Urhobo

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The Urhobo are a people of southern Nigeria, near the northwestern Niger River delta. The Urhobos are the major ethnic group in Delta State; the Delta State is one of the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They speak Urhobo, a language in Niger-Congo group. Together with another ethnic group in the region, the Isoko, they are collectively known as the Sobo. There is also the another related ethnic group known as the Okpe.

A bulk of the Urhobo people reside in the south western state of Delta in Nigeria also referred to as the Niger Delta. Many live in the Ughelli local government region and in Warri and Ethiope, while the Okpes live in Okpe ans Sapele Local Government Areas with Sapele as their major town, thus covering all areas of Delta state. Their language is also called Urhobo is believed to share similarities with the neighbouring Bini or Edo tribe.

The Urhobos live very close to and sometimes on the surface of the Niger river. As such, most of their histories, mythologies, and philosophies are water-related. They have an annual fishing festival that includes masquerades, fishing, swimming contests, and dancing. There is also an annual, two-day, Ohworu festival in the southern part of the Urhobo area at which the Ohworhu water spirit and the Eravwe Oganga are displayed. The king in an Urhobo village is called the Ovie. His wife the queen is called Ovieya and his children Ọmọ Ovie (child of the king). Often nowadays, these names are also given to children without royal heritage by their parents. For the Okpes the king is called an Orodje, his spokesman an Otota, while palace chiefs are called Okakuro.

As with most tribes in Nigeria, a certain food is considered to belong to or originate from a particular tribe as in pounded yam and egusi soup from the Igbos, Eba and Ogbono soup (sometimes referred to as Ogbolo soup by people of Esan or Ora descent). For the Urhobos there are two foods considered Urhobo in nature. They are: Ukhodo (a yam and unripe plantain dish sometimes cooked with lemon grass and potash) and Starch (actual name of this staple is not often used) and Owo soup (the starch being that of the cassava plant. It is heated and stirred into a thick mound with oil palm added to give the starch its unique orange-yellow colour. The Owo soup is composed of smoked or dried fish, unique spices, potash and oil palm juice). The Urhobos are also noted for having their own unique style of speaking Nigerian Pidgin English. Since their language is very demonstrative that translates into their style of speaking English and Pidgin English.

The Urhobos are known for some special recipe which is called Usi. This is also known as starch, and is made from cassava. Other food that is specific to the Urhobos for which they are known for are Ukhodo, Ohwo soup, and amiedi or banga soup. Banga soup is made from the oil palm fruit. This soup is usually eaten with usi or starch or even garri, which is a kind of pepper soup source made with yams and unripe plantains with potash and various sauces.

There are approximately 450,000 Urhobo people^[1]. Some sources put the number at approximately 1.5 million^[2]. Their origin is not known.