A brief History of Igarra

Igarra, (hereinafter ‘Etunoland’), is the headquarters of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State and situated on the outskirts of Edo North.  It is surrounded by a beautiful Rocky Mountains, popularly called the KUKURUKU Hills.  Historically, the land is called ETUNO, and the Igarra people with a population of over 350,000 are known as ANETUNO (the people of Etunoland).

Igarra is unique in many respects. It has a unique language in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, and in fact, the entire Edo State; a language that is similar to what is spoken in Ebiraland, Kotonkarffe, Toto, Abaji, Igala land and Wukari in Taraba State.

Igarra Women in their cultural Attire

Our origin has been traced to Ebira and Oshuku Nationality whose members are found in Ebira land, Kotonkarfe in Kogi State and Toto in Nasarawa State.  Our spoken language (Etuno) and the well-structured kindred are enough evidences that we have strong affinity in origin to these people. Igarra never had its former rustic origins as group of hamlets but a scattered, but united villages of Ugbogbo, Utua and Uffa.  You hardly can distinguish these places now as developments have taken place over time since we came down from Rocky Hills (Ifege) between 1911 and 1917respectively.  Ugbogbo is regarded as senior because they earlier came down before others during the period.

Over a thousand Rocks/Stones species are found in the area without clear explanation of their origin and this phenomenon is unique in itself.  For this reason, it now acts as a study centre for students of Geology and Geography in Nigerian Universities across the country for their practical or field research work.