[b]The ancient City State of Opobo stands as a founder’s delight. Chief Jack Annie Pepple and other pioneer Chiefs eluded their home in Grand Bonny the heartland of the Ibani people, to establish a new kingdom called “Opobo” (English for Opubo-ama, or the Kingdom of Opobo). It was derived from the name of legendary King Opubo (1738 – 1830) a celebrated Ibani monarch. Thanks to the strategic vision of Chief Jack Annie Pepple, the establishment of Opobo became an economic and political master stroke.

It went far beyond its immediate cause, which was the 1869 war in Grand Bonny between Fubara Manilla group of Houses led by Chief Oko Jumbo and the Opubo Annie Pepple group led by Chief Jack Annie Pepple whose Ibani name of JuwoJuwo was rendered as Jaja by the British. The legend of Jaja was in the making, on the horn of danger and destruction that would have terrified lesser men. Not Jaja. For he turned the crisis of a civil war and defeat in Bonny into a great advantage for him and pioneer chiefs of Opobo, with the establishment of a new kingdom. Jaja and his group secured a geographical location that reinforced their tactical and diplomatic vision as founding fathers. The land stood just about a day’s paddle away from their ancestral Ibani root. With it they were set to turn their new kingdom into a unique 19th century bridge for commerce. They crowned their leader Chief Jack Annie Pepple (Juwo Juwo) as King Jaja, the first Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom. They chose December 25, 1870 to establish Opobo. From its location, Opobo easily reached out to set up trading posts with land-based farmer communities. There spread out under thick foliages of fresh water forests to the left of the kingdom, along the one – way direction of a resolute Imo River. The run of the river covered hinterland sections of the Ogoni, Ndoki, Ibibio, Annang, Etche, Ngwa and Igbo people. And to its right, the new kingdom followed the tidal sweep of the Atlantic Ocean. Opobo traders went through winding rivers and creeks to build business interests linking different communities with deft socio-cultural ties that were largely viable. These took them into maritime coastal communities of Andoni, Ibibio, and Ibuno among others on the south eastern tip of the old Oil Rivers protectorate. This was before colonial Britain seized the Niger Delta. The region was later shaped into part of a new political entity called Nigeria, which Britain created. King Jaja and the founding Chiefs demonstrated tenacity of purpose, statesmanship and commercial drive to bring Opobo to international prominence. The Kingdom quickly became one of the six leading City States of the Oil Rivers protectorate. Their strategic moves successfully engineered their local economy into prime relevance in the Palm Produce trade of 19th Century. Europe designed the trade to favour infant industries belonging to its urban merchant class, at the expense of rural West African communities.

Against this economic confrontation, King Jaja earned distinction as a leading entrepreneur and nationalist in the struggle against Europe’s business driven political agenda. Together with the pioneer Chiefs of Opobo Kingdom, King Jaja built a flourishing City – State that helped to shape trade, education and diplomatic relations between European countries and paramount Niger Delta Kingdoms. These endeavours helped to define and strengthen the economy of the Niger Delta. Unfortunately the same endeavours sign-posted King Jaja as a symbol of potential indigenous control of the unfolding trade with Europe, an unyielding nationalist and first apostle of “resource control” in the Niger Delta. His position threatened the agenda of imperial Britain. He was subsequently abducted by Britain through ungentlemanly guile, tried under false charges and dispatched into exile like kings of other prominent communities, to clear the coast for the British. With Jaja and his fellow symbols of indigenous control of the Niger Delta out of the way, the British made rapid progress in imposing their empire on the region. They became the colonial master! To seek a new direction for the home of King Jaja, this narrative was revisited with holistic passion by His Majesty King Dandeson Douglas Jaja (Jeki V or King Jaja the Fifth) in his coronation address as Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom on January 3, 2004.

The communities of the kingdom sprawl out on a geographical canvass whose coordinates are latitude O4o34’N and longitude O7o12’E. The kingdom’s location on the interphase between Imo Rivers estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, has surrounded Opobo with more brackish than saline water. This derives from the volume of run off freshwater into Imo Rivers estuary from the hinterland and the large rainfall of over 3000mm per annum. The result is a more delicate ecosystem. It is mixed with the flora and fauna of both fresh water tolerant species such as the Nypa palm vegetation as well as a saline sensitive stock of shell fishes. There are also the flourish of rare mangrove forests of white and red varieties. Modern Opobo Kingdom is renewing the vision of relevance of its economy. King Dandeson Douglas Jaja JP, Jeki V Amanyanabo of Opobo, began succession rites in 1980, when his illustrious father King Douglas Jaja (Jaja IV), joined his ancestors. The coronation ceremony on January 3, 2004 has ushered in a systematic process of structures to enhance consultations and participation by the citizenry. They are to harness and redirect the human, cultural and social resources of the kingdom to fit into a productive local economy in a dynamic world. Appropriate committees have been set up by 2005 on the first anniversary of the coronation. A plan of action with innovations to inspire the kingdom, is being concretized under the leadership of the Council of Alapu (Chiefs) and the Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom. Opobo Town is the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area created in 1996.The Kingdom is made up of satellite towns namely: Kalaibiama, Queens Town, Minima, Illoma and Epellema, Ekereborikiri, Down-Below, Abazibie and Opukalama. There are also settlements and villages or fishing ports belonging to various Wari (War Canoe Houses) and Polo (Group of Houses or Section) of Opobo Kingdom. STRUCTURE AND SYMBOLS Opobo Kingdom has 67 Wari (War Canoe Houses or Chieftaincy Compounds) each of which is headed by an Alabo (Chief).The 67 Wari belong to the 14 Polo whose pioneer chiefs established Opobo Kingdom as the founding fathers. It was their success and those of their descendants as competitive entrepreneurs in the Palm Produce economy that led to the flourish of the number of Wari in each Polo. At the head of the kingdom is the Amanyanabo who is the Paramount Ruler and the King. The 14 Polo inaugurated by the founding Chiefs and their 67 Wari are as follows in order of size: King Jaja Polo (14 War Canoe Houses or Wari), Datoo Polo (, Dappaye Amakiri Polo (7), Diepiri Polo (6), Kalaomuso Polo (5), Ukonu Polo (5), Kieprima Polo (4), Iruanya Polo (4) Epelle Polo ( 3), Tolofari Polo ( 3), Fubarakuro Polo (2), Owujie Polo (2), Biriye Polo(2), Adibie Polo (2). MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OF ALAPU: At present there are 26 Members of the Council of Alapu in Opobo Kingdom. The number changes as War Canoe Houses in each Polo come forward to fill their vacant chieftaincy stools. The Council sits regularly with the Amanyanabo as chairman, to deliberate on issues affecting the kingdom. The council is backed by two types of committees, created by the Amanyanabo since the inauguration of January 3, 2004. The first includes a number of strategic committees to deal with innovative ideas or issues that have tactical or strategic implications. The Awards Programme Committee (with Alabo Prof DMJ Fubara as its chairman) and The Blueprint Committee (under Prof Winston BellGam) are good examples. The second group of committees are administrative, to facilitate decision making or detailed implementation. Good examples include The Cultural Matters committee under Alabo I.C. Ogolo Fubara, the Tourism And Culture committee to be reconstituted and The Publicity Committee led by Alabo G.O.N. Bupo. Both sets of committees report to the full council, thus contributing to the effective management of the kingdom by the Amanyanabo and the Council of Alapu.

The members are: i) His Majesty King Dandeson D. Jaja JP, Jeki V; ii) Alabo (Rtd Col) J.J.Brown (Vice Chairman of Council) iii) Alabo C.J. Owujie (Principal Secretary) iv) Alabo C.B.D Annie Stewart (Secretary) v) Alabo (Sir) S.A.G. Epelle (Treasurer) vi) Alabo ( Dr ) M.C.A. Peterside. vii) Alabo I.C. Ogolo Fubara viii) Alabo A. T. Strongface ix) Alabo (Prof) D.M.J Fubara JP x) Alabo G.A. Cookey-Gam JP xi) Alabo E.A.Jim Jaja xii) Alabo A.D.S.Toby JP xiii) Alabo M.Captain Uranta xiv) Alabo D.J. Manilla xv) Alabo Sir (Dr) S.O.Sunday Jaja xvi) Alabo F.S.K. Fubara xvii) Alabo G.O.N.Bupo xviii) Alabo E.D.Mac Pepple xix) Alabo N.F.Diri xx) Alabo E.G.Patesi-Oko Jaja xxi) Alabo T.T. Ikpo Diri xxii) Alabo (Engr.) R George Cookey-Gam JP xxiii) Alabo Biekpo Erasmus Jack Tolofari xxiv) Alabo Manasseh Ogbulu Accra Jaja xxv) Alabo Princewill N Wogu Dappa xxvi) Alabo (Senator) Adawari M. Pepple.

TRADITIONAL FLAGS Each War Canoe house has its own “badge”, a traditional flag on which is written in bold relief the name and symbol of the original founder of each Chieftaincy or War Canoe House. The flags are as many as the number of Houses that have come to comprise the Kingdom. These stood at 67 by the end of the 1940s when the last chieftaincy Houses were created. These traditional flags are usually hoisted with due ceremonies on the 24th December (Christmas Eve) every year, to commemorate the founding of Opobo Kingdom and to herald a month-long season of festivals.

The flags are rolled up on the last day of January of the New Year to close the festive season. Apart from traditional flags, there are other historical artifacts with which every war canoe house is identified. These include wooden gongs (“Ekere”), Wooden Xylophone-(“Ngelenge”), Boat Shed (“Aruwari”), family shrine (“Duobie”), and community shrines (“Luko”). WAR CANOES The Omu Aru (War Canoe) is the gun boat. It was perhaps the defining symbol, representing political authority and power of the War Canoe House. It was also a statement of the collective capacity for self defense in men and material by the kingdom. Even more, it was the instrument for maintaining territorial integrity and business interests: either securing access or protecting markets of the kingdom, as in settlements/trading posts belonging to the Wari or Polo. Usually equipped with four canons, the War Canoe displayed massive firepower and long range capability: with one canon each to the fore, rear and to both sides at the middle of a long dug-out canoe, it had capacity for an average of 50 persons. Drummers in each party sat on a pre-fabricated loose wooden platform at the centre, in the bowel of the boat. This gave them some security. Theirs was the arduous task to whip the blood of the warriors into battle frenzy. Their wooden gongs or Ekere arranged in a definite tonal order, provided the hard-ware to pump a steady dose of music-like adrenalin into the blood stream of the warriors. The rest of the men had a dual role. They sat two in a row on the wooden crossings (nduru) in the boat. Their paddles flowed in unison, to power the War Canoe as fast as necessary to destination. They also served as warriors, armed with weapons of war to engage the enemy on contact or as their commander directed. GIGI (REGATTA BOAT) It is a long canoe fully decorated with flags and buntings as well as drummers, to serve on relevant ceremonial occasions. One of such occasions is when the Alabo (Chief) of each Wari is required to display during his chieftaincy installation or join other Wari in a collective display during appropriate festive occasions.[/b]


https://opobiansindiaspora./2016/11/20/featured-content/

SlayerForever:
To add my bit. I've never been opportune to meet an Opobo person or go to the area. However,I saw a video shared on Facebook some time last year. From the video,the dressing of the Amayanabo's is Igbo as well as the chiefs around him. The chiefs wear the traditional long red Okpú. Interestingly,when the Amayanabo speaks as in to declare something,while some of the people around affirm "Amayanaboooo!" some others affirm "Igweeeee!". It was an interesting sight.

This is a very big lie, the Amanyanbo of Opobo(Opubo) and his chiefs(Alaapu) don't dress like Igbo, but he puts on the flowing Done worn by all Ijaw monarchs, its amazing the length Igbos will go to land grab, what do you people even benefit from these lies

Igberetv is FAKE news

Edo bride with kilari suu

Graphic photos

Chizuru01:
He fought against Biafrans to get a medal from Danjuma but he ended up getting a bullet.

in Addition, Danjuma took almost all their oil wells. When they tried to get sense, Obasanjo sent troops to clear some villages. Then they started bombing and destroying their farm land in the name of pipeline vandalism

In all this, they still held the fiction that Igbo man is Their problem Their mumu never do

Igbos will continue to blame everyone apart from themselves, Boro fought for Niger delta republic but the Igbo unity beggers sent troops to kill Ijaws, then you wanted Ijaws to support your own cause...smh una mumu na everlasting

Funnicator:


very confused fellow.

He still died in the hands of the federal troops.

He is better than Ojukwu the cowardly dog

carpmam:
Nna see format,collabo between south south and south west

Edet can as well be an Abriba or Arochukwu man

Na so Jos fine

Its a borrowed culture from the Ijaws & Ibibios

Igbo Amaka

Elliot2:
either ijaw or kalabari

Ijaw or kalabari, what Yoruba or Ijebu

dbynonetwork:
[s]Igbo-amaka.....Yorubas make Una no vex ooh...[/s]

Na Izon tubou , no dey do attache, send your own daughter to school

NwaEzefuNaMba:


Bonny(Opobo) is Igbo.
98% of the citizen speak and bear Igbo names.

So what does the name Boubini Jones-Wonni mean in Igbo

NwaEzefuNaMba:


Bonny(Opobo) is Igbo.
98% of the citizen speak and bear Igbo names.

Give me an example of people the Igbo names and what does their king answer

NwaEzefuNaMba:


Bonny(Opobo) is Igbo.
98% of the citizen speak and bear Igbo names.

Give me an example of people the Igbo names and what does the kings title

Wike has the support of Rivers indegenes on this one, can this happen in Sokoto, the matter never finish

unknownsolja:


you obviously are too dumb to remember what you wrote.

shameless judas

unknownsolja:


shut up,..what is paining you.. i thought you said theres nothing like black ethiopian jews..i know you are dumb and didnt read.i never said all igbos are jews..i said some igbos are jews and cry if you like now.run and go and make indomie

Show me where I said there were no black Ethiopians, generalizing ethopian Jews as black is ignorant, can you skip your childish jabs and tell me where the Igbo semitic language went

Hati13:
AdaFonju,

Most Ethiopian Jew indeed speak Amharic currently but this isn’t their own language and it was only after the 17th century they adopted it. Their own language is Agew (Cushitic), sometimes mix with little ancient Hebrew.

Please what is the race of of Ethopian Jews

unknownsolja:


oh please shut up..does this man look white to you..dundi..you better stick to instagram and leave history to your uncles,now those are pics below of ethopian jews...you look and sound so so so so and infact so so ignorant..go and cook indomie abeg..run comot here

Look at this brainwashed tool, Igbos are as Jewish as the earth being flat, Ethopian Jews have semitic language called Amharic, where is your semitic language Judas

The person making reference to Ethiopian Jews being black is ignorant of their race and semitic language, why don't the igbo-jews speak a semitic language

campbelljosh:
So bukola is a fulani name bah? Goggle his background, his grandfather hail from Abeokuta but his own Father Olusola Saraki is the one aligning with kwaras. Olusola is also a fulani name abi

Oya baba google how did they start answering Saraki as surname, don't you know that his last name shows his true lineage

Balkan:
Lets see how Buhari will get out of this
Inviting fulani soldiers to in Igbo land and our Governors are keeping quiet.
Thanks to the guy who recorded this

Has something happened yet?

Davido likes ugly women, poor taste if I must say

Ipob terrorists & their leader nnamdi binladen.

I expected this post to have reached page 20 by now, Yoruba & Bini people una dey fall my hand, argue well by pg 20 I will announce the winner

Benin people migrated from Ile ife, everybody knows this and they're dragging land with indigenous Niger delta tribes, oborisoapu

SlayerForever:


This particular creek rate is even more idiotic than usual. Who doesn't know Niger Delta is the capital of cultism and violence in the whole world. Look at this animal o. Even Osu for Igboland better pass this thing wey dey follow me talk. Anumanu stupid cultist. Good for nothing pikin.

E pain am well, Baby factory awo, everybad bad news is attached to Osus,
419 Osus are present
Drug killings , Cultism Osus are present
Kidnapping & armed robbery Osus are highly represented
Slave trade aka baby factory Osus are innovating the industry
, piri nama, aso bo saki

SlayerForever:


Stale. Useless cultist.

Which cultist pass the one wey dey enter church for Anambra kill people or imsu & micheal okpara that cultist have overrun, Osu mentality dey worry u

Donpresh95:


Most of you guys are confused about your origin. so, the confusion had affected your naming and language

A more enlightened person would have asked what Ada means in my language instead of making an ignorant comment that can be as stupid as someone claiming Ijebu-Igbo means Igbo people of Ijebu because of similar spelling, despite different pronunciation & meaning, which class did you drop out from in primary school