Owan
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Owan is an ethnic group 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 ...
, Nigeria. They are one of the
Edoid 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 ...
peoples. Owan is currently made up of two Local Government Areas, namely:
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 ...
and
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 ...
, including so many clans; notable amongst them are:
Ihievbe Ihievbe (also spelled Sebe or Isebe) is a town in Owan East local government area of Edo State, Nigeria, Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million ...
,
Emai people The Emai people are a group of people that inhabit a sizable part of Afenmai land in the northwest Edo state of Nigeria. They are a people of Edo extraction currently scattered around the Owan River. Emai territory is bounded on the south by Era ...
, Iuleha land, Ora, Igue,
Uokha Uokha lies on the latitude 7 07’N and longitude 6 04’E in a deciduous derived rainforest zone of Edo State. The climate is sub humid tropical with an average annual rainfall of about 1967mm. Uokha is a town in Owan East, a local government a ...
, Otuo, Ikhin, Ivbi-Mion, Ivbi-adaobi, Ozalla, etc.


Etymology

The name Owan, also pronounced Onwan, is derived from the root word "Owanbua" which is a name of a notable daughter of Egomi of Uvbiato. Uvbiato is the present day Uhonmora meaning the head of all Ora. Folklores have it that Madam Owan married at Otuo village but was not blessed with any children. When she died, her burial place became a stream that flowed from Otuo, through many villages in Owan before joining the Ule river which eventually emptied into the river "Ose".


Notable people

*
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede FCIB, CON (born 24 September 1966) is a Nigerian banker, investor and philanthropist. He was the former group managing director (GMD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Access Bank Plc. He is the founder and chairman of C ...
, former CEO, Access Bank PLC and current chairman of the Nigerian Stock Exchange *
Grace Alele-Williams Grace Alele-Williams (16 December 1932 – 25 March 2022) was a Nigerian professor of mathematics education, who made history as the first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate, and the first Nigerian female vice-chancellor at the University ...
, first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate, first female vice chancellor in Nigeria. * Francis Abiola Irele, professor of
African Studies African studies is the study of Africa, especially the continent's cultures and societies (as opposed to its geology, geography, zoology, etc.). The field includes the study of Africa's history (pre-colonial, colonial, post-colonial), demography ...
at
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, Provost at
Kwara State University Kwara State University, also known as KWASU, is a state owned university located in Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria. It is the 77th university to be registered by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), and the 95th university to be recognized ...
. *
Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga (born 1955) is a Nigerian politician, he was the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment of Nigeria from 2011 to 2015. He was first nominated by President Olusegun Obasanjo and appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan ...
, former Minister of Trade, Commerce and Investment * Mai Atafo Nigerian fashion tailor *
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 ...
former senator *
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 ...
, Labour Leader *
Dele Momodu Chief Dele Momodu (born Ayòbámidélé Àbáyòmí Ojútelégàn Àjàní Momodu; 16 May 1960) is a Nigerian journalist/publisher, businessman, and motivational speaker. He is the CEO and publisher of ''Ovation International'', a magazine tha ...
, owner of Ovasion Magazine *
DJ Neptune Imohiosen Patrick (born, 26 September 1990) professionally known as DJ Neptune, is a Nigerian Disc Jockey and Record Producer. He is from a family of four which includes his three elder sisters and him. Discography *''Greatness'' (2018) *''Gre ...
Nigerian producer and disk jockey *
Aize Obayan Aize Obayan (4 March 1960 – 29 January 2019) was a Nigerian educational administrator and a professor of counselling with specialization in multicultural aspects of Human Behavioural Disposition. Education and career Obayan attended St Andrew ...
, Professor, former vice chancellor of Covenant University, and current Vice Chancellor of Landmark University * J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere, photographer *
Modupe Ozolua Modupe Ozolua (born on 10th of October 1973, in Benin City, Nigeria) is a Nigerian philanthropist and entrepreneur. She served as the CEO of Body Enhancement Ltd, and is the founding president of Empower 54 Project Initiatives (Empower 54) form ...
, philanthropist *
Mabel Segun Mabel Segun, NNOM (born 1930) is a Nigerian poet, playwright and writer of short stories and children's books. She has also been a teacher, broadcaster, and a sports woman. Biography Born in Ondo City, Nigeria, she had her secondary school ed ...
, writer and winner of Nigerian Prize for Literature, 2007 *
Ambruse Vanzekin Ambruse Vanzekin (born 14 July 1986) is a former Nigerian football goalkeeper who played primarily for Warri Wolves F.C. He is from Uokha in Owan east local government of Edo State. Career Vanzekin began his career with Plateau United before s ...
, Nigerian goal keeper *
Waje Aituaje Iruobe, known professionally as Waje, which is the first letter from each word from the phrase "Words Aren't Just enough" is a Nigerian singer. She first gained recognition after being featured on the remake of P-Square’s "Omoge Mi". Wa ...
Nigerian singer, who became famous after being featured on P-Square's 2006 hit track "Do Me"


Tourist destinations

*The Giant Footprints of Ikhuse-oke and Ikhuse-osi in Owan-West L.G.A: - Located in a sacred grove between Ukhuse-oke and Ukhuse-osi in lulehe clan of Owan west local government area, very distinct footprints of a prehistoric giant are permanently embedded on the flat granite rocks. Some believe the footprints were made when the world was still in its molten state. *Ihievbe Waterfalls, located in Ihievbe, Owan-East L.G.A: Here, water gushes out hot at one point and ice cold at another. The natives claim that the water is medicinal. *The lapping rocks of Igwe-sale in Owan-East L.G.A. *Akatamiyan Shrine in Ihievbe, Owan-East *The Animal Footprints of Ivbiodohen - Footprints of various species of animals are embedded on a flat granite stab that confound all imaginations. Legend has it that the footprints were imprinted during the formative stages of the planet earth. The footprints are very detailed and like the ones in Ukhuse Oke, will require an extensive archaeological research. Ivbiodohen is in luleha clan of Owan west Local Government area north of Edo state. *The Great Hills of Urhoe in Owan-East L.G.A. *Arhe Spring in Uzebba, Owan West L.G.A.: Folklore has it that this spring gives water to Uzebba. It is believed that the goddess of this spring is blessed with long breasts, and that she blesses the area with fertility. *In Avbiosi (Owan West) there is Agbede Abohi,


The Whistling tortoise in Avbiosi

The Okhaku'roros so perfected the art of wars to a stage that they used magical means to make tortoises into signaling devices. These tortoises would whistle to indicate imminent attacks. An Akhuere or ducant tree was planted on a spot in Avbiosi to mark the fetish object, which they named Unuo gboeren. To avoid spiritual repercussions, hunters would not pick the whistling tortoise in that vicinity. The Unuo gboeren is a shrine that still stands today in Avbiosi. In 1976 the Unuo gboeren tree was to give way to a new road, being constructed by Niger cat construction company. The road was supposed to be a thoroughfare passing through Avbiosi to Ifon in Ondo state, Nigeria. The intervention of Pa Alfred Onime Obuhoro spared this tree and the road was diverted from the shrine. Pa Obuhoro was born under the tree on the 24th of December 1922. This shrine is appeased during severe draughts to bring rain.


References

{{authority control Ethnic groups in Nigeria