Get Urhobo Proverbs

"The Urhobo people generally are Delta State residents who are located in Southern Nigeria and are sometimes mistaken as a sub-group of the Igbos. In simplified terms, they are an autonomous ethnic group."

The Urhobos are the major ethnic group in Delta State and the people speak the Urhobo language. The word Urhobo refers to a group of people rather than a territory. The ethnic population is approximately 6.3 million.

The Urhobo, a much larger group numbering some millions related to the Edo-speaking people of Benin City, live in Warri town and to the north, on land.

Information. Delta State is a state in Nigeria, comprising mainly Igbo (Anioma people), Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri. The whole ethnic-groups that comprise the Delta are administratively grouped into three senatorial districts namely Delta North, Delta South and Delta Central for easy administrative purposes.

ing to Otite (1982) “the Urhobo people originated from a common territory of the Edo – speaking people”. As pointed out earlier, Umukoro Ukere believes that Urhobo people migrated from “across the Benin River”. It should be noted however, that it is not all the clans that are unanimous on this account of origin.

The Urhobo people in Delta State, Nigeria are not exceptional. They have their culture and worldview. All of these are weaved up in their traditional religion called African Traditional Religion (ATR). Within this religion, the Urhobo understanding of the Supreme Being called Oghene (God) is given an important place.

Yams and cassava, as well as corn (maize), beans, peppers, and peanuts (groundnuts), are the Urhobo's major staple crops. The Urhobo also fish and are known for their canoes, sacred mud sculptures, masks, figures, bronze jewelry, and stilt and masquerade dances.

Urhobo indigenous governments have an Ovie (king), who is the highest political figure. The Ovie is the symbol of the kingdoms' culture and royal predecessors. His Councillors consist of the Otota (speaker), and the Ohonvwore or Okakuro, addressed collectively as Ilorogun (singular: Olorogun).