King Jaja’s rise from treachery to the throne continues to fascinate me not simply for standing up against Imperialist oppressors, his place of birth, Amaigbo, is just a stone throw from my village. Born free, he was shackled into slavery and ended up founding Opobo in 1869.

That is my attraction to Opobo, a town in today’s Rivers State. I grew up to know the place as Egwenga, where one of my cousins was born in the First Republic. Curiously, that part, with  Opukulama, is now in  the Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The name (Ikpa) Ibekwe is associated with Egwenga. It reminds me of Dr. Walter Ibekwe Ofonagoro, a prominent Historian and son of Amaigbo who once served as Nigeria’s minister of Information. By the way, History and Prof. Sylvanus Sodienye Cookey, are one. The strong attachment to Jaja’s place of birth remains, as much as the affinity to Bonny.

One interesting story is that the British, unable to stomach Jaja’s control of trade in the hinterland, deceived and exiled him. From a kangaroo trial in Accra, the King was taken to London and later Saint Vincent before the abductors settled for Barbados. His presence there stirred rebellion.Jaja never returned to Opobo alive. He died in 1891, on his way back and was buried in Tenerife, Canary Island. Today, his bones rest in Opobo.

Another Amaigbo man, Richard Ihetu, who chose the ring name Dick Tiger, made Jaja proud, in death. The pugilist conquered the British Empire, in Birkenhead, Liverpool on March 27, 1958. Home boy, Paul McAteer, was battered by the African who ended up with the British Empire Middleweight boxing title. Today, two high schools in Amaigbo are named after King Jaja and Dick Tiger.

Yes, Opobo is a town of great sports people. Judy and Bella Bell – Gam remain the first Nigerian twins to win international gold medals. Judy earned gold in the 100 meters Hurdles at the Algiers 1978 Third All Africa Games. Bella grabbed the pentathlon gold. Both ran together in the Hurdles, Bella won bronze. Emmanuel and Celestine Babayaro became the only Nigerian siblings to win Olympic gold. That happened at Atlanta 1996.

These are Amaigbo men.

Jaja was a warrior whose influence extended from Opobo to areas in today’s Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Imo States. He sent soldiers to fight for the British in the Ashanti Wars and was rewarded by Queen Victoria. The town produced a Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Kenneth Tobias Minimah. I know of Col.John Joshua Brown (N/71), the JJ before Ghana’s Jerry Rawlings.

Unfortunately, Opobo, like many towns in the Eastern Region, went through hell during the Civil War. One account says Federal troops, led by Lt. Col Ayo Ariyo desecrated King Jaja’s palace and it is believed that the golden sword from Queen Victoria disappeared with them.

Opobo was born out of Bonny and both towns have historical links with Igbo land. The Civil War showed this connection. King Jaja III, Douglas Jaja took refuge in Biafra. Amanyanabo of Bonny, William Dappa Pepple also lived in Biafra.

What separated them was fate. While the Amanyanabo of Opobo returned to his kingdom in 1970, the Amanyanabo of Bonny who moved from Enugu to Aba, died in exile in 1972. The throne was restored after the time of Alfred Diette – Spiff as governor. Today, his son, Asimini William Dappa Pepple III rules as Perekule XI.

I have  come across names of great men and women of Opobo extraction. Sir Gabriel Toby, former Deputy Governor and father of the journalist, Ibim Semenitari, ex – Managing Director of NDDC, Atedo Peterside of IBTC, Dakuku Peterside, formerly of NIMASA and Governor Sim Fubara.

I thought Toby and Justice Niki Tobi were related until I noticed the different name spellings. In May 2008,  on a flight from Lagos to Abuja, I sat beside Tobi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court who was appointed to head the National Political Reform Conference by president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005.

Tobi is a familiar name in Opobo. He read the Supreme Court judgment that restored calm in 2003, following more than  two decades of uncertainty after the passage of King Douglas Jaja, in 1980. There were litigations, from a River State high court presided over by Justice Iche Ndu, the tussle got to the Appeal Court where Justice Ndoma Egba ruled.

The Supreme Court, through Justice Tobi decided that : “It is not disputed that the Amanyanaboship is not by inheritance. The Jaja Executive Authority, as far as chieftaincy in Opobo is concerned, is irrelevant. It exists only to promote the solidarity of Jaja’s House.”

King Douglas Jaja was indeed a man with nine lives. He was crowned Amanyanabo in 1936, stepped aside in 1942, came back after about a decade, fled because of the Civil War, returned in 1970 to face more battles but emerged stronger before death called in 1980.

His successor, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja looks so much like the royals of Amaigbo. I just do not know how better to explain it beyond History and Blood. Jaja has continued to wine and dine with the South – East.

Opobo embraced Western education early enough. As early as 1881, King Jaja”s son, Prince Waribo, aged 12 was studying in England. Sadly, he died a year later after a cricket game. He was buried overseas.

Those interested in Polo will find Opobo quite interesting. King Jaja never owned horses, he was more into war canoes. However, Opobo is divided into 14 sections. Each section is called Polo. There are 67 War Canoe Houses. 

The good thing about Ibani tradition in Opobo is that the people, even with their exposure to different cultures, have their own distinct way of conducting affairs. For instance, an Amanyanabo emerges through selection, not election.

I have tried to find out why there is no direct traffic from Amaigbo to Opobo. The King Jaja school in Amaigbo reminds the world that their lost son will never be forgotten. Ndi Opobo could make a pilgrimage to Imo State.  Regatta must hold on River Nwangele. And should they need anyone to fight for them, there are many Dick Tigers waiting.