Okerewa Community is a town located in Aleto Clan of Eleme Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria.

The town comprises four main sub-communities locally termed “compounds” by its indigenes, which are thought to have originated from four founding brothers who settled in that area and agreed to unite their compounds. These compounds are:

Mgbimbgii Compound
Aarah Compound
Eteeh Compound
Ngo-Osarogo Compound

Okerewa’s population is predominantly from the Eleme ethnic group, which speaks the Eleme language; however, English is also widely spoken in schools and official functions. Okerewa has a population size of about ten thousand persons, both indigenes and non-indigenes.

The current paramount ruler of Okerewa Community is Chief Amb. Eteeh Osaro Elechi, he was chosen by the people of Okerewa as their paramount ruler in the year 2014.

Administratively, before the era of enthroning a traditional ruler to rule, Okerewa community was usually led by its oldest male citizen until the 90’s when the Eleme traditional institution led by HRM, Ngei A.O. Ngei recognized the status and autonomy of Okerewa community with a few others to form part of his new administrative creations.

History

The origin of Okerewa community traces back to the birth of four brothers by a man called Okerewa, each founding one of the town’s main compound. Oral traditions suggest that this alliance was based on mutual agreements for defence and shared resources.

Over the years, Okerewa has experienced both internal and external challenges, including disputes over land and resources.

From the late 20th century, the community’s relationship with companies operating in the Niger Delta, particularly Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, significantly influenced its modern history. In the 1970s, vast farmlands in the community were acquired by the Nigerian government for the establishment of Eleme Petrochemical, which was later privatized and acquired by Indorama in 2006.

During this acquisition, the Federal Government granted host communities, including Okerewa, a 7.5% share of Indorama’s dividends. However, the management of these dividends led to years of internal conflict, distrust, and stagnation in development, culminating in legal battles and violent clashes from 2012 to 2018.

In 2019, a resolution was reached, leading to the creation of the Okerewa Community Development Initiative (OCDI), a body tasked with managing the community’s share of the dividends.

Since its formation, the OCDI, currently led by Hon. Benjamin Ngokanya, has since worked on various development initiatives, focusing on infrastructure, education, security, human capita development and local enterprise. This has led to peace in the community making it a business haven with an influx of both businessmen and women including house occupants.

Today Okerewa community through the Okerewa Community Development Initiative (OCDI) boast of an educational system that grant all her undergraduates scholarship of Five hundred thousand naira annually, Masters students One Million naira and PhD students Two million naira.

Okerewa community also prides herself of a Multipurpose Cooperative that gives loans, a digital smart farm with different species of crops and animals, a security architecture that is 24 hours responsive, a hospital that is 80 percent complete, Microfinance bank in view amongst other achievements.