₦airaland Forum

National Vice Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South East, Olisa Metuh, believes the realisation of Igbo presidency is not far-fetched. In this interview with Acting News Editor , Saturday, Ajibola Abayomi, he speaks on issues affecting the growth of PDP in the region. He also speaks on other salient issues.

With the indifferences within the South East over the National Assembly (NASS) leadership zoning, do you not think this may ignite crises within the PDP in the region soon?
The leadership of the party that cuts across the country, within the rank and file of our party, is talking; elected legislators too would have their say. At the end of the day, we would come up with something that is best for the country and the party. Controversial views are necessary for democratic development. Yes, some are not happy about what they assume about the NASS zoning order, but we would resolve whatever it is at the end of the day in the interest of our party and the country.
Are you not bothered that some Igbo leaders like former Governor of Anambra State, Emeka Ezeife, are beginning to call on the people to dump the PDP for another party in their own interest?
Chief Ezeife has never been a member of PDP. I am not saying he cannot comment on issues as a citizen of this country, but it is not for him to tell PDP what to do in its own affairs. When we have differences in the party, we have a channel of communication of reaching out to our leaders. We can table our matter before the President as a party man or the acting national chairman of the party. I am not bothered about people making comments to gain relevance; after all, the Igbo were led to Biafra. We were not prepared for it. Check for yourself, whether the reason for that was wrong or right. A discussion with leadership of the party is much more rewarding than to be crying wolf. Through that approach, we can negotiate or agree on several things.
Other concerned Igbo have criticised those who claimed to be the eye of the zone in PDP. Frankly, would you say you people have let down the South East zone in the party’s sharing formula?
I don’t want to make any categorical comment on this for now. Recently, I attended a meeting with South East governors and we are already making some moves that would be rewarding. I want to keep that to myself for now. So far, I am impressed with the way the governors are handling the matter, whether they negotiated before they gave their support to the President is a matter for discussion for another day.
Going by the way PDP in the South East lost some of the seats it won during the 2003 elections, don’t you think that the opposition was right to have accused your party of rigging?
In 2003, the PDP won virtually all seats in the South East including that of the governors. The trend did not really change during the last election. The only thing was that we lost the governorship election in Imo State. Again, if you recall, we didn’t win that in 2007. Right now we have over 85 per cent of the elective seats in our zone. What else do we want? We are on course; in Imo State, we are in the majority in the House of Assembly and in Anambra we also have a good showing, which in any case have now silenced those who think we have been rigging elections in that state. We are leading other parties with wide margin with the number of seats we have won so far.
Talking about the national chairman of PDP, why is that even among the governors, there were divisions as to whether the zone should have it?
The truth is that when the last national chairman of the party resigned the feeling was that another person should be nominated from the South East but for some reasons our leaders never bothered about that. Nature does abhor vacuum, the constitution of the party allows for the deputy chairman to become acting chairman and he has been performing creditably well. The party is moving and whenever the leaders decide to have a national convention another chairman would emerge. Apart from the leadership of the party, there are lots of things that are bothering our people in the South East that we must articulate in our own interest. For instance, the position of permanent secretary has been eluding our people. Apart from the ministry of transport and labour, the other sectors numbering about 13 have no Igbo representation. When you even rank these sectors in whatever category, our people are not in any of the leading ones. We shall make a strong case for that. Our people have been constantly denied opportunity to grow in the civil service. Other zones have six states and we have five states. People from other zones have been heading several ministries while our people have been denied clear opportunities. We would no longer close our eyes to that. In Abuja for instance, what is bad if an Igbo man becomes the minister of the Federal Capital Territory? Our people have contributed about 70 per cent of the total development in the city. We have the worst road network in the entire country when you take a sample of federal roads. Let them give us minister of works and see maybe that road would not be repaired. The Enugu-Onitsha road is the worst I have ever seen. Something must be done to correct all these. In terms of erosion, our people are seriously affected. What is bad to have minister of environment from the East?
Your agitations bother on the impact of the Federal Government in the South East and your party has been in power at the centre since 1999, is that not a failure on the part of the PDP not to have met the infrastructure demand and the call for equal representation at the federal cabinet?
It is not a failure. It is a neglect of the zone because these issues have been highlighted several times, even before I became the national vice chairman of PDP in the South East. I also championed this cause when I was a youth leader of PDP. All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and several Igbo groups have also agitated for these including former governors. So, we have been neglected.


So who is to be blamed for the neglect, is it Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) or which party?
I won’t say that PDP as a party has neglected the South East but I can say it over and over again that the South East has not been treated well. We are beyond the issue of House of Representatives Speaker. What we are asking for is beyond that. We are bothered about equal representation and equitable distribution of national wealth.
But you are not going to table the agitation of your people before the government of the ACN or Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). If you can’t get anything for your people under the PDP, where else do you want to go?
The PDP has never failed the people of the South East but has failed to have a role in governance. The truth is that for the past 12 years the party has never had a position on governance in the country. The past Federal Government failed to have a clear role in governance. All you hear was that the politicians should not have a role in governance. They were saying the parties should concern themselves with organising congresses and settling disputes. The new leadership of PDP is now canvassing for the participation of professionals and party men in governance by charting a new course for the nation.
To what extend have you engaged the governors of the South East in ensuring that the dividends of democracy are provided for the people to start with at home?
In 2008, good politicians and the governors of PDP in the South East ensured that I was elected as national vice chairman of PDP. I would ever remain grateful to them for that honour. The issue of my influence over them as national vice chairman has been minimised. In 2010, I assisted the President to win the party’s primaries as well as all the governors in the South East. We were there for them during the planning of their election campaigns and manifestoes and we mobilised resources for them, so whatever favour they have done for me, we have repaid them. We also assisted our candidates who vied for House of Assembly and National Assembly polls. So now is the time to start the business of working for our people in ensuring that the dividends of democracy get to them. The most important thing for us is to swing into action within the first two or three months because if we fail to plan with them within the first one year in office, we may never have control over them.


There have been controversies as to what the South East PDP leaders negotiated with President Goodluck Jonathan before leading the people to endorse him. What did you demand from the President on behalf of the people?
I was never involved. The governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo were involved in that. When I challenged the governors that they have not been carrying the leadership of the party along all through the negotiation with the President they apologised and promised to involve everybody and since then we have resoled to work together on that.


How long do you think the Igbo can wait to actualise the dream of producing an elected president?
When the environment is right and when our people understand what leadership is all about. For now, our people do not understand what leadership is all about. God appoints and gives leaders to the people based on what they deserve. It would happen when our people stop infighting, work together and be united as we are doing right now. Then God would smile on us and say this is the time to produce the president of the country. We don’t want to produce a president that would be stopped by court injunction from performing his duty. Our people are becoming more matured and exposed about political happenings now. Maybe now God will continue to consider us but God was right in the past.

It is said in some quarters that the Igbo have settled for the post of vice president come 2015. How true is it?
We are focused now with what we shall get from the current dispensation under President Goodluck Jonathan. Our approach is that we don’t bother him too much such that he would be distracted from performing his duties as president. If you help to produce somebody and he gets elected as President, you should not bother him too much. If you elect a man in Jonathan’s posture, all you need is to trust him and allow him to work. If there are things to discuss or negotiate with him, then we will do that diligently by involving all those that matter.

http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=34538

pdp power :d :d :d

vicenzo:
Seriously,anybody that thinks that GEJ will only stay for four years must be naieve,i wouldn't even be suprised if he breaks the third term jinx,but he won't get ndiigbo's vote easy this time around,not even if he changes his name to ojukwu.

pls can u shut ur mouth please

[quote author=black.rules link=topic=677092.msg8410310#msg8410310 date=1306596948]This is the first Igbo Man I hear beat his wife. [/quote]you are joking right

their have been 1000s of igbo men from america to nigeria beating their wives and sometimes killing them

where have u been

thank God this one did not die

Ngodigha:
We hope to see another round of demonstration like the one in the photograph here. Shameless people.

monkeyleg:
This guys really sees things differently.

yeah while our president is spending billions on inaugration and millions on church inauguration

fresh air 2011

why cannibalism chai!!!

[quote author=isale_gan2 link=topic=675773.msg8407730#msg8407730 date=1306548769]How do you explain his name if it was before the intro of Islam?

BTW, Good job, my brother. [/quote]yeah thanks, but don't forget the fulani and arabs have been in northern nigeria ever since history so maybe there was some mixing of culture

moreover kanuris have been muslims ever since history so it may also be because some hausas mixed with kanuris

chuqudy:
chuqudy is from biafra

is biafra nigeria

Calculia:
To make sense, they must accept that 2 million people died in the Nigerian civil War, tens of thousands were violated, properties destroyed and bank account cancelled with the exception of #20 for all bank account holders.

They must accept that they contributed to the cause of the coup wen they started their tribal politics of carpet cross after Azikiwe won a free and fair election.

They must accept that #1.5 billion naira is no compensation but a gesture of reconciliation and good will, and they dare not approach this thread while am on it to make ignorant statement or no reasoning.

saintneo:
Dividing the country is justifiable. It was a decision to protect the citizens of the east from the pogroms, a period to which anyone that is Igbo is seen as the enemy(prior to the civil war).

IMHO, I believe that the GCFR** should be awarded to Ikemba and Effiong, they both led a part of Nigeria during the most trying times. In addition, some streets/roads/crescents/dual-carriage-ways should be named after these illustrious Nigerians. It is high time Nigeria healed the wounds of divide the keeps witch-hunting its populace. All the towns, villages, roads bearing Igbo names in pre-civil war times to be returned to their original names.

Easterners fought to protect themselves, they fought for the right to exist, they fought for what every black man is still fighting today - a fight for independence.

Finally, the money being earmarked for the these areas affected by conflict should be wisely used to improve these areas and the people inhabiting them.

to be honest here, forget the usual alj harem character

I agree that igbos fought to protect themselves from pogroms

i also agree that igbo or SE should be compensated one way or the other

i agree that 1.5 billion is rubbish compare to the lost of igbos, moreover, he should channel sure money to develop the se not just giving it to ojukwu because ojukwu did not die neither did his family lost their lifes

now

i disagree that ojukwu should be made as a hero, infact he should be a villein not because he fough aganist biafra but because he left igbos to die and fled and also he had the opprunity to have negosiated with sw leader awo or even the mid-western leader (the table was full of options) instead he was arrogant.

he even invaded neutrals like mid-west and SW

i disagree because during those time 20 pounds was a lot of money, moreover, the war cost the country a lot of money

ileke-idi, forget kanto

and pls delete those post

thanks, some igbos hate yoruba and it is nothing new

just ignore him

Calculia:
Both u clowns should perhaps consider taking up pastoring, just let us not here any funny business with the kids

so u see no sense in what he wrote sad

[quote author=bk.babe97y link=topic=676435.msg8407511#msg8407511 date=1306542857]In sane societies, when a Military official commits a Treasonable Felony against the State i.e a coup, the penalty for that is usually death by firing squad or by hanging. If [just] an attempt to take over Government could warrant such punishment, how then is it that an attempt TO DIVIDE THE COUNTRY  by force automatically attracts a monetary compensation?! In most societies Ojukwu would have been a folk hero by now.

While I will never advocate another man's death, especially not one whom I admire and respect like the Ikemba, I still think it is utterly irresponsible of the Nigerian Govt. to honor, financially, a man that sort to split the country. If Nigeria had been divided as Ojuwkwu planned, who will be paying him now? But then again, tis is the same man that welcomed Bode George from prison by holding a huge party on his behalf!

Like I said over a year ago (check my old posts) I wont be surprised if  (when Ojukwu dies) the Federal Govt. of Nigeria not only honors him with a National Burial and a public holiday in his memory, I wouldnt be surprised if they also honored him with a post humous Medal complete with National Honors. Imagine if the United States  decided to honor Timothy Mcveigh or Terry Nichols. . . . .

Nigeria, what a waste of valuable land space. Theres no time, though, that yall aint gonna go to war. 'Cause, eventually, all the bullshiyyt has to be settled once and for all. Spreading the money as wastefully as possible aint gone save yall, theres gotta be a "few good men" still lurking around your country somewhere thats tired of all this crap.

What a fuxcking sad and unserious country![/quote]

Words my brother, words

sorry to derail but you can read about igala history here, quite interest

http://igalaassociationusa.org/ViewContent.aspx?id=13

[quote author=~Bluetooth link=topic=676435.msg8407406#msg8407406 date=1306540094]What is all these talk the talk ? Abeg the money should be donated to ojuku's burial.[/quote]na u way wan kill am ?

Toaskarity:
WHY DNT YOU START NOW! ATLEAST THE ONE HERE IS GETTING US INVOLVED IN THE GOVT!!

so u want me to die brother

i thought we were good brother

[quote author=Chyz* link=topic=676435.msg8407255#msg8407255 date=1306537376]Lol, when did Lagos get bombered? and also, did the articles say the families that died from the East were getting compensated? Dude, you are brain dead.[/quote]post like a 15 yrs old boy and not 7 yrs old

boy grow up

Onlytruth:
@alj_harem

You missed me sooooo much!  

yeah man i do

how is ur family na, how they are ok brother

Toaskarity:
ALREADY YOU GUYS ARE COMMITING SUICIDE!!!

yes we are and after that, the remaining one of us would then hug a 100000M volt cable

jason123:
Those were random examples!!! I did not insult anyone!
Including the families that died in the Lagos bomb, Ore and the Mid-west How much were they compensated with

As for you, you cannot for ONCE in your "know it all mind" think out of the box in fairness, spirit and truth. All that is in your mind is paranoia and anxiety. Bed belle is not a good thing.

Simple answer what I stated with insulting since I have not insulted anyone. Even for southern unity to be acheved, there needs to be fairness. You cannot favour some people over others. That is not how life is. The Whole country including individual regions, fought a war. How come you support the compensation of Biafrans without compensating others?? Look, I am not here to start this your yoruba vs igbo poo, simply counter my points or move on!

good responds to onlylies jason

good one

onlytruth brother, how na

Toaskarity:
what kind of hatered do you guys(esp. from the west) really got for igbos!!!! see how you are complaining just for this little money!(yet  you dnt talk about the billions to the ex millitant.) i wonder what most of you will do if somebody from the se becomes the president :-x :-x :-x

we would commit suicide if that happens

[quote author=Chyz* link=topic=676435.msg8407179#msg8407179 date=1306536257]Ex-federal nigerian soldier were compensated.Stop speaking out your azz dumb-shyt. smh.[/quote]how u dey brother gay man

[size=15pt]Momodu Ayinla Lamuye the most zealous muslim yoruba king (oba)[/size]

Momodu Ayinla Lamuye was a titled Nigerian traditional ruler who held the office of Oluwo of Iwo. He is considered one of the most zealous Muslim Obas in Yoruba land during the nineteenth century and used his office to consolidate the religion in his domain.

Life

Lamuye was born to the family of Oluwo Ogunmakinde Anide. Interestingly, he was given the Muslim name of Momodu at birth.
He succeeded his father but his choice drew complaints from Iwo traditional religion adherents within the royal households who raised concerns about his practice of Islam and how he would be able to carry out with traditional rituals. Lamuye doused the tension by accepting to give necessary assistance to officials involved in traditional rites.
Lamuye's reign witnessed a gradual growth in Islam in the town. However, it is noted that Islam preceded the reign of Lamuye in Iwo, it was supposedly established in the town during the reign of Oluwo Alawusa (c. 1795-1820). However, another Iwo tradition dates the beginning of the religion in Iwo to a man called Momodu an itinerant preacher during the reign of Oluwo Layilumi who died around 1750.

In 1863, he had to deal with a revolt in his domain led by the Balogun, Alli who was a powerful leader prior to the coronation of Lamuye. He succeeded in containing the revolt by recruiting loyalist troops to quell the rebellion and contacting Bashorun Ogunmola to allow Alli to remain in exile in Ibadan.

[size=15pt]Ooni of Ife a female called Luwo Gbagida and her son Adekola Telu the founding father of Iwoland[/size]
Iwo is an indigenous town in Osun State and it has all the characteristics of Yoruba settlement. The Iwo people, like all other people of Yoruba stock are said to have originally belonged to Ile-Ife from where they migrated sometimes in the 14th century. The earliest settlement initiated by Adekola Telu a prince from Ife. Adekola Telu was the son of the 16th Ooni of Ife a female called Luwo Gbagida.

When Adekola Telu became an adult, he was willing to become an Oba and when her mother Ooni Luwo Gbagida noticed his son’s ambition to become an Oba, she quickly gave him a gift of crown and other valuable materials of kingship. Oba Luwo also provided some wise men to follow his son in his adventure to discover his own kingdom. Among the wise men that followed Telu on his journey were Ba-Gidigbo and Beku. Without further delay, Prince Adekola Telu left Ile-Ife with his man. Prince Adekola Telu and his men first settled at Ogundigbaro. No sooner than they settled at Ogundigbaro, Prince Adekola Telu discovered that the area Ogundigbaro was water logged and without further delay Adekola and his men left the area for a place called Erunmu today. Prince Telu in a longer distance a time, he again left Erunmu area because of the wild animals around the area that destroys his people’s farm crops.

After the Telu’s exit from Erunmu, he and his people settled at Igbo-Orita, along Ibadan–Iwo road which
was at a distance of about 5 kilometers from the present Iwo centre. After the death of Telu, Prince Parin one of his successors moved to a new settlement called Iwo. He was installed the first Oluwo of Iwo around the 16th century and he reigned for six to seven decades. Parin divided Iwo into four major quarters. Isale Oba, Molete, Oke Adan and Gidgbo. Each quarter was in order the command of a chief chosen by the Oba.

Iwo is situated in the midst of a reach agricultural area. It performs central place functions in respect of numerous settlements within a radius of about 32 to 48 kilometers from Ikire-Ile, Kuta, Ileogbo, Oluponna and Ogbaagba at a distance of 45 kilometres from Oyo and Osogbo respectively and 186 kilometres from the Lagos State of Nigeria. The provision of good facilities for trade and commerce can easily strengthen Iwo’s position as a trading centre especially for foodstuff, meat, fish, and timber.

[size=15pt]Perebo-kala-bari (King Kalabari) the first Kalabari king[/size]

IZON (Ijo or Ijaw) gave birth to: Mein, Tarakiri & Oporoza
MEIN gave birth to: Ugo (Ogo or Pere-kor 1 of Ogobiri)
UGO gave birth to: Perebo-kala-bari (King Kalabari)
                         

In the first place, the name 'kalabari' is taken from the second part of the name of the founder and first ancestor of the Kalabari people, King Perebo-kalabari. From the sketch above, it is clear that Perebo-kalabari was the son of Ugo the son of Mein, the son of Izon (Ijo or Ijaw). Perebo-kalabari the first son of Ugo lived in Ogobiri.

He became the monarch after the death of his father. He had a wife from Isoko who was accused of witchcraft. He had to escape with her to a far town to avoid her death. While in this new place of refuge, he became very  wealthy and famous which led to envy by the people there. He then decided to migrate further,in search of his brother Kengema, to somewhere near the present Emohua (called Amafo by the Kalabaris). When he arrived there, Kengema had left the place.

Nevertheless, he decided to settle there with his people, hence the place became known as "Kengemabe Kalabari". While here, Perebo-kalabari was joined by his brother and cousin, Owoume and Igodo respectively. Thus, three of them became the first 3 chiefs of the place with Perebo-kalabari as the paramount and so, the first king of Kalabari. In the course of time, Perebo-kalabari died and was buried in Obu Amafo (back of Emuoha) which was now "Kengemabe Kalabari".

Following his death, Owoume became the second King instead of Prince Ende the first son of Perebo-kalabari. During the reign of King Owoume, the Kalabaris had some ritual assasination problems with their close neigbhours. This led to revenge and fighting. Once again, the Kalabaris had to leave for a safer place. They came to the place known today as Elem Kalabari (Old Shipping). For them, it was Iwo Kalabari. Later, King Owoume also died and his son Opu-koroye became the third King of Kalabari. It should be pointed out that Prince Ende, the first son of Perebo-kalabari died while King Owoume was still reigning. From King Opu-koroye to the civil war in 1879, thirteen (13) kings reigned with King Amakiri (Amachree I) becoming the most powerful and most popular of all the Kings of Kalabari. It was after the civil war in 1881 that the three major Kalabari towns - Abonnema, Bakana and Buguma dispersed to their present sites.


Past Kings of this great Kingdom

1.  King Perebo-kala-bari  
   (Kalabari)          
2. King Owoume    
3. King Opu-koroye  
4. King Owuere-ye Daba  
5. King Igbessa  
    (alias Igbo-ye Owibo)
6. King Kamalo
   (alias King Robert)  
7. King Mangiye Suku
   (Duke Monmouth)    
8. King Igonibo
9. King Ngbesa
10. King Omuye
11. King Bokoye
12. King Daba
13. King Kalagbea

[quote author=Kilode?! link=topic=675773.msg8406543#msg8406543 date=1306528548]@Alh Harem great job so far, please try and edit your posts into shorter paragraphs so people can read them easily, you know all these "small small" children of today have very little patience

How is the dye business going? [/quote]sure man , i would see what i can do

yeah it is going as planned

[size=15pt]legendary Kalabari King Amakiri[/size]

It is a common thing to keep the beginning and the ending of heroes shrouded in mystery and myth. But objective history and historians go after facts and figures which are accurate or very close to accurate. If there was one person whose account of his beginning has been so distorted, it was King Amakiri (AmachreeI) the legendary Kalabari king who, by all standards, has been the greatest King the Kalabaris have ever had.

Having a humble beginning cannot preclude the possibility of ascendancy unto greatness, power and wealth in one's later life. Such was the case of the legendary King Amakiri. Amakiri as a boy, was brought to Elem Kalabari during the reign of King Daba ( alias Igbo-ye Owibo ). King Daba was a trader in permkernel and oil and he had a trade depot in Opukolo in Ogbia region. During the course of his trading, he became friendly to one Ikpariba of Amakalekale of Ogbia, the father of young Amakiri. A crisis erupted in Ogbia that led to the death of Ikpariba, leaving young Amakiri. King Daba, because of his friendship with late Ikpariba, took Amakiri and brought him to Elem Kalabari. He gave him over to his wife Queen Okuma to bring him up as she would her own child. It was King Daba that gave him the name, Jen amakiri bobo ( meaning, "he who came from another land" shortened to Amakiri. In the course of time, King Daba died and his son Kala I gbea (meaning, a small place in life does not befit me) shortened to Kalagbea became the 13th ancient King of Kalabari. Sometime in the course of his stay in Elem Kalabari, Amakiri was afflicted with yaws (pirimaobi in kalabari). He was taken to Ke for treatment and placed under the custody of one Omoni. After he became cured, he decided to make Ke his base shuttling between there and Elem Kalabari. Amakiri became, at that time, a wealthy fisher primarily of mudskippers (isila). King Kalagbea also died and from the list above, it is seen that Amakiri (corrupted as Amachree) succeeded him.

Donlittle:
@alj hareem,
i think you are just one those hausa that should be respected, dnt mind my crazy jokes on you, i dnt mean them
i owe you man, enough respect for yall especially you my man

its cool man

[size=15pt]Ningi (1827-1850) the founder of Ningi present day bauchi state[/size]

Ningi state was founded by an enclave of Islamic scholars known as the Mallams in the 18th century (around 1827) under the leadership of Hamza. Ningi leaders were hitherto called Mallams until early the 19th century. Fa,awa are the first tribe to gain the benefit of western education, but the remaining tribe came to ningi as visitors and they remain due to the abundant food item provided by Fa,awa people.

According to legend, Hamza migrated with forty other Mallams and their families from Tsakuwar Kano, in the present day Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State, in 1827. They settled eastward at Mara in the present day's Lame district of the Toro, Nigeria local government area in Bauchi State. The Mallams were protesting the payment of a tax called Kudin Kasa in the Kano Emirate during the reign of Sarkin Kano Mohammed Bello. While at Mara, Sheikh Hamza used his Islamic knowledge and dexterity to convince the local people under their leader called Dandaura to break their allegiance of the Amanah Agreement; entered into with the Fulani Emirate in which they paid tribute (jizya) to the leader. By 1830, in order to change the status quo, Hamza had to crush Dandaura and remain the undisputed leader. He immediately brought all the neighboring stateless societies, especially the Butawa, Fa'awa, Warjawa, Kudawa, Sirawa, under his control. This act became a threat to the peace and security of the neighboring emirates of Bauchi, Kano, and Zaria. As a result, Bauchi and Kano combined their forces and launched an attack on Hamza.
With the death of Hamza, the people suffered from the loss but remained organized and selected Ahmadu in 1850 to be their leader. He reigned for five years and died in 1855. The people chose Hamza's son-in-law, Abubakar Danmaje, as the next leader. Unlike his predecessors, Danmaje started an expansionist policy and devised very effective raiding strategies. He raided far and wide to Kano, Hadejia, Katagum, Jamare, Gombe, Zaria, Birnin Gwari, Kontagora, Wukari, and even Illorin. Danmaje found it necessary to raid so as to recruit slaves into his ranks. The result was the creation of a strong, formidable, and insurmountable force with commanded by him. This force was known as Mai Tabaryar Mashi.


Apart from the expansion of the territory and establishment of a powerful force, the Danmaje reign was significant for the movement of the people to the old Ningi, situated in a strategic and frontier position surrounded by hills. It was the obscure location of the place that earned Ningi its name, which in the Butawa language means "hiding place." With such a strategic position, Danmaje continued the campaign by intensifying his sporadic raids. In fact Bauchi feared Danmaje so much that the emir of Bauchi, Ibrahim had to establish Kafin-Madaki; with the sole aim of preventing him from entering Bauchi. Kafin Madaki was however to serve as a dog watch with the specific instruction of not confronting Danmaje but quickly reporting any move made by the Ningawa to raid Bauchi.


After Danmaje's death in 1870 his successor, Haruna Karami, continued the expansionist policy with the strong backing of his able lieutenant Usman Danyaya, the then barden of Ningi. Haruna died in 1886 and Abubakar Gajigi was appointed the leader. Abubakar maintained Ningi's struggle to survive as a state of its own without losing any territory to the neighboring emirates.


Then came the reign of Usman Danyaya. Considering its history as an independent state with an organized system of administration based on Islamic provisions, the British modernized the system by making Ningi a native authority. By this act Ningi became one of the few areas to be made a native authority the very year the British came into the administration of northern Nigeria.


Usman was succeeded by Mamuda, who was under the guidance of the British. This continued with Musa Dangwido (1905-1906) and Mallam Mamuda again (1906-1908). Adamu Danyaya was the longest to reign as the Emir of Ningi, having ruled for 32 years. The present Emir Yunusa Mohammadu Danyaya, who came into power in early 1978, is so far the second longest reign; having ruled over 30 years now.

to read more about bonny and igbo history

http://thenazarean..com/2010/11/king-in-title-and-in-deed-always-just.html

[size=15pt]Opuamakuba, his brother Kala-Beni (Alagbariye or Alagba-ari-gha), Asikunuma alias Okpara Asimini and the bonny civil war[/size]

The Ibani Ibe are situated in present day Rivers State. They took their name from Kala-Beni (Ibeni) corrupted to Ibani (or Igbani). The founding ancestors of the Ibani (Ibeni or Beni the original name) came from the central delta clan of Kolokuma, specifically the Isedani lineage of Kolokuma who had founded Okoloba. The traditions say that they left Kolokuma because of civil conflict. Although the exact time of the conflict is unknown, we can place the movement out of Kolokuma between 13th and 15th century CE (AD). The leaders of the migration were Opuamakuba, his brother Kala-Beni (Alagbariye or Alagba-ari-gha) and Asikunuma alias Okpara Asimini. Leading the families northwards, they first settled in the now Ndoki territory where they encamped for some time (prince Edimini the great grandson of Opuamakuba was born here). They moved from the Ndoki area, but left behind some of their people, these inter-married with the southern Ibo and gave birth to the Ndoki people founding among others villages such as Okolomakiri, Ayama, Osobie and Oruama or Azuogu. The ancestors then settled in the now Ogoni area and encamped at a site where Opuoko town now stands (thus the name Opu-Oko. from that place a village called Kala-Oko was founded).

Kala-Beni being a hunter went hunting one day and came across the site of Bonny town where he saw many birds. He returned to report to Opuamakuba that there was good land to settle on further south. Opuamakuba then made the decision to leave the main land, first to Orubiri (Orupiri) where Opuamakuba died. Kala-Beni then lead the group to the site of Bonny town which they named Okoloama. It was also called Okoloba (after the Okoloba which they came from). Kala-Beni became the founder, and the whole group were subsequently called the people of Ibeni (Beni), which was corrupted to Ibani. Kala-Beni also established a shrine dedicated to Opuamakuba called Kala-Ikuba. The first crowned ruler was one Asimini, followed by a succession of rulers called Amayanabo (Amananabo in the western delta).

The City State, which was to become known as Grand Bonny, was made up of the following towns and villages. Okoloma (Bonny town), Finima, Ayama (old settlement of the Andoni), Kalaibiama, Abalamabie, Ayambo, Asaramatoru, (old Asarama of the Andoni), Epelematubu, Oboma, Kuruma, Epelema, Oloma, Ayamina and lastly Orubiri (i.e. Orupiri the first settlement).

In 1867-70 a civil war at Bonny resulted in the foundation of Opobo. Led by one Alabo Jack Jaja (Jubojubogha, also known later as King Jaja) of the house of Opubo Perekule, a section migrated and Jaja became their king. Thus Opobo derived from Ibani.

The foundation of Ibani is pre 13th century AD, while the foundation of the offspring Opobo was between 1867-1870 AD.

[size=15pt]Queen Kambasa the First queen of Bonny and considered the first queen from the Niger Delta.[/size]


Queen Kambasa of Bonny was a Nigerian ruler who was the first queen of Bonny and considered the first queen from the Niger Delta.
Kambasa was a successor of King Edimini, her father, while her grandfather, King Asimini, was a famous amanyanabo or ruler in Bonny. Asimini introduced the trade with Europeans in Bonny and is thought to have created Bonny's first royal line. Prior to Asimini, kingship in Bonny was given to the oldest man, a priest or very important person.
As a queen, kambasa was quite successful due in part to the inherited structure she and her father were handed. King Asimini who introduced trade with the Europeans controlled the trade with the Europeans and the chiefs traded through his influence. During the time of his influence, Bonny depended on goods from up the Imo River in Ndoki and Ogoni land. When Kambass grew up, she was betrothed to Opoli of Azuogu from Ndokiland, partly to enhance the trade relationship between Ndoki and Bonny. While married, Kambasa was fairly liberated in disposition, and she took to a lover, Biriye. Before her father's death, she returned to Bonny to take care of him. After his death, she was crowned king when she seized the symbol of kingship, the ivory tusk and was able to make the king makers crown her. Demonstrating her knowledge of survival politics, she surrounded herself with loyal palace guards
As queen, she created a military unit and served as an arts patron. She is also associated with the cult of the war god, Ikuba.
Some historians have disputed her role as a queen mostly because it is an anomaly to have a queen during her period.