The
Isoko tribe is one of the several
tribes in the Southern region of Nigeria. Some of the other tribes in the region are Urhobo, Izon or Ijaw and Itsekiri. These tribes are predominantly located in Delta State, Nigeria. The region domiciled by the Isokos is divided into two Local Government Areas namely, Isoko North and Isoko South Local Government Areas. While Isoko North has its headquarter at Ozoro, the headquarter of Isoko South is at Oleh.
History
Oral history has it that Isokos were among the several groups that left the Benin Dynasty. The first group consisted of Erowa, Okpe, and Uzere whereas the second group was led by Iyede. The third group are ancestors of the Ughelli, Ogor, and Agbarha-Otor clans in Ughelli North Local Governement Area. These people left Benin, walking in the
footsteps of Iyede, the leader of the second group. These migrations from Benin amongst several others happened around 1600-1700 AD, with the migrants settling in areas in the present-day Edo and Delta States.
Soon after, some of the people in the first two groups migrated to other lands, these being descendants of the ancestors of the respective groups. The Okpes in Okpe and Sapele Local Government Areas left in Urhobo left Isoko. They are now settled at Oreokpe. On the other hand, Emevor and Owhe migrated from Iyede. Today, Ovrode, Ellu, and Aradhe are descendants of Iyede.
However, other ancestors of the clans in Isoko migrated from Benin, except Okpolo, Igbide, and Evwrheni that migrated from the present-day Bayelsa, Anambra, and Rivers States. Indeed, there is an area called ‘Opolo’ in Yenagoa, the state capital of Bayelsa. Only the Olomoro clan migrated to Isoko from Urhobo.
Beliefs
With the influence of Western civilization and the Christian religion, the Isokos have now become predominantly Christians. However, some of them still practise traditional worship.
Unlike some tribes that believe that when people die, they “hang around” and relate as spirit beings with their poeple, the Isokos believe that death brings an end to life and there is no relationship between the dead and living.
Marriage Rites
Marriage rite among the Isokos is done in three stages. The groom visits the bride’s family three different times before which the union is sealed. On the first visit, the husband-to-be visits with few of his family members and both families are introduced to one another. The bride’s father would normally give cash gift to the groom’s family and they will, in return, give the bride’s family some bottles of drinks and
kolanut and then double the money given by the bride’s father back to him.
The second visit is where the bride declares her wish to be married to the groom after being asked. It is only after she has agreed to marry him that the gifts he and his family have brought are collected from him – he can either bring the items required or pay the equivalent amount in cash to his bride’s family.
Then, the date for bride price payment is be fixed. It is on the third ‘visit’ that the bride price will be paid after negotiations and a large celebration will commence afterwards.
Vocation
The Isokos engage in food crop farming: yams and
cassava, and trading of the same foods. Little hunting and fishing is done too. Other crops cultivated are palm kernel from which palm oil is produced.
Most of the foods eaten by the Isokos is made from cassava. Foods like gaari, fufu, starch (ozi), and egu.
However, crude oil spills from pipelines has caused damage to the soils on their farmlands, reducing crop production among the Isokos.
References:
www.ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Isoko_people.html
https://amp.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel-arts-culture/history-marriage-and-belief-of-the-isoko-people-id7834180.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoko_region
