11/08/2025
'The Ata of Igala Ayegba Omi'doko invited Muslims from Bebeji and Kano to prepare 'Ogwu' or charms for him to win wars. Often, he won and so persuaded these Mallams to stay. He gave them wives, and pieces of land on which to settle. Similar developments took place in Ankpa and other parts of the Kingdom and this can explain the presence of people of Hausa descent in many parts of Ankpa, Idah and other parts of the Kingdom...'
Malam Abu Bebeji Akono(Malam Abu Awaina) and his tactical unit of six men-(1. Malam Aliyu Bebeji, 2. Malam Ahmed Awal, 3. Malam Ahmad Atahiru, 4. Malam Bukar Bebeji, 5. Malam Adam Yahaya, 6. Malam Muhammad Kabiru) are from the Kanawa clan of the Hausa ethnic denomination. They migrated from Bebeji town in what is today known as the Bebeji Local Government Council in Kano State of Nigeria to Idah (Idah Local Government Council of Kogi State of Nigeria) at the close of the seventeenth century in the year c. 1690. This migration was premised on the invitation of the then Igala King Attah Ayegba Idoko to offer Muslim spiritual/military help during the historical Igala war of independence and freedom from the imperial social political and economic dominations of the Jukuns. The warfare led to that had previously claimed the precious lives of successive four Igala Kings(Ata-Igala) -Abutu Eje, Ebulejonu, Aganapoje, and Idoko that reigned(1597-1687) before the reign of Ayegba Idoko and thousands of Igala soldiers and foreign collaborators. Several other casualties among the Igala people and the subsequent negative consequences and impact on the people were too devastating and numerous to mention. When Ata Igala Ayegba Idoko took over reign, the scenario was similarly chaotic despite taking some of the most difficult decisions that were available to him at the time. However, based on the critical intelligence information about the tested ability of a famous mystically powerful Hausa Muslim cleric Malam Abu Awaina(that would later be popularly known as Malam Abu Bebeji Akono) who was believed to be capable of putting the Igala challenge of survival to permanent rest. That information emanated in the Kano market between Ahmadu Bebeji and a wealthy matriarch- AjumaOti of Agaidoko clan of Igala, during the duos business transactions.
Abu Bebeji Akono's intervention at Idah yielded monumental victory in the warfare. Consequently, in order to prevent re-occurrence of the war and to ensure peace, tranquillity and greatness of the new independent Igala Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Ata Ayegba in his own wisdom prevailed on Malam Abu Bebeji Akono(Abu Awaina) and his companions not to go back to their native home of Bebeji again, but to become part and parcel of the achieved new Kingdom. Hence, awarded to them large piece of lands for permanent settlements in Angwa Idah near River Inachalo.
In appreciation of gallant landmark contributions to the survival of the Kingdom, Attah' Ayegba rewarded them with various traditional Royal titles in Hausa/Islamic turban regalia: Abu Bebeji Akono was rewarded with Royal Mandala Ata Igala Angwar Ategwune/Etutuobo Chiefdom(title of Nassarawa/Victory). The overwhelming empirical evidence demonstrated that 1. Sheikh Abu Bebeji Akono(Abu Awaina is the biological progenitor of Angwar Ategwune/Etutuobo Clan). The descendants are organisers of Sallah Durban, OnuOko-Dodo cultures in Idah federal constituency, and Akushi in Idah and Dekina federal constituencies of Kogi State. These are Hausa royalty and native cultural festivals of warfare and peace.
His tactical team comprised of six warriors- (1. Malam Aliyu Bebeji, 2. Malam Ahmed Awal, 3. Malam Ahmad Atahiru, 4. Malam Bukar Bebeji, 5. Malam Adam Yahaya, 6. Malam Muhammad Kabiru) were decorated with three titles: Royal Akpochi Ata Igala Angwar Ayegba(title of praise), Royal Ochalla Angwar(Youth Leader), Royal Limamu Angwar(Imam), shared in rotation among themselves. Malam Aliyu Bebeji descendants are the Angwa Oweye(specifically Aka, Oliaja & Adamede lineages) Clan; Malam Ahmed Awal whose descendants are the Angwa Ebutu Clan; Malam Ahmad Atahiru with Angwa Okwutubi Clan as his descendants; Malam Bukar Bebeji-the progenitor of Angwar Omodoko Clan; Malam Adam Yahaya-(Progenitor of Angwa Utoko Clan, and Malam Muhammad Kabiru-(Angwa Otete Clan). Their descendants are organisers of annual acrobatics Gani(Ogani Angwa) also a native Hausa war and royalty festivals in Idah and Ankpa federal constituencies of Kogi State.
The descendants of Abu Bebeji Akono and his tactical warriors are among other hundreds of communities, found notably in AngwaOgebe(Ankpa),Angwa kpakpala(Ankpa),Angwa(Ukpologo)Abocho(Dekina)Angwa Iyale(Dekina) Angwa Ede(Ankpa) Mabenyi Ododa(Imane in Olamaboro), Angwa Ofe-Oda(Ankpa),Angwa Hausawa(Ankpa), Enjema, Odagba, Enagbede, Inye, Enabo, Ate-Uge, Dekina, Etutu-Ekpe, of which their offspring continued to spread from generations to generations.
©️ Dr Aminu Musa Audu