There has been mixed up as to know which tribe is Yoruba between Itsekiri and Bini. If it's about language, itsekiri language is a mix of Ìjẹ̀bú /Ilaje/Ikale (Yoruba). If it's by origin, Itsekiris came from ilé ìfẹ́ like other Yoruba people.
If it's by monarchy. The title of itsekiri monarch is OLÚ (of Warri) like many other Yoruba tribes. So by all criteria itsekiri are Yorùbá.
One of the most popular Itsekiri born-pastor and a former CAN president AYO ORITSEJAFOR said in 2018 that Itsekiri migrated from Ile-Ife and are yoruba after confirming so many reports.
Also in 2014 National Confab, the Itsekiri leaders make it known to the public that should Nigeria breakup, itsekiri must be merged to Yoruba which is their source. Till today, we have OPC in all itsekiri domain in warri, delta state. Anywhere you see OPC is a sign that it is a Yoruba Territory.
How About the Bini?
If it's by language, the bini spoke a different language that no yoruba could speak or even understands. Yoruba dont speak or understand anything about bini language. If you travelled from Nigeria to Togo, Benin Republic, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast where we have yoruba people, they hear themselves and understand. No matter how the dialect could be, a Yoruba man from any of these countries will hear or understand what the person is saying, but the bini city in Nigeria is different. They speak a different language from Yoruba. Bini in Edo state Nigeria and Yoruba has a different lifestyles and actually different views about life.
The only connection between the Bini and Yoruba is their palace. The royal palace is the only connection between the Bini and Yoruba where we have Yoruba Descendants controlling bini palace. The history of Oba rulership in bini was established by a Yoruba prince from Ile-Ife.
Therefore, binis are not yoruba, but their royal house is Yoruba.. Also, there are some yoruba people in bini who are Descendants of the palace and those who lives in boundary side and those who bears yoruba names like Akoko-Edo, these are the Yorubas. But the bini itself are not Yoruba, their title is Ogiso/Ogiamen, but Yoruba title is Oba.
Apart from this, the itsekiri has never for once denied the fact that they are yorubas or migrated from Ile-Ife, but the bini has contrary opinion even among their kinsmen in Edo state so much that they dragged themselves to court.
In view of the above, itsekiri are yoruba while bini are not yoruba but bini palace is yoruba. Because of this, there are OPC in Edo state! Dont forget that anywhere you see OPC shows that's yoruba Territory. The bini palace and Yoruba Descendants in bini are yoruba..
This is so clear so much that the itsekiri Territory is listed among the Oduduwa Republic agitators Map. The map of Oduduwa Republic shows itsekiri, but bini was clean off, as some yoruba agrees that they will follow the wish of Oba of bini if its Territory should be included in Oduduwa map or not.
Meanwhile some yoruba disagree, but the said bini has been clean off on Oduduwa map. Any Oduduwa map showing bini on its list is a fake Oduduwa map. Only Oba of bini will decide if its Territory should be included or not.
Note that Yoruba is an Ethnic (Nation) not a tribe.. Yoruba is an Ethnic that compries of many tribes.. Itsekiri, Okun, igbomina, ilaje, Awori, ijebu, oyo, ife, ekiti, ondo, ijesha, egba, Owu, offa, Ibadan etc are all tribes under Yoruba Ethnic. YORUBA IS A NATION!
By Oritsegbemi Akinola
Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.
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