Conclusions on the peopling of the Delta

 The vernacular names of the mammal fauna  in the Niger Delta appear to confirm the idea that the Ịjọ originated inland, probably in the savanna and came down the Niger to find it already sparsely populated.  However, the peoples in residence were probably not specialised fishing groups, but rather practised early farming, perhaps oil-palms and yams  The Ịjọ would have colonised the swamp forest and all the brackish water zones with mobile fishing camps, ending up by encapsulating the first settlers  Vegetation clearance would then have attracted other groups such as the Igbo, Edo and Isekiri