The Olukumis are a branch of the Anioma ethnic group. Anioma people today exist in edo and delta state. Anioma people are a unique group of people with 12 different Languages comprises of Igboid, Edoiod and Yorubaiod.

The Ika people in their native language know and acknowledge this; only early Europeans and visitors to the region failed to understand this because they were particularly not interested in studying the social aspects of the people but greedily centered their interest on trade. The Ugbodu speak Olukumi (extinct form of Yoruba language,) Igbo and Igara. The Igara language is not typical to Ugbodu, else where in Evbu this language is also in use in addition to Igbo language. In Igbodo, Igbo and Ika is spoken by the people. Ika is a language similar to Bini. These languages strange to Igbo reflect in everyday usage in names of humans, articles, and chieftaincy titles shared with the Edos believed to be the ancestral home of many of these Anioma communities. 

Although certain communities in this region can lay claim to Igbo ancestry as supported by oral history, many of these group have their histories obviously not linking them with Igbo home as their place of origin. It is for this reason that those ignorant on Anioma history fail to understand that in Anioma more than 12 languages exists in this region alone. The Agbor people who are of Ika ethnic group but agreed to join the union of Anioma with the rest of their neighbouring communities scattered around the region chiefly because all the towns and communities in this region have had a common history of relationship even many centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, and have shared common culture speak Ozzara and Ika.

Ukunzu, Ugbodu and Uberubu are three villages of Yoruba origin that lie in western Ibo country separated from Yorubaland by the territory of Benin. They call themselves and their language Olukumi, which apparently was an earlier name in yoruba called my friend

Native Onitshans speak a dialect of the Igbo language with several Benin/Yoruba words such as "Obi" (of Onitsha) and "Oba" (of Benin). In fact, the word Onitsha (Onicha) is a corruption of the god "Orisha." The bini name for River Niger is Ohinmwin. The Onicha Igbo call it "Orinmili." In a few years, we will have DNA tests that proves (or disproves) the Onitsha-Benin-Yoruba connection.

In fact, a lost dialect of the Yoruba language, called Olukwumu, is spoken in Brazil and in a few Igbo communities named Anioma, Idumu-Ogu, Ubulubu, Ugboba, Ugbodu, and Ukwunzu (M. A. Onwuejeogwu, 1987 Ahiajoku Lecture). The absence Olukwumu in core Yoruba land proves that these communities are the Lost Yoruba Tribe that were fleeing from slave raiders.

For Ika speakers aka Olukumis as well, this is written Ika words and I want to be sure if I am correct



Ika meyi
poem to correct difficult traits ika meyi.

It says that when this Oddun of ifa out in a ceremony Atef
the person probably will live big problems in his life,
unless you can find a priest of Ifa that is efficient,
so that you remove the inevitable obstacles. Orunmila could do
this for your child ika meyi by the following poem:
Nule Abimenken oeni
Abi Areleketa ikerije
Are likaun kaun GBar
Kai biken tiibimen meyi Leede
Aree nikaani
Okani Agbalikaka megun
Ojiji Okalule
Feje Ojee riemen eja
Teremi Okalule
Riemen distant Oje eku
Oka choose axis inen
Oka Lule orisha
Owo axis wu
Lule Oka KPE KPE KPE Oduro
Olo oloja inkin
Oduro oshe kungbeni inkin jeke
Owa maawe eyin re ashetii.



Translations in english:
A child born in the house
This was interpreted as a problem difficult.
A second son was born
It said it was a good omen.
This was a puzzle
As explained by an arrival
Of fortune and misfortune in the same house.
Allow the unlucky fortune to flourish?
Is seeking a scholar to explain the riddle.
The sage explained that:
The child is difficult electric eel fish
Living in a river
Full of common and harmless fish.
That is why electric eel or fish
He is the king of fish.
And as harmless fish
No matter how abundant they are
They can not challenge the eel.
Similarly mouse
With sharp nose and sharp
It is feared that the king of the rats.
Yoruba is called iteremi
And okhan in bini.
It is also why the abdomen unpredictable
He became the king of the body.
And what gains prominence lead
In the house of God.
Why will not rust
And what became oloru
In King of Inkinen,
Orunmila's head;
Because the front and rear
Are both aligned with prosperity.
When out in ugbodu meyi ika means that the person will have
a hard life and you will live surrounded by Nemiga which always
tried to destroy all materials not previously
listed are collected for the purpose of preparing the ono-ifa (odiha in
Bini) to facilitate its passage through life.

A yoruba person would understand the words written above.

I understand Yoruba and I am not good with my Igbo language but I still could read the above.

I am not saying Aniomas are yoruba but I think it is interesting to find connections between cultures instead of the differences

A book written by Peter Ekeh in 2004 Ohio University explains more on this.

Here is the internet link

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CZiTRkbEGn0C&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=Olukumi+yoruba&source=bl&ots=3QvczWSz96&sig=sLSgYSSCZ2nvF1F_ZjSrLDKa3LQ&hl=en&ei=Vf2iTs3kB83B8QPm8rTfBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=Olukumi%20yoruba&f=false

The book suggested that Anago people which were the Yorubas were actual neighbours to Olukumi people

Recently[b], while
reading Odili Ujubuonu’s Treasure in the Winds, I came across the word
“iba” which means “fever.” Same spelling, same pronunciation, same
meaning with its Yoruba twin “iba.” That confirmed two things for me.[/b]
First, literature holds the keys to opening doors we didn’t know exist;
in this case, doors of lingual cohesion between two ethnic groups.
Ethnic groups or nations are better words to use than tribe, I learnt
recently. “Tribe” is barbaric. “Barbaric,” that’s another word.
Barbaric as in “The Nigerian tribes are at war” but European nations
drag at each other’s throats, they are nations, never tribes. They are
well organised, well behaved nations. “Tribes” carries along with it a
metal baggage. Hairy people with “native tails” fully disappeared, in
leaves around their waists drawing swords against in fight. Have you
heard of the Boko Haram? They use bombs, yet they despise Western
Education. Perfect example of a paradox; or is it oxymoron?

http://www.deltans.com/madame-pourquoi-borrowing-ii-yoruba-and-igbo/

Alh Uche, well done. They are facts well known to us already. Educate us more on Ondo state where there are many languages such as Ijaw, Edo, Yoruba etc.

Andre Uweh:

Alh Uche, well done. They are facts well known to us already. Educate us more on Ondo state where there are many languages such as Ijaw, Edo, Yoruba etc.

I would do that on another thread

do you know more about the oluku mi people ?

this is coming as a surprise to me. i thought some people claimed the olokumis have been fully assimilated and that they are proud igbos?

lol Anioma ethnic group. .

Alj there are so many things wrong with your post. Ill deal with you in a little while. Reading this actually made me laugh (Anioma ethnic group? Lol).

Anioma is not an ethnic group nor is it a cultural group. It's only a term that has come to symbolize the Igbo subgroups in Delta. These subgroups are Aniocha, Ukwuani, Ika, Oshimili and Ndokwa. If you ask a Deltan Igbo what he is he will say (for example) "I am Ukwuani" or "I am Oshimili". Anioma is a political term. But like I said I'll deal with this in due time.

odumchi:

Alj there are so many things wrong with your post. Ill deal with you in a little while. Reading this actually made me laugh (Anioma ethnic group? Lol).

Anioma is not an ethnic group nor is it a cultural group. It's only a term that has come to symbolize the Igbo subgroups in Delta. These subgroups are Aniocha, Ukwuani, Ika, Oshimili and Ndokwa. If you ask a Deltan Igbo what he is he will say (for example) "I am Ukwuani" or "I am Oshimili". Anioma is a political term. But like I said I'll deal with this in due time.

Thanks

I actually got this anioma ethnic group from Anioma people offical website

http://www.ibusa.net/mysite/anioma.htm

http://anioma.org/about/

Anioma is like bayelsa state. Is Bayelsa an ethnic group?. Bayelsa was formed from Brass, Yenogoa and Sagbama divisions of the old Eastern region. BA-YEL-SA.
Only fools are pushing hard for Anioma to be an ethnic group, as a consequence, Alh Harem do not be part of that insanity.

alj_harem:

The Olukumis are a branch of the Anioma ethnic group. Anioma people today exist in edo and delta state. Anioma people are a unique group of people with 12 different Languages comprises of Igboid, Edoiod and Yorubaiod.

group but agreed to join the union of Anioma with the rest of their neighbouring communities scattered around the region chiefly because all the towns and communities in this region have had a common history of relationship even many centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, and have shared common culture speak Ozzara and Ika.

When did this happen? First of all there is no such thing as the "Anioma ethnic group". Second of all, what are the 12 different languages? The only dialects spoken in Anioma are Enuani and Ika which are both a part of the Igbo language so what are the other 11 languages aside from Igbo?

You said "agreed to join the union of Anioma with the rest of their neighbouring communities". When was this? The term "Anioma" was formed to make distinctions between the Igbo speaking people of Northern Delta and the Edoid speaking peoples of southern Delta.

Agian there are no Edoid or Yoruba speaking people in Northern Delta. Like I stated earlier, the two main dialects spoken in Delta North are Ika and Enuani.
With the origin of the Olukumi(that is i they really exist), I doubt they are have any relationship with the Yoruba, most likely they haveytheir origins in Edo. Some other things to consider are their population. What is the population of the Olukumi now? I doubt if it is over 10 thousand epople. Now go back sixty years to 1951, around the time the Anioma political umbrella was set up, what wouldve been theur population then? 100? I think that the Olukumi might be the descendants iof a single family or man who emigrated from the Edo speaking regions.

alj_harem:

Native Onitshans speak a dialect of the Igbo language with several Benin/Yoruba words such as "Obi" (of Onitsha) and "Oba" (of Benin). In fact, the word Onitsha (Onicha) is a corruption of the god "Orisha." The bini name for River Niger is Ohinmwin. The Onicha Igbo call it "Orinmili." In a few years, we will have DNA tests that proves (or disproves) the Onitsha-Benin-Yoruba connection.

In fact, a lost dialect of the Yoruba language, called Olukwumu, is spoken in Brazil and in a few Igbo communities named Anioma, Idumu-Ogu, Ubulubu, Ugboba, Ugbodu, and Ukwunzu (M. A. Onwuejeogwu, 1987 Ahiajoku Lecture). The absence Olukwumu in core Yoruba land proves that these communities are the Lost Yoruba Tribe that were fleeing from slave raiders.

There are no Benin or Yoruba words spoken by the people in Anambra. "Obi" is a title which originally hails from Agbor and is a corruption of Edo "oba". Onicha oral history tells us that Onicha was founded partly by refugees from Agbor who were fleeing Agbor during the time of the Bini-Agbor wars and transposed their title "Obi" to Onicha. Onicha itself means "Oni-Ocha" or white/fair/clean land and has nothing to do with Orisha.
Orisha itself already existed in Igbo ans "Olisa", so there is no connectuion with "Onicha" and "Orisha".

Second of all, Oshimilli is just Igbo for "great river' or "oean". Even in faraway Arochukwu we say river as "anyim" and great river or ocean as "Osimiri". If you wanted people to really believe you, you shouldve atleast done a bit of inquirery.

alj_harem:

For Ika speakers aka Olukumis as well, this is written Ika words and I want to be sure if I am correct



Ika meyi
poem to correct difficult traits ika meyi.

It says that when this Oddun of ifa out in a ceremony Atef
the person probably will live big problems in his life,
unless you can find a priest of Ifa that is efficient,
so that you remove the inevitable obstacles. Orunmila could do
this for your child ika meyi by the following poem:
Nule Abimenken oeni
Abi Areleketa ikerije
Are likaun kaun GBar
Kai biken tiibimen meyi Leede
Aree nikaani
Okani Agbalikaka megun
Ojiji Okalule
Feje Ojee riemen eja
Teremi Okalule
Riemen distant Oje eku
Oka choose axis inen
Oka Lule orisha
Owo axis wu
Lule Oka KPE KPE KPE Oduro
Olo oloja inkin
Oduro oshe kungbeni inkin jeke
Owa maawe eyin re ashetii.



Translations in english:
A child born in the house
This was interpreted as a problem difficult.
A second son was born
It said it was a good omen.
This was a puzzle
As explained by an arrival
Of fortune and misfortune in the same house.
Allow the unlucky fortune to flourish?
Is seeking a scholar to explain the riddle.
The sage explained that:
The child is difficult electric eel fish
Living in a river
Full of common and harmless fish.
That is why electric eel or fish
He is the king of fish.
And as harmless fish
No matter how abundant they are
They can not challenge the eel.
Similarly mouse
With sharp nose and sharp
It is feared that the king of the rats.
Yoruba is called iteremi
And okhan in bini.
It is also why the abdomen unpredictable
He became the king of the body.
And what gains prominence lead
In the house of God.
Why will not rust
And what became oloru
In King of Inkinen,
Orunmila's head;
Because the front and rear
Are both aligned with prosperity.
When out in ugbodu meyi ika means that the person will have
a hard life and you will live surrounded by Nemiga which always
tried to destroy all materials not previously
listed are collected for the purpose of preparing the ono-ifa (odiha in
Bini) to facilitate its passage through life.

This thing that you wrote is not Ika, it is Edo. This is Ika dialect:

"Nwanta amulu na nuno
hafuluya ko nsogbu
amu oke ke abu
asina o ozioma.
ifa gbanwujulu wo anya
obibiaya kofaraya
ke chioma na chiojo na uno ofu
hafu ke chiojo ka o di?
nene oke gufara akwukwo ka o okwarawo
yo si na
nwanta a bu azhi shili ikike
bi na oshimili"

I stopped here. But I hope you get my point.

odumchi:

This thing that you wrote is not Ika, it is Edo. This is Ika dialect:

"Nwanta amulu na nuno
hafuluya ko nsogbu
amu oke ke abu
asina o ozioma.
ifa gbanwujulu wo anya
obibiaya kofaraya
ke chioma na chiojo na uno ofu
hafu ke chiojo ka o di?
nene oke gufara akwukwo ka o okwarawo
yo si na
nwanta a bu azhi shili ikike
bi na oshimili"

I stopped here. But I hope you get my point.

I should not be able to understand this.

odumchi:

When did this happen? First of all there is no such thing as the "Anioma ethnic group". Second of all, what are the 12 different languages? The only dialects spoken in Anioma are Enuani and Ika which are both a part of the Igbo language so what are the other 11 languages aside from Igbo?

No sir Anioma people have 13 languages which are

1.Igbo (Enuani,)
2. Ozzara,
3. Olukunmi (an extinct old Yoruba Language,)
4.  Igara,
5. Ika,
6. Ukwuani,
7. Edo,
8. Odiani,
9. Utagba,
10. Aboh  among others

odumchi:


You said "agreed to join the union of Anioma with the rest of their neighbouring communities". When was this? The term "Anioma" was formed to make distinctions between the Igbo speaking people of Northern Delta and the Edoid speaking peoples of southern Delta.  

refer to anioma web

http://www.ibusa.net/mysite/anioma2.htm

also anioma was invented in the 1980s during the during the separation of western Igbo which included Ukwuani

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fFdeYB1lIPwC&pg=PA24&dq=anioma+yoruba&hl=en&ei=dEyjTs-SLoXLswapmMWKAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=anioma%20yoruba&f=false

odumchi:


Agian there are no Edoid or Yoruba speaking people in Northern Delta. Like I stated earlier, the two main dialects spoken in Delta North are Ika and Enuani.

wrong again

they are edo and yoruba speaking groups in Northern delta

Yoruba aka Oluku mi areas are

Ukwunzu,

Ugbodu,

Ubulubu,

Idumu-Ogo

all of which are anioma areas of northern delta

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Uhh1AAAAMAAJ&q=anioma+yoruba&dq=anioma+yoruba&hl=en&ei=dEyjTs-SLoXLswapmMWKAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y

odumchi:

With the origin of the Olukumi(that is i they really exist), I doubt they are have any relationship with the Yoruba, most likely they haveytheir origins in Edo. Some other things to consider are their population. What is the population of the Olukumi now? I doubt if it is over 10 thousand epople. Now go back sixty years to 1951, around the time the Anioma political umbrella was set up, what wouldve been theur population then? 100? I think that the Olukumi might be the descendants iof a single family or man who emigrated from the Edo speaking regions.

you need to read Origin Of Delta Igbo Indisputable -Uwuechue

http://edoworld.net/Origin_Of_Delta_Igbo_Indisputable.html



[size=14pt]Indigenous Yoruba and Igala of Delta North(Aniomaland)[/size]

Delta state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is made up of 25 Local Government areas (LGAs) and like every other state, she is represented in the Nigerian Senate by three senators. Delta state is thus carved up into three senatorial districts…Delta Central, Delta South and Delta North (Aniomaland).

Delta Central comprises eight LGAs and is inhabited by the Urhobos while Delta South also comprises eight LGAs and is home to the ethnic Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri while Delta North is home to the Ika, Enuani, Ukwuani sub-groups who are spread across nine LGAs.

The principal towns of Delta North are Agbor, Asaba (the Delta state capital),Ogwashi-Uku, Issele-Uku, Ibusa, Ubulu-Uku, Obiaruku,Kwale, Ashaka, among others. Her peoples are predominantly farmers, fisherfolk, businessmen, academics, bureaucrats and members of the defence and security forces. It is on record that at the dawn of Nigerian independence on 1 October 1960, nine(9) of the fifty-eight(58) indigenous commissioned officers of the Nigerian Army were from Delta North alone. Most famous of these was Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu who led the first military coup d’etat in Nigeria in 1966.

As of April 2010, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service both hail from Aniocha North LGA of the said Delta North.

It is also on record that the Ekumeku peasant rebellion against white domination (akin to the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya) mounted by the people of Delta North under Agbogidi Oligbo, the Issele Uku monarch and against the British colonialists ensured that Aniomaland was arguably the last part of Nigeria to be completely subjugated by the British colonialists! The Ekumeku War spanned the period between 1898 and 1929. Even the Sokoto empire fell in 1903,the defiant people of Delta North were still at the barricades.

Today,the predominant spoken language in the area is a hybridized dialect of Igbo but the people somehow do not refer to themselves Igbo for the simple fact that over eighty-five percent (85%) of Anioma people are said to have emigrated from Bini empire during the 14th and 15th century reigns of Obas(Kings) Ozolua, Ewuare and Esigie of the Benin Empire which lies immediately to the west of Aniomaland. The festivals, language, kingship systems of the people of Delta North appear to bear testimony to this fact even to this day. Possibly, they may have lost their mastery of Edo language on account of long separation from the Benin Empire and became subsumed in the dominant Igbo culture as a result of the fact of greater proximity to Igboland.

But Delta North also has, albeit unbelievably, an indigenous and living community of Yoruba and Igala speakers.

Aniocha North Local Government Area is the smallest, most northerly and most rural in the Delta state. It consists of 16 communities grouped into the three clans of Ezechima, Odiani and Idumuje.

Odiani clan comprises 8 communities which are said to have historically migrated emigrated from the Akoko area of Yorubaland during the wars which raged in that part of pre-colonial Africa during the 18th century. When they arrived at their present place of domicile in the Far North of present-day Delta state, the Edo(Benin) emigres and Ibos from the east of the Niger river had been on ground for a minimum of three centuries. Unable to communicate with the hostile people all around them,they courtesied all and sundry who they came into contact with“Olukumi” ,a word in the Akoko dialect of Yoruba language which means “my friend”.

To this day,the variant of Yoruba language spoken by my people is called Olukumi by neighbouring communities. Further east at Ebu,a migrant community of Igalas who came from central Nigeria in search of prime fishing grounds had developed and to this day,the people of Ebu still speak Igala language.

http://beegeagle./2010/05/01/indigenous-yoruba-and-igala-of-delta-northaniomaland/

also here is the king of oluku mi land



Deep in the heart of the Igbo-speaking people in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State are Ugbodu and three other communities where Oluku mi, a derivative of Yoruba language, is the language of the people. BANJI ALUKO, who visited the communities, examines how close Oluku mi actually is to the Yoruba language and traces how the people came about the language.

HELLO, this writer said, while knocking at the door, and a young lady, emerging from the building, replied, ta ni yen? When the writer heard the reply, he taught it was a mere coincidence or that his ears were deceiving him. Of course, he had every reason to be surprised since he was not anywhere near the Yoruba enclave where such a reply can only be anticipated. After all, he was more than 100 kilometres away from the nearest Yoruba community; he was in Ugbodu, a town in Aniocha North Local government Area of Delta State.

While trying to decipher why the lady gave such a reply, what further followed put the writer in a more confused position. A girl of about five appeared and said, “mo fe ra biscuit.” Perhaps, the people are part of the Yoruba community living in the town, the writer guessed as he tried to find out from the lady.

“Are you a Yoruba woman; what is the meaning of ta ni yen?” The writer asked the questions at once. Reluctantly, she answered, “I am not Yoruba o, I am just speaking my language.” Apparently, she was not unaware of the similarity between her language and Yoruba language. The lady refused to entertain any further question about her language and asked him to go to the king’s palace or to the elders if he wanted to know more about the language.

At the palace, the elders still would not talk about the similarity between their language and Yoruba. They asked the writer to wait for the arrival of the king, who they said can only speak on the people, their language and their history.

The period of waiting for the king afforded one time to listen to the conversation and the discovery was nonetheless remarkable. Following closely the conversation between some elderly men and with a deep knowledge of Yoruba, one could establish a nexus between their speech and actions. In fact,  some words and expressions could be understood.

Following their conversation with rapt attention, expressions such as Gbemu wa—bring palm wine, me wa nani—I didn’t come yesterday, me ri e—I didn’t see you, mu beer oka wa—bring one beer etc could be heard, albeit with an intonation slightly different from that of the Yorubas.

Seeing the desire of this writer to follow their talk, one man finally volunteered to explain the similarity between their language and Yoruba. “I believe you are a Yoruba man,” he said. He continued: “We are Oluku mi speakers but we speak a language that is very similar to Yoruba.” This he demonstrated by pointing out some words and expressions in their language (Oluku mi) which denote the same meanings as Yoruba.  

He gave some examples such as ita—pepper, ogede lila—plantain, ogede keke—banana; ku wu se—what are you doing; ule house; osa – market; oma—child; o dowuo—see you tomorrow, e bo—welcome. After explaining some similarities between the languages, he still refused to talk about how the people of Ugbodu, in the middle of other Igbo speaking neighbours, came about Oluku mi. Like others, he maintained that only the traditional ruler of the town can speak about how Oluku mi became their language.

But after waiting endlessly for the king, his brother, Prince Adebowale Ochei, who later arrived the scene, volunteered to speak on behalf of the king, H.R.M. Ayo Isinyemeze, the Oloza (Obi) of Ugbodu. According to him, history gave it that the Ugbodu Oluku mi speaking people migrated from Owo/Akure axis in the present Ondo State between 9th and 11th century AD to settle down in Benin during the reign of King Ogiso of Benin.

He continued: “At this period in the history of the Benin Kingdom, the most neglected of the wife of the Ogiso gave birth to the heir apparent to the throne. After the woman gave birth to the child, a male, the nobles consulted the oracle and said that the oracle told them that the child should be killed for peace to reign in Benin Kingdom. At the end, the child was not killed as it was said that the child was too handsome to be killed, so a fowl was killed in his place.”

According to Ochei, this was the reason the Ugbodu people left Benin. “They felt that if a crown prince could be ordered for execution just like that, they could do worse things to strangers in their midst. As a result, they left Benin and came to Ewohimi, an Ishan speaking community in Edo State. Due to intra-tribal wars, they later left the place to settle down here in Ugbodu which is a shortened form of Ugbodumila, which means bush saved me in English Language.”

He further pointed out differences between Oluku mi and Yoruba. He said one notable difference is the changing of letter “j” in Yoruba words to “s” in Oluku mi as seen in words like oloja or oja which  are rendered as olosa or osa and joko as soko.

With the movement of the people was the consequent change in their language as shown in their names. According to records compiled by Prince Humphrey Ojeabu Ochei, the immediate Olihen of Ugbodu, the first six Olozas bore Yoruba names namely Adeola, Aderemi, Ariyo, Odofin, Adetunji and Oyetunde. These early kings bore typical Yoruba names years and decades after the establishment of the Ugbodu Kingdom.

As the people gradually lost contact with their kinsmen back home, they began to gravitate towards the Benin and Edo communities. The resulting acculturative process gradually led to the adoption of Edo names among the people. Hence names such as Ogbomon, Ozolua, Izebuwa, Ogbelaka, Izedonwen, Osakpolor, Esigie Igbinadolor, Osaloua, Osamewamen and Ebor emerged as Olozas.

Since Ugbodu is surrounded by the Igbo-speaking Aniomas, it did not take much time before the Igbo Language started to interfere greatly on the people’s language. Accordingly, Igbo influence steadily and progressively made what has now become permanent inroad and considerable impact on the socio-cultural life as well as linguistic orientation of the Ugbodu people. With this, the Edo influence began to wane, resulting in the adoption of Igbo names in preference to Edo names. Thus from the middle of the 19th century, the general shift was from Edo to Igbo names. This can be seen in the names of Olozas, who ruled between the middle of the 19th century and late 20th century such as Dike, Ochei, Ezenweani and Isinyemeze.

Investigations conducted revealed that Ugbodu is not the only community where Oluku mi is spoken in Aniocha North Local Government as the language is also spoken in Ukwu-Nzu (Eko Efun), Ubulubu and Ogodo.

At Ukwu-Nzu, only few kilometres away from Ugbodu, the language is not also different. Although, the people are less emphatic about their history, nonetheless, the similarity between their language and Yoruba is evident in their names and greetings. “Oju e ma won ke,” meaning your face is scarce in Yoruba, was what a man said to his friend he accosted on the road. When Sunday Tribune approached the man, who gave his name as Ayo Oke, he shed light on his language and provided more examples between Oluku mi and Yoruba Language.

He said that “instead of saying e kaabo, we say e bo, meaning welcome and wa ni we yi, meaning come here;” He also gave example of words which virtually have the same meanings as the Yoruba language. Some of these include obe—stew; oni—today; ola—tomorrow; otunla—next tomorrow etc.

Another elder in the town, who spoke with Sunday Tribune, said that the name of Ukwu-Nzu before the Igbo Language “infiltrated” their language was Eko Efun (efun means chalk in Yoruba Language). He also attributed the efun in the name of their town to the rich prescence of white chalk in the town which he said the community was richly blessed with.  

Presently, the biggest challenge for the people of Ugbodu and other Oluku mi-speaking communities is how to protect their language and culture in general. According to a native of Ugbodu, “the elders are more connected to the original Olukumi language than the youth. In fact, we have lost the real Oluku mi and what we have now is an Oluku mi that has been greatly altered by Igbo language. Most of the people who can really speak the language right now are the elders. Ordinarily, the real Oluku mi is like the Yoruba that is spoken in Owo in Ondo State. Someone from that place is expected to understand the language perfectly but right now someone from Owo might not be able to understand more than 50 per cent of our language. This language may die if care is not taken,” he said.

Another factor that also contributed to the decline of Olukumi, according to findings, is that there was a time in the past when an understanding of the Edo or Igbo language, was considered as a status symbol. According to an elder in the town, “An Oluku mi who spoke the two languages then was considered superior to others because it meant that he had travelled wide. This was the inferiority complex our people unwittingly created for themselves which we are trying to correct now.”

In protecting their language which is gradually being threatened, a revival process has been started. Part of this is that some of them now choose to give their children Oluku mi names and to sing and say prayers in Oluku mi. In some cases, some radical reformers and revivalists changed the names given to them by their parents from Igbo to Olukumi. The climax of the restoration process of their linguistic ethos and identity was the christening of the incumbent Oloza with an Olukumi name, Ayo.

Reacting to efforts aimed at protecting Oluku mi, Prince Adebowale said, “I am an Oluku mi man and I am proud of my language. I am not happy that Igbo language is interfering with our language. We are trying our best to correct the situation and part of that is what my brother (the Oloza) is doing by organising an Oluku mi reciting competition. We want to know the people who can speak the real Oluku mi without mixing it with Igbo or English.” As laudable as the task of protecting Oluku mi by the people of Ugbodu(mila) is, only time will tell how far they can go.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/features/2357-a-yoruba-enclave-in-the-heart-of-igboland-story-of-ugbodu-others-in-delta-state

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take your time and read it pls

odumchi:

There are no Benin or Yoruba words spoken by the people in Anambra. "Obi" is a title which originally hails from Agbor and is a corruption of Edo "oba". Onicha oral history tells us that Onicha was founded partly by refugees from Agbor who were fleeing Agbor during the time of the Bini-Agbor wars and transposed their title "Obi" to Onicha. Onicha itself means "Oni-Ocha" or white/fair/clean land and has nothing to do with Orisha.
Orisha itself already existed in Igbo ans "Olisa", so there is no connectuion with "Onicha" and "Orisha".

Second of all, Oshimilli is just Igbo for "great river' or "oean". Even in faraway Arochukwu we say river as "anyim" and great river or ocean as "Osimiri". If you wanted people to really believe you, you shouldve atleast done a bit of inquirery. 

Very very wrong sir

[size=14pt]The Enuani People of Anioma: Who Are They?[/size]

Although "Enuani" today typically refers to the language of the Aniocha/Oshimili people of the Anioma in Delta North, Delta State of Nigeria, it is particularly used to describe a number of communities that are located within this region including the Ndi Onicha-Ado (Onitsha). As a language, it is one of the major Igbo dialects inherited from the Igbo of the southeast but with loaned words from Edo. It is distinguished by accent or what linguists refer to as orthography and mutually intelligible to the group of Anioma people in the state.

As a language of tonality in sound, the language is spoken close to Onitsha, Obosi, Atani, Ogbaru in Anambra State and has over the time become quite standardized. The language has gained wider acceptance embracing some words from the Edoid language. Words like "Ughele" (Knife), "Ododo" (Red) and "Ugagbe" (Mirror) are examples of Edoid loaned words. These and other loaned words "Okei" (boy/man) "Nwoke" in central Igbo and "Okpoho" (girl/woman) are two of the words amounting to diversions from the central Igbo.

In Anioma, Enuani language is often referred to "Asusu Enuani". The Enuani language is rarely written but retains Igbo names, words and idiomatic expressions that ordinarily may be sensible to other Igbo speakers except minor variations as a result of loan words from the Edoid language. The Enuani language has cross-pollinated the Aniocha/Oshimili areas characteristically bringing about communication homogeneity with the adoption of words. Other languages spoken in the Anioma region are Ika, Aboh, Ebu, Ukwani/Ndokwa, Olukunmi etc. The languages of Anioma are derived from Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, Igala etc.


The word "Enu" means "High" while "Ani" means "Land" which when put together amounts to Highland suggesting "Highland People" or the "People of Highland" (Ndi-Enuani). Geographically, the Aniocha and Oshimili regions are highland and riverine people living west of the River Niger today with the exception of Onicha-Ado (Onitsha) in Anambra State mainly situated in Delta State, south-south, Nigeria. Archival sources and local histories of the people show that before the fusion of the people that today comprise Delta North which resulted in the birth of "Anioma" probably in 1953, the people referred to themselves as "Enuani".

Claims and dynamics of the people on the origins which occurred in diversity support the issue of Enuani ethno-cultural identity together and homogeneity with their dealings before and during colonialism. A good example of this is the Ekwumekwu movements carried out against the British colonial government to end the imperialism in the area. It is equally noteworthy that around this time, the people referred to the area as Enuani region notwithstanding how others viewed them.

The people of Ibusa, Asaba, Ogwashi-Uku, Onicha-Olona, Onicha-Ugbo, Onicha-Uku, Onicha-Ukwu, Onicha-Ado (Onitsha) Issele-Uku, Issele-Mkpitime, Issele-Azagba, Idumuje-Unor, Idumuje-Ugboko, Ejeme-Unor, Ejeme-Aniogor, Okpanam, Ezi, Oko, Ashaba, Anwai, Ugbodu, Akwukwu-Ukwu, Ubulu-Uku, Ubulu-Unor etc. Uniquely, these communities trace their origin to the Igbo east of the Niger, from already established settlements within or nearby Enuani region, Benin, Igala, and Yorubaland. Enuani, Ukwani/Ndokwa and Ika are Anioma.

The Enuani have a homogenous culture for instance, the Akwa-Ocha (Oto-Ogwu, in some Anioma dialects) fabric is the traditional attire of the Enuani as won by the entire people of Anioma. It is a white fabric woven with designs sometimes inscribing the "Anioma State" tied around the chest or waist by women fashionably supported with a blouse and also won around the waist by men or sometimes made to appear as a very bogus shirt reaching the legs. The Akwa-Ocha) is decorated with beads finely worn around the wrists and hanging loosely around the neck.

The culture of Enuani regarding the burial of a loved one is same. This is generally referred to as "Ini-Ozu" and in the first of the two funeral ceremonies, in the language of the people called "Ikposu-Ozu". The Akwa-Ocha is a necessary traditional item required to bury the dead. Dedicated mourners closely related to the deceased are expected to tie the fabric around their bodies while "Itu-Uni" is often conducted with "Akwa-Ocha". A deceased may also be laid to rest wrapped in Akwa-Ocha as a traditional rite and respect. An Anioma indigene that is/has taken up a chieftaincy/traditional title may also be expected to appear in Akwa-Ocha attire. Such is the relevance of Akwa-Ocha to the people of Enuani and Anioma in entirety.


Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/culture-articles/the-enuani-people-of-anioma-who-are-they-2261189.html#ixzz1bYXe5d00
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives


Also read this

Seeing the desire of this writer to follow their talk, one man finally volunteered to explain the similarity between their language and Yoruba. “I believe you are a Yoruba man,” he said. He continued: “We are Oluku mi speakers but we speak a language that is very similar to Yoruba.” This he demonstrated by pointing out some words and expressions in their language (Oluku mi) which denote the same meanings as Yoruba.

He[b] gave some examples such as ita—pepper, ogede lila—plantain, ogede keke—banana; ku wu se—what are you doing; ule house; osa – market; oma—child; o dowuo—see you tomorrow, e bo—welcome. After explaining some similarities between the languages, he still refused to talk about how the people of Ugbodu, in the middle of other Igbo speaking neighbours, came about Oluku mi. Like others, he maintained that only the traditional ruler of the town can speak about how Oluku mi became their language.[/b]

But after waiting endlessly for the king, his brother, Prince Adebowale Ochei, who later arrived the scene, volunteered to speak on behalf of the king, H.R.M. Ayo Isinyemeze, the Oloza (Obi) of Ugbodu. According to him, history gave it that the Ugbodu Oluku mi speaking people migrated from Owo/Akure axis in the present Ondo State between 9th and 11th century AD to settle down in Benin during the reign of King Ogiso of Benin.


He further pointed out differences between Oluku mi and Yoruba. He said one notable difference is the changing of letter “j” in Yoruba words to “s” in Oluku mi as seen in words like oloja or oja which are rendered as olosa or osa and joko as soko.

With the movement of the people was the consequent change in their language as shown in their names. According to records compiled by Prince Humphrey Ojeabu Ochei, the immediate Olihen of Ugbodu, the first six Olozas bore Yoruba names namely Adeola, Aderemi, Ariyo, Odofin, Adetunji and Oyetunde. These early kings bore typical Yoruba names years and decades after the establishment of the Ugbodu Kingdom.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/features/2357-a-yoruba-enclave-in-the-heart-of-igboland-story-of-ugbodu-others-in-delta-state

spam bot

I am coming back

When did this happen? First of all there is no such thing as the "Anioma ethnic group". Second of all, what are the 12 different languages? The only dialects spoken in Anioma are Enuani and Ika which are both a part of the Igbo language so what are the other 11 languages aside from Igbo?

No sir Anioma people have 13 languages which are

1.Igbo (Enuani,)
2. Ozzara,
3. Olukunmi (an extinct old Yoruba Language,)
4. Igara,
5. Ika,
6. Ukwuani,
7. Edo,
8. Odiani,
9. Utagba,
10. Aboh among others

You said "agreed to join the union of Anioma with the rest of their neighbouring communities". When was this? The term "Anioma" was formed to make distinctions between the Igbo speaking people of Northern Delta and the Edoid speaking peoples of southern Delta.

refer to anioma web

http://www.ibusa.net/mysite/anioma2.htm

also anioma was invented in the 1980s during the during the separation of western Igbo which included Ukwuani

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fFdeYB1lIPwC&pg=PA24&dq=anioma+yoruba&hl=en&ei=dEyjTs-SLoXLswapmMWKAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=anioma%20yoruba&f=false

Agian there are no Edoid or Yoruba speaking people in Northern Delta. Like I stated earlier, the two main dialects spoken in Delta North are Ika and Enuani.

wrong again

they are edo and yoruba speaking groups in Northern delta

Yoruba aka Oluku mi areas are

Ukwunzu,

Ugbodu,

Ubulubu,

Idumu-Ogo

all of which are anioma areas of northern delta of which they speak oluku mi

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Uhh1AAAAMAAJ&q=anioma+yoruba&dq=anioma+yoruba&hl=en&ei=dEyjTs-SLoXLswapmMWKAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y

With the origin of the Olukumi(that is i they really exist), I doubt they are have any relationship with the Yoruba, most likely they haveytheir origins in Edo. Some other things to consider are their population. What is the population of the Olukumi now? I doubt if it is over 10 thousand epople. Now go back sixty years to 1951, around the time the Anioma political umbrella was set up, what wouldve been theur population then? 100? I think that the Olukumi might be the descendants iof a single family or man who emigrated from the Edo speaking regions.

you need to read Origin Of Delta Igbo Indisputable -Uwuechue

http://edoworld.net/Origin_Of_Delta_Igbo_Indisputable.html



Indigenous Yoruba and Igala of Delta North(Aniomaland)

Delta state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is made up of 25 Local Government areas (LGAs) and like every other state, she is represented in the Nigerian Senate by three senators. Delta state is thus carved up into three senatorial districts…Delta Central, Delta South and Delta North (Aniomaland).

Delta Central comprises eight LGAs and is inhabited by the Urhobos while Delta South also comprises eight LGAs and is home to the ethnic Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri while Delta North is home to the Ika, Enuani, Ukwuani sub-groups who are spread across nine LGAs.

The principal towns of Delta North are Agbor, Asaba (the Delta state capital),Ogwashi-Uku, Issele-Uku, Ibusa, Ubulu-Uku, Obiaruku,Kwale, Ashaka, among others. Her peoples are predominantly farmers, fisherfolk, businessmen, academics, bureaucrats and members of the defence and security forces. It is on record that at the dawn of Nigerian independence on 1 October 1960, nine(9) of the fifty-eight(58) indigenous commissioned officers of the Nigerian Army were from Delta North alone. Most famous of these was Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu who led the first military coup d’etat in Nigeria in 1966.

As of April 2010, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service both hail from Aniocha North LGA of the said Delta North.

It is also on record that the Ekumeku peasant rebellion against white domination (akin to the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya) mounted by the people of Delta North under Agbogidi Oligbo, the Issele Uku monarch and against the British colonialists ensured that Aniomaland was arguably the last part of Nigeria to be completely subjugated by the British colonialists! The Ekumeku War spanned the period between 1898 and 1929. Even the Sokoto empire fell in 1903,the defiant people of Delta North were still at the barricades.

Today,the predominant spoken language in the area is a hybridized dialect of Igbo but the people somehow do not refer to themselves Igbo for the simple fact that over eighty-five percent (85%) of Anioma people are said to have emigrated from Bini empire during the 14th and 15th century reigns of Obas(Kings) Ozolua, Ewuare and Esigie of the Benin Empire which lies immediately to the west of Aniomaland. The festivals, language, kingship systems of the people of Delta North appear to bear testimony to this fact even to this day. Possibly, they may have lost their mastery of Edo language on account of long separation from the Benin Empire and became subsumed in the dominant Igbo culture as a result of the fact of greater proximity to Igboland.

But Delta North also has, albeit unbelievably, an indigenous and living community of Yoruba and Igala speakers.

Aniocha North Local Government Area is the smallest, most northerly and most rural in the Delta state. It consists of 16 communities grouped into the three clans of Ezechima, Odiani and Idumuje.

Odiani clan comprises 8 communities which are said to have historically migrated emigrated from the Akoko area of Yorubaland during the wars which raged in that part of pre-colonial Africa during the 18th century. When they arrived at their present place of domicile in the Far North of present-day Delta state, the Edo(Benin) emigres and Ibos from the east of the Niger river had been on ground for a minimum of three centuries. Unable to communicate with the hostile people all around them,they courtesied all and sundry who they came into contact with“Olukumi” ,a word in the Akoko dialect of Yoruba language which means “my friend”.

To this day,the variant of Yoruba language spoken by my people is called Olukumi by neighbouring communities. Further east at Ebu,a migrant community of Igalas who came from central Nigeria in search of prime fishing grounds had developed and to this day,the people of Ebu still speak Igala language.

http://beegeagle./2010/05/01/indigenous-yoruba-and-igala-of-delta-northaniomaland/

also here is the king of oluku mi land



Deep in the heart of the Igbo-speaking people in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State are Ugbodu and three other communities where Oluku mi, a derivative of Yoruba language, is the language of the people. BANJI ALUKO, who visited the communities, examines how close Oluku mi actually is to the Yoruba language and traces how the people came about the language.

HELLO, this writer said, while knocking at the door, and a young lady, emerging from the building, replied, ta ni yen? When the writer heard the reply, he taught it was a mere coincidence or that his ears were deceiving him. Of course, he had every reason to be surprised since he was not anywhere near the Yoruba enclave where such a reply can only be anticipated. After all, he was more than 100 kilometres away from the nearest Yoruba community; he was in Ugbodu, a town in Aniocha North Local government Area of Delta State.

While trying to decipher why the lady gave such a reply, what further followed put the writer in a more confused position. A girl of about five appeared and said, “mo fe ra biscuit.” Perhaps, the people are part of the Yoruba community living in the town, the writer guessed as he tried to find out from the lady.

“Are you a Yoruba woman; what is the meaning of ta ni yen?” The writer asked the questions at once. Reluctantly, she answered, “I am not Yoruba o, I am just speaking my language.” Apparently, she was not unaware of the similarity between her language and Yoruba language. The lady refused to entertain any further question about her language and asked him to go to the king’s palace or to the elders if he wanted to know more about the language.

At the palace, the elders still would not talk about the similarity between their language and Yoruba. They asked the writer to wait for the arrival of the king, who they said can only speak on the people, their language and their history.

The period of waiting for the king afforded one time to listen to the conversation and the discovery was nonetheless remarkable. Following closely the conversation between some elderly men and with a deep knowledge of Yoruba, one could establish a nexus between their speech and actions. In fact, some words and expressions could be understood.

Following their conversation with rapt attention, expressions such as Gbemu wa—bring palm wine, me wa nani—I didn’t come yesterday, me ri e—I didn’t see you, mu beer oka wa—bring one beer etc could be heard, albeit with an intonation slightly different from that of the Yorubas.

Seeing the desire of this writer to follow their talk, one man finally volunteered to explain the similarity between their language and Yoruba. “I believe you are a Yoruba man,” he said. He continued: “We are Oluku mi speakers but we speak a language that is very similar to Yoruba.” This he demonstrated by pointing out some words and expressions in their language (Oluku mi) which denote the same meanings as Yoruba.

He gave some examples such as ita—pepper, ogede lila—plantain, ogede keke—banana; ku wu se—what are you doing; ule house; osa – market; oma—child; o dowuo—see you tomorrow, e bo—welcome. After explaining some similarities between the languages, he still refused to talk about how the people of Ugbodu, in the middle of other Igbo speaking neighbours, came about Oluku mi. Like others, he maintained that only the traditional ruler of the town can speak about how Oluku mi became their language.

But after waiting endlessly for the king, his brother, Prince Adebowale Ochei, who later arrived the scene, volunteered to speak on behalf of the king, H.R.M. Ayo Isinyemeze, the Oloza (Obi) of Ugbodu. According to him, history gave it that the Ugbodu Oluku mi speaking people migrated from Owo/Akure axis in the present Ondo State between 9th and 11th century AD to settle down in Benin during the reign of King Ogiso of Benin.

He continued: “At this period in the history of the Benin Kingdom, the most neglected of the wife of the Ogiso gave birth to the heir apparent to the throne. After the woman gave birth to the child, a male, the nobles consulted the oracle and said that the oracle told them that the child should be killed for peace to reign in Benin Kingdom. At the end, the child was not killed as it was said that the child was too handsome to be killed, so a fowl was killed in his place.”

According to Ochei, this was the reason the Ugbodu people left Benin. “They felt that if a crown prince could be ordered for execution just like that, they could do worse things to strangers in their midst. As a result, they left Benin and came to Ewohimi, an Ishan speaking community in Edo State. Due to intra-tribal wars, they later left the place to settle down here in Ugbodu which is a shortened form of Ugbodumila, which means bush saved me in English Language.”

He further pointed out differences between Oluku mi and Yoruba. He said one notable difference is the changing of letter “j” in Yoruba words to “s” in Oluku mi as seen in words like oloja or oja which are rendered as olosa or osa and joko as soko.

With the movement of the people was the consequent change in their language as shown in their names. According to records compiled by Prince Humphrey Ojeabu Ochei, the immediate Olihen of Ugbodu, the first six Olozas bore Yoruba names namely Adeola, Aderemi, Ariyo, Odofin, Adetunji and Oyetunde. These early kings bore typical Yoruba names years and decades after the establishment of the Ugbodu Kingdom.

As the people gradually lost contact with their kinsmen back home, they began to gravitate towards the Benin and Edo communities. The resulting acculturative process gradually led to the adoption of Edo names among the people. Hence names such as Ogbomon, Ozolua, Izebuwa, Ogbelaka, Izedonwen, Osakpolor, Esigie Igbinadolor, Osaloua, Osamewamen and Ebor emerged as Olozas.

Since Ugbodu is surrounded by the Igbo-speaking Aniomas, it did not take much time before the Igbo Language started to interfere greatly on the people’s language. Accordingly, Igbo influence steadily and progressively made what has now become permanent inroad and considerable impact on the socio-cultural life as well as linguistic orientation of the Ugbodu people. With this, the Edo influence began to wane, resulting in the adoption of Igbo names in preference to Edo names. Thus from the middle of the 19th century, the general shift was from Edo to Igbo names. This can be seen in the names of Olozas, who ruled between the middle of the 19th century and late 20th century such as Dike, Ochei, Ezenweani and Isinyemeze.

Investigations conducted revealed that Ugbodu is not the only community where Oluku mi is spoken in Aniocha North Local Government as the language is also spoken in Ukwu-Nzu (Eko Efun), Ubulubu and Ogodo.

At Ukwu-Nzu, only few kilometres away from Ugbodu, the language is not also different. Although, the people are less emphatic about their history, nonetheless, the similarity between their language and Yoruba is evident in their names and greetings. “Oju e ma won ke,” meaning your face is scarce in Yoruba, was what a man said to his friend he accosted on the road. When Sunday Tribune approached the man, who gave his name as Ayo Oke, he shed light on his language and provided more examples between Oluku mi and Yoruba Language.

He said that “instead of saying e kaabo, we say e bo, meaning welcome and wa ni we yi, meaning come here;” He also gave example of words which virtually have the same meanings as the Yoruba language. Some of these include obe—stew; oni—today; ola—tomorrow; otunla—next tomorrow etc.

Another elder in the town, who spoke with Sunday Tribune, said that the name of Ukwu-Nzu before the Igbo Language “infiltrated” their language was Eko Efun (efun means chalk in Yoruba Language). He also attributed the efun in the name of their town to the rich prescence of white chalk in the town which he said the community was richly blessed with.

Presently, the biggest challenge for the people of Ugbodu and other Oluku mi-speaking communities is how to protect their language and culture in general. According to a native of Ugbodu, “the elders are more connected to the original Olukumi language than the youth. In fact, we have lost the real Oluku mi and what we have now is an Oluku mi that has been greatly altered by Igbo language. Most of the people who can really speak the language right now are the elders. Ordinarily, the real Oluku mi is like the Yoruba that is spoken in Owo in Ondo State. Someone from that place is expected to understand the language perfectly but right now someone from Owo might not be able to understand more than 50 per cent of our language. This language may die if care is not taken,” he said.

Another factor that also contributed to the decline of Olukumi, according to findings, is that there was a time in the past when an understanding of the Edo or Igbo language, was considered as a status symbol. According to an elder in the town, “An Oluku mi who spoke the two languages then was considered superior to others because it meant that he had travelled wide. This was the inferiority complex our people unwittingly created for themselves which we are trying to correct now.”

In protecting their language which is gradually being threatened, a revival process has been started. Part of this is that some of them now choose to give their children Oluku mi names and to sing and say prayers in Oluku mi. In some cases, some radical reformers and revivalists changed the names given to them by their parents from Igbo to Olukumi. The climax of the restoration process of their linguistic ethos and identity was the christening of the incumbent Oloza with an Olukumi name, Ayo.

Reacting to efforts aimed at protecting Oluku mi, Prince Adebowale said, “I am an Oluku mi man and I am proud of my language. I am not happy that Igbo language is interfering with our language. We are trying our best to correct the situation and part of that is what my brother (the Oloza) is doing by organising an Oluku mi reciting competition. We want to know the people who can speak the real Oluku mi without mixing it with Igbo or English.” As laudable as the task of protecting Oluku mi by the people of Ugbodu(mila) is, only time will tell how far they can go.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/features/2357-a-yoruba-enclave-in-the-heart-of-igboland-story-of-ugbodu-others-in-delta-state

pls take your time to read it oduchi, thanks

alj harem:

wrong again

they are edo and yoruba speaking groups in Northern delta

Yoruba aka Oluku mi areas are

Ukwunzu,

Ugbodu,

Ubulubu,

Idumu-Ogo

all of which are anioma areas of northern delta of which they speak oluku mi

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Uhh1AAAAMAAJ&q=anioma+yoruba&dq=anioma+yoruba&hl=en&ei=dEyjTs-SLoXLswapmMWKAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y

You don't get it. Ukwunzi does not sound Yoruba. It sounds Igbo or Edoid. None of those other names are Yoruba either. Olukumi is most likely and Edoid speaking group not Yoruboid or it might be an isolate language.

alj harem:

No sir Anioma people have 13 languages which are

1.Igbo (Enuani,)
2. Ozzara,
3. Olukunmi (an extinct old Yoruba Language,)
4. Igara,
5. Ika,
6. Ukwuani,
7. Edo,
8. Odiani,
9. Utagba,
10. Aboh among others

You need to understand the difference between an language and a dialect. A language has many dialects while a dialect is the most basic form of a language. Edo has many dialects, Igbo has many dialects, Olukumi is a dialect not a language. Aboh, Ukwuani, ozarra, Ika, are all Igbo. Ebira is spoken only in Kogi and Edo states. I don't know why you included it here.Utagba is also part of Ukwuani and Olukunmi is not Anioma but is Edoid. So far I'm only seeing two languages Igbo and Edo.

It's funny how people talk about what they don't know about. I'm still waiting for you to tell me how "Orisha" meaning god  came to mean "Onicha" even though "Orisha" in Igbo is Olisa.

Alj just stick with politics.

odumchi:

You don't get it. Ukwunzi does not sound Yoruba. It sounds Igbo or Edoid. None of those other names are Yoruba either. Olukumi is most likely and Edoid speaking group not Yoruboid or it might be an isolate language.

Bros, that is why I said take your time and read with the oba and other anioma people wrote about there history. Ukwunzu,

Ugbodu,

Ubulubu,

Idumu-Ogo

all this places do not sound yoruba but I am sure it a corrupt form of yoruba words

odumchi:

You need to understand the difference between an language and a dialect. A language has many dialects while a dialect is the most basic form of a language. Edo has many dialects, Igbo has many dialects, Olukumi is a dialect not a language. Aboh, Ukwuani, ozarra, Ika, are all Igbo. Ebira is spoken only in Kogi and Edo states. I don't know why you included it here.Utagba is also part of Ukwuani and Olukunmi is not Anioma but is Edoid. So far I'm only seeing two languages Igbo and Edo.

Kinda right but u missed it.

A dialect as you rightly said is a basic form of a language but it needs to be related. Oluku mi is not related in this case. Oluku mi are not Edoiod, Again take your time and read what I posted above because they all have been answered

odumchi:

It's funny how people talk about what they don't know about. I'm still waiting for you to tell me how "Orisha" meaning god  came to mean "Onicha" even though "Orisha" in Igbo is Olisa.

Dude, I would not come here if I do not know what I am posting. I am waiting for you to prove me wrong AFTER YOU HAVE READ THE POST ABOVE.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-787469.0.html

odumchi:



This thing that you wrote is not Ika, it is Edo. This is Ika dialect:

"Nwanta amulu na nuno
hafuluya ko nsogbu
amu oke ke abu
asina o ozioma.
ifa gbanwujulu wo anya
obibiaya kofaraya
ke chioma na chiojo na uno ofu
hafu ke chiojo ka o di?
nene oke gufara akwukwo ka o okwarawo
yo si na
nwanta a bu azhi shili ikike
bi na oshimili"

I stopped here. But I hope you get my point.

VERY VERY WRONG SIR. that is Igbo and certainly not Oluku mi.

You are not an Oluku mi

this are oluku mi words

ita—pepper, ogede lila—plantain, ogede keke—banana; ku wu se—what are you doing; ule house; osa – market; oma—child; o dowuo—see you tomorrow, e bo—welcome

Moreover I proved links for mine, why are you not doing the same

For all I know, you can just be another person posting from his head to gullible people.

alj_harem:


VERY VERY WRONG SIR. that is Igbo not Ika and certainly not Oluku mi.

You are not an Oluku mi neither are you anioma, you are arochukwu

this are oluku mi words

ita—pepper, ogede lila—plantain, ogede keke—banana; ku wu se—what are you doing; ule house; osa – market; oma—child; o dowuo—see you tomorrow, e bo—welcome

Moreover I proved links for mine, why are you not doing the same

For all I know, you can just be another person posting from his head to gullible people.

Onwe ihe ma ma vukwa na uwa?

Look at someone trying to tell me what is my own language and what's not. O'boy Ika=Igbo. As an Igbo, I don't have to be from a specific area to speak that dialect. Ika is just another version of Igbo so what does me being from Arochukwu have to do with me speaking Ika?

What I wrote to you is Agbor (Ika) Igbo mixed with Ukwuani. You don't get it. Ika and Olukunmi are not the same. An Ika speaker will not understand Olukunmi and vise versa.

odumchi:

Onwe ihe ma ma vukwa na uwa?

Look at someone trying to tell me what is my own language and what's not. O'boy Ika=Igbo. As an Igbo, I don't have to be from a specific area to speak that dialect. Ika is just another version of Igbo so what does me being from Arochukwu have to do with me speaking Ika?

What I wrote to you is Agbor (Ika) Igbo mixed with Ukwuani. You don't get it. Ika and Olukunmi are not the same. An Ika speaker will not understand Olukunmi and vise versa.

smh, Did you read the first few post i posted

of course Ika is more related to the Binis aka edos but Oluku mi is a no and are part of the anioma ethnic group

you can not call them Igbo as you wish.


[b]The Anioma culture over the time has become distinct and typical to the region, thus no ethnicity or group of people can justifiably lay claims to this culture because it is unique to the region. The uniqueness of this culture has ordinarily on its own tended to fend off arguments from quarters laying claims to the beautiful culture of this people. The Anioma culture they say speaks for itself. It has also beaten the imagination of several cultural observers on how speedily the culture and tradition of Anioma people have become homogenous in spite of the group not having common ancestral history as many historians mistakenly assume.

Although certain communities in this region can lay claim to Igbo ancestry as supported by oral history, many of these group have their histories obviously not linking them with Igbo home as their place of origin. [/b]It is for this reason that those ignorant on Anioma history fail to understand that in Anioma more than 12 languages exists in this region alone. The Agbor people w[b]ho are of Ika ethnic group but agreed to join the union of Anioma with the rest of their neighbouring communities scattered around the region chiefly because all the towns and communities in this region[/b] have had a common history of relationship even many centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, and have shared common culture speak Ozzara and Ika.

The Ugbodu speak Olukumi (extinct form of Yoruba language,) Igbo and Igara. The Igara language is not typical to Ugbodu, else where in Evbu this language is also in use in addition to Igbo language. In Igbodo, Igbo and Ika is spoken by the people. Ika is a language similar to Bini. These languages strange to Igbo reflect in everyday usage in names of humans, articles, and chieftaincy titles shared with the Edos believed to be the ancestral home of many of these Anioma communities.

http://www.ibusa.net/mysite/anioma2.htm