Between Kingdom & Creek: The Ijaw–Bini Question In Edo South

A Contested Claim with Deep Roots

THE question of whether Ijaw communities in Edo South Senatorial District are indigenous or merely settlers has re-emerged as one of the most sensitive historical and political debates in southern Nigeria. At its core are competing narratives of origin, land ownership, and sovereignty between the Ijaw people and the dominant Bini (Edo) ethnic group, heirs to the ancient Benin Kingdom.

Edo South, often referred to as the Benin region, is widely acknowledged as the ancestral homeland of the Bini. Historical records, royal chronicles, and colonial-era documentation consistently identify the area as territory under the authority of the Oba of Benin, whose influence extended across much of present-day Edo State.

Bini Historical Perspective

From the Bini standpoint, Edo South’s land mass—including Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba-Okha, Orhionmwon, Ovia North-East, Ovia South-West, and Uhunmwonde—is regarded as integral to the Benin Kingdom’s traditional domain. Within this framework, communities that settled later, particularly in riverine areas, are often described as tenants or subjects who were granted land under customary arrangements.

Supporters of this view argue that Benin’s political and cultural dominance predates colonial boundaries and that authority over land, including coastal zones, historically rested with the Oba. They cite tributary relationships, trade routes, and traditional oversight as evidence of Benin’s overarching sovereignty.

Ijaw Presence in Edo South

However, Ijaw communities have lived for centuries in the riverine and coastal parts of Edo South, especially in Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West. Settlements such as Gelegele, Nikorogha, Ikoro, Olodiama clans, Egbema, Furupagha, Okomu, and Gbaran are recognized as part of the western Ijaw subgroup of the Niger Delta.

These communities maintain distinct languages, customs, and traditional governance systems, led by rulers known as Peres or Agadagbas. Their cultural identity is firmly rooted in the wider Ijaw ethnolinguistic family, separate from Benin traditions.

Competing Historical Narratives

Academic interpretations of how these Ijaw communities came to be in Edo South vary. Some historians suggest migration from the central Niger Delta centuries ago, possibly as early as the 9th century, with settlements forming in areas that later came under Benin influence. This view often frames the Ijaw as long-term settlers rather than original inhabitants of the Benin core.

Ijaw oral history offers a sharply different account. Ijaw leaders argue that their ancestors occupied parts of the riverine territory before the expansion of the Benin Kingdom into coastal zones. According to this narrative, Benin authority arrived later through trade, diplomacy, or military pressure, but did not extinguish Ijaw ownership or autonomy.

Modern Flashpoints: Land and Resources

The debate has intensified in recent years due to land disputes, oil exploration, and development projects around communities such as Gelegele. These economic stakes have transformed historical arguments into urgent political questions.

While Bini traditional institutions often assert customary ownership over such lands, Ijaw communities reject any claim of tenancy, emphasizing their independent rulers and long-standing occupation.

An Unresolved Question

Despite decades of scholarship, court cases, and political negotiations, there is no consensus on the indigeneity question. What remains clear is that both groups are integral to Edo State’s social and political fabric.

A balanced understanding requires acknowledging Benin’s historical influence alongside the Ijaw’s deep-rooted presence. Simplistic labels of “tenant” or “owner” fail to capture the layered history of migration, conquest, coexistence, and negotiation that defines Edo South.