The Agbon Kingdom (also Agbon ẹkwuotọ ) is one of twenty-four subunits of the

Urhobo people The Urhobos are people located in southern Nigeria, near the northwestern Niger Delta. The Urhobos are the major ethnic group in Delta State, one of the 36 states in Nigeria, Ethnic Nationality in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Urhobo ...

that have been in existence since before the rise of the Benin Empire in the 1440s and before the arrival of the Portuguese in the Western Niger Delta in the 1480s. It is located in Ethiope East Local Government Area In Delta State,

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 ...

. Which occupies a large space of about 375 square kilometres. This kingdom is surrounded by other Urhobo communities in the locality. The traditional seat of government in this kingdom is located at Isiokolo.

History

Oral tradition Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication wherein knowledge, art, ideas and cultural material is received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (1985) ...

speaks of migrations from the ancient Benin Kingdom by the Urhobos that gave rise to this area. The founders of Agbon migrated through Kwale, probably from Erhowa, settled at Ehwen and Erhivwi or Irri in present Isoko division of Delta State. From there they moved down to Utokori, close to Ughwerun; then to Olomu and through the present Ughelli territory of Ekuigbo to found Otorho r' Agbon now known as Isiokolo. Isiokolo is now the recognised ancestral place of leadership by the members of this kingdom.

Location

Agbon Kingdom covers about 375 square kilometres. The land is bounded in the north by Abraka kingdom, and Orhionmwon Local Government Area in neighbouring Edo State, On the east, it is bounded by Orogun, Agbahra Otor, Agbarho Kingdoms, Ujode River, and Ekrerhavwe, all of them Urhobo communities in

Ughelli North Ughelli North is a Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the city of Ughelli. It has an area of 818 km2 and a population of 321,028 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 333. Notable towns in ...

Local Government Area. In Agbon's west and south lies Aghalokpe and Orerokpe of

Okpe Okpe is a kingdom in Delta State, Nigeria. Today, it is also the name of a local government area. It is one of the many kingdoms that make up Urhobo tribe. Its capital is Orerokpe. The kingdom plays host to the Osubi Airport (also known as Wa ...

Local Government Area.

Leadership

His Royal Majesty, Ogurime-Rime Ukori I is the current

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

and Ovie of Agbon Kingdom. He was crowned Ovie in february 2013 succeeding the late Ogurime-Rime Okpara I

Natural resources

This kingdom produces a variety of food crops, mostly yam, plantain and cassava. Cash crops as palm produce and rubber plantations also flourish here. Agbon holds a large reservoir of crude oil which is a major source of income to Nigeria; the Erhorike oil wells are considered to be among the shallowest in the world and are found here.

Population

The kingdom is highly populated as it has an extensive range of towns and villages under its territorial domain. It has been ranked the second most populous cultural unit in Urhobo land, coming only after Okpe. The population of this kingdom alone amounts for more than 40% of the Delta state population.

Language

The people of Agbon speak Urhobo as their mother tongue with little or no dialectical forms. The Nigerian pidgin is also widespread in this kingdom as well as English, the lingua franca of Nigeria.

Composition

This kingdom is made up of a wide array of sub-kingdoms and villages or towns. These sub-kingdoms are the consequences of migrations from one terrain to another.

Sub-kingdoms

* Okpara (first son) * Kokori (second son) * Eku (third son) * Orhoakpor (fourth son) * Ovu (descendant of Okpara) * Igun

Towns and villages

Some Of The Towns In Agbon Kingdom; * Isiokolo * Ekrebuo * Kokori * Erhomeghwu * Okuidjerhe * Samagidi * Egbogho * Urhwokpe * Ekraka * Erhonaka * Erhorike * Okpara Inland * Okurutuyo * Okuekpagha * Unumane * Okoradaode * Okurufor * Okururhujevwe * Umiaghwa * Okurihohi * Okuibada * Erhokori * Orhuakpor * Ekrudu * Okukpokpo * Okureghwro * Eku * Igun * Otumara * Okpara W/S * Okorogba * Okurekpo * Okuredafe * Oviorie * Ovu Inland * Okuemeka * Okurekpagha * Okuogbamu * Ovwere * Urhodo * Okumodje * Obadjere * Ekpan * Igwevwore * Okwokpokpo * Ekusioro * Okurobi * Okuronika * Okuighele * Ekirugbo. * okuomoise

Notes

References

*
''Agbon Kingdom''
at Asemeyese.com