Ibrahim (10) explains that "The main event behind the story was the crowning of their foundation of Ebiraland with their title taking and installation as priest-king and high priest of Ebira Ancestral Temple. The system of king-making in Ebira land of olden days "included establishing the ancestral temple as point of contact with the ancestor and from where the eku-oba (ancestor incarnate masquerade) would emerge; symbolically passing through the various stages of ‘dying’ rounded up with the preparation of eku-oba and then eku-echichi, a ceremony for sending off departing elder’s spirit to its new abode, or for escorting visiting ancestral spirits back to their world. …once the funeral ceremonies and outing of the masquerade had been performed, that was the end of the public appearance for the priest-king or person concerned; these ceremonies would not be performed again when he actually (physically) passed away. The priest-king was never reported as dying for the man had already ‘died’ before he became priest-king. (Ibrahim 10- 11)
It is based on the above understanding that Ibrahim (10) reasons that it was when Obaji had already passed through some of the ‘death’ processes that Ododo became aware and because he was averred to Obaji becoming his senior in the world beyond, Ododo “by passed some of the processes straight to ‘death’ and outing of masquerade to personate his spirit”.
The Iconography of Ekuechi Performance
The key icon in most masquerade performances is the mask, but this is absent in Ekuechi performance. Paradoxically, it is the mnemonic (extra-terrestrial) value of the mask that contextualises and defines Ekuechi. The actual absence and the virtual presence of the mask in Ekuechi is what Picton (183) describes as a redefinition occasioned by “common knowledge about events and performers”. Another point to note is the absence of another vital icon in Ekuechi celebration – women. The important space women occupy in Ebira cosmology has been established in this paper. They are the repositories of Irakwo (witchcraft), an elemental equipoise to Eku (masquerade). They also weave Eku’s costume, clean the surroundings, household and the inner chamber in readiness to receive visiting ancestors; they prepare the feast with which the ancestors are hospitably received, yet their presence is negated by the absence of a mask. Picton (66 and 75) reasons that this ambivalence is designed to sustain the “trickery, even deceit and certainly play-acting” involved in Eku (masquerade) – “a matter of dramatic pretence” that establishes overt (male) pretence in response to covert (female) reality” (80). Picton’s the Eku phenomenon is not just a question of willful suspension of disbelief for women but a force that commands unusual sensibility. The name alone can cause “stampede and create commotion”. Picton (88) conveys this sense when he suggests that “the powers of eku drive women indoors confining them physically and metaphysically”.
He concludes in another related context, that “evidently, whatever else eku might be, it is a word with the power to move people” (Picton 87). It gathers and disperses people, it flavours and frightens, it treats and threatens; on the whole, Eku galvanizes and dispels action.
Considered differently, women’s invisible participation is an assigned role in the performative design of Ekuechi. As in theatre practice, no one is expected to abrogate his/her role regardless of what he/she thinks of it. To abrogate one’s role is to tilt the balance of cosmic harmony. Nevertheless, the Ekuechi event fortifies itself against such abrogation and also has the mechanism of reconstructing itself for continuity of performance. For instance, when a woman violates her role by taking a wrong cue to appear on the performance arena, the chthonic realm reacts with death strike – either instant death of the body and soul or ‘death’ to the woman’s psychic system, disabling her from recounting what she has seen. In this instance, it is untenable to depend on “phantasy” and “deceit” in defining the role of women but “reality” and “faith”. However, what is compelling is the philosophy that hones the understanding and acceptance of the women folk that Eku’rahu, and indeed other facekuerade characters are sacred. Women also know that their role do not include direct contact with these characters.
BRIEF HISTORY OF OBEGE EIKA
In the earliest generations when the art of magic was yet a myth to the people, there was born a boy into a family of hunters in the village of Eika - one of the six communities that comprised the ancestral groups.
He was believed to have been born with a leaf in his hand and to the elders of then, that was prognostic of what he would be - a native healer. And had grown up performing wonders. His kinsmen were all hunters, they would deny the boy the opportunity to follow them hunting, purely on age ground - and he was really too young to go hunting in the forest.
They would leave him in the house with the women as they set out on their hunting expedition. But they had meet the young Obege in the forest roasting a fair member of the forest’s game, all alone - and unarmed! The elders had to defer to this wonderful boy. Obege as an adult was more than human. His fame had spread all over the land: he was a healer of most seemingly incurable diseases, he was a rain maker, assumed more divine than occultic, for he wasn’t known to consult any spirit: magic they believed came natural to him.
In the dry season, on a hot day under a white cloudless sky, he was believed to have sat on an upturned mortar before a group of clansmen in front of his house. To the surprise of all present, he was said to have commanded the rain to pour and the cloud complied - sending forth a heavy downpour that drenched everything and everybody around him, but he remained sitting on the mortar as the rain around him - and was as dry as gun powder!
THE OHINOYI OF EBIRA LAND
HIS ROYAL MAJESTY PALACE
THE OHINOYI OF EBIRA LAND
HIS ROYAL MAJESTY PALACE
THE OHINOYI OF EBIRA LAND
HIS ROYAL MAJESTY CAR
THE OHINOYI OF EBIRA LAND
BRIEF HISTORY OF NOTABLE EVENTS EBIRALAND
Ebira Opete (Ebiraland)
* 1881: The installation of Ohindase (Okomanyi Avogude), rain maker in Ebira Division.
* 1882: The first installation of Ozumi (peace maker) in Ebira Division.
* 1885: Anajinomoh - the arrival of the first Whiteman in Ebira land.
* 1886: Arrival of Islam in Ebiraland.
* 1890: Ebira/Bassa-Nge war. (The Bassa were defeated.)
* 1902: Odimboro's death was a play/ tragedy for people were burnt to ashes during his burial.
* 1902: Death of Ohindasi Okomanyi Avogunde.
* 1903: Omadivi was appointed the first paramount ruler (or 'Native Authority') of Ebira by the colonial government at Okene-eba.
* 1904: Colonial conquest of Ebiraland (Major Marsh Expedition).
* 1908: Era of rapid spread of Islam (Ume Anebi).
* 1912: Terrible famine known as "Osinageri."
* 1915: Arrival of Sheikh Yahaya Tajudeen in Ebiraland from Ilorin.
* 1916: The first appearance of bicycle in Ebira.
* 1917: The installation of Ibrahim Ichegudo as Atta of Ebira following the death of Omadivi that same year.
* 1917: Roman Catholic School was built in Okene.
* 1918: Time of Akuosu (epidemic). This was the time when the worldwide epidemic of influenza took a heavy toll. As a result of this epidemics many people died at such an abnormal rate that there was insufficient cloth to bury the corpses, mats had to be substituted.
/ 1917: The first school in Ebira, St. Peter's Primary School, was founded by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) at Ogori. Two of the pioneer pupils in the school, Mr Jaiye or Jaiya, who later worked as a catechist, and Mr. Festus Alasoka who would later become the Ologori of Ogori. Christianity and western education arrived late in Ebira.
* 1917: The establishment of R.C.M. school in Okene at the site where Atta's house stands today. Some of its pioneer pupils were Mr. J.M. Ojiah, who became a court judge; Alhaji A.R.G. Ozigis, who worked with the Native Authority Council; and Mr. Sule Onibo.
* 1919: "Onyayi" - small-pox struck Ebira. - Mohammed Sani Omolori was born and who later become the Ohinoyi of Ebira. He was born during the funeral ceremony of Omonori or Omolori of Okaito, the district head of Okaito. That was how Sani Omolori got his last name. Omonori is an Ebira corruption of the Yoruba name, Omolori, which means "child of good luck."
* 1919: Death of Ohindase Arudi of Omoye clan.
* 1921: The first appearance of a three-wheel motor car on Ebira road.
* 1922: Construction of Okene-Lokoja road.
* 1922: Construction of the first zinc roofed house in Ebira.
* 1922: Time of "Ogunmare" - a time when many Ebira men were forced to Igala Division and Eastern Region to work on the construction of the railway line.
* 1922: Mr. T. A. Bugeru came to Ebira.
* 1922 Ebira Native Authority Central School, known as "Makaranta," was a Quranic school before it became a full- fledged primary school the following year. It was founded by the N.A. (Native Authority) Its pioneer pupils included Abdulmalik Atta, Abdulrahman Okene, Ali Arigi, a retired court judge, Salau Lawal, later become the District Head of Okene, Habib Raji Abdallah, Ahmadu Rufai, Umaru Oricha, and Mallam Zakari.
* 1923: Creation of Ebira Division in Kabba Province by Capt. Byng Hall.
* 1923: Ebira Native Authority Central School, known as "Makaranta," was founded.
* 1925: Obangede riot. – The emigration/immigration of Okino's family and some Agada clan members to Idori, some 15 miles from Okene in pursuit of their desire for self-administration. - Sani Omolori began school (on May 25, 1925). He spent five years in Elementary Three because there was nowhere else to go then. There were not too many opportunities for higher education in the entire Northern region then.
* 1926: Lokoja came under Igbirra Native Authority administration.
* 1926: Iya Egbe, mother of Atta Ibrahim, dies.
* 1926: St. Andrew's Anglican School, Okene, was established by Archdeacon L. A. Lennon, a Jamaican. It was first run as a religious class. Through the influence of Atta, the school was recognised by the colonial government and grant- aided in
* 1928. Its first headmaster was Mr. (later Reverend) P.A. Obayan (father of Justice Obayan). Its foundation pupils included Peter Adeniyi Erin, Esther Adebusola Ogedengbe, and J.M Baiye.
* 1927: Okene Prison Yard built and opened. - Osara bridge was constructed. -Death of 'Iya Egbe' Ejinovo (Atta Ibrahim's mother).
* 1929: Public news of Aladura. Many Ebira went to the West to see an Aladura prophet. "Akuvariva" or locust caused a terrible damage to food/cash crops and trees in Ebira.
* 1930: Appearance of locust. - Atta Ibrahim made the pilgrimage to Mecca.
* 1930. Death of Onyayi Oweyi (Siyaka's mother). - Nnamidi Azikiwe visited Okene on the platform of N.C.N.C.
* 1931: Prisoners killed by thunder at Okene prison.
* 1932: Second appearance of Oyibo Arimoh.
* 1933: Death of Ogbojo of Osisi village.
* 1933: Death of Umajene of Okene. - Construction of Okene Middle School, now known as Abdul Aziz Atta Memorial College. Its first principal was Isa Koto.
* 1934: The construction of Ebira Native Authority Yard.
* 1934: Thunder struck the prison again.
* 1934: Completion of Okene water works.
* 1935: Death of Otaru - Atta Ibrahim's father.
* 1936: Death of Okino Achegidi.
* 1937: Samari Irivogba died.
1934: Introduction of Okene Cemetary
* 1934: "oganya." - Death of Anaza
* 1934: the last man to be buried at home before the introduction of "oganya." - Completion of Okene reservoir (Okene water work).
* 1938: Death of Samari Omobo of Omoye Clan. - Death of Olu of Ajaokuta, Usman Obosi. - Oyibo Arimoh, Mr. K. Devon, who abolished excessive interest on refund of loan in Ebira Division. - Conviction of Yakubu, ex-Wakili of Lokoja, for illegal shooting of an arrow.
* 1939: Abeni or Agbemi Ajokaiye was installed as Ohindase (rain maker). - Death of late Abdul Malik's grandmother. - Stone fell on Anahi, a salt dealer, and was killed on the spot as people struggled for salt during a period of acute scarcity.
* 1940: Construction of a Police station in Okene.
* 1941: Construction of Oganya cemetary started.
* 1942: Construction of Okene Central Mosque.
* 1942: Death of Ozumi Agere of Okene.
* 1942: Death of Otu.
* 1945: Death of Ohindase of Okene.
* 1945: Construction of Osara-Eganyi road.
* 1945: Abdulmalik Ibrahim, Atta's son, went on pilgrimage to Mecca.
* 1946: Habib Raji Abdallah defied the General order as it was popularly called to join the Zikist movement.
* 1947: Alhaji Abdulmalik Atta second Ebira Muslim to perform Hajj after his father
* 1948: Habib Raji Abdallah in November made professional declaration of his independence of British colonial gov't and ask Nigerians to do the same.
* 1948: Abdulazeez Atta appointed as a cadet administrative officer in the colonial service.
* 1948: Death of Ichimiri of Okene, the Custodian of Ogugureba, a singing masquerade which performed at night during the "Ekuechi" festival.
* 1949: Okene Post Office was built.
* 1949: Yusuf Utohu established a local weaving industry in Okene which would later revolutionize and popularize Ebira hand woven cloth known worldwide as Okene cloth.
* 1950: Atta Ibrahim killed an Elephant. (hunters’ exhibition).
1950: Habib Raji Abdallah joined the NCNC for independence struggles.
* 1951: Tax riot. -Alhaji Abdulmalik Atta nominated by the native Authority(NA) to the Regional House of Assembly in Kaduna.
* 1951: Construction of Ebira Central Mosque Okene.
* 1951: Construction of Okene dispensary. - Death of Alhaji Lawal, a confidant of Atta.
* 1952: Construction of G. C. Ukpogo, Okene. Its first principal was Mr. A.O Latunbosun. - Fighting broke out between "Adokita" and "Soja" masquerades during Echeane festival. They were banned from participating in Echeane festivity for years as a result.
* 1952: George U. Ohikere and Abdulmalik Ibrahim were elected to the Northern House of Assembly.
* 1952: Abdulmalik Ibrahim appointed the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
* 1953: Completion of Okene Central Mosque. - Igbirra Native Authority had Alhaji Abdulrahim Yahaya Tajudeen an Ilorin indigene elected to the council. Placing Ebira nation as being among the first tribes to accommodate non-indigene in the Local Govt. Council.
* 1953: Dethronement of Atta Ibrahim of Ebira.
* 1954: Abdication of Atta Ibrahim.
1954: Construction of Okene Central Office.
* 1954: Installation of Ohinoyi of Ebira.
* 1955: Habib Raji Abdallah joined the NPC in a regional politics and was appointed the party principal organizing secretary and administrative secretary up till 15th January 1966.
* 1956: Dr. Abdulmumin I. Atta joined the British Colonial Medical Service and was the second medical Doctor, after Dr. Dikko, in the Northern Nigeria.
* 1956: Death of Mayaki, son of ex-Atta of Ebira.
* 1956: Construction of Idoji Central Mosque. - Construction of Atami bridge.
* 1956: Collapse of Okunbanyi river.
* 1956: Construction of Islamic Primary School.
* 1956: Death of Sheikh Yahaya Tajudeen (17/ 51956), the first chief Imam of Ebiraland.
* 1956: Alhaji Abdulrahim Tajudeen the second Chief Imam of Ebiraland from 1956-1960.
* 1957: Official installation of Mohammed Sani Omolori as Ohinoyi of Ebira. - Okene Town Road was tarred.
* 1958: Construction of Okene Hospital by the Government of Nigeria and the Catholic Mission.
* 1958: Dr. Abdulmumin I. Atta first Nigeria head of Hajj mission to Saudi Arabia.
* 1959: Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa visited Okene to present Mr. Joseph Ohiani as the NPC candidate to the Federal House of Representatives. Salihu O. Abdul won the Federal Election.
* 1959: Mohammed Kokori (M.K.) Abdul and Abdulrahman Badamasuiy were imprisoned.
* 1959: Death of Mr. J. A. Odiyaya or Odaiai (ex- Maji), Local Government Treasurer of Ebira.
* 1960: Imam Musa Galadima Abdullah was installed and turbanned as the Chief the Third Chief Imam of Ebiraland Imam of Ebiraland. (1960-2019)
* 1960: Death of Ohindase Abeni or Agbemi, an uncle of Sani Omolori.
* 1960: Fighting in Okene Central Mosque as a result of political disagreement.
* 1960: Nigerian independence.
* 1960: Abdulsalami Robin Yusuf was appointed to the Upper House as Senator.
1960: Introduction of Telephone in Ebiraland.
* 1962: Reverend Father (Dr.) Alexius Makozi and Joseph Ohieku were ordained as priests at Okene Catholic Church, becoming the first priests from the Northern Region to be raised to the Episcopal Dignity in the Catholic Church.
* 1962: Mohammed Kokori (M.K.) Abdul and M.I. Lawal Megida from Ihima were elected to the Northern House - the first time Ebira would be given two seats in the regional legislature.
* 1962: Death of Ozigizigi of Obehira.
* 1962: Death of Anakava, Ozigizigi's successor. 1963: National Population Census (Ebiraland:325, 273).
* 1962: Government took control of the General Hospital.
* 1964: Death of Atta Ibrahim Onoruoyiza.
* 1965: Government took control of the Water Works.
* 1965: Death of Mr. George Uru Ohikere.
* 1965: Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, visited Okene.
* 1965: Death of Mallam Zakari, ex-chief warder of N.A. Prison, and death of Ahmadu Rufai's wife.
* 1965: Death of George Ohikere.
* 1966: Abdulazeez Atta Federal permanent secretary ministry of finance.
* 1966: Okene College of Commerce was founded by Mr. Joseph Ohiani.
* 1966: Death of Mr. G.A. Balogun, a famous school teacher at the Roman Catholic School.
* 1966: News of military coup.
* 1966: The collapse of Ohiana drift.
* 1966: Death of Yakubu, ex-Wakili of Lokoja and father of Abdulrahman Okene.
* 1966: Small-pox epidemic broke out.
* 1967: Civil war broke out in Nigeria, rebel Biafran soldiers bombed Okene, killing seven people.
* 1967: Creation of 12 states, Ebira now part of Kwara State.
* 1967: Appointment of Alhaji Abdulrahman Okene as the first Secretary to Kwara State Government.
* 1967: The Anglican community established Igbira Anglican College (later re-named Lennon Memorial College).
* 1968: Death of Ologori of Ogori, Mr. G.B. Akerejola.
* 1968: Appointment of Habib Raji Abdallah as the chief Executive of Kano pilgrims Board by police commissioner Audu Bako.
* 1968: Death of Abdul Aziz Atta's mother.
* 1969: Introduction of Electricity to Ebiraland.
* 1969: Death of Abdul Malik Atta, former Nigeria's Ambassador to France.
* 1969: Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo, Governor of Western Nigeria, visited Okene in a helicopter. It was the first time a helicopter would land in Ebira.
* 1970: Abdulazeez Atta appointed as Secretary to the federal military government Head of service. Second collapse of Okuha obanyi (or Okuha Obanyi) river.
* 1971: Death of Aliyu Chata Enesi, the veteran tax collector and the oldest man in Agada clan.
* 1971: Death of Alhaji Sumaila of Obansa, a famous and revered man of Agada clan.
* 1971: Ordination of Alexius Makozi as Bishop of the Lokoja Diocese.
* 1971: Death of Ohinoyi Sani Omolori's mother. 1972: Death of Umaru Adabara of Agada clan.
* 1971: Death of Abdul Aziz Atta, former secretary to the federal government and head of service, in London.
* 1971: Death of Kekere Ozidogido, founder of the Ikede and Chekene music and the first Ebira singer to wax a record.
* 1974: Establishment of FATC (now FCE, Okene).
* 1976: Establishment of FCE Okene
* 1976: Creation of Okene and Okehi L.G. A’s from Ebira Division.
* 1978: Habib Raji Abdallah finally retired from public service.
* 1979: Alhaji Adamu Atta elected first civilian Governor of Kwara State.
* 1980: Death of Isa Danga (Custodian of OKevere).
* 1980: Work started on Ajaokuta Iron and steel Industry.
* 1981: Alhaji Abdulrahman Okene appointed by President Shehu Shagari as Chairman of Census Board.
* 1982: Death of foremost nationalist Alhaji Raji Habib Abdallah.
* 1983: Alhaji Usman Abatemi became Deputy Governor of Kwara State.
* 1987: Death of Mr. J.A.G. Ohiani of Karaworo.
* 1989: Death of Momoh Ajagu (Custodian of Achewuru Obanyi of Okene).
* 1990: Appointment of Alhaji Aliyu Atta as Inspector-General of Police.
* 1991: Death of Sheikh Ahmad Rufai (Shehu Idoji).
* 1991: Appointment of Lt General Salihu Ibrahim as Chief of Army Staff.
* 1991: Creation of Kogi State.
* 1991: Appointment of Ustaz Yoonus Abdallah as the first Grand Khadi of Kogi State.
* 1993: Alhaji Abdulrahman Okene appointed as Minister of Internal Affairs.
* 1993: Colonel Muhammed Abdulsalami Onuka appointed as the Military Administrator of Edo State.
* 1995: Appointment of Judith Sefi Atta as the first minister of women affair and Social development.
* 1996: Death of His Royal Highness, Alhaji Sani Omolori, Ohinoyi of Ebira land 1956 to 10/7/96.
* 1997: Appointment of His Royal Majesty, Dr. Ado Ibrahim as Ohinoyi of Ebira (2/6/97).
* 1998: Creation of Ogori-Magongo L.G.A.
* 1998: Ebira-English Dictionary Volume 1 (Ehahi Ebira ini oyivo) By Yusuf Ozi Usman.
* 1998 salawu Ofelele died
* 1999: Death of Alhaji Abdulrahman Okene.
* 1999: Chief Patrick Adaba (mni) elected as Deputy Governor of Kogi State.
* 2000: Death of Alhaji Usman Abatemi, former Deputy Governor of Kwara state.
* 2003: Mr. Philip Omeiza Salawu elected Deputy Gov. of Kogi State.
* 2006: Death of Senator A.T. Ahmed, a frontline politician.
* 2006: Creation of Ohi Stool in the five Traditional Districts (Adavi, Eika, Okengwe, Ihima and Eganyi) of Ebiraland.
* 2010: Appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Bello Adoke as Minister for Justice and Attorney- General l of the Federation.
* 2010: Appointment of Mr Austin Oniwon as the Group Managing Director of NNPC.
* 2010: Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori appointed as clerk of the House of Representatives
* 2012: Death of Ustaz Yoonus Abdallah. -Death of Chief Siyaka Okaraga Lawal, the Obobanyi of Ihima (reigned 1984-2012).
* 2014: Death of Alhaji Adamu Atta, the first Executive Governor of Kwara state.
* 2015: Death of Dr. Bello Asuku Ibrahim, the first Ohi of Adavi (14/10/2015).
* 2015: Fatima Bombom Sani broke existing record in Nigeria Law School by bagging Nine Separate Awards at the call to Bar of Nigeria Law School.
* 2015: Dr. Salamat Ahuoyiza Aliyu the first indigenous trained female neuro-surgeon in Nigeria and first female to be certified a neuro-surgeon in West African.
* 2015: Alhaji Yahaya Bello Adoza was elected as executive governor of Kogi State to break the jinx. 2016:
* 2015: Death of Dr. Abdulmumin I. Atta The first medical doctor from Ebira land and second to Dr. Barau Diko in the Northern Nigeria. Former permanent secretary in the Northern Region's Ministry of Health and first Nigeria delegate head mission to Saudi Arabia.
* 2016: Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello was inaugurated on 27th January 2016 as the fourth Executive Governor of Kogi State.
* 2016: Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori on August 15th 2016 steps into office as substantive clerk to the National Assembly(CNA).
* 2017: Abdul Akaaba Sumaila was appointment as Sole Administrator of Ajaokuta Steel Complex (ALSCON) Great-grandson of Akaaba of Ebiya
* 2019: Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello was inaugurated on 27th January * 2019 as the fifth Executive Governor of Kogi State and making a history of other tribes to govern Kogi State since creation of State in 1991 after Igala of two Tenures
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