Delta State: Its Major Ethnic Groups Highlighted

By Kelvin Alabi

Delta State was created in 1991 when it was carved out from Bendel State. The present-day Edo State together with Delta state formed Bendel State. Delta is located in southern Nigeria with a population of over four million (According to the population census in 2006), the 2016 estimate is 5.6 million.

Delta State is known as an oil-producing state, ranked as the third-largest producer of oil after Akwa-Ibom and Rivers. Delta is also an agricultural and raw materials-producing state, with natural resources such as limestone, industrial clay, bitumen, and lignite.

The state comprises five ethnic groups, Igbo (Anioma people), Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw, and Itsekiri which make up the three senatorial districts, Delta North, Delta South, and Delta Central.

Igbo (Anioma) Ethnic Group

The Aniomas often referred to as Delta Igbos, are found in the west basin of River Niger, which is the Delta North senatorial district. Anioma is a term used to describe itself “Good/beautiful land or Good/beautiful people”, it was derived from four original local governments (A) for Aniocha, (N) for Ndokwa, (I) for Ika, (O) for Oshimili, while M and A are common denominators found in the four original local governments.

The Anioma means “Good Land” in Igbo.

Although the Aniomas are considered a subgroup of Igbos located in Delta state, they can also be found in Anambra, Edo, Imo, Rivers, and several other neighbouring states.

The people of Anioma are farmers by occupation, blessed with lands that are drained by the River Niger. Anioma is the largest ethnic group by the number of local governments.

Urhobo Ethnic Group

Popular for their quirky way of speaking the Nigerian Pidgin English and homeland of petroleum production in Delta State, the Urhobo people are the largest ethnic group by population. The Urhobo are located in Delta-central with a total of nine local government areas.

The ancestors of the Urhobo people can be traced to Ancient Benin Empire, history has it that the second son of prince Ogwhoghwa, Ughene, settled in the present-day Ughelli.

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The occupations of the Urhobo people include farming, trading, fishing, and hunting.

The Urhobo culture is very rich and popular for its mud sculptures, bronze jewellery, canoes, and masquerades dance. Due to civilization and industrialization, the Urhobos can be found anywhere in the country, however, a handful of Urhobo-speaking communities can be found in Bayelsa State.

Isoko Ethnic Group

The Isoko and the Urhobo people have a lot in common; culture, language, occupations, and so on. Although, the Isoko ancestors were the first to settle in Delta State before the ancestors of the Urhobo people, Urhobo historians opined that Isoko is a cultural Unit of Urhobo. This is a result of the population of the Urhobos.

During the British rule, there were both referred to as “Usobo”, hence, the reason why we hear Urhobo-Isoko today. Isoko historians think that Urhobo migrated from their land since they were the first to settle in Delta state.

Ijaw People

The Ijaw people are considered one of the subgroups of the Yoruba-speaking community in the west and are greatly influenced by the Edo culture. They are also prominent in Bayelsa and River state, with communities in Ondo, Edo, and Akwa Ibom. The Ijaw people’s primary occupation is fishing as they often settle in riverine areas in other to trade with neighbouring villages.

Even though over 60% of their population are Christians, the Ijaw still has rich traditional cultures. Their tradition involves the worship of water spirits of the river niger and tribute to ancestors. They are also known for their distinct wood sculptures, one that catches the eyes is the Ijaw statue with many faces which depicts “the many faces of your enemies”.

Itsekiri Ethnic Group

The Itsekiri, pronounced as “Ishekiri”, are mainly settled in Warri “Iwerre” which they refer to as their land, however, history has it that the Itsekiri met three inhabitants in Warri, Ijaws, Sobos (Urhobo) and Mahims.

The people of Itsekiri are traditionally fishermen and traders. The ancestors of the Itsekiri were known to have a fleet of canoes used for fighting rivals and protecting their trades. They were also one of the first to make contacts with foreigners.

The ethnic groups in Delta State share common attributes in culture and tradition as their ancestry can be traced to Bini and other nearby villages which are partly influenced by Ancient Benin, Yoruba, and foreigners.

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