The Itsekiri (also called the Jekri, Isekiri or Ishekiri) are an ethnic group of Nigeria's Niger Delta area, Delta State. The Itsekiri number roughly 450,000 people.
In the fifteenth century, the Itsekiri adopted a prince from the Kingdom of Benin as a monarch, and quickly coalesced into a kingdom under his rule. Traditionally fishermen and traders, the Itsekiri were among the first in the region to make contact with Portuguese traders. These interactions led the Itsekiri to become primarily Roman Catholic. The Itsekiri monarchy has continued to the present day, with the coronation of Ogiame Atuwatse II in 1987. The itsekiri, though small in numbers are considered to be a highly educated ethnic group and endowed with a rich cultural heritage.
Itsekiri include some communities, one of them is Ugborodo.[1]
Itsekiri men wear a long sleeved shirt called a Kemeje, tie a George wrapper around their waist and wear a cap with a feather stuck to it. The women wear a blouse and also tie a George wrapper around their waist.
References
External links
- Iwe Iṣẹ ti Egwari Ṣẹkiri The Book of Common Prayer in Isekiri
- Urhobo Historical Society article
- Africana Digitization Project article, "The Slave Trade in Niger Delta Oral Tradition"
- Itsekiri US
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