Revealed : There were more than 5 aboriginal communities in Isekiri : Analytical Scientific Survey :-St. Ifa Olomu

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It is common knowledge that the aboriginal communities in Isekiri are 1 Okotomu-Irigbo 2. Omadino 3. Ugborodo. 4 Ureju, and 5 Inorin. 

Okotomu-Irigbo were the Egyptian aborigines who were displaced by the battle of Actium in Egypt ( Honsbira and St.Ifa 2008; Honsbira, St.Ifa & Kehinde Ederogun Eitchie 2004, Rewane 1987; Ireyefoju 2012 ; Olumide Lucas 1948 etc… The Okotomu came by way of Igala. Some Okotomu people left during the Hyksos led emigration of about 3500-5000BC. The Ureju people came from Itebu Olero in the present Lagos-Ogun border areas. The time line is about 2500 years ago. Ugborodo people came from the water (Atlantis) at a time unfathomable – several thousand years ago. The Inorin people came from Ode-Remo in present Ijebu-Remo areas around Sagamu(Pessu 2011). Omadino people are from Ode-Omi in Ijebu Water Side – near the present Epe in Lagos State. All these are well known

How many people know about Gbolokposo’s deepest origin?

GBOLOKPOSO
The Udefi story is quite known. Before Udefi people stayed in Gbolokposo - Uwuyo and others (Moore 1936, Ogbobine, Omoneukanrin 1948). Before all these people there was a legendary spiritual woman – Okposo who even the associate of Ginuwa – Uwuyo and Others – met. That shows the people are pre-Ginuwa which will make them part of the aborigines. 

OBODOThe children of Irame had their mothers from Obodo. If they had mothers from there it means they are part of the aborigines, since they were there before Ginuwa , and were not among his party.

OrereThis was the place where one of Irame’s wives came from. The woman was the mother of Irame’s son.

Ogheye. Even the Ugborodo people worship Ogheye and claimed that when they left the water they met Ogheye at present Ogheye on land. This shows it was an ancient community.

Efurokpe

These were the descendants of Jegbo – a Bini man. Jegbo was married to one Roli(Orode) from Ugborodo. They had children together. The Ugborodo woman was more forceful than the husband and converted the children and thus the descendants to Ugborodo indigenes, Hence their being Isekiri. These were the people Ginuwa met at Oghara. They are now in litigation with the Otefe –Oghara Urhobo who came there later than 1872 as Nana’s slaves(Miller Intelligence Report). They are contending ownership of the Polytechnic.

Orugbo

These people were chased from Ode-Isekiri to Orugbo. These people were said to come from Gulani(Ogulagha Ijaws)(Moore 1936;Omoneukanrin 1948; Ogbobine 1976; Sagay undated). Further research however has shown that the Gulani deity was carried from Ode-Isekiri (Okotomu then) to the Ijaws. The name of the deity was Olukumieyin. The name of the carrier was Ogunla(big war). The name of the wife of the carrier was Ereara(body stress). Ogunla in Ijaw mythology left Ode-Isekiri around 900AD when Olu Igbon was head of the Irigbo people. (Alagoa 1972). These Isekiri descents and the other Ijaws had a dispute in Gulani which made them to trace their way back to Isekiri during the time of Olu Irame.

Ijala(Huela)
Portuguese normally interchange j for h. hence Ijala was changed to Huela. In 1505, that is before Ginuwa reached Ijala, the Portuguese had come to trade with the Isekiri. They bought cotton cloth, panther (leopard) skins, akori(Isekiri blue bead) etc. When Ginuwa reached Ijala he was well received by the Ijala people. Some people said there was a war. See Talbot 1927; Roth 1903; Ryder 1969; Ikime 1969; Alagoa 1972 for the place of this Ijala trade and why they should be considered as aborigines.

ConclusionIsekiri scholars should stop talking about only five aboriginal communities. I am still doing research; more will be revealed. There are talks of people who came from Akure, Owo, Olukumi etc before Ginuwa. Nobody for now has told me where they settled before Ginuwa. I am still researching. The aborigines were very plenty hence they were able to subsume the first Olus and their Bini tongue. Do you know that apart from the title of the chiefs and ‘Ogiame’ all the Olu’s title were got from the aborigines? Suo was the title of Olajori formerly; Olu was the general title of riverine Yoruba and the title of Okotomu-Irigbo people. Olu of Ugbo, Olu of Eko, contracted to Eleko are inspirations. Ogbowuru was the special title of the Onokuteh or the Onirigbo(Oluirigbo) . So much food for thought my Iwere brothers. Research has shown that the aborigines were cloth weavers, bronze makers, salt makers, bead makers, indulged in pottery etc. There was a very high civilisation in Isekiri before the Ginuwa era. The Portuguese traded there. It was the booming economy that also, led Ginuwa to finally settle in Isekiri after moving in unproductive Ijaw lands in present Bayelsa. Do you know the Portuguese traded with the aborigines at Ureju (1472) at Ijala (1500, 1505) . They came again in 1516 to trade and it was only then they met the monarchy on ground. In 1500 and 1505(Esmaralda de situ orbis: Duarte Pacheco Pereira 1520) never mentioned Ginuwa. Food for thought my brothers and sisters, there were so many communities before Ginuwa.

By
Augustine Oritseweyinmi Oghanrandukun Olomu (St.ifa)