archaeological evidence suggests that nri influence in igboland may go back as far as the 9th century, and royal burials have been unearthed dating to at least the 10th century. eri, the god-like founder of nri, is believed to have settled the region around 948 with other related igbo cultures following after in the 13th century. the first eze nri (king of nri) ìfikuánim followed directly after him. according to igbo oral tradition, his reign started in 1043. at least one historian puts ìfikuánim's reign much later, around 1225 ad.