There are some ethnic groups or settlements that are as old as Nigeria or older than the country and have become relevant to date. These ethnic groups are known to be ancient, providing their people with basic resources that have sustained them till the present. Their cultural heritage is their priority, and they are seen across different countries in the world.
One such ethnic settlement is the Ijaw people, otherwise known as the “Izon or Ijo.” History has it that they are the oldest and are often referred to as the ancient people in Africa, who are said to have lived about 5000 years before the existence of other groups.
The Niger Delta in Nigeria is home to the Ijaws. Due to their affection for the water, many of them work as migrant fishermen in camps as far east as Gabon and as far west as Sierra Leone. The Ijaws are unquestionably the most populous tribe in the Niger Delta region and perhaps the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, with a population of over fourteen million.
The Ijaw population is estimated to be about 10 million, or 5% of the total population of Nigeria. They have traditionally resided in areas close to several sea trade routes, and as early as the 15th century, commercial links between them and other regions were strong. They can also be found in states like Ondo, Edo, and Akwa Ibom.
History
According to history, the ancestors of the Ijaw people originated in the north-eastern region, near Lake Chad, and afterwards moved on to the Sudanic Nile Valley. The ancient aquatic civilisation that spanned middle Africa and connected the rivers Niger and Benue in West Africa with the Lake Chad Mega Sea and the Nile Valley can also be linked to this genesis in the northeast and Sudan.
History has it that the ancient Oru people, which were the ancestors of the Ijaw people, moved via the rivers and waterways that linked the Nile valley to the Lake Chad inland sea and the Niger/Benue river systems. Subsequently, they became one of the first and original inhabitants of the Niger/Benue region of West Africa.
According to ancestor tradition of the Ijaw people, the ancient autochthones or aborigines who later came to be known as the Orus mythologically fell from the sky or emerged from the sacred waters and established the Nupe, Ife, and Benin Regions, as well as the Lower River Niger, and Niger Delta.
Also, history has it that the Ijaw people are named after the Father Ijo ancestor, an Oru ancestor and the son of the Great and Mysterious King Adumu, also known as Odudu, who established his Theocratic City State confederacy in Ife in antiquity.
According to research, the Ijaw, Niger Delta was populated at least by 800 BC (BCE), and documents from certain old communities date back to 700 AD. However, the indirect proof of human existence in the central Niger Delta dates to around 800 BC, while more direct evidence from Niger Delta history dates back to roughly 700 AD. The ancestors’ oral traditions are not in conflict with this. This provides us with an estimate of the Niger Delta’s human settlement history of about 3000 years.
Cultural research reveals that Ijaws are related to the people who established the Great Nile Valley civilisation complex and possibly the lake Chad complex. In ancient times, they moved from the Nile Valley to West Africa. However, the Ijaws are beginning to see themselves as one cohesive people, linked to language and culture.