The Isu people are the largest group of the

Igbo people The Igbo people ( , ; also spelled Ibo" and historically also ''Iboe'', ''Ebo'', ''Eboe'', / / ''Eboans'', ''Heebo''; natively ) are an ethnic group found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. Their primary origin is fo ...

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

. Isuama, in which the purest Igbo is said to be spoken, is to be found the heart of the Igbo nationality; consequently it is quite reasonable to look among its people for the original fountain-head from which all the other clans have sprung. This inference too is supported not only by the purity of the language, but by this right of dispensing or rather of confer-ring royalty which is undoubtedly the prerogative of the Nri or N'shi people. In the pre-colonial era, the Igbo people were protected from external invasion by the dense forests of the region, which also had the effect of encouraging diversity. Thus as warriors the neighboring Oratta (Uratta) people (Owerri people) looked down on the Isu people, who were traders. Isuama is the name given to the south-central part of

Igboland Igbo land ( Standard ) is a cultural and common linguistic region in southeastern Nigeria which is the indigenous homeland of the Igbo people. Geographically, it is divided into two sections, eastern (the larger of the two) and western. Its popu ...

, which was a major source of slaves during the period of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The name has been carried across the Atlantic, where it is found in the name of Cuban society ''Carabali Isuama''. This name pays homage to the group's ancestry in the Isuama area of

to the north of the Kalabari

Ijaw people The Ijaw people, also known as the Izon people, are an ethnic group found in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, with primary Population, population clusters in Bayelsa State, Bayelsa, Delta State, Delta, and Rivers State, Rivers. They also have ...

. At one time the Isuama language was spoken in Cuba, but eventually it and other Cross River languages was displaced by the standard Abakua language called Brikamo. There are the Isu of Isu-Ikwu-atọ, in Abia State comprising Imenyi, Amawụ and Oguduasaa, each with its own towns and villages. Isuikwuatọ is a local government in Abia State with headquarters at Mbalanọ. Eze Ezo Ukandu, the Enyi na Ọbịangwụ of Imenyi was the head of all the traditional rulers in Isuikwuatọ until his death in January 2024. There's also Isuochi, in Nneocho local government of Abia Another Isu of note is Isu-Njaba in Imo State. *Isu: In Isu,

Imo State Imo () is a States of Nigeria, state in the South East (Nigeria), South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. It takes its name from the Imo R ...

(The biggest of all the settlements). *Isu Njaba: In Njaba,

. *Isuochi: in Umunneochi,

Abia State Abia is a state in the Southeastern region of Nigeria. The state's capital is Umuahia and its most populous city is Aba. Abia is bordered the west by Imo, east by Cross River, south by Rivers, northwest by Anambra and northeast by Enug ...

*Abor Isu: In Isiala Mbano,

. *Isu Achara: In Onicha,

Ebonyi State Ebonyi () is a States of Nigeria, state in the South East (Nigeria), South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north and northeast by Benue State, Enugu State to the west, Cross River State to the east and southeast, and Abia Stat ...

. *Isu Aba: In

Arochukwu Arochukwu Local Government Area, sometimes referred to as Arochuku or Aro Oke igbo is the third largest local government area in Abia State (after Aba and Umuahia) in southeastern Nigeria and homeland of the Igbo subgroup, Aro people. It ...

. *Afor Mgbaleze-Isu: In Onicha,

. *Isu Agbabor: In Onicha,

. *Agbaja Isu: In Nwangele,

. *Umuozu Isu: In Nwangele,

. *Isu Osuama: In Isiala Mbano,

. *Isu Amawu: In Isuikwuato,

. *Isu Amachi: In

. *Isu Awaa: In

Awgu Awgu is a Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is situated in Awgu Town, Enugu, Awgu Town, it is also the headquarters of Roman Catholic Diocese of Awgu, Awgu Catholic Diocese -the Catholic Cathedral is said to ...

, Enugu State. *Isu Ofia: In Aguata, Anambra State. *Isu Ulo: In Orumba South, Anambra State. *Isu Owu: In Ozuzu, In Etche,

Rivers State Rivers is a states of Nigeria, state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed on 27 May 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria, Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo State, Im ...

. *Isu Ikem: In Isi-Uzo, Enugu State. *Isu Okpu: In Aguata, Anambra State. As of September 2010 the traditional ruler of Amandugba, in the north of Isu Local Government Area of

was Eze Innocent Ikejiofor. That month he asked his kinsmen in the United States to support the reelection bid of Governor Ikedi Ohakim in the elections due in April 2011. The Isuama people inhabits the Isu, Njaba, Nkwere, Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, Ideato North, Ideato South, Nwangele Local Government Area of

and Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State. The Nwangele local government communities holds the annual Igba-nta celebration, a tourist attraction.

Largest settlements in Eastern Nigeria

*Isu: In Isu,