Origins and Migrations of Ukwuani and Ndosumili sub-ethnic group in Southern Nigeria revisited: Accounts and critique

Abstract

The popular narrative about the origins and migrations of the Ukwuani and Ndosumili, also called the Ukwuani/Ndosumili sub-ethnic group of Southern Nigeria, accentuates Benin (Bini or Edo) links while downplaying Igbo connections. This paper aims to ascertain whether Ukwuani/Ndosumili is Edoid or Igboid in origin. Data used for the study came from both secondary and primary sources. Namely, archival documents, published works, and oral testimonies obtained from the field were used for analysis. A combination of research methods, including critical historical analysis, critical literature review, and personal interviews, was utilised to interrogate the origins and migrations of the Ukwuani/Ndosumili people. Findings from the endeavour highlighted the role of colonial administration in Nigeria in forging a concocted origin for the people. Thus, the historicity of the archived tale of the people’s past is questioned. Historical evidence from differing sources utilised for this study suggests that the pre-eminent migrations to Ukwuani/Ndosumili land came from the Igbo heartland despite the efforts of Ukwuani/Ndosumili elites, i.e., royal houses and other commentators, including the British colonial administration to favour the speculative Benin origins. This study also highlights accounts of migrations and ancestry from Ukwuani/Ndosumili’s neighbouring ethnic groups, such as Ika, Enuani, Ijaw, Isoko, Urhobo, Igala, and Benin. The study concludes that the prominent cultural artifacts of the Ukwuani/Ndosumili people, as exemplified by their language, oral histories, customs, traditions, and local administration, point to the east, to the Igbo heartland, and not westward to Benin to disavow the fabricated accounts of the people’s Benin origins.