SUMMARY

The Urhobo, with its more than two million members, is one of the ten largest ethnicities in Nigeria. They speak the language Urhobo, and a local version of Pidgin English. The Urhobo are made up of a large number of sub-clans and each sub-clan is ruled by a king. Information concerning the Urhobo ethnicity is mostly centred on language and culture, little is written on their interaction with other ethnicities, in terms of violence and conflict. The Urhobo reside in the delta areas of southern Nigeria.

The culture of the Urhobo is mainly tribal, strict age and/or wealth based hierarchies rule the sub clans or villages. The history of the Urhobo is greatly influenced by the British colonization; they arbitrarily merged several different ethnicities in a categorisation that was not accepted by any of the tribes involved. Further, the presence of oil in the Niger Delta has complicated the Urhobos situation, both concerning the interaction with the Nigerian state and oil companies, but also concerning the interaction with the neighbouring ethnicities.

As mentioned above, the Urhobos are organised in clans and sub-clans that are ruled by a king. It is however unclear if these sub-clan kings have in fact been responsible for any violent actions.

Urhobo have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.