Growing up, I was taught that the Ebira people have a fabricated history, and it’s astonishing to see how this narrative has been perpetuated.
There is no gainsaying to said that many Ebira singers and historians claim that Adayi Itazi, the father of the Ebira people, had five children who founded the five local governments in Kogi Central.
According to this narrative, Ohunene, the acclaimed mother of the people of Ajaokuta LGA, is the fifth progeny of Adayi Itazi. However, this story raises more questions than answers.
If Ohunene is the mother of Ajaokuta people, then who is their father? One Historian Idris Sariki wrote that Ohunene’s husband, Adayi Ede, is a decendants from Attah Palace in Idah. This implies that the father of Ajaokuta people is not a son of Adayi Itazi but an Idah decendant. This is a clear contradiction and a fabrication.
The truth is that Ajaokuta LGA is home to real Ebira clans like EziOgu, Eziudu, Eziede, EziApasi, EziOnoko, EziEheda, Esugu, and many others. These clans are the true decendants of Ajaokuta LGA, and their history cannot be linked to any Attah Palace in Idah. Or are those promoter of fake stories saying Ohunene married several husbands to have given birth to sevral Ebira Clan?
The Ebira people have a rich migration history, dating back to the 13th century when we left Opanda. We moved to the Kwararafa Confederations in the 14th century and later to Bura Hill in the 15th century. Today, the major clan names from those areas still exist.
However, the claim that Adayi Itaazi had sons who founded various clans and LGA is questionable. Was it the same Itaazi who birthed the Ohieda and Omogbo clans in Ukwaja, Idah? These clans were still in Ebira land but are now attributed to Adayi Itaazi decendants.
Similarly, the Eshine Ogu, Eshine Ohimozoko, Eshine Avata, Eshine Ezu, and other clans in Etuno land and parts of Delta State were not birthed by any Itaazi. Neither were the Ogu, Ede, Akor, and Idu clans in Igu and Opanda Kingdom birthed by Itaazi.
These clans have always existed in Ebira Opete land, and their migration history is clear. Over time, we Ebira people have been migrating in clans, settling in various places, and it was never attributed to a single person like Adayi Itaazi. This fabrication of our history needs to be corrected to reflect our true migration story and stop attributing clans of different fathers to one Adayi Itaazi
It’s surprising that those promoting this fabricated history are now agitating against Ajaokuta LGA being part of the proposed Okura State.
Historian Idris Sarki claimed in his book that Ohunene birthed Eheda clan and Ezi Ogu to Ede who is from Atta palace in idah meaning that ogu and eheda are from Attah idah Palace and they’re in charge of Ohunene and other environs in Ajaokuta, so if their relatives or Grand father in this case I.e Atta Igala is saying he want to claim back his land since it was his son that owns there, then what is the big deal? We fabricated the wrong story to nail ourselves
To my personal observation or opinions, I think the ongoing agitation is not based on brotherhood or solidarity but rather on some desires to control or share from the moribund steel industry on Ajaokuta land. It is evident in the attributes of our sister LGA that they have failed to extend any good gestures to us in Ajaokuta LGA, calling us half Ebira LGA before the emergence of Gov Yahaya Bello who has broken this ugly narration and Alh Usman Ahmed Ododo is currently consolidating on the established bond.
Our leaders are aware of the demography and history of Ajaokuta LGA and are prepared to defend our rights. We have a serious voice in the National Assembly different from a Night Club gangster who avoid core responsibilities. Barr Sanni Egidi Abdulraheem is working tirelessly to defend our territory.
The Ebira people will never have an accurate history until we accept the truth – that we all migrated in different clan with no single father called Adayi Itaazi and stop calling one unknown Ohunene our mother. Ajaokuta people are the real sons and daughters of Ebira, not a grandchildren of an Igala father.”
– Abdulhameed Ivavah writes from Ajaokuta.
