The Afemai, also spelled Afenmai, are an ethnic group living in the northern part of

Edo State Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controversy ...

, South-South

geopolitical Geopolitics (from Greek γῆ ''gê'' "earth, land" and πολιτική ''politikḗ'' "politics") is the study of the effects of Earth's geography (human and physical) on politics and international relations. While geopolitics usually refers to ...

zone of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. Afemai people occupy six local government areas of Edo state:

Etsako West Etsako West is a Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Auchi. Etsako West is made up of six clans: Uzairue, Auchi, South Ibie, Anwain, Jagbe and Aviele. The major towns in this LGA includes Auchi, Jat ...

, with headquarters in

Auchi Auchi is a city in Edo State, Nigeria. Auchi Sacred Kingdom (ASK), which is part of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, serves as the Local Government headquarters. Other towns in the Etsako West local government area include: Uz ...

Etsako Central Etsako Central is a Local Government Area at Edo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Fugar. It has an area of 660 km and a population of 94,575 in the 2006 census. The Common language speaking in the area is Afemai language ...

Etsako East Etsako East is a local government council in Edo State, Nigeria with its headquarters at Agenebode. It has an area of 1,133 km and a population of 145,996 at the 2006 census. The postal code A postal code (also known locally in various E ...

Owan East Owan East is a Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The headquarters is in the town of Afuze. The Owan East Local Government Area comprises 69 towns/villages made up of eight clans (Emai, Igue, Ihievbe, Ik ...

Owan West Owan West is a Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Its headquarter is in the town of Sabongidda Ora. It has an area of 732 km and a population of 97,388 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 313. Wedding customs Wed ...

and

Akoko Edo Akoko Edo is a Local Government Area in Edo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Igarra. It has an area of 1,371 km and a population of 262,110 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 312. As of 2016, its populatio ...

. These make up the Edo-North Senatorial District.

Name

The Afemai are also known as the Afenmai, Etsako, Etsakor, Iyekhee, or Yekhee people. In

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...

, they are also known as Ivbiosakon people. Previously the name used by British colonial administration was Kukuruku, supposedly after a battle cry "ku-ku-ruku", now considered derogatory.

Language

The

Afenmai language Afenmai (Afemai), or Yekhee, is an Edoid language spoken in Edo State, Nigeria by Afenmai people. Not all speakers recognize the name "Yekhee"; some use the district name ''Etsako''. Previously the name used by British colonial administration wa ...

is a Ghotou- Uneme-

Yekhee Afenmai (Afemai), or Yekhee, is an Edoid language spoken in Edo State, Nigeria by Afenmai people. Not all speakers recognize the name "Yekhee"; some use the district name ''Etsako''. Previously the name used by British colonial administration w ...

language, belonging to the North-Central branch of

Edoid languages The Edoid languages are a few dozen languages spoken in Southern Nigeria, predominantly in the former Bendel State. The name ''Edoid'' derives from its most widely spoken member, Edo, the language of Benin City, which has 25 million native and ...

. Afemai is closely related to

Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

. Afemai has several documented dialects: *

("Yekhee") * Avainwu (Fugar) * Aviele * Ekperi * Ivhiadaobi * South Ibie (South Ivbie) * Uwepa-Uwano (Weppa Wano) * Uzanu, Anegbette, Udochi, Imiava neme* Uzairue. * Okpameri *

Owan Owan is an ethnic group in the Northern part of Edo State, Nigeria. They are one of the Edoid peoples. Owan is currently made up of two Local Government Areas, namely: Owan East and Owan West, including so many clans; notable amongst them are: Ihi ...

* Okpella/Okpekpe/ North Ibie ("Ivie")

History

Afemai is made of several kingdoms and

clans A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...

(large villages/

townships A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

ruled traditionally by

monarchs A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power in ...

) and many of them seem to have their oral historical versions of the origin of Afemai as well as its starting point in history. Historical accounts claimed that they migrated from

, during the tyrannical rule of Oba

Ewuare Ewuare (also Ewuare the Great or Ewuare I) was the Oba (king) of the Benin Empire from 1440 until 1473. Ewuare became king in a violent coup against his brother Uwaifiokun which destroyed much of Benin City. After the war, Ewuare rebuilt much o ...

, the greatest warrior legend and the most outstanding king in the history of the Benin Empire. “The title Ewuare (Oworuare), meaning "all is well" or ''the trouble has ceased'' and as a result, the war is over. The title symbolizes an

epoch In chronology and periodization, an epoch or reference epoch is an instant in time chosen as the origin of a particular calendar era. The "epoch" serves as a reference point from which time is measured. The moment of epoch is usually decided by ...

of reconciliation, reconstruction, and the return of peace among the warring factions in Benin between 1435 and 1440 AD. Shortly after this critical period of war, Akalaka and his two sons

Ekpeye Ekpeye people also known as Ekpeye Kingdom (An Igbo sub group) claim to have fled Bini to settle in Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria. However, they speak an igboid language and dialect have no similarity to the aforementioned claim of migrati ...

and

Ogba Ogba may refer to: *Ogba people *Ogba language Ogba (also Olu Ogba, mobu onu Ogbah) is an Igboid language spoken by Ogba people of Nigeria. Writing system Certain digraphs and trigraphs are also used. The tones are indicated with diacritics: ...

migrated further southeast to first settle at Ula-Ubie, and subsequently other groups moved out of

Benin City Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of ...

and migrated north. However, it has recently become clear that there were people living in Afemailand prior to the migration from Benin City.

Notable People from Afemai

Some of the most celebrated sons and daughters of Afemai land, past, and present are ; * Rear Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe Former Chief Of General Staff and Vice President *

Dele Giwa Dele Giwa (16 March 1947 – 19 October 1986) was a Nigerian journalist, editor and founder of '' Newswatch'' magazine. Early life and career Sumonu Oladele "Baines" Giwa was born on March 16, 1947 to a family working in the palace of Oba Ades ...

Journalist and Human Rights Activist * Alfred Yarduat Director CBN * Dr. Jeffrey Obomeghie, Nigerian-American educator, motivational speaker, and writer * Mike Agbedor Ozekhome SAN Human Rights and Constitutional Lawyer * Rev Dr. Emmanuel A. Akpeokhai (The first trained Pharmacist in Afemai Land) * Hon Prince Clement Agba, Environmental commissioner under Governor

Adams Oshiomhole Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole (born 4 April 1952), is a Nigerian politician and the former National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress. He had previously served as the President of Nigeria Labour Congress from 1999 to 2007 and the executive gove ...

. * Inusa Oshogwemoh Polo Club * Senator Engineer

Yisa Braimoh Yisa Braimoh (born 12 August 1942) was elected Senator for Edo North Senatorial District of Edo State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Braimoh was educated as an engineer at the Un ...

Two Time Senator * Dr Austine Obozuwa: Former lecturer Faculty of Law

University of Lagos The University of Lagos, popularly known as UNILAG, is a public research university located in Lagos, Nigeria and was founded in 1962. UNILAG is one of the first generation universities in Nigeria and is ranked among the top universities in th ...

, Former Legal Adviser to the Senate President (Joseph Wayas), Two time Commissioner

Bendel State The Mid-Western Region was a division of Nigeria from 1963 to 1991, from 1976 being known as the Bendel state. It was formed in June 1963 from Benin and Delta provinces of the Western Region, and its capital was Benin City. It was renamed a pro ...

, Former Member House of Representatives(Etsako Federal Constituency), * Group Captain Brai Ayonote Mni, The 1st Vice President of the African Olympic committee, The Chairman of NABA Nigerian Amateur Boxing Association and former DOPRI Director of public relations and information of the Nigerian Airforce. The Afeakhuye of Uzairue. *

Michael Imoudu Michael Athokhamien Omnibus Imoudu was a Nigerian labour union leader. Early life and education Imoudu was born in 1902, in Afemai division of Edo State. His father was a soldier in the West African Frontier Force and had served in East Africa ...

, a former labour union leader and founder of the Nigeria state, * Chief Julius Momo Udochi the first Nigerian ambassador to the United States, *Gen.

George Agbazika Innih George Agbazika Innih (25 September 1938 – 15 August 2002) was a Nigerian Army general and statesman. He was the military governor of Bendel and Kwara States. Early years George Agbazika Innih was born on September 25, 1938, at Agenebode, E ...

, one-time

military governor A military government is generally any form of government that is administered by military forces, whether or not this government is legal under the laws of the jurisdiction at issue, and whether this government is formed by natives or by an occup ...

of Bendel and

Kwara State Kwara State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Kwárà), is a state in Western Nigeria, bordered to the east by Kogi State, to the north by Niger state, and to the south by Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo states, while its western border makes up part of the internation ...

s, *Major General Abdul Rahman Mamudu, former commander,

Nigerian Army The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land force of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is governed by the Nigerian Army Council (NAC). The Chief of Army Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Army. History Formation The Nigerian ...

Signals Corps and military administrator

Gongola State Gongola State is a former administrative division of Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from the Adamawa and Sardauna Provinces of North State, together with the Wukari Division of the then Benue-Plateau State; it existed until 27 Augus ...

, *Rt Hon Sir Colonel Tunde Akogun, former Sole administrator for culture and archives, also former House Leader, Federal House of Representatives *Sir Pa Hudson Arikalume Momodu,

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

, leader of the National Labour Congress Union for the Nigerian War Workers department, who received the ADC hands medal] from His Excellency on behalf of Her Majesty

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

) *

John Momoh John Momoh (born 1 July 1957) is a Nigerian broadcast journalist and the Chairman and CEO of Channels TV, an independent and multiple award-winning 24-hour news and media television channel based in Lagos. He is widely recognized in Nigeria as a t ...

(Chairman/CEO of

Channels Television Channels Television is a Nigerian independent 24-hour news and media television channel based in Lagos, Nigeria. The parent company, Channels Incorporated, was founded in 1992, a year before the Nigerian government deregulated the broadcast medi ...

) *

, past president of the

Nigeria Labour Congress The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is an umbrella organization for trade unions in Nigeria. History The Nigerian Labour Congress was founded in December 1978, as a merger of four different organisations: the Nigeria Trade Union Congress (NTUC), ...

and Past governor of

former Chairman ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS (APC) *Sule Okponobi Director Foreign Exchange CBN *Pa

Johnson Jimoh Iyere Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

, * Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi,(chairman/CEO

Africa Independent Television Africa Independent Television, also known by its acronym AIT, is a privately owned television broadcaster in Nigeria. It operates Free To Air in Nigeria as the largest privately operated terrestrial television network with stations in twenty-fou ...

),
Kingsley Momoh
(Journalist, former Editor, Bisi Olatilo Show Magazine and CEO Guguru FM) *Senator

Francisca Afegbua The francisca (or francesca) is a throwing axe used as a weapon during the Early Middle Ages by the Franks, among whom it was a characteristic national weapon at the time of the Merovingians from about 500 to 750 and is known to have been used d ...

, first Nigerian female senator, elected in *Chief

Inu Umoru Inu or INU may refer to: * Krisnan Inu (born 1987), New Zealand professional rugby league * Irbid National University, Jordan * Incheon National University, South Korea * International Network of Universities * Nauru International Airport Na ...

, chairman/CEO, Setraco Ltd, *Hon. Justice

J. Omo-Eboh ''J. The Jewish News of Northern California'', formerly known as ''Jweekly'', is a weekly print newspaper in Northern California, with its online edition updated daily. It is owned and operated by San Francisco Jewish Community Publications In ...

Court of Appeal
; *Prince

Tony Momoh Prince Tony Momoh (27 April 1939 – 1 February 2021) was a Nigerian journalist and a politician who was Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture (1986–1990) during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. Birth and education M ...

, former Minister of Information and Culture, *Commander Anthony Ikhazoboh, minister of sports and transport, *Prince Fidelis Oyogoa (SNR), acclaimed former tennis coach at Port Washington Academy, who trained the likes of

John McEnroe John Patrick McEnroe Jr. (born February 16, 1959) is an American former professional tennis player. He was known for his shot-making and volleying skills, his rivalries with Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors, and his confrontational on-court beha ...

and Peter Fleming renowned Real Estate developer, *

Aret Adams Aret or ARET can refer to: * Aret, Iran, a village in Kermanshah Province, Iran * ''Arethusa'' (plant), an orchid genus abbreviated Aret. * Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics, government program {{disambig