17/05/2025
IDOMA HISTORY
The origin of the name Idoma remained a
mystery but some believe that there was once a
man called Idu Oma who is the father of all
Idoma people.The Idoma people once lived as a
community in Apa, a place north east of the
present Idoma land located in what is now
southern Adamawa and Nothern Taraba.
Evidence showed that the Idoma people have
lived around the Benue valley for more than
3,000 years. Another mysterious idomoid people
known as Akpoto were noticed to be the earliest
inhabitants of the region occupied today by
Idoma, Tiv, Igala, Ebira and Basa.
Evidence drawn from rites, songs and folklores
showed that the Idoma at Apa achieved a great
civilization with a centralized government and
were advanced in warfare, trade, crafts and they
probably traded with ancient Egypt, Nubia, Nok
before the rise of the Hausa city states, Kanem-
Bornu and Kwararafa of the Jukuns. The rise of
these Kingdoms was detrimental to the Idoma at
Apa. An intial alliance was made with the Jukuns
who tried to form a tribute state. An attack on
the Hausas overan Zaria and Kano and
attempted to capture Ngazargamu, the capital of
Kanem-Bornu empire but failed.
From this
moment onwards, there was constant raiding of
Apa and environs by riders from Kanem-Bornu
empire. Their use of chain mails and iron
chariots gave the illusion of invincibility which
cause war apathy in Apa. The final blow on Apa
was from internal power tussle between the
Idoma and the Jukuns. Kwararafa became very
unsafe forcing many and later all Idoma people
to emigrate southward.
This war is referred to "efu onya" in Idoma
history and it's laden with legends of
supernatural interventions that saved the Idoma
from the "Abakpa" as they were called. At some
points, a python stretched over the great river
omada(Benue) for them to cross, at another
point, black monkeys or Rhesus monkeys
(Obagwu) cleaned their footsteps or leopards
attacked and chased the Abakpa away.