The Asagba Famly Of Okpe Urhobo of Nigeria
By Prince Joseph O Asagba – A scientific follow up
Asagba raised a lot of issues in his article and it will be totally wrong to ignore him. Some of these issues are lies to reduce and ridicule the great Warri kingdom, and it will be wrong to let Asagba be, without straightening out most of his erroneous or at least biased presentations.
1. Asagba claimed that Okpe is a kingdom. Okpe is not a kingdom! Ikime (1995); Talbot(1926); Roth(1903); Ajayi, Tekena Tamuno etc who are renowned masters of History , made it clear that no kingdom emerged in Urhobo-Isoko area, or what is now termed Delta-Edoid region. Only Warri and Aboh were kingdoms in the Niger Delta sub region.
2. Unbalanced chronology. According to Asagba Igboze lived about 1500. His direct son Okpe lived between 1664-1740 AD. This means Igboze was more than 150 years older than his direct son. Readers ! imagine the type of terrible historian Asagba is!
3. Okpe kingdom was established by a wicked, brutal and terrible king – Esezi, according to Asagba – who lived between 1770- 1779. This was a period when the Portuguese, the French, the Dutch and other Europeans were trading along the coast of the Niger Delta. Yet, no chronicler wrote on such a wonderful king. The Kings of Jukun, Igala, Katsina – far in the hinterland were mentioned. The chroniclers were mostly in Ode-Isekiri and Benin, yet they did not hear of KING ESEZI – the brutal – in the neighbourhood.
4. Slave trade issue . Asagba mentioned that Owhere, Ogiegba(Odjegba) and Orholor were slave traders, without citing any historic document to back himself. Asagba, you lie. The Okpe were no slave traders. Talbot(1926), Bradbury, Adams(1823) Roth (1903) etc, said Urhobos (including Okpe) were no slave dealers; that they themselves served as slaves to Jekri(Isekiri) and Binis(Roth 1903).
5. Owhere led the revolution that ousted Esezi I. Esezi I was a fake monarch. A creation of Urhobocentricism in modern Nigerian historiography. Ovie Atua of a section of Isoko(Ifediora 1999), Ogoni Erhowhuo of Effurun((Uvwie) together with other kings purported to have ruled in Oghara, Udu, were all BRUTAL KINGS coined by Delta-Edoid groups to make them equal to Isekiri. Read Ekeh (2005), Onigu(2003), Osume(2007) for these wonderful kings. Only in Urhobo land you have such wonderful kings whose influences never extended for more than one kilometer from their little hamlets. Asagba! Owhere never caused any revolution against King Esezi! Such a king only existed in Urhobo imagination!
6. Ogoni was son of Evwreke. This is a lie from the pit of hell. Oguni(corrupted to Ogoni by Okpe) was a son of Olu Atogbuwa – 14th Olu of Warri.(Honsbira and St.Ifa 2011; 2013); Atigbiofor 1987(Oral interview). When Oguni(Ogoni) became annoyed after being shortchanged by Erejuwa in becoming Olu, he decided to move towards Okpe to found a chiefdom. Oguni met some Bini people serving Aghalokpe tree at the present site of Aghalokpe. He chased them out and established a town which he called Aghalokpe after the tree worshipped by the Bini people(Honsbira and St.Ifa 2011;2013); Olu Erejuwa II(1982 oral interview). Because Oguni refused to return to Ode-Isekiri(Iwere, laterWarri) the Isekiri created his name into a title (Ogoni of Warri Kingdom). The name of one of his sons (Itive) ; was also made into chieftaincies in Isekiri(Moore 1936). It was because the Ogoni descendant are warming up for Orodjeship that they are claiming to be sons of Evwreke, Michael Affe(2015) was totally wrong in his position for saying that people wanted to scheme them out of Orodjeship that is why they are saying they are Isekiri. It is they who are fighting for Orodjeship that are now claiming Okpe. In RB Kerr intelligence report on Okpe Urhobo, they claimed that Ogoni went to stay with Olu. Why will he go and stay with Olu. They also lied that Oguni brought swords from Oba of Benin, while in reality he brought swords(ada) from Olu. So much for discrepancies in Okpe history. Let a DNA test be carried out on Aghalokpe people and they will sooner or later be chased with hot coals to Bateren to join the Olu descendants. Too much of lies! This DNA test must be carried out. Enough of these dangerous lies. Asagba! Enough!
7. Ogiegba (Odjegba) defeated Olomu(the father of Nana and another 105 children , including Igben, Oghanrandukun, Atsagbede, Omaghomi etc) . To reply to this gross lie we see the character of Olomu. Obaro Ikime(1995) quoting an earlier writer declared ‘Olomu was the wisest man on the Niger(sic the confluence area to the Atlantic). Roth(1903) describes Olomus house as “more [polished than that of the Oba of Benin, The walls are like marble”; Anderson described him as the wisest of all traders in the deltan coast. Nobody knew Ogiegba in history. How did such an unknown personality defeat Olomu in warfare? The Asagbas of this world should learn to tell their children the truth.
8. The founding of Amukpe and the hold of Sagay. Asagba claimed that Ogiegba founded Amukpe. After the founding of Amukpe and the ‘defeat’ of Olomu , Ogiegba asked for Sagay to be collecting rent. This is far from the truth. After Olomu defeated Ogiegba , he sent Sibogi(an Igbo/Kwale slave) to monitor Ogiegba , who was brought from Arhagba Okpe to Amukpe(which in Isekiri means Okpe(referring to Odjegba has been captured) .Later , Sibogi called Sagay(Olomu’s in-law) to monitor the movement of Ogiegba. Sagay controlled Sapele and the whole length of the Ethiope River(Sagay – The Warri Kingdom-undated)
9. Ogiegba founded Sapele. It is a lie. Olomu founded Sapele as a trading post to checkmate Ogiegba. Ikime (1995) agreed that Olomu defeated Ogiegba. Sapele is the name of an Isekiri juju at Eghoro. Sapele is not founded by Ogiegba.
10. Olomu was a slave trader. Olomu was not a slave trader. Slave trade was disbanded in 1807, Olomu came to lime light in 1835-1883. It is clear, therefore, that Olomu never participated in slave trade as Asagba alleged. It is true that Olomu once in a while raided some Urhobo villages(particularly Okpe) , but he never sold slaves, those slaves ended up as his domestic servants as Roth(1903) Adams(1823) ; Talbot(1926) etc talked about. But the truth is OLOMU NEVER SOLD SLAVES TO EUROPEANS. Asagba, you lie.
11. There are many other lies in this write-up which I will not touch as they are in no way related to me or helpful to me. I have only revealed the lies that are directly offensive to my historical consciousness and nativity. Asagbas and people like him can continue to tell his people fictions and fables as history, but whenever they say anything that concerns me, I must retaliate immediately to cure the lie.
By
Augustine Oritseweyinmi Oghanrandukun Olomu(St.Ifa) ; a member of Warri Scientific History and Literary Society; a branch of Yoruba Ancient History Society.
By Prince Joseph O Asagba – A scientific follow up
Asagba raised a lot of issues in his article and it will be totally wrong to ignore him. Some of these issues are lies to reduce and ridicule the great Warri kingdom, and it will be wrong to let Asagba be, without straightening out most of his erroneous or at least biased presentations.
1. Asagba claimed that Okpe is a kingdom. Okpe is not a kingdom! Ikime (1995); Talbot(1926); Roth(1903); Ajayi, Tekena Tamuno etc who are renowned masters of History , made it clear that no kingdom emerged in Urhobo-Isoko area, or what is now termed Delta-Edoid region. Only Warri and Aboh were kingdoms in the Niger Delta sub region.
2. Unbalanced chronology. According to Asagba Igboze lived about 1500. His direct son Okpe lived between 1664-1740 AD. This means Igboze was more than 150 years older than his direct son. Readers ! imagine the type of terrible historian Asagba is!
3. Okpe kingdom was established by a wicked, brutal and terrible king – Esezi, according to Asagba – who lived between 1770- 1779. This was a period when the Portuguese, the French, the Dutch and other Europeans were trading along the coast of the Niger Delta. Yet, no chronicler wrote on such a wonderful king. The Kings of Jukun, Igala, Katsina – far in the hinterland were mentioned. The chroniclers were mostly in Ode-Isekiri and Benin, yet they did not hear of KING ESEZI – the brutal – in the neighbourhood.
4. Slave trade issue . Asagba mentioned that Owhere, Ogiegba(Odjegba) and Orholor were slave traders, without citing any historic document to back himself. Asagba, you lie. The Okpe were no slave traders. Talbot(1926), Bradbury, Adams(1823) Roth (1903) etc, said Urhobos (including Okpe) were no slave dealers; that they themselves served as slaves to Jekri(Isekiri) and Binis(Roth 1903).
5. Owhere led the revolution that ousted Esezi I. Esezi I was a fake monarch. A creation of Urhobocentricism in modern Nigerian historiography. Ovie Atua of a section of Isoko(Ifediora 1999), Ogoni Erhowhuo of Effurun((Uvwie) together with other kings purported to have ruled in Oghara, Udu, were all BRUTAL KINGS coined by Delta-Edoid groups to make them equal to Isekiri. Read Ekeh (2005), Onigu(2003), Osume(2007) for these wonderful kings. Only in Urhobo land you have such wonderful kings whose influences never extended for more than one kilometer from their little hamlets. Asagba! Owhere never caused any revolution against King Esezi! Such a king only existed in Urhobo imagination!
6. Ogoni was son of Evwreke. This is a lie from the pit of hell. Oguni(corrupted to Ogoni by Okpe) was a son of Olu Atogbuwa – 14th Olu of Warri.(Honsbira and St.Ifa 2011; 2013); Atigbiofor 1987(Oral interview). When Oguni(Ogoni) became annoyed after being shortchanged by Erejuwa in becoming Olu, he decided to move towards Okpe to found a chiefdom. Oguni met some Bini people serving Aghalokpe tree at the present site of Aghalokpe. He chased them out and established a town which he called Aghalokpe after the tree worshipped by the Bini people(Honsbira and St.Ifa 2011;2013); Olu Erejuwa II(1982 oral interview). Because Oguni refused to return to Ode-Isekiri(Iwere, laterWarri) the Isekiri created his name into a title (Ogoni of Warri Kingdom). The name of one of his sons (Itive) ; was also made into chieftaincies in Isekiri(Moore 1936). It was because the Ogoni descendant are warming up for Orodjeship that they are claiming to be sons of Evwreke, Michael Affe(2015) was totally wrong in his position for saying that people wanted to scheme them out of Orodjeship that is why they are saying they are Isekiri. It is they who are fighting for Orodjeship that are now claiming Okpe. In RB Kerr intelligence report on Okpe Urhobo, they claimed that Ogoni went to stay with Olu. Why will he go and stay with Olu. They also lied that Oguni brought swords from Oba of Benin, while in reality he brought swords(ada) from Olu. So much for discrepancies in Okpe history. Let a DNA test be carried out on Aghalokpe people and they will sooner or later be chased with hot coals to Bateren to join the Olu descendants. Too much of lies! This DNA test must be carried out. Enough of these dangerous lies. Asagba! Enough!
7. Ogiegba (Odjegba) defeated Olomu(the father of Nana and another 105 children , including Igben, Oghanrandukun, Atsagbede, Omaghomi etc) . To reply to this gross lie we see the character of Olomu. Obaro Ikime(1995) quoting an earlier writer declared ‘Olomu was the wisest man on the Niger(sic the confluence area to the Atlantic). Roth(1903) describes Olomus house as “more [polished than that of the Oba of Benin, The walls are like marble”; Anderson described him as the wisest of all traders in the deltan coast. Nobody knew Ogiegba in history. How did such an unknown personality defeat Olomu in warfare? The Asagbas of this world should learn to tell their children the truth.
8. The founding of Amukpe and the hold of Sagay. Asagba claimed that Ogiegba founded Amukpe. After the founding of Amukpe and the ‘defeat’ of Olomu , Ogiegba asked for Sagay to be collecting rent. This is far from the truth. After Olomu defeated Ogiegba , he sent Sibogi(an Igbo/Kwale slave) to monitor Ogiegba , who was brought from Arhagba Okpe to Amukpe(which in Isekiri means Okpe(referring to Odjegba has been captured) .Later , Sibogi called Sagay(Olomu’s in-law) to monitor the movement of Ogiegba. Sagay controlled Sapele and the whole length of the Ethiope River(Sagay – The Warri Kingdom-undated)
9. Ogiegba founded Sapele. It is a lie. Olomu founded Sapele as a trading post to checkmate Ogiegba. Ikime (1995) agreed that Olomu defeated Ogiegba. Sapele is the name of an Isekiri juju at Eghoro. Sapele is not founded by Ogiegba.
10. Olomu was a slave trader. Olomu was not a slave trader. Slave trade was disbanded in 1807, Olomu came to lime light in 1835-1883. It is clear, therefore, that Olomu never participated in slave trade as Asagba alleged. It is true that Olomu once in a while raided some Urhobo villages(particularly Okpe) , but he never sold slaves, those slaves ended up as his domestic servants as Roth(1903) Adams(1823) ; Talbot(1926) etc talked about. But the truth is OLOMU NEVER SOLD SLAVES TO EUROPEANS. Asagba, you lie.
11. There are many other lies in this write-up which I will not touch as they are in no way related to me or helpful to me. I have only revealed the lies that are directly offensive to my historical consciousness and nativity. Asagbas and people like him can continue to tell his people fictions and fables as history, but whenever they say anything that concerns me, I must retaliate immediately to cure the lie.
By
Augustine Oritseweyinmi Oghanrandukun Olomu(St.Ifa) ; a member of Warri Scientific History and Literary Society; a branch of Yoruba Ancient History Society.
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