Ebira people

The Ebira people are an ethnic-linguistic group of North central Nigeria. Most Ebira people are from Kogi State, Nasarawa State. Their language is usually classified as a Nupoid variety within the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Until the separation of Kogi State from Kwara State, Okene was seen as the administrative center of the Ebira-speaking people in Kogi state, located not far from the Niger-Benue confluence. Since the formation of the state, the Ebira Ta'o people are predominantly found in five local governments in Kogi state, namely Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi, Okene and ogorimagongo. They are also found in large numbers located in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Nasarawa in Toto LGA. Also, the Eganyi are found in Ajaokuta LGA. And the Etuno can be found in Igarra town of Agorimagongo, Okehi and Okene each with their administrative headquarters. Ebira Koto is found in Kogi and Koton Karfe LGA, Bassa LGA, Lokoja in Kogi and Abaji LGA in the Federal Capital Territory, Akoko-Edo LGA, Edo state.

After decades of campaign, intellectual brainstorming and organized symposia/conferences, the people of Ebira from various enclaves have secured the official gazette of a common name spelt as “Ebira” for the ethnic group.7

Ibrahim Ohida, national secretary of Ohiku-Ebira Descendants Union (OEDU), in a statement, announced the development.

Ebira is an ethnic group indigenous to some parts of Kogi, Nasarawa, Edo, and the federal capital territory (FCT).

They have been variously called Igbira, Ebirra, Egbirra, Ibira, Ibirra and Egbira in the past.

According to OEDU, the official gazette of the common name — Ebira — is contained in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 127, volume 109, dated July 14, 2022.

The group said the adoption of the common name was made based on the agreements reached during consultations with traditional fathers and stakeholders at Okene and Koton Karfe conventions in 2010 and 2021, respectively.

“The Ohiku-Ebira Descendants Union (OEDU), wishes to formally inform members of the Ebira Nation that the Union has secured an official gazette of the agreed common name EBIRA spelt E-B-I-R-A for people of the Ebira Nation comprising Ebira Opete, Ebira Miyakan and Ebira Etuno (Igarra),” the statement reads.

“This is contained in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 127, Volume 109 dated 14th July, 2022.

“As you are aware, this adoption of the common name EBIRA is done in line with our agreement following consultation with our Royal Fathers, stakeholders from the three zones and resolutions at the Okene and Koton Karfe Conventions in 2010 and 2021, respectively.

“This is in recognition of our common ancestry and expressed desire to be so recognised for reasons of unity, numerical strength and enhanced political relevance among the comity of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

“This milestone of officially gazetting our name as EBIRA, has been twenty years coming. Congratulations to all of us. We need to now rededicate ourselves and all work together for the full application of this name in all our official dealings.”