The Ibani tribe is a subgroup of the Ijaw ethnic group that lives in the Bonny and Opobo areas of
Rivers State
Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include: Imo to the north, Abia and Akwa ...
, Nigeria, on the Atlantic coast.
Bonny town is the tribal seat of the Ibani which is located on the bight of
Bonny River. Though the Ndoki dialect of Igbo language is spoken predominantly by residents of Bonny and Opobo, the Ibani dialect of
Ijaw Ijaw may refer to:
* Ijaw people
*Ijaw languages
The Izon languages (), otherwise known as the Ịjọ languages, are the languages spoken by the Izon people in southern Nigeria.
Classification
The Ijo languages were traditionally considered a ...
is native to the Ibani people.
The neighbours of the Ibani include the Kalabari to the west, Okrika to the North and Andoni to the east.
Bonny's development was also shaped by the tribe's close interaction with European traders. The
Kingdom of Bonny
The Kingdom of Bonny, otherwise known as Grand Bonny, is a traditional state based on the town of Bonny in Rivers State, Nigeria. In the pre-colonial period, it was an important slave trading port, later trading palm oil products.
During the 19t ...
was a major trading center
from the 16th
century
A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c.
A centennial or ...
onwards they were known for the exportation of
palm oil
Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 33% of global oils produced fr ...
and palm kernel. The indigenes of Bonny and Opobo kingdoms are collectively known as the Ibani people.
Ndoki dialect of Igbo language is widely spoken. Historically, Bonny engaged in several wars against its nearby rivals, such as
Elem Kalabari and
Obolo people
The Obolo people (also called Andoni or Idoni) are an ethnic group in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Obolo people are found in Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State. They have historical relations with the Oron people, Ohafia, Igbo Ogoloma, Ido, ...
or
Andoni
Andoni is a Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is at NgoTown. It has an area of over 233 km and a population of over 311,500 at the last census. The postal code of the area is 504. The current Executive Chairman ...
.
[Alagoa, Ebiegberi Joe (2005). ''A History of the Niger Delta'', Port Harcourt: Onyoma Research Publications. ]
Other important Ibani settlements include:
Finima,
Abalama
Abalama, Nigeria is a settlement 15 km southwest of Port Harcourt. It was established in 1880 by members of Elem Abalama. The settlement has grown to become a middle town of the Kalabari people in Rivers State
Rivers State, also known as River ...
, Oloma, kuruama etc.
References
Igbo
Indigenous peoples of Rivers State
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