KOKORI-OKPARA ORIGIN AND MIGRATION PART 2

So it was commonly realized that the rain would not allow the weeds to dry, so that they could burn them. Thus planting was normally done in the dry season, which favoured the preparation of the farmland. The men cleared the farms and left it for some days to dry. After which their wives set fire on it and cleared the weeds. They usually waited for the first rain ofthe year before planting. However some farmers planted and waited for the first rain. Planting was normally done by the women 10. The men also planted water yams. These water yams were planted on the bank of a river or close to streams. During the rainyseasons, these rivers or streams overflowed their banks. So planting could not be done on such land in rains, for the water would destroy them. But in the dry season, the water of the riverwould have rescinded and the water must have left the riverbedmore fertile because during the over-flooding manure was deposited on it. These lands were cultivated only in the dry season; and annual crops were not planted there. Bush burning in the harmattan season made animal hiding in the bush ran out. In this way hunting was facilitated, as the hunters only had to set fire on a bush and wait around for the animals that would soon run out of their hide-outs 11. The map in figure 1.1 shows the position of Okpara and Kokori in Agbon Kingdom. Origins Professor J. A. Atanda recognizes the problem associated with peoples' origins. He writes; -the origins of peoples in any society is a problem which inevitably confronts the historian …- 12 He goes further to state that, at the group level the following questions need be asked: Who are we? Where are we? From where and How have we come To be where we are? What are we doing here? etc….such questions constitute an index of man's historical consciousness. 13. The traditions of the origins and migrations of Okpara and Kokori as some of the Urhobo groups-are still shrouded in obscurity and uncertainty. However, both Okpara and Kokori claim descent from one progenitor called Agbon who is said to have migrated from Beninat a point in time to settle in Agbon town. 14. Predicated upon this belief ofcommon descent from Agbon, is the worship of Isiokoru fetish by Agbon people, even till today 15. When Agbon people finally got to Isiokolo, they made contact with Benin to make an earth fetish for them. The Oba sent a messenger to Agbon town, which convened a meetingof all Agbon children. The messenger buried the head of anOrhokpor boy in a place. On that spot, he planted an Iroko and Oghriki tree. He then proclaimed that from then on Agbon would be subject to the Oba. He gave a horse tail symbolizing authority to the eldest man called Okarorho. Automatically all the children of Agbon regarded this fetish as their god of war. They worshipped it from time to time. 16. Moreover, the common traditions of origins and migrations shared by Okpara andKokori are fundamental in explaining their relations in the pre-colonial era. This, for instance, had served as a unifying factor among them. In any critical moment of decision between them, they often evoke the memory of their common origins by the saying -we are all one-. 17. Agbon people have a long migrational history. Their varioustraditions and accounts of origins and migrations subsist. According to one of the accounts, a man called Ukonorhoro, who migrated fromUdo in Benin, gave birth to Agbon. Agbon migrated through Kwale, probably from Erhowa, settled at Ehwen and Erhivwi or Irri in present Isoko division of Delta State. From there he moved down to Utokori, close to Ughwerun; then to Olomu and through the present Ughelli territory of Ekuigbo to found Otorho r' Agbon now known as Isiokolo. 18. The map in figure 1.2. shows the probable routes of Agbon people's migration. Professor Peter Ekeh argues that Agbon peoples could -demonstrate from town and even street names that they migrated from Isoko, first settling at Isiokoro (Anglicized: Isiokolo), before spreading out-. 19. Example of such names includes Agbon-Olomu, Kokori Street in (Ugwherun, Okpara and Kokori quarters in Irri and the name Ighwre-Eku named after Eku that resided in that territory. Today Ighwre-Eku is popularly called ughelli. 20. In the light of the above, Obaro Ikime would say that, although Agbon claim Benin Origin, they actually came from Irri in Uzere clan. 21. It should be mentioned that Agbon people have a tradition, which holds that, Agbon left Isoko because of discrimination and language barrier 22. If Agbon people were Isokos of Uzere extraction, then there would not have been any problem of language barrier or discrimination between Agbon group and Uzere group. The fact that the Isoko language and Agbon peoples' language were mutually unintelligible while they dwelled together points attention to another possible area where Agbon might have migrated from to settle there in Uzere.