The Okun Yoruba refer to the people of Ijumu, Gbedde, Kabba (Owe), Bunu, Oworo and Yagba ethnic group in Kogi State. These people are located within the geographical zone bounded by longitude 5° 30′ to 70° East and latitudes 7° 15′ to 3° 45′ North. Okun has an area of about 29,833 km2 (11,519 SQ mi) of land, and with an estimated population of about 804,945 people (Wikipedia 2011 projection.)
The region is located very close to the confluence of river Niger and river Benue, thus, the Okun people are classified among the Niger-Benue confluence people.
The people are generally refers to as “Okun” because of their uniform word of greetings. Okun which means strength and vitality in Yoruba language is address the Yoruba speaking people 9f kogi West senatorial district. Though there is no written document that could be lay hold on to best understand their history. However, the oral data collected among the people confirmed that the people generally traced their origin to either Ile-ife or Oyo. This obviously state that the people are part and parcel of Yoruba stock.
Generally, the claim from Ile-Ife is more popular. In Yagba East local government area, oral information collected by Mr. Graig in 1926 revealed that the people of East Yagba left Ile-Ife at different times as a result of over population in Ife then. Likewise the they Yagba West, they own the origin claim to Ile-Ife. One of the version record of their history said, a man called “Ejio” and his wife “Iya-Agba” laft Ile-Ife and settled on “Okowa” mountain at Igbaruku. Okeri, Ere, Egbe were said to have been established by their three sons.
The Ijumu, Owe, Olle group of Bunu and Oworo also claimed decent from Ile-Ife. It is believe that three hunters from Ile-Ife were responsible for the establishment of Owe land. In the same way, Ijumu comprising of Gbedde (Igbo Ode), Adde (now Ijumu arin) and Ogidi establishment is credited to three brothers. Likewise Olle group in the oral tradition claimed decent to four brothers who left Ile-Ife on voyage and the youngest, Olle established Olle towns and villages. The tradition of Oworo also revealed that three hunters left Ile-Ife on a hunting expedition to the north. They journey through to Ikiri in Bunuland and from there left to settle at first at Aluju, ‘Pomi’ and ‘Jakura’ and ‘Ika’.
While the other communities like Egbe, Mopa, have clans who claimed decent to Oyo. In Egbe, six of the clans claimed that they migrated from Oyo. “Addi” the principal clan in Mopa was said to have migrated from Oyo. Similarly, Ijawa, Irunda and Isanlu in the Yagba East claimed to be Oyo decent.
Contrariwise, “Kiri” group of Bunu have different origin. They claimed not to either own their origin to Ile-Ife or Oyo but “Idde” as their place of migration. According to their narration, three brothers were said to have left Idde to their present site.
The geographical location of the Okun falls into the open woodland savannah with scattered patches of rain forest in the south, with an average annual rainfall of 40″-60″. Because of Vegetation and general fertility of their soil, the Okuns are principally hunters and farmers producing crops like yams, cassava, cocoyams, sweet potatoes, maize, guinea corn, coffee, cocoa, kola nut, pineapple, banana and plantains among others.
Aside the fact that they are predominantly farmers, others involved in Industry and trading in the precolonial time, meaningful numbers got exposed to early western education which keep them in the Frontline of politics, commerce and industry and educational bodies.
The popular industries across Okun then include; brass working (Idde riro), weaving (Ofi) and Iron working industries (Agbede). There was also a well connected commercial link of trading among the Okun-Yoruba on one hand, and on the other side, with the neighboring ethnic groups: Nupe, Ekiti, Ebira, Igbomina, Akoko among others. The intra-commercial activities are carried out in the various local markets in Okunland which were either held five (5) to nine (9) days periodically. Goods exchange include food products; palm oil, locust beans, etc . For external trade, goods like palm oil, tobacco etc are exchanged for fish, rice, nitron, carved objects, coral bead, leather, horses and sword from their neighbors.
The political organization of Okun did not evolve any centralized system of government. All the Okun communities were independent of one another until first, the Nupe rule (1859-1897) and later, the British rule (1900-1960) when most of the Okun communities were subjected to Kabba province and district authorities like Olu-bunu, Olu-Ijumu, Agbana of Isanlu etc. The new colonial arrangements however affected intergroup relationship in Okunland which call for establishment of a social organization like Okun Development Association (ODA), Egwe Omo Okun in diaspora, National Association Of Okun Student (NAOUS).
This is a brief exposition of Okun. I hope it’s helpful.
To know more about history and development of Okun, I recommend this to you>> Groundwork of Niger-Benue confluence History. A socio-political survey of Okun Yoruba History by Olayemi Akinwumi Ph.D, Z. O. Apata, Ph.D
– Abdul John Obaka
Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi State.
