The Ogoni people are an ethnic group in Nigeria, with a projected population of approximately 956,789 in 2025. They reside in Ogoniland, a fertile area in Rivers State within the Niger Delta, covering about 650 to 1,050 square kilometers.
Ogoni communities are spread across six kingdoms: Babbe, Gokana, Ken-Khana, Nyo-Khana, Tai, and Eleme. They speak closely related languages, with Khana being the most common. Traditionally, the Ogoni have lived off farming and fishing, relying on the rich land and waterways around them.
But things changed in 1958 when Shell discovered oil on their land. Since then, oil spills and pollution have damaged their environment.
Many Ogoni people lost their farms, fish, and clean water. In response, they formed MOSOP, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, to fight for justice and protect their land.
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History Of The Ogoni People
The Ogoni people, also known as Khana, are an indigenous ethnic group living in the eastern Niger Delta, Rivers State, Nigeria.
They’ve lived in the region for over 2,000 years, with some estimates tracing their presence back to 15 BCE. This makes them one of the oldest groups in the Niger Delta.
However, their exact origins are still uncertain. Two major theories exist. One says they migrated from across the Imo River into the Delta region. The other, and more accepted one, is based on oral history.
It says they came from present-day Ghana during a civil war. Led by a woman named Gbenekwaanwaa, they traveled by canoe to settle in what is now Ogoniland.
Many Ogoni still call themselves “Khana,” which some link to the word “Ghana.” Ogoniland spans about 1,036 square kilometers of low slopes and valleys. The people formed six main kingdoms: Babbe, Eleme, Gokana, Ken-Khana, Nyo-Khana, and Tai.
Each had its leadership but shared the same culture and language. They had a well-structured system of rules. During the slave trade era, their land sat on a major slave route. Still, no Ogoni man or woman was taken as a slave.
Their isolation, strong customs, and strict rules against marrying outside their group protect them. In 1901, the British arrived after the Berlin Conference of 1885. The Ogoni resisted colonial rule.
But by 1914, they were brought under British control. Unlike larger groups like the Igbo, Yoruba, or Hausa, the Ogoni were ignored.
The British saw them as minor and unimportant. Still, the Ogoni pushed back. In the 1940s, they fought attempts to split their land among other groups and won their own Native Authority.
But that unity was weakened in 1956 when the British divided them into three councils: Khana, Gokana, and Eleme. The real crisis began in 1958. Shell found oil in Ogoniland. Over the years, about 900 million barrels were taken, worth nearly $30 billion.
But the Ogoni got nothing. Instead, their land was poisoned. Oil spills, gas flaring, and pollution ruined farms and rivers. Fishing and farming, their livelihood, collapsed.
To fight back, they formed MOSOP in the 1990s. Led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, the group demanded justice, fair oil revenue, and environmental repair.
The Nigerian government responded with violence. Between 1993 and 1995, thousands of Ogoni died. In 1995, Saro-Wiwa and eight others were hanged after a sham trial.
After military rule ended in 1998, the government and Shell began cleanup plans. The Ogoni still live with pollution, poverty, and neglect.
Geography And Kingdoms Of Ogoniland
Ogoniland is a unique region in southern Nigeria, found within Rivers State. It sits in the Niger Delta, the third largest mangrove system in the world and second in Africa.
The land spans about 1,000 to 1,050 square kilometers and is east of Port Harcourt. Its landscape is made up of coastal plains, gentle slopes, valleys, and terraces.
Originally, much of the rainforest was cleared for farming and fishing. The region is divided into four local government areas:
- Eleme
- Gokana
- Khana
- Tai
These match the traditional kingdoms and communities that make up Ogoniland. In total, there are six kingdoms: Babbe, Eleme, Gokana, Ken-Khana, Nyo-Khana, and Tai.
Bori National Territory and Bangha Goi are also important areas. Each kingdom has its own customs and local leadership.
As of the 2006 census, about 832,000 people lived in Ogoniland. But in 2025, the projected population of the Ogoni people is approximately 956,789, which represents about 10% of the total population of Rivers State, Nigeria (estimated at around 9,567,892 in 2025).
Most people live in rural areas, close to one another, making Ogoniland one of the most crowded places in Africa.
Languages Of The Ogoni People
The Ogoni people of Rivers State, Nigeria, speak a group of languages known as the Ogoni or Kegboid languages. These languages belong to the Niger-Congo family, within the Cross River subgroup of the Benue-Congo branch. However, there are five distinct Ogoni languages, divided into two main clusters:
East Cluster:
- Tẹẹ (Tai): The most widely spoken, with around 313,000
- Khana (also called Ogoni or Kana): Spoken by about 90,000
- Gokana: Estimates range from 54,000 to 250,000
West Cluster:
- Eleme: Spoken by 55,000 to 90,000
- Baan (Ka-Ban or Kesari): The smallest, with fewer than 5,000 to 50,500
However, each language is seen as separate by its speakers, not as a dialect of a larger language. These languages are spoken only in Rivers State, mainly in areas like Khana, Tai, Eleme, and Gokana.
Despite their differences, the Ogoni languages share many words and grammar features. This points to a shared ancestor and shows they form a close group, different from other nearby languages like those in the Central Delta region.
A unique feature of Ogoni languages is the use of numeral classifiers, a rare trait in African languages but common in some Asian ones.
Some languages also have known dialects. For example, Khana includes dialects such as Yeghe, Nyokhana, Ken-Khana, and Boúe. Tẹẹ is also known by its local name, Tèẹ̣̀. Baan is sometimes called Goi or Ogoi, depending on the community.
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Economy Of The Ogoni People
The Ogoni people live in the oil-rich Niger Delta, in an area covering about 650 to 1,000 square kilometers. With a population of around 956,789, their land is densely populated but rich in natural resources. For generations, their economy has been built on farming and fishing.
Traditional Economic Activities
About 75% of Ogoni households rely on agriculture. They grow staple crops like yams and cassava, which are used for both food and trade.
Farming is part of their culture. Fishing is also essential to Ogoni life. They fish in rivers and creeks across the region. But poor fishing tools and restricted sea access have reduced their catch. Environmental damage has made things worse.
Income And Living Conditions
A 2015 survey of 400 households showed that about 65% earn less than ₦50,000 per month. Each household has an average of six people. Despite heavy farming, 37% of farmers reported crop losses in just two years due to oil pollution.
Oil was found in Ogoniland in 1957. Since then, Nigeria has earned billions from the region, with oil providing over 90% of export earnings.
But the Ogoni people have gained very little. Oil spills and gas flaring have ruined farms and poisoned water.
This has sharply cut crop and fish production, leading to hunger and poverty.
The government controls oil resources with little input from locals. This has left the Ogoni people economically sidelined.
As farming and fishing declined, many turned to petty trading, carpentry, and other informal jobs to survive. Some now engage in illegal crude oil refining, which offers fast money but causes more harm.
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Facts About The Ogoni People Of Nigeria
- The Ogoni people live in Ogoniland, Rivers State, Nigeria, part of the Niger Delta, with an estimated population 956,789.
- Ogoniland spans around 1,050 square kilometers and includes six kingdoms: Babbe, Eleme, Gokana, Ken-Khana, Nyo-Khana, and Tai.
- The Ogoni speak four main languages: Khana, Gokana, Eleme, and Tai.
- All Ogoni languages belong to the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family.
- Oral history says the Ogoni migrated from ancient Ghana during a civil war over 500 years ago and settled in the Niger Delta.
- During the slave trade era, the Ogoni were isolated. They forbade marriage with outsiders except the Ibibio, and none were taken as slaves.
- Ogoni society is monarch-based.
- Oil was discovered in Ogoniland by Shell in 1958.
- Ken Saro-Wiwa, a key Ogoni activist, was executed in 1995.