At the Tripartite Book Launch and Award Ceremony in Yenagoa, the Chairman of the Occasion, Senior High Chief (Hon.) Dr. Kingsley Kemebradigha Kuku, Esq., Agbagbatuwa Puoye (Mighty Rock) of Arogbo Kingdom, delivered a thought-provoking lecture on the historical, cultural, and oral traditions surrounding the ancestral roots and ethnogenesis of the Ijaw nation.
In his presentation, he explored the enduring traditions connecting Oru, also remembered in some traditions as Horu or Tobu-Otu, with the emergence and historical development of the Ijo/Izon people. He emphasized that the assertion that “Ijo are Oru” should primarily be understood within the context of ancestry, ethnogenesis, cultural continuity, and the preservation of ancestral traditions.
The lecture further highlighted the crucial role played by the waterways of the Lower Niger and Niger Delta in shaping Ijaw civilisation. These waterways served not only as routes of migration and communication but also influenced the economic activities, social interactions, cultural exchanges, and political organisation of Ijaw communities across the region.
He also traced important ancestral traditions associated with Agadagba-bou, Father Ijo/Ujo or Izonowei, and the nine ancestral lines, underscoring the significance of oral history in preserving the collective memory and identity of the Ijaw people.
The lecture provided an important opportunity for reflection on the historical consciousness of the Ijaw nation and the need for younger generations to continue studying, documenting, and preserving their ancestral traditions, oral histories, cultural heritage, and identity.
History is the foundation of identity; when a people understand their roots, they better understand who they are and where they are going.
— I.K. KPILIBOH
Journalist
