Ohiku-Egbira Descendants Union (OEDU) has called on its members scattered in Edo, Kogi, Nasarawa and FCT Abuja to adopt ‘EGBIRA’ name in order to ensure the actualisation of the unification of the three branches of the Egbira nation.
The members of Egbira nation are Ebira, Egbura and Etuno/Igara.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Lokoja on Monday , the National President of the union, Alhaji Musa Ahmadu said the call for the adoption of the name is premised on due consultation with the Egbira traditional rulers, leaders of thought and stakeholders.He lamented that, after over 20 years of efforts put in place by OEDU for unification of the three branches of Egbira nation, the name was yet to be adopted by all members.
“Alas, the tendencies of convergence and unification observed in the other Kwararafa groups and indeed, other major ethnic groups, is not observed in our own variety of the Kwararafa group.
“And we are the worst for it. We have gone our various ways under a variety of names such as Egbura, Ebira and Etuno or Igara. The Egbura (Miyakan or Koto) are geo-politically split into three and are located insignificantly in Kogi and Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The Egbira (Okpete) who are seemingly in one state; Kogi State, have large population of their people firmly entrenched in the South West of the country, especially in Ekiti and Ondo states. The Etuno or Igara branch of the Egbira nation seems to be lost to Kwararafa; encircled as they are by the dominant Benin speaking peoples in Edo state.
“Consequently, our collective Ohiku and Kwararafa identity and heritage are fast disappearing, primarily because of these unmitigated divisions and the ethnographic pull by the bordering, dominant cultures,” he stated.
Ahmadu however said the aim of adopting the name was to foster Egbira ethnic nationality and interests as well as to unite the entire Egbira people who are scattered in various states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory towards achieving a formidable Egbira nation.
