21/09/2026
History of the Ebira People (Continuation)
The Ebira people's history was mostly written by British colonial officials in the early 1900s. They used information from royal sources.
The Ebira people originally came from Wukari in Taraba State. They were part of a larger group called the Kwararafa Confederation.
A leadership dispute around 1680 AD made the Ebira, Idoma, and Igala people leave Wukari. Between 1680 and 1750 AD, the Ebira people split and settled in different places.
The Ebira Tao people first lived with the Igala at Idah. Then, they crossed the Niger River and settled near Upake.
Itaazi, the founder of the Ebira Tao, led them to this new home. He had five sons who started the main areas in Ebiraland:
• Adavi (by Adaviruku)
• Okehi (by Ododo)
• Eika (by Obaji)
• Okengwe (by Uga)
• Ihima and Eganyi (by Ochuga and Ohunene)
Today, each Ebira clan comes from one of Itaazi's sons, making them important to their area's identity.