SUMMARY
Intergroup relation was one of Africa medium to get a closer relation with her neighbors, during the pre colonial era ,it promoted ethinc relation in terms of economic, social, cultural, political and trade, that established the exchange of goods and services, to an extent that it can lead to migration settlement of other trader's in another state or community and even lead to marriage encouraging relation between various neighbor.
The intergroup relation between Benin and the Ika speaking people are no different from other intergroup relation interaction that existed before the coming of the white men, according to Basil Davidson in his book " The growth of African civilization he believes that relation between Benin and Ika speaking people was due to the rise of great warriors of the king of Great Benin kingdom whom embarked on wars and conquest of kingdom such as the Agbor community lead to their relation, while others writer's like Similarly Onyekpeze F. A, a foremost writer of lka history in his book ·An outline of the Culture & Socio-Economic Interest of the Ika Nation emphasizes this trend of the Benin factor in the formation of Agbor: One factor is that the place names of Agbor and Its outlying settlements are Bini words. Another factor which buttresses Agbor claim to Bini origin is that the villages in Agbor Town viz, lghogbe, Olihe, Ogbeisere, Ohumere, Ehaikpen, Ogbesogban and Ogbeiwaise, etc. are a replica of the villages in Benin City. In addition, even the lhogbes of Agbor like the lghogbes of Benin City, claim lfe origin and their ancestors are believed to have accompanied Prince Oromiyan from lfeto Benin to establish the present monarchy among other factors that has generated to their relation.
Following the geographical location and origin of the Ika and Benin kingdom the Ika speaking people are found in Delta and Edo state of the southern Nigeria. They speak Ika language, Ika people share border linguistically in the west with the Edo speakers, in the north with the Ishan speakers, in the east with the Enuani speakers and in the south with the ukwuani language speakers.
The Ika people do not trace their ancestry to common origin. The various clans that make up ika have heterogeneous origins. Similarities of the language with Igbo suggest they might be Igbo connection bit the oral account and cultures as well as ancient Ika name suggests Bini origin. Ika historians have argued that change in language can occur due to large migration or trade or due to other factors. This will trace down the origin if the ika people to two main Origin which are (1) the origin from the Benin people , (2) origin from the Igbo people .
The relation between the Benin kingdom and Ika speaking people had their economic impact in terms of Agriculture, trade and market, palm produce even in their Land system operation as well as their social cultural and political impact in their chieftaincy and monarchy appointment of Chiefs and title holder's. This project study evaluated and went dip to explain further other factors, argument and insight about what lead to the Intergroup relation that existed between the Benin kingdom and Ika speaking people.
