Oral history is passed from generation to generation through story telling alo, songs eli and proverbs ita or akpo. Igala nation is reknown amongst it contemporaries not because we are the ninth largest tribe in nigeria, not even because we are in kogi state or because we were in control of the affairs of the state for long time but because history has a place for us during the early days of amalgamation. Chart c,15971537 1ajiattah igala intrasocietal cross references. Obonis rise to power affected the history of the northwestern nsukka and the igbo communities on the anambra. Michael idakwo ameh ll, the attah of igala kingdom on 5th october, 2017 at his palace idah kogi state. The igala kingdom, also known as the kingdom of idah, an. Lokoja and ajaokuta as an igala entity information808. He was installed under the supervision of a british colonial officer mr. The current attah of igala kingdom is idakwo michael ameh. Okwoli, in his book, a short history of igala, states that the igalaa were a product of their present environment, which they have occupied since prehistoric times.
M clifford in his book, the igala chielfdom the attah said. His royal majesty idakwo ameh oboni ii, attahigala of igala kingdom geographical location. Attah ayegba oma idoko and attah ameh oboni are two of the most revered attahs of the igala kingdom. With the help of the attah ruler of igala, whose influence extended to. The first ata, the title given to the ruler of the kingdom, was ebule jonu. He is first and foremost, a priest and also a king.
Atayi babs live short notes on past attahs of igala land. So due to exposure they may hav lingustic similarity with yorubaofe mmanu clan othman empireit account for their being partial moslems igalas are igbo migrates jos like arochukwus. Bishop paul idris omale and prophet isaiah paul visited his royal majesty, dr. Before i post the article below, i have certain observations to make. International journal of arts and humanitiesijah african journals. It is where ameh oboni, the attah igala traditional leader of the igala people renowned for his brave resistance of the british and his struggles to uphold the ancient traditions of the igalas, hanged himself after discovering a plan by the british to depose and exile him. This engraving shows the attah of the kingdom of igala, ekelaga c. Uloja native authority guest house is located in dekina. Sociological study of igala history igala heritage.
Controversy about the origin of oduduwa should be clarified using the igala oral history. The word attah means father and the full title of the ruler is attah igala, meaning the father of igala. The rivers belong to me along way up and down on both sides and i. One version talks about igala influence, while another version points to erinri influence. He owns the land from the extreme south of the kingdom to the extreme north of the kingdom. It means in the spiritual realm that attah igala is wearing the head of oba of benin. Igalas, in present day kogi state, are ruled by a figure called the attah. The ambassador to attah igala and the general igala ambassador of the great igala kingdom, amb ayegba abdullahi aduojoh has told the kogi state kogi east, west and central igala people that just like them in kogi state, there are other indigenous igala people in. The kingdom of igala survived well into the 19th century, becoming a british protectorate in 1901. The attah of igala noted that, the conferment of traditional titles by him were very rare gesture as he was always keen at giving such titles to worthy individuals. From kogi state igala peoples account of izoduwaoduduwa and their relationship with iyooba there is no doubt whatsoever that oduduwa is the progenitor of the yoruba people. He was admitted at saint augustine college kabba in 1961 and graduated in 1967. The word attah simply means father and the full title of the ruler is attah igala, meaning, the father of igalas the igala word for king is onu. The story of late princess inikpi is one of bravery and heroism.
Time to revisit attah ameh obonis mystical powers igala. The ruling figure of the igala ethnic group is known as the attah. Her father, the attah of igala loved his daughter so much. It is really hard to think of one and not remember the other, because, quite naturally, they.
The recent installation of idakwo michael amehoboni as the new attahigala naturally makes many to recall his father who reigned as attah igala between 1946 and 1956. The legend of igala kingdom princess inikpi swifttalk limited. They are goalgetters in every positive sense of the term, never mediocres. Attah oboni, on his part, said, if you look closely, you will see that ifa is our culture, our history, our chemistry blackmans magic, our everything.
The igalas have tribal marks which is a threedeephorizontal cut on each side of the face, slightly above the corners of their mouths. Attah means father, he is the father of the people. The home of the igala people is situated east of the river niger and benue confluence and astride the niger in lokoja, kogi state of nigeria with its headquarters in idahseat of the attah. During his reign he declared the igala ingdom an independent state, and defeated the jukun force that was sent by the aku uka to discipline him. Igala kingdom news newspapers books scholar jstor december 2018 learn how and when to remove this template message. As a matter of fact, the immediate late attah igala aliyu obaje was the attah igala as at 1963 when the alleged magical incident was said to have happened. Idah is an important fishing port and market trading town in nigeria. Igala forms a kingdom whose ruler, the attah, has as his capital idah on the river niger. They were at one time vassals of the aku uka of wukari. I share an article which states clearly that the igbos and the igalas are related by blood. The history of the fifty years reign of the attah igala, alhaji aliyu ocheja obaje. Search millions of objects in the collections including photographs, artworks, artifacts, scientific specimens, manuscripts, sound records, and transcripts.
Achebes book is a brilliant reconstruction of local history through a. It therefore, goes without saying that the story making rounds of how ameh oboni cursed the then emir of kano, is completely false. Attah igala michael idakwo ameh oboni ll princess inikpi was the only beloved daughter of ayegbu oma idoko, the then atta of igala kingdom. The area was formerly the igala division of kabba province, and is now part of kogi state, and part of biafraland. He is regarded by most igalas as the last real attah igala. There were also periodic royal visits to the attah igala to pay tributes and as. His royal majesty idakwo ameh oboni ii, attah igala of igala kingdom. The names of past and present attah igala are listed below. The igala traditional attire has black and yellow color. The igbos and igalas come from the same blood family. Historically the igala dinesty can be traced to eri the father of the igbo nation and onoja the attah father of igala is a son of eri. Their homeland, the former igala kingdom, is an approximately triangular area of. The movie was inspired by the story of inikpi, an igala princess and only daughter of the attah of igala, who offered to lay down her. The importance of ocheja onokpa in igala history is his opposition to british rule and the division of his kingdom into two.
Information808 bring the vital information that has been. Igala history after many centuries of migration of many igala people from idah and environs to various locations across the present day nigeria, the first and historical igala national day was held. Until the decline of igala power, the ezes of enuguezike, akpugo, nkpologu, ibagwa ani and opi continued to receive their titles from idah. He was the longest serving attah of igala land reigning for 56 years. Their homeland, the former igala kingdom, is an approximately triangular area of about 14,000 km2 in the angle formed by the benue and niger rivers. For days, as history recalls, he could not eat or drink.
Heinemann educational books, for the historical society of nigeria. The attah s palace the seat of power in the igala kingdom is located in the ancient city of idah. Prior to this, oral history holds that attah ayegba had invited hausa men of war. The term, attah means father and therefore, the full title of the ruler, attah igala, means, the father of igalas. When he was informed of the only solution to the problem by the oracle and some of the eunuchs in his palace, he wished there was an alternative. Hrm aliyu obaje ascended the throne on the october 20, 1956 following the death of his. The institution started only with the igala attah igala but later became a household name with even amongst other tribes. Mercy johnson relives igala history in inikpi vanguard. The importance of attah ayegba om idoko in igala history is that he won an independent kingdom. She was the only beloved daughter of ayegbu oma idoko, former atta of igala. The history of igala land posted by myculturebase on 10042016 03.
The nupe of niger state trace their origin to the igala as well. The town as a port of trade was frequented by local and foreign traders who traded agricultural produces and minerals mostly. Uvurus views on the origin and migration of its people are different from that of its neighbors. Igala practice a number of different religions, including atr, christianity, and islam. Do you know the story of princess inikpi of the igala people. The attah igala official endorsement of the omaigala.
In this way, igala mega state took control and allegiance were paid. Princess inikpi was the beloved and only daughter of attah of igala then ayegba oma idoko, who willingly gave herself to be buried alive. The rivers belong to me along way up and down on both sides and i am king. The history of igala land welcome to myculturebase. His royal majesty idakwo ameh oboni ii, attah igala of igala kingdom geographical location. In a nutshell, they are typical achievers, movers and shakers of history egbunu 2001. The town is the traditional capital of the igala kingdom, whose traditional ruler, the attah igala, is currently hrh ameh idakwo oboni. Igala is the language spoken by the people located within the triangle formed by the confluence of the rivers niger and benue in kogi state of nigeria. This is popular in some parts of the kingdom like ankpa. In 1914 the british burnt down ibagwa and obukpa as a punitive measure.
The new attah of igala is hrm idakwo michael ameh oboni ii. The paramount ruler of the igala ethnic group is known as the attah igala. He was one of the best attah igala in the history of igala nation in terms of qualityleadership, discipline, courage and above all hard work. Igala is today, a common name among the igbo in fact, the founder of the igala ethnic group, who was named igala himself is said. He is surrounded by retainers and other members of court. When attah ameh ocheje first met with the european explorers in the early1840s, although the contact started with the preceding attah onokpa in 1830. Attah ocheje onokpa ascended the throne as attah igala in august, 1901.
There is an igala association in the united states, called igala association usa. The myths and fallacies about late ameh obonis magical powers. An address by the attah of igala kingdom, hrh michael idakwo ameh oboni ii at divine hand of god prophetic ministries intl, 638 durumi district, garki area 1, abuja nigeria. Another claim was that erinri influences in the area were outweighed by the influence of attah of igala as in many other localities within the. He enrolled at the saint boniface primary school idah and completed in 1960. Im first attah in igala history with one wife ameh oboni. The history of the fifty years rei gn of the attah igala. This king is giving audience to the british expedition. Learn how and when to remove this template message. By the 1920s, igala empire was a spent force and a limping shadow, the british easily took over control of both nsukka and the igala territories. As history has consistently proved great lives are indeed deathless.
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