ethnic state and Okun people make up 20% of the total population in
Kogi State, smaller than the other two major completely different
tribes, Igala and Ebira. Okun people spread across six local
government areas in Kogi State, known as Kabba-Bunu, Yagba-West,
Yagba-East, Mopa-Muro, Ìjùmú and Lokoja local government Areas.
The Okun people speak varied dialects; Owé, Ìyàgbà, Ìjùmú,
Bùnú and Oworo, but their language is generally called Okun, Okun has
become a form of greeting among them. They understand one another to
a greater extent and large numbers of them speak Yoruba. Their
dialects are influenced by various factors. Such factor is that Kogi
state shares boundaries with Kwara, Ondo, Ekiti, Niger, Benue,
Nassarawa, Anambra, Enugu, Edo and Abuja. Also, The Nupe wars of the
19th century and interaction with the Hausas due to geographical
zoning left an indelible mark on the Okun people and their dialects.
According to findings, Okun people migrated from Ile Ife
when Yoruba's were spreading to occupy more lands, before spreading
out, each and everyone was instructed to report to Ile Ife for a
yearly meeting. The man that led group of young people to a location
(now called YAGBA) in Kogi state did not return over a long period of
time. He eventually returned and explaining that he lost the larger
part of his acquired land to some other migrants. He was blamed for
the loss and said in Yoruba; ''ÌYÀ ÀGBÀ LÓ JEMÍ'' meaning that
invasion of his acquired land was due to lack of having elderly people
with him. Since then, they started mocking him at Ile Ife, calling him
Iya Agba. They associated this name with him whenever they wanted to
send messages across to him after returning to his occupied area, now
called Yagba.
Okun people faced lots of challenges, ranging from geo
political zoning, marginalization and problems of social identity.
Their problem started during the colonial era when they were
politically ceded to the Northern protectorate by Lord Lugard, the
Governor-General of Nigeria. The abolition of the provincial and
regional administrative units in 1967 led to their merging with Ilorin
to form old Kwara state. Then, Igala was merged with old Benue State.
However, on 27th of august 1991, Okun people was removed again and
merged with Ebira, Igala from Benue state and some other tribes to
form Kogi state.
Concerning Identity problem, some people regard them as
being a part of the Yoruba's in South West while others claimed that
Okun people are not Yoruba's. Okun people bear Yoruba names like Edo
people, lots of them speak Yoruba and many of their settlements are
named in Yoruba language such as Kajola, Egbeda, Egbeda Ega, Okedayo,
Odo Ere, Odo Eri, Ife, Iyamoye, Agbaja, Igbo Nla and Obajana.
source www.logbaby.com
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