Ijaw people
The Ijaw people, otherwise known as the Ijo people, are an ethnic group found in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, with significant population clusters in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers. They also occupy Edo, Ondo, and small parts of Akwa Ibom. Many are found as migrant fishermen in camps as far west as Sierra Leone and as far east as Gabon. They account for about 1.8% of the Nigerian population according to CIA Factbook. The Ijaws are one of the most populous tribes inhabiting the Niger Delta region and the eighth largest ethnic group in Nigeria.
Ijo | |
|---|---|
Ijaw statue depicting "the many faces of your enemies" | |
| Total population | |
| 4 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Niger Delta | |
| Languages | |
| Ijaw languages | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity 90% Islam 0.1% Traditional 5% | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Ekpeye, Oron, Igbo, Ogoni, Isoko, Eleme. |
They have long lived in locations near many sea trade routes, and they were well connected to other areas by trade as early as the late 14th and early 15th centuries. In their languages, they often refer to themselves using the endonym Izon.