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Idoma people
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Idoma people
The Idoma people are a West African ethnic group that primarily inhabit the lower western areas of Benue State, Nigeria. The bulk of their territory is inland, south of the Benue River, some seventy-two kilometers east of its confluence with the Niger River. The Idoma language is classified in the Akweya subgroup of the Idomoid languages of the Volta–Niger family, which include Igede, Alago, Agatu, Etulo, Ete, Akweya (Akpa) and Yala languages of Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, and Northern Cross River states. The Akweya subgroup is closely related to the Yatye-Akpa subgroup.
The Idoma tribe are known to be "warriors" and "hunters" of high class, yet they are also hospitable and peace loving. The greater part of Idoma land remained largely unknown to the West until the 1920s, leaving much of the colorful traditional culture of the Idoma intact. They have many forms of local crafts, masquerades, performances, religious traditions, and food traditions. Each Idoma community has their own government of elders, including the igabo and the Oche. All twenty-two Idoma communities together are administered by the Och'Idoma, who was introduced by British colonization and is the head of the Idoma Area Traditional Council.
The Idoma are located in the southern part of Middle-Belt/North Central Nigeria, specifically the broad valley of the Benue and Cross-River basins. This includes the lower western areas of Benue State, Nigeria. According to the 2006 population census, of the 4,253,641 people in Benue State, 1,307,647 were Idoma people. Their territory consists of an area of about 7,500 square kilometers (280 kilometers from north to south, 48 kilometers from east to west) and is within the latitude of 600 and 300 north and longitude 800 east. Some Idoma people can also be found in Taraba State, Cross River State, Enugu State, Kogi State and Nasarawa State in Nigeria.[unreliable source?]
The Idoma are surrounded by three main types of environments: flood plains, gentle rolling hills, and flat-topped and steep-sided ridges. Located south of the Benue River, there are many large stream and rivers. These waterways have seasonal flows that are often strong and will overflow during rainy season (August to October). Natural vegetation includes savannahs (like open grasslands) and/or orchard bushes. Locust beans, shear butter trees, iroko, mahogany, obese, date palms, and rubber trees can be found in the savannah areas.
Origin:
The history of the Idoma people precedes the history of Benue State (created 1976) and the history of the Republic of Nigeria (created 1960). Oral tradition and dance is the primary method through which history has been passed in Idomaland and is considered a central cultural institution. From a young age, Idoma children usually learn from their elders stories of old and were brought up around extended families, which make multiple historical resources available. When prompted, Idomas generally will proudly say where they are from, and it's not uncommon for Idoma to be able to recite at least four generations of their progenitors. Historically, being unable to answer the emblematic question "Who is your father?" disqualified one from important roles and titles in Idomaland. Quite naturally, a number of villages trace origins to single ancestors and further, several Idoma groups trace their heritage to one common ancestor, considered the "father" of the different groups. According to traditional history, Iduh, the father of the Idoma had several children who each established different areas. Hence the expression: "Iduh the father of Idoma." "Iduh the father of Idoma Iduh who begot all the Idoma He also begot the following children: Ananawoogeno who begot the children of Igwumale; Olinaogwu who begot the people of Ugboju; Idum who begot the people of Adoka; Agabi who begot the people of Otukpo; Eje who begot the people of Oglewu; Ebeibi who begot the people of Umogidi in Adoka, Edeh who begot the people of Edumoga and Ode who begot the people of Yala." While there may be some truth to the above, the Idoma cannot be said to have a unitary origin. Many Idoma groups and village subsets have their own histories complete with stories about how their people arrived at their current location. The Otukpa people descended from three ancestors: Owuno, Ameh-Ochagbaha and Oodo. The first two were brothers who migrated from Idah in Igalaland while Oodo migrated from Igboland. As one can imagine, the ever-changing movement of people through time makes it difficult to study Idoma history. There are some Idomas who are originally Igbos and heavily intermarried with the northern fringes of Igboland.[citation needed]
Scholars have combined oral history with genealogical data and analysis of kinship totems to trace the roots of the Idoma people as a whole. One notable Idoma scholar, E.O. Erim, cites genealogical data, collected from most modern groups in Idoma suggesting that they derive from several ethnic groups, each with a different historical origin. Furthermore, the available genealogies indicate the existence of diverse ethnic groups who descended from ancestors other than Idu. In several of these cases, the claim of common descent is backed by both extensive genealogical connections and possession of common kinship totems. Erim contends that while Idu was certainly a migration leader—he was not the "father" of the Idoma in the sense implied in the above traditions. These two considerations make it difficult to simply accept the view that every group in Idomaland is descended from Idu.
Many Idoma kindred claims an ancestral homeland called Apa, north-east of present-day Idomaland due to pressures of Northern invaders as recently as 300 years ago. The historical Apa was part of the ancient Kwararafa Kingdom (Okolofa Kingdom), a confederacy of several peoples. Informants in other ethnic groups have corroborated the existence of this kingdom, chiefly the Jukun who also believe they once ruled a confederacy called Kwararafa. In the Hausa book Kano Chronicle it is mentioned that Zaria, under Queen Amina conquered all towns as far as Kwararafa in the 15th century. At present, there is a Local Government Area in Benue State called Apa and is said to be the home of those who made the first migration from the historical kingdom. For many Idoma nationalists today, the name Apa elicits sentiments of past glory, and some in the political sphere have gone as far as suggesting it should become the name of a new Idoma state.[citation needed]
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Idoma people
The Idoma people are a West African ethnic group that primarily inhabit the lower western areas of Benue State, Nigeria. The bulk of their territory is inland, south of the Benue River, some seventy-two kilometers east of its confluence with the Niger River. The Idoma language is classified in the Akweya subgroup of the Idomoid languages of the Volta–Niger family, which include Igede, Alago, Agatu, Etulo, Ete, Akweya (Akpa) and Yala languages of Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, and Northern Cross River states. The Akweya subgroup is closely related to the Yatye-Akpa subgroup.
The Idoma tribe are known to be "warriors" and "hunters" of high class, yet they are also hospitable and peace loving. The greater part of Idoma land remained largely unknown to the West until the 1920s, leaving much of the colorful traditional culture of the Idoma intact. They have many forms of local crafts, masquerades, performances, religious traditions, and food traditions. Each Idoma community has their own government of elders, including the igabo and the Oche. All twenty-two Idoma communities together are administered by the Och'Idoma, who was introduced by British colonization and is the head of the Idoma Area Traditional Council.
The Idoma are located in the southern part of Middle-Belt/North Central Nigeria, specifically the broad valley of the Benue and Cross-River basins. This includes the lower western areas of Benue State, Nigeria. According to the 2006 population census, of the 4,253,641 people in Benue State, 1,307,647 were Idoma people. Their territory consists of an area of about 7,500 square kilometers (280 kilometers from north to south, 48 kilometers from east to west) and is within the latitude of 600 and 300 north and longitude 800 east. Some Idoma people can also be found in Taraba State, Cross River State, Enugu State, Kogi State and Nasarawa State in Nigeria.[unreliable source?]
The Idoma are surrounded by three main types of environments: flood plains, gentle rolling hills, and flat-topped and steep-sided ridges. Located south of the Benue River, there are many large stream and rivers. These waterways have seasonal flows that are often strong and will overflow during rainy season (August to October). Natural vegetation includes savannahs (like open grasslands) and/or orchard bushes. Locust beans, shear butter trees, iroko, mahogany, obese, date palms, and rubber trees can be found in the savannah areas.
Origin:
The history of the Idoma people precedes the history of Benue State (created 1976) and the history of the Republic of Nigeria (created 1960). Oral tradition and dance is the primary method through which history has been passed in Idomaland and is considered a central cultural institution. From a young age, Idoma children usually learn from their elders stories of old and were brought up around extended families, which make multiple historical resources available. When prompted, Idomas generally will proudly say where they are from, and it's not uncommon for Idoma to be able to recite at least four generations of their progenitors. Historically, being unable to answer the emblematic question "Who is your father?" disqualified one from important roles and titles in Idomaland. Quite naturally, a number of villages trace origins to single ancestors and further, several Idoma groups trace their heritage to one common ancestor, considered the "father" of the different groups. According to traditional history, Iduh, the father of the Idoma had several children who each established different areas. Hence the expression: "Iduh the father of Idoma." "Iduh the father of Idoma Iduh who begot all the Idoma He also begot the following children: Ananawoogeno who begot the children of Igwumale; Olinaogwu who begot the people of Ugboju; Idum who begot the people of Adoka; Agabi who begot the people of Otukpo; Eje who begot the people of Oglewu; Ebeibi who begot the people of Umogidi in Adoka, Edeh who begot the people of Edumoga and Ode who begot the people of Yala." While there may be some truth to the above, the Idoma cannot be said to have a unitary origin. Many Idoma groups and village subsets have their own histories complete with stories about how their people arrived at their current location. The Otukpa people descended from three ancestors: Owuno, Ameh-Ochagbaha and Oodo. The first two were brothers who migrated from Idah in Igalaland while Oodo migrated from Igboland. As one can imagine, the ever-changing movement of people through time makes it difficult to study Idoma history. There are some Idomas who are originally Igbos and heavily intermarried with the northern fringes of Igboland.[citation needed]
Scholars have combined oral history with genealogical data and analysis of kinship totems to trace the roots of the Idoma people as a whole. One notable Idoma scholar, E.O. Erim, cites genealogical data, collected from most modern groups in Idoma suggesting that they derive from several ethnic groups, each with a different historical origin. Furthermore, the available genealogies indicate the existence of diverse ethnic groups who descended from ancestors other than Idu. In several of these cases, the claim of common descent is backed by both extensive genealogical connections and possession of common kinship totems. Erim contends that while Idu was certainly a migration leader—he was not the "father" of the Idoma in the sense implied in the above traditions. These two considerations make it difficult to simply accept the view that every group in Idomaland is descended from Idu.
Many Idoma kindred claims an ancestral homeland called Apa, north-east of present-day Idomaland due to pressures of Northern invaders as recently as 300 years ago. The historical Apa was part of the ancient Kwararafa Kingdom (Okolofa Kingdom), a confederacy of several peoples. Informants in other ethnic groups have corroborated the existence of this kingdom, chiefly the Jukun who also believe they once ruled a confederacy called Kwararafa. In the Hausa book Kano Chronicle it is mentioned that Zaria, under Queen Amina conquered all towns as far as Kwararafa in the 15th century. At present, there is a Local Government Area in Benue State called Apa and is said to be the home of those who made the first migration from the historical kingdom. For many Idoma nationalists today, the name Apa elicits sentiments of past glory, and some in the political sphere have gone as far as suggesting it should become the name of a new Idoma state.[citation needed]
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