EKUMEKU, THE WAR THAT HELD BENIN, IGALA AND SOME NRIS STOOD FEARLESSLY IN FRONT OF THE BRITISH ARMY
Between 1883-1914, there was a battle between the British Royal Niger Company and a group of communities in Delta state. They were in opposition to the control or laws that British wanted to impose on them, hence, they prevented them from entering the towns. But one lovely thing about the war was that these different communities under the umbrella of Anioma fought together as one. The name, Ekumeku, which has Igala context as “it is die you will die”, was the code name of the war. The war had no people from other state in southsouth, Southeast or any part of Nigeria, and that is why it is called Anioma war, and they are mostly of Benin and Igala with Nris from Ibusa. Although some previous authors tagged it Igbo war here are the major warriors and their towns and each of these trace their origin to Benin or Igala except Ibusa/Igbuzor.Dunkwu Isusu of Onicha-Olona, Maya nwa Isusu of Onicha-Olona, Ikwa Gwadia of onicha-olona, Ochei nwa Aghaeze of Onicha-olona, Elumelu Okachi of Onicha-Olona, Nwabuzo Iyogolo, Awuno Ugbo, Nzekwe, Agbambu nwa Oshue of Igbuzo, Idabor of Issele-Ukwu, Abuzu of Idumuje-Unor, Idegwu Otokpoike of Ubulu-Ukwu,…
It took 30 years before these joint warriors of Anioma could be defeated by the supper power.
Did you know that when a white man had a problem in one part of Delta State, the King of Aboh reported the case to Attah Igala? Well, Ekumeku is Igala phrase, and it means, “it is die that you will die”, as a response to the action of the British Royal Company.
#historyfacts
