HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF IDUMUESAH CLAN
The various people of Idumuesah do not lay claim to common ancestry. It is a clan founded by seven settlers from different parts of the present-day Edo and Delta States. Since each settler founded a village of its own, federating into a clan, the name IDUMUESAH meaning “Seven Villages” speaks for itself. The seven villages are Ali-obume, Ali-Egboh, Ali-Ilor, Ali-Oje, Ali-Eketu, Ali-Asuku and Ali-Echenim.Ali-Obume founded by Ibili traces it’s origin to Ugboha in Esan Local Government area of ancient Benin kingdom of the present Edo State
The next settler Egbo who founded Ali-Egboh came from Aboh in the riverine area of Ukwani in the present Ndokwa Area of Delta state.
After Egboh was Ilor, the founder of Ali Ilor who came from Uromi In the heartland of “Esan” area of ancient Benin kingdom, now Edo state. The last but not the least to arrive was Ojeh who, according to history was a brother of Ilor. Therefore he also came from Uromi as described above. His settlement was Ali-Ojeh. Eketu, Asuku, and Echenim, whose ancestral home were traceable to the present-day Ezi and Onicha Olona in present Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, founded Ali-Eketu, Ali-Asuku and Ali-Echenim. However the other of their arrival is lost to history as their villagers became extinct in the distant past because of lack of written history of these settlements. The factors which made it possible for their people from diverse cultural, religious political and traditional background to fuse and live in such harmony and charity as one political and administrative unit are lost to oral history.
IDUMUESAH POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRTIVE SYSTEMS
Every political unit has its political and administrative system either peculiar to it or universal to the units within its area of location. This explains the uniqueness of the system practiced by IDUMUESAH CLAN as compared to other ten clans of Ika nation.
While others operate kingship or monarchical system of Government, Idumuesah operates a system of administration based on the frame work of GERONTOCRACY a system whereby leaderships devolves on the oldest male. It is not quite clear why the Obiship or Enogieship system is not adopted having regard to the fact that all the settlers/founders of the present existing villages except Egboh, came from the area where OKPARANSHIP SYSTEM based on Gerontocracy is practiced. As a matter of fact, the present system as practiced since founding the clan appears to have been influenced by the federating villages not to practice the monarchical system of Government.
The uniqueness of it’s system of administration has been source of strength instead of weakness as it’s hegemony has never been challenged, it is also on record that the history of Idumuesah is characterised by peace, harmony and good neighborliness with it’s neighbours over the years as there is complete absence of border clashes, boundary cases or violent clashes of any nature or war with any external authority. In pursuit of the noble ideas of democracy, power is shared among the villages that make up the clan to avoid the concentration of political or administrative power on an individual, group of people, or village.
However, each of the villages enjoys a measure of autonomy and sovereignty.
Ibili being the first settler in the present location of Idumuesah clan was honoured with the senior Okparanship of the clan translated into the people usage as “Okpara Uku” of the clan. This underscores why Ali-Obume which Ibili founded has been presenting the Okpara-Uku irrespective of whether or not any of the Okparan from the other villages of Ali-Egboh, Ali-Ilor or Ali-Ojeh is /are senior to him in age.
To bring about checks and balances in the powers of the senior Okparan/Okparan Uku, certain political/administrative offices are reserved for the three other villages Ali-Egboh, Ali-Ilor and Ali-Ojeh. For example, the Olotu-Uku of the clan (is the minister and leader of all the age groups below him is reserved these three villages of the clan in rotation. So also is the position of usage (the prime minister) the Odogwu (the war lord) and the Obaseki. Each of the four villages of the clan is ruled by a council of elders (Inniche) headed by the oldest among them that bears the title of Okparan. Therefore, it is to differentiate the rulers of Okparan of Ali-Obume while performing the administrative, political and religions leadership of the clan that the nomenclature of Okpara-Uku is ascribed to him. On administration of each of the four villages, each Okparan has the autonomy over the affairs of his village in so far as his actions do not conflict with the over all interest of the clan. Little wonder they all meet to discuss and resolve issues that border on the over all
interest of the clan as unit.
Idumuesah clan, from ages of its existence has continued to maintain peaceful co-existence, mutual understanding/respect and good neighbourliness with its immediate and far distant neighbours without compromising her economic rights and privileges.
However, complexities and intricacies of modern administration and political approaches to the general welfare of it’s citizenry has made it necessary to effect some modernization to meet the challenges of the present day social, economic and political growth. Even then it’s method of governance has not drastically changed in traditional and religious matters.