Jaja of Opobo was a business man who was born in Umudunioha Amaigbo in present day Imo state in the year 1821.

At age 12,he was taken as a slave.

Because of his hardwork,he went from being a slave to become the head of Anna Pepple house, which was a business organization.

He traded in palm oil in the present day River State.

He did not allow the British to buy palm oil from the interior villages at a cheaper price.

But he rather bought the palm oil from the villagers and sold it to the British at a higher price.

He also collected tax from British merchants.

This action really angered the British.

So Britain invited him for negotiation in 1887.

Unknown to him, they just wanted to arrest him.

When he arrived for negotiation,he was arrested and taken to Accra for trial.

After trial,he was exiled to London,then to West Indies, and finally to Barbados.

Britain was then able to buy palm oil directly from the interior villages.

In 1891,he was granted permission to return home, but died on the way home.