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The Urhobo People
Geography of Urhoboland & People

Continent: Africa

Region: West Africa

Area: Western Niger Delta

Area: 5000 Square Kilometers

Climate: Humid subequatorial

Natural Vegetation: Rain and swamp forest. A significant percentage of which has been destroyed by pollution and other petroleum related activities.

Natural Resources: Petroleum and Natural Gas

Population: 2.0 – 2.5 million people in Nigeria

Main Towns: Abraka, Effurun, Sapele, Ughelli, Warri

Main Rivers: Distributaries of River Niger including Kiabodo, Ethiope and Warri

Origin

The history of Urhobo like many other people is yet unknown. Not withstanding, there are at least 4 distinct traditions of origin as follows: believe in the presence of original dwellers and owners of the territory that is, aborigines; believe in migration from edo territory; believe by some of Ife origin; and lastly, traditions of origin from Sudan and Egypt. Although all 22 kingdoms have distinct dialects and traditions that reflect slight variation in origin and migratory patterns, there is a universal Urhobo language.

Urhobo has always strived to maintain good relations with her neighbors. Urhobo neighbors to the North-East are Ndokwa, to the South-East are Isoko, to the North are Bini, the West are Itsekiri and the South are Ijaw. Most, if not all, of these neighbors share a common origin according to tradition.

The 22 clans of Urhobo with their cultural headquarters and official administrative affiliations are shown on Table A below.

TABLE A

Urhobo 22 Kingdoms And Headquarters

As Well As

Official Administrative Affiliations

(Local Government Areas [LGA])

As of 2004

KINGDOM
HEADQUARTERS
L. G. A
Agbarrha-Ame
Otovwodo-Agbarha
WarriSouth
Agbarha-Otor
Agbarha-Otor
UghelliNorth
Agbarho
Orho-Agbarho
UghelliNorth
Agbon
Isiokoro
EthiopeEast
Arhavwarien
Arhavwarien
UghelliSouth
Avwaraka
Otorho-Avwaraka
EtthiopeEast
Effuruntor
Effuruntor
UghelliSouth
Evwreni
Evwreni
UghelliNorth
Eghwu
Otorho-Eghwu
UghelliSouth
Idjerhe
Idjerhe
EthiopeWest
Oghara
Ogharefe
EthiopeWest
Ogor
Otogor
UghelliNorth
Okere-Urhobo
Okere
WarriSouth
Okparabe
Okparabe
UghelliSouth
Okpe
Orerekpo
Okpe&Sapele
Okpe
Otorere-Olomu
UghelliSouth
Orogun
Orogun
UghelliNorth
Udu
Otor-Udu
Udu
Oghele
Otovwodo
UghelliNorth
Ughievwien
Otughievwien
UghlliSouth
Ughwerun
Otughweru
UghelliNorth
Uvwie
Effurun
Uvwie
References: Emotornews – www.urhobonation.org(link is external)

TRADITIONAL CAPITALS OF

URHOBO CULTURAL DIVISIONS

AND THEIR LOCAL

GOVERNMENT AREAS

CULTURAL DIVISIONS
TRADITIONAL CAPITALS
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS
Agbarha-Ame
Otovwodo-Agbarha
Warri South
Agbarha-Otor
Agbarha-Otor
Ughelli North
Agbarho
Orho-Agbarho
Ughelli North
Agbon
Isiokoro
Ethiope East
Arhavwarien
Arhavwarien
Ughelli South
Avwraka
Otorho-Avwraka
Etthiope East
Ephron
Ephrontor
Ughelli South
Evwreni
Evwreni
Ughelli North
Eghwu
Otorho-Eghwu
Ughelli South
Idjerhe
Idjerhe
Ethiope West
Oghara
Oghareki
Ethiope West
Ogor
Otogor
Ughelli North
Okere-Urhobo
Okere
Warri South
Okparabe
Okparabe
Ughelli South
Okpe
Orerekpo
Okpe & Sapele
Olomu
Otorere-Olomu
Ughelli South
Orogun
Orogun
Ughelli North
Udu
Otor-Udu
Udu
Ughelli
Otovwodo
Ughelli North
Ughievwien
Otughievwen
Ughlli South
Uvwie
Effurun
Uvwie
Ughwerun
Ughwerun
Ughelli North
Acknowledgement: This table reproduced, with permission, from the www.waado.org(link is external), website of the Urhobo Historical Society (UHS)

PEOPLE

The Urhobo people are located in the present Delta State of Nigeria. They occupy the southern portion of the Benin lowland and the floodplains and swamps of the petroleum-rich Niger delta. With a population of some two million people, the Urhobo people are the 5th largest ethnic group in Nigeria and constitute the largest single ethnic group in Delta State. The population density in Urhoboland is about 660 persons per square kilometer.

In traditional African political organization, the Urhobo nation consists of twenty-two autonomous republics or “clans” with a common ancestral origin. The clans are: Agbarha, Agbarha-Ame (Agbassa), Agbarho, Agbon, Arhavwarien, Avwraka, Eghwu, Ephron-oto, Evwreni, Idjerhe, Oghara, Ogor, Okere, Okparabe, Okpe, Olomu, Orogun, Udu, Ughelli, Ughievwen, Ughwerun, and Uvwie. The earliest political system in most of Urhoboland is a mixture of the kingship system and the rule by elders. Depending on the clan and the system of administration, the king or clan head is called the Ovie or Orodje or Osuivie, Okobaro, Okpako or Okpara-Uku and such title may be hereditary in some clans.

While the kingship system maintained a highly centralized type of government with the king assisted by a council of chiefs, the clan head (in the rule by the elders system), is assisted in the day-to-day administration of the polity by titled officers selected from the various age grades recognized in the clan. Due to political expediency and the social visibility of the king in modern day Nigeria, the number of Urhobo clans adopting the kingship system has increased. Today, the traditional political system operates side by side with the Western system.

In those clans where the age grade system is recognized, the men are categorized into 4 age grades, namely: Ekpako, Ivwragha, Otuorere, and Imitete age grades, based on age, life achievements, and contributions to the community. The women are also categorized into three age grades, namely: Ekwokweya, Evweya, and Emete age grades, based on child-bearing status. The Ekpako and Ekwokweya age grades assist in the day-to-day administration of the clan and serve as custodians of the Urhobo culture. While the Imitete and Emete age grades clean and sweep the streets, run errands and perform domestic duties, the Otuorere age grade performs heavy duties like bush clearing, building of shrines, construction works, burial and other social services. The working class and warriors belong to the Ivwragha age grade.

The natural terrain of Urhoboland afforded the Urhobo people their traditional occupations of farming and fishing. During the colonial era, the production of palm oil and palm kernel from the stands of oil palm trees which are native to Urhoboland was highly encouraged by the British colonial government. The British also found the area and climate ideal for the cultivation of rubber and cocoa as cash crops.

The discovery of petroleum in Urhoboland in the 1960s has been a mixed blessing. While the oil has enriched the modern Nigeria nationstate, it has hardly benefited Urhoboland and people. Rather, it has brought about massive ecological devastation which has, in turn, hampered the Urhobo traditional occupations of farming and fishing. This has resulted in the neglect of agriculture and mass emigration of our people to urban areas and to other rural areas, especially Benin and Yoruba lands of western Nigeria, where hundreds of Urhobo villages could be found. Today, the Urhobo migrant farmers in these villages form the backbone of the food production in those areas.

Like many people of the world, the Urhobo people are undergoing a cultural and political renaissance. The need for the various Urhobo people to assert their nationhood and to preserve their culture led to the creation of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) in 1931. Similar realties of the modern world led to the formation of The Urhobo National Association (TUNA) in 1993 as an umbrella organization of the over 10,000 Urhobo people resident in North America. In 1999, TUNA was split into two factions called TUNA and UPUNA due to internal administrative problems. However, in the year 2003, TUNA and UPUNA reunified after a reunification meeting convened by Urhobo Association in Chicago and Environs. The reunified national body adopted a new name called Urhobo Nation Association of North America (UNANA).

Though the Urhobo people speak a universal Urhobo language, some clans speak different dialects which may not be understood by other Urhobo people. Urhobo culture is unique and distinct from other Nigerian cultures. The beliefs of the Urhobo people are based on spiritual forces which govern the harmony of the universe and their culture is characterized by strong extended family ties, respect for elders, and taboos against stealing, incest, murder, dishonesty and so on. Many Urhobo customs have influenced other ethnic groups around them just as it has been influenced by them also through cultural interaction and inter-marriages. These ethnic groups around Urhobland include: Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, Bini, and kwale.

The Urhobo People
Geography of Urhoboland & People

Continent: Africa

Region: West Africa

Area: Western Niger Delta . 5000 Square Kilometers

Climate: Humid subequatorial

Natural Vegetation: Rain and swamp forest. A significant percentage of which has been destroyed by pollution and other petroleum related activities.

Natural Resources: Petroleum and Natural Gas

Population: 2.0 – 2.5 million people in Nigeria

Main Towns: Abraka, Eku, Agbarho, Orerokpe, Effurun, Sapele, Ughelli, Warri

Main Rivers: Distributaries of River Niger including Kiabodo, Ethiope and Warri

Origin

The history of Urhobo like many other people is yet unknown. Not withstanding, there are at least 4 distinct traditions of origin as follows: believe in the presence of original dwellers and owners of the territory that is, aborigines; believe in migration from edo territory; believe by some of Ife origin; and lastly, traditions of origin from Sudan and Egypt. Although all 22 kingdoms have distinct dialects and traditions that reflect slight variation in origin and migratory patterns, there is a universal Urhobo language.

Urhobo has always strived to maintain good relations with her neighbors. Urhobo neighbors to the North-East are Ndokwa, to the South-East are Isoko, to the North are Bini, the West are Itsekiri and the South are Ijaw. Most, if not all, of these neighbors share a common origin according to tradition.

The 22 clans of Urhobo with their cultural headquarters and official administrative affiliations are shown on Table A below.

TABLE A

Urhobo 22 Kingdoms And Headquarters

KINGDOM HEADQUARTERS L. G. A
Agbarrha-Ame Otovwodo-Agbarha WarriSouth
Agbarha-Otor Agbarha-Otor UghelliNorth
Agbarho Orho-Agbarho UghelliNorth
Agbon Isiokoro EthiopeEast
Arhavwarien Arhavwarien UghelliSouth
Avwaraka Otorho-Avwaraka EtthiopeEast
Effuruntor Effuruntor UghelliSouth
Evwreni Evwreni UghelliNorth
Eghwu Otorho-Eghwu UghelliSouth
Idjerhe Idjerhe EthiopeWest
Oghara Ogharefe EthiopeWest
Ogor Otogor UghelliNorth
Okere-Urhobo Okere WarriSouth
Okparabe Okparabe UghelliSouth
Okpe Orerekpo Okpe&Sapele
Okpe Otorere-Olomu UghelliSouth
Orogun Orogun UghelliNorth
Udu Otor-Udu Udu
Oghele Otovwodo UghelliNorth
Ughievwien Otughievwien UghlliSouth
Ughwerun Otughweru UghelliNorth
Uvwie Effurun Uvwie

As Well As Official Administrative Affiliations