We The Ijaws, the predominant indigenous people
in the Niger Delta, moved to the Delta over 7,000
years. We have a distinctive language.
The Niger River Delta, one of the largest and
beautiful deltas in the world, is the largest delta
in Africa, and it covers approximately 14,000
square miles (36,260 square kilometers). Its
origination is in the highlands of the Fouta Djallon
Plateau in western Guinea 150 miles (240
kilometers) from the Atlantic Ocean.
The Niger River is Africa's third longest river
covering approximately 2,600 miles or 4185
kilometers. It flows northeast into Mali. In central
Mali, the Niger forms a vast inland delta, a maze
of channels and shallow lakes. Just below
Timbuktu, the Niger bends, flowing first east, then
southeast from Mali through the Republic of
Niger, and finally into Nigeria.
At Lokoja in central Nigeria, the Niger is joined by
its chief tributary, the Benue. The Niger then
travels south 250 miles or 400 kilometers,
becoming a great fan shaped delta before
emptying into the Gulf of Guinea. The Ijaws have
called this delta home for over 7,000 years.
The Niger Delta covers an area of about 70,000
square kilometer, and is spread across eight of
the 36 Nigerian states. These are Bayelsa, Delta,
Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Abia and Imo. It is
endowed with immense natural resources,
particularly crude oil."
After establishing at Igbedi creek, Ujo sent for
more of his people who were at Wari-Ife/Warige
and Ujama or Uzama (i.e. Ado or Beni). This was
at the very beginning of the foundation of Beni,
and it is this account that some traditions
mention Benin as a place of origin (also a district
around Nupe was also called Beni, founded by the
Beni clan of Kumoni, with capital at Gbara);
“…The first place of Ujo’s encampment in his
journey from Ile-Ife was the site where Benin City
now stands. Then like the Yorubas all the tribes
founded by members of Ujo’s retinue and by Ujo
himself claimed that place (Benin City) as the
place of their original settlement whence they
emigrated….”
“…The Origin of the Ijos. There are lots of different
opinions about the origin of the Ijos. Some
anthropologist say that the Ijos came from South
Africa, some say from East Africa. Some say they
are from a district around Nupe province in
Northern Nigeria and some say that the Ijos came
from Benin.... In general the Ijos themselves
believe that they came from Benin and in fact
most of their traditional stories and folklore refer
to Benin. yet we are left to wonder the great
difference in language among the Ijos and Benin.
If we should assume the belief that the Ijos came
from Benin according to the natives it might be
that the Ijos left Benin far earlier than any other
tribe migrating from Benin...."--
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