Ebonyi
State is home to different sub-groups of the Igbo ethnic group. These include
the Edda, the Ezza, the Izzi, and the Ikwo.
State is home to different sub-groups of the Igbo ethnic group. These include
the Edda, the Ezza, the Izzi, and the Ikwo.
Ebonyi
State was created in 1996 by the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. It was
carved out from Enugu and Abia States, and consists of 13 local government
areas and dozens of towns and tribes most of which existed as sovereign states
in the era preceding the creation of Nigeria.
State was created in 1996 by the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. It was
carved out from Enugu and Abia States, and consists of 13 local government
areas and dozens of towns and tribes most of which existed as sovereign states
in the era preceding the creation of Nigeria.
Below we
take a look at the tribes in Ebonyi State, where these tribes are found in
Ebonyi State, their history, their culture, and their population estimate.
take a look at the tribes in Ebonyi State, where these tribes are found in
Ebonyi State, their history, their culture, and their population estimate.
Ikwo
The Ikwo
are found in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State, and also in Obubra and
Abi local government areas of Cross River State.
are found in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State, and also in Obubra and
Abi local government areas of Cross River State.
The Ikwo
belong to the general Igbo people cluster, and speak a dialect of the Igbo
language known as Ikwo.
belong to the general Igbo people cluster, and speak a dialect of the Igbo
language known as Ikwo.
There are
around 300,000 Ikwo people in Ebonyi State, with ninety-nine percent of them
being vocal adherents of the Christian religion.
around 300,000 Ikwo people in Ebonyi State, with ninety-nine percent of them
being vocal adherents of the Christian religion.
Ezza
The Ezza,
or Ezaa, or Ezzaa are found in Ezza North, Ezza South, Ishielu, Onicha, Ohaukwu
and Ivo local government areas of Ebonyi State, and also in Ado local
government area of Benue State and Nkanu East local government area of Enugu
State.
or Ezaa, or Ezzaa are found in Ezza North, Ezza South, Ishielu, Onicha, Ohaukwu
and Ivo local government areas of Ebonyi State, and also in Ado local
government area of Benue State and Nkanu East local government area of Enugu
State.
The Ezza
are one of the largest sub-groups of the Igbo. They speak a dialect also known
as Ezza. This Ezza dialect is closely related to the Izzi and Ikwo dialects
which are spoken in neighbouring towns and villages.
are one of the largest sub-groups of the Igbo. They speak a dialect also known
as Ezza. This Ezza dialect is closely related to the Izzi and Ikwo dialects
which are spoken in neighbouring towns and villages.
The Ezza
homeland is rich in mineral resources, and the ancestors of today’s inhabitants
developed bronze-casting techniques more than a thousand years ago. The
creativity and technical skill developed by these early metal crafters is
recognised as among the finest in the history of the world.
homeland is rich in mineral resources, and the ancestors of today’s inhabitants
developed bronze-casting techniques more than a thousand years ago. The
creativity and technical skill developed by these early metal crafters is
recognised as among the finest in the history of the world.
There are
over 700,000 Ezza, majority of whom are adherents of the Christian religion.
over 700,000 Ezza, majority of whom are adherents of the Christian religion.
Izzi
The Izzi
people are closely related to the Ezza and the Ikwo people.
people are closely related to the Ezza and the Ikwo people.
The Izzi
belong to the larger Igbo people cluster, and are found in Izzi, Abakaliki and
Ebonyi local government areas of Ebonyi State, and also in Ado local government
area of Benue State, and Yala local government area of Cross River State.
belong to the larger Igbo people cluster, and are found in Izzi, Abakaliki and
Ebonyi local government areas of Ebonyi State, and also in Ado local government
area of Benue State, and Yala local government area of Cross River State.
The Izzi
speak a very unique dialect of the Igbo language formally referred to as Izzi
but popularly known as the Abakaliki Igbo.
speak a very unique dialect of the Igbo language formally referred to as Izzi
but popularly known as the Abakaliki Igbo.
There are
over 600,000 Izzi in Ebonyi State, majority of whom are Christians.
over 600,000 Izzi in Ebonyi State, majority of whom are Christians.
Edda
The Edda,
also known as the Edda Egbebu are found in over 72 villages scattered across Afikpo
South local government area of Ebonyi State. The Edda dominate the Afikpo South
local government area to the extent that both names have become synonymous.
also known as the Edda Egbebu are found in over 72 villages scattered across Afikpo
South local government area of Ebonyi State. The Edda dominate the Afikpo South
local government area to the extent that both names have become synonymous.
Information
on the Edda and their immediate neighbours barely survived through a
combination of folklore and an elaborate and highly ritualized priest-kingship
evolved by the people so has many diverging views.
on the Edda and their immediate neighbours barely survived through a
combination of folklore and an elaborate and highly ritualized priest-kingship
evolved by the people so has many diverging views.
According
to the Eze Aro of Arochukwu, the Edda people lived initially at Afia Isagha
Orie with the Arochukwu. The two tribes were said to be of the same ancestral
father, Eze Oke Mgbom who begat Imo Eze, the father of the Edda, and Oti Eze,
the father of the Arochukwu.
to the Eze Aro of Arochukwu, the Edda people lived initially at Afia Isagha
Orie with the Arochukwu. The two tribes were said to be of the same ancestral
father, Eze Oke Mgbom who begat Imo Eze, the father of the Edda, and Oti Eze,
the father of the Arochukwu.
There are
over 200,000 Edda people in Ebonyi State.
over 200,000 Edda people in Ebonyi State.
Okposi
The Okposi
are found in Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi State.
are found in Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi State.
Okposi was
said to have been founded by a man known as Enechi Akuma, from Agala in present
day Benue State.
said to have been founded by a man known as Enechi Akuma, from Agala in present
day Benue State.
The Okposi
believe in a supreme God, however they are mostly polytheists and hold on to
traditional religious practices.
believe in a supreme God, however they are mostly polytheists and hold on to
traditional religious practices.
The Okposi
are mainly into subsistence agriculture. They are also into salt production as
there is huge salt deposit at the Okposi Salt Lake that is located within their
community.
are mainly into subsistence agriculture. They are also into salt production as
there is huge salt deposit at the Okposi Salt Lake that is located within their
community.
It’s from
the salt lake in Okposi land that Ebonyi State got its title, the Salt of the
Nation.
the salt lake in Okposi land that Ebonyi State got its title, the Salt of the
Nation.