Engenni people

The Engenni people (Egeni) are considered by themselves and some to be an Ijaw clan and by others (mainly academics) to be a branch of the Edo (Bini) ethnic group. They primarily live in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Although they consider themselves to be Ijaw, the Engenni speak an Edoid language. The Engenni have close relations with neighboring Ijaw tribes such as the Zarama and Epie-Atissa.

Historically, it is claimed that Engenni migrated from the old Benin Empire about 1000 years ago. In the cause of migration they first settled in an isoko community and later founded a settlement called Ewurebe. Though no longer in existence, history has it that the settlement was situated near the border between the present-day Biseni in Bayelsa State and Engenni. They later migrated and founded other settlements which include Okilogua, Okpankio, Nyenegile and Eliabi (Akinima) and later founded the present day Engennni communities and other outside Engenni kingdom. Some communities founded from Engenni migration include, Degema, Usokun, Obonoma and Zarama. Engenni historical presence is also felt at Kula, Bile and some communities in Abua, Ogbia, as well as some other communities in Bayelsa State.

The Engenni clan is believed to have first settled in and around their present habitations over nine hundred years ago, as depicted by historical artifacts collected at Okilogua, Enusha, and the Ede-emu lakes at Ewurebe, Okilouga, Enusha, and Ikodi communities. Engenni kingdom is grouped among the Niger-Congo, Edoid people of Nigeria, belonging to the kwa group of the Delta sub-saharan Africa. They belong to the Guinean clusger and speak a primary language known originally as Ejiro. The Engenni people are among the very first settlers in the Niger Delta region and this is corroborated by some aspects of the early history, culture and environmental characteristics of the kingdom as documented in the works of historians and early Christian visitors to the early 1800s.

Engenni Kingdom lies on the banks of the Engenni River (now known as part of the Orashi river). The Engenni River has significant tributaries like the Taylor creek and Kolo creek which are major gateways to other Niger Delta habitations like the Ijo clans, the Nembe, as well as the Ogbia and Kalabari kingdoms.The Engenni (Egene) language has metamorphosed into three major dialects namely Enuedua, Ogua, and Ejiro dialects.

Geo-Politically, Engenni forms part of the present-day Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, and host the local Government Headquarters at Akinima. The kingdom is ruled by one Government recognized traditional ruler, the Okilom-Ibe of Engenni kingdom, Who is the paramount ruler of the Kingdom. All five federating clans of the kingdom have a Group-head known as the Okilom-Opiri, while communities within the clans that make up the Engenni kingdom have traditional heads known as the Okilom-Akie.

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Wikipedia