Imane is a community of Igala speaking natives in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria.
The meaning of Imane: A word is a representation of idea, thought or image. For example, when one says Apple, one is necessarily describing the idea of what an apple is – its physical properties, appearance, taste etc. One may not explicitly say apple is sweet or red but those images come to mind nonetheless.
Hence, it increasingly becomes difficult to understand someone or some texts when one does not understand the meaning of few words as one is unable to visualize the idea represented by the word.
According to oral tradition, Imane derives its name from “Amane Ajelo’ che”. In Idoma adage. Meaning in Igala Language, “Emanen edugw’ One? And in English: “you don’t give what you don’t have”. It is said in those days, when Attah sent tax collectors to the area to collect taxes, the regular response from the indigenes was: “Amane Ajelo’che in Idoma adage, Meaning, “you don’t give what you don’t have” which was later corrupted to “Imane” as it is till date.
According to history, Imane ruling houses are direct descendants of Atiyele, the first son of HRM Ata Idoko.
As a Prince and eldest son of his father, Atiyele cherished everything about Igala institution. For instance, history has it that, as the eldest son and warrior, he fought the Jukun war, witnessed the historic divine burial of his sister Oma Odoko who was buried at the bank of Inachalo river in Idah. He helped his father HRM Idoko in the expansion of Igala kingdom and other administrative aspects of the kingdom.
It came to pass, Ata Idoko, fell sick! It was a critical situation as Ata Idoko could no longer function in his line of duty as Chief custodian of the kingdom due to his health condition. As the eldest son, Atiyele was in charge of the whole affairs of Igala kingdom in place of his father. These and many of his (Atiyele) exploits and gifted managerial talents fetched him enemies from members of the royal household, including his step mothers and step brothers.
On this fateful day, he went for his usual hunting, his sick father (Ata Idoko) died. Note, in those days, a hunter could spend days and months hunting. During this period, Igala nation was at war with the Jukun over kingdom supremacy as it were then. Due to the war, it was said that the kingmakers were of the opinion that Ata should be replaced immediately with Ayegba (one of the available sons) before the news of his death spread to the enemy’s camp.
While other accounts has it that it was like a palace coup by the then kingmakers who were afraid of the growing and fierce influence of Atiyele, who due to his wisdom and rich knowledge of the Igala institution, was almost like another Ata. They plotted and ensured he didn’t succeed ascending the throne of his father. Before he arrived from the hunt, the whole process was rushed to ensure Ayegba is crowned Ata in the place of Atiyele.
On reaching home, it was a whole sad situation for Atiyele who felt highly embarrassed and deliberately shortchanged. It became, therefore, a double pain of losing his father, and as the first son, the pain of losing the crown.
In protest, Atiyele migrated from Idah to Imane in the early 15th century, where he established a new Kingdom independent of Idah as it were then.
The Oda-Ojiji Ruling Houses in Imane at a glance
The Oda Ojiji ruling houses are offsprings of a renowned Prince of Igala Kingdom from Idah, headquarters of Igala kingdom.
Oral tradition, as handed down from ages, has it that Atiyele is the progenitor of the 5 ruling houses of the Oda Ojiji chiefdom as presently constituted. Atiyele’s projeny currently rules Imane, Ankpa, Igah in Okpo, part of Ade, part of Ette, Ojoku, Enjema, Inye etc.
Legend also goes that, when Atiyele migrated from Idah, he got to a particular spot, Omelewu Agaliga, where he was said to be resting under a tree “Odah”, while the children of the owner of the farm, Otoko, came to fetch fruits. They saw a man, Atiyele, with royal mask (Ejubejuailo) and beads on his wrist, the children ran home with fear and called their father. Their father followed them immediately to the bush. Immediately Atiyele saw Otoko, he began to praise him with Igala: “Ajode-oche” i.e “the hunter”, then Otoko replied with Odah Ojiji Kidigbili. He explained the situation surrounding his wandering in the bush to Otoko and his family and they in turn welcomed the royal blood home in pleasure. From then on, the name Oda Ojiji was coined for the Prince and he was later installed as king of the community. He was made to reside at the center of the community.
History has it that Atiyele didn’t migrate to Imane alone, he came along with his children among which are: Idoko Ejeh, the first son; Oguchekwo the second son and Ochapa, the third son.
Oguchekwo, the younger brother of Idoko Eje, was the founder of the present day Ankpa. His younger brother, Ochapa founded Ojoku while their elder brother, Idoko Eje later got married and had the following children in order of seniority: Ohimu, Idede, Okolikotu, Aloga, Oyunka, All the three (3) children, from Idede, Okolikotu and Aloga, are of the same father and mother. While Ohiemu and Oyunka on the other hand have the same parents (mother and father ) too.
However, the five (5) children of Idoko Ejeh are now spread as follows: Ohiemu, Agaliga; Idede, Ojuwo down to Ogenago; Okorikotu, Under Okolikotu we have Adori (Oforo), Idede (Ofudu), Akor (Oja Oda-ochai), Ojobi (Efekpe), Oda Itodo (Efekpe); Aloga, Ebuloko and Onyuka, Abo.
Note, Okorikotu had seven (7) children. They are: Adori, Idede, Akor, Ojobi, Oda Itodo, Oguche and Onyeke. The first five (5) are from Anukpa, their mother, while on the other hand, Oguche (Efo-Achipu) and Onyeke (Efofe) are two siblings from Odeba an Ette woman.
It is important to note that Ojobi had three (3) wives among which Abudo gave birth to four (4) children namely: Ojobi, the first son who was named after the father; Otu; Agada and Ohiemu. While on the other hand, Ikoh gave birth to the 5th son, Abidu and Ojoma gave birth to the 6th son, Oma Dele.
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The five ruling houses in Imane today are the direct descendants of Atiyele and the trace by any Imane man to the throne in Idah can be linked to Ata Idoko who was the father of Atiyele and his younger brother Ata Ayegba Oma Idoko. Every Ata after Ayegba were his direct descedants.
At a time, Atiyele was the Odah Ojiji of Imane and his younger brother, Ayegba was the Ata of Idah. The kingdom was divided into two but unified during the Igala/Bini war with Idah being superior. But as a sign of respect for his elder brother at that time, both men were on their thrones. Ata Ayegba never allowed Atiyele, the Odah Ojiji of Imane, to stand up from his throne or bow to greet him as the Ata of Igala, a privilege enjoyed by only the Ojiji of Imane till the modern era. That was why during the colonial period and Igala Native Authority when district heads were posted to any other district, the Odah Ojiji of Imane had the rare privilege to double as both the paramount ruler and the district head of Imane.
In recent history, when Attah Aliyu Obaje visited Imane in company of Governor Abubakar Audu, both of blessed memory, the Odah Ojiji Suleiman Okeme Ifiene attempted to stand for him to greet. Ata Aliyu Obaje maintained the old tradition and persuaded the Ojiji to remain on his seat.
In his words “Ojiji Ki’idigbili, agba nago, gwane, gwane, gwane nago”. As I earlier said, Anukpa and Odeba were both wives of Okolikotu. Anukpa was the senior and her descendants are the Amoma Anukpa clan made up of Efekpe, Ogili, Ajo-Odachai, Oforo and some part of Ofudu while, Odeba the younger wife hailed from Eteh and gave birth to Onyeke and Oguche hence, the slogan Imane Oleteh.
The Onyeke group presently inhabit Efofe. And Oguche clan, at Efachipu. while the Aoma Ochimane on the other hand extend their hands of relationship and mutual co-existence to give out their daughter Anukpa to Okolikotu, the son of Idoko Eje, for marriage.
In the olden days, if something terrible or strange happened in Imane community, it was ochimane clan that will perform the traditional rites to cleanse the menace out of the community. They are also blessed with some professional herbal practice that cure sickness such as fracture, snake bite etc.
The present Oda Ojiji is HRH Ibrahim Carlistus Salifu of the Ide
© John Okolo Oguche