the itsekiri are a people of very mixed ethnic origins who speak a language very closely related to the yoruba of south western nigeria and the igala language of central nigeria but which has also borrowed some cultural practice from the edo people of benin city, given the hegemony that the benin empire once exercised over the area, portuguese in trade terminologies, as the itsekiri were the first people in nigeria to establish contact with the portuguese who were exploring the west african coast, and also more recently, english. although linguistically related to the yoruba and igala ethnic groups, however, through centuries of intermingling modern day itsekiris are of mixed ethnic origins. they are most closely related to the south-eastern yorubaland sub-groups - ijebu, akure, ikale, ondo and owo), but also edo, urhobo, ijaw are today mainly christian (protestant and roman catholic) by religion.