AFEMAI SONS & DAUGHTERS (ASD COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE)
Magdalene Bilkis Eboshiogwe ·
HISTORY OF IRAOKHOR
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Iraokhor is one of the four towns that make up Avianwu clan/kingdom of Etsako Central Local government area in Edo State Nigeria. Geographically, it is bounded on the North by the three Ibies and Okpekpe clans, on the South by the Ekperi clan, on the East by the Ogbona-Imhakhena town and on the West by the Apana and Ayogwiri towns respectively.
ORIGIN.
Iraokhor (Iviuralokhor) meaning the children of URALOKHOR (A war leader) migrated from Benin in company of their parents (ANWU and ALOKOKO) their father and mother respectively in the middle of the 15th Century during the reign of Oba Eware the Great. History has it that, Oba Eware lost his only son his heir apparent so he promulgated a degree that there should be no child bearing or giving birth in the whole kingdom for the next three years to mourn his dear son.
At this , many groups of same tribe started migrating to different places out of the kingdom far away enough from the evil machinations of the Oba’s solders, hence ANWU and his wife ALOKOKO left Benin kingdom. The first place of full settlement was Afashio, Omoazekpe was then the ruler of Afashio. He was noted for his diabolical powers and because of that he was very cruel. He had to make a rule that every family head should produce a tin of palm oil every five days(useh) to head mud to build his palace.
ANWU and his family moved further out of the village and settled at Ulumhoghie under the shed of a very large Agbabor tree. Because of the nature of the grass they found there, they named it Ulumhoghie in Ivhiunone. This tree is still standing on the traditional market square of Ivhiunone Fugar today.
There was need for water all the matured children and grandchildren went out in search of water and eventually URALOKHOR found Obe river. That is why up till today according to tradition anytime Avianwu people want to appease to the god of Obe river an lraokhor man must be present there.
As the family gets enlarged. The four sons of Anwu (URALOKHOR, UNONE, ARUA and IMHAKHENA) decided to form their various settlements. UNONE whose history claimed could not build his settlement had to stay in his father’s camp for at this time Anwu had died. ARUA moved a little forward to his settlement while URALOKHOR and IMHAKHENA still moved further to form IRAOKHOR and OGBONA towns respectively.
The four villages founded by the children of Anwu are:
1..IVIUNONE founded by UNONE
2..Ivhiarua founded by ARUA
3..OGBONA founded by IMHAKHENA
4..Iviuralokhor founded by URALOKHOR
The four towns combined to form Avianwu clan because of the proximity of Ivhiarua and Ivhiunone, they are today refereed to as Fugar which is now the headquarters of Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State in Nigeria.
GENEOLOGY OF IRAOKHOR
URALOKHOR the founder of Iviuralokhor was the eldest son of Anwu Azama. It is URALOKHOR ( the children of an army general) that has been adulterated to be lraokhor ( leader in the war front)
We learnt from history that URALOKHOR had two male children, Eku and Amomhi, Eku gave birth to two male children Alokoko and Anyioha, while Amomhi gave birth to Ugelo and Agboghidi. These are the ancestral fathers of the four main kindreds in IRAOKHOR today. The four kindreds or quarters have developed into following quarters:
1.. Ivhiugelo is made up of Ape-Atsatsa, Ape-Egbe and Ape-Aseghiemhe
2.. Ivhianyioba has Ape-Ogege, Ape-Aghiamalo, Ape-Agberuaesi and Iviakhia
3..Ivhiagboghidi quarter is made up of Ape-Umosor, Ape-Odidi and iviakpelumhu
4.. Avialokoko quarter has Ape-Oshiogwe, Ape-Achiemho, Ape-unatso or Adumhitse and iviota.
All these quarters have an Adi, a shrine where they worship their ancestors . We are made to understand by history that grouping into smaller quarters were done during the second world war about 1939-1945 when salt became very scarce. This was to facilitate the sharing salt when it was supposed by the council administration.
IRAOKHOR CULTURE
Culture is defined as the sum total of a people way of life. It includes dressing, method of dancing, eating, music, greetings and art. It is said a people without culture is dead. When Anwu left Benin he carried along the culture so also Uralo brought his father’s culture along to settle in IRAOKHOR. Also, IRAOKHOR is the owner of Esi festival (new yam festival) also in recognition of her leadership role in Avianwu.
RELIGION
Before the Advent of Western Civilization in IRAOKHOR, they had only one type of religious belief, which is the traditional religion they believed in one supreme God with minor gods of different aspects, they also believed in reincarnation. They used Oracle to find out causes of any bad phenomena around them such as the outbreaks of sickness or bad weather. Up till today lraokhor is second to none in traditional herbal and healing in the whole
Etsako. Thank you all
Feel free to share your own knowledge..
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Uralokhor truly means the warrior who’s at the front on a battlefield. In the modern world, he’s the GOC, as earlier referred.
On the issue of Anwu being the son of Azama, one version corroborated that Azama was a Benin man who married a woman called Ughiosomhi with whom he had his first son Imekele – Imeke), Omoazekpe, founder of Afashio, Anwu, founder of Avhianwu and one Ikphemi.
Azama was said to have married another wife, Etso, who gave birth to Ekpa and Anno, representing today’s Weppa/Uwanno… Wilson Asekomhe
[1/18/25, 11:31:42 PM] Peter Aigba: Different to read… Quite interesting, familiar history with a few outstanding revelation. Thanks to the writer
[1/18/25, 11:38:14 PM] Barr. Felix Osimerha: I thought Uralokhor means you don’t go to war. How come he is now described as a war general ? What has Azama to do with Anwu? I believe I have story of how the Oba of Bini subjected his subjects to Pharaoh type of treatment of the Israelites, hence Anwu moved out and on the way he and his family cross a river by the help of the python
[1/19/25, 1:00:36 AM] Archbishop Fidelis Itsuokor: Why are we distorting history in Avianwu? Which one do we believe now, how on earth does one claim that Uralokhor now means a war general. There have been divergent views of how Avianwu came about, everyone is writing the history of Avianwu to justify themselves. We are writing for posterity yet unborn. The various writers have caused more damage than good. This one of Uralokhor is not in conformity with the prevalent information in our archive. If it is possible let all the various writers of Anvianwu history come together and harmonize their claims and give us a uniform package. Every one of the villages are claiming superiority above the other.
[1/19/25, 4:34:29 AM] Barr. Felix Osimerha: The meaning of Uralokhor does not connote a war General. Our history should not be distorted. Why associate Anwu to Azama as if Azama was the father of Anwu.
[1/19/25, 4:50:04 AM] Ambrose Umosor: Well done barrister, it’s good we engage n scrutinize what ever we’re presented here. Now what do you think an Uralokhor can represent in modern day military formation. For me I don’t think it can be less than a general but that of Azama let’s work on it. Thanks
[1/19/25, 5:20:20 AM] Joseph Iwenekhai: A war Leader in modern military terms is either called a General or Field Marshal. In other words Generalissimo. Avhianwu history has it that in times of war, Uralokhor led such battles. Not only as the first son of Anwu but also as the Generalissimo.
[1/19/25, 6:23:35 AM] Dr. Igbape: Uralokhor- Ugbekpe
Uralo-Okhor meaning at the front of the battle or leader or commander in front of the battle. Meaning general officer commanding