Ologbosere Debacle: Beyond Isekiri
Politics
It is
imperative at this juncture to define what I mean by politics. Politics is the
authoritative allocation of values (Easton 1953). Value is an extensive word
that incorporates power, authority, possession, economy, desires etc. Before
anyone will criticize me, the tradition of Isekiri is Isekiri politics, it
might not be partisan yet it is politics. The selection of the Ologbosere is
political in an Isekiri context, even the selection of Olu either by primogeniture,
genetic consideration or even the all powerful pronouncement of the Ifa (Ife)
Oracle system is politics. A lot has been said about the Ologbosere debacle,
the fire seems to have died down for now. It is now that the hustle and bustle
has subsided, that I want to say a few things beyond what many an Isekiri along
the streets may know.
WHAT IS
OLOGBOTSERE?
The Ologbosere
is the prime minister of the pristine Warri Kingdom – the greatest kingdom in
the Niger Delta sub region ( Alagoa 1989; Ikime 1969). The Ologbosere has some
strange characteristics from that of the Bini. These differences are as
follows.
a. Iyasere is the prime minister in
Benin. In fact, a Bini man will be so surprised that Rewane moved from Uwangue
to Ologbosere. Uwangue in Benin is a higher chief than the Ologbosere.
b. The Ologbosere does not crown kings
in Benin, the Oliha does that. In Isekiri, the Olisan(Oliha) crowned all Olus
till Akengbuwa. It was only Akengbuwa that was crowned by Uwangue, not Ologbosere.
Olisan(during Akengbuwa ) was attacked by leprosy .He went and died at
Ugborodo(Ireyefoju Ph.D, oral interview 2017). So Ologbosere had no prerogative
in Benin or Isekiri to crown Olus.
c. Ologbosere is a relatively new title
both in Benin and in Warri (Ode-Isekiri).
d. Ologbosere came into existence by
1724 in Benin, when the Iyase was sent on an unsuccessful expedition. When the
Iyase did not arrive on time, another Iyase was sworn in; mysteriously the
Iyase arrived, and asked why a new Iyase was installed. The Oba then said he
did not install an Iyase, but an Ologbo-Iyase( the cat of Iyase) – hence the
title of Ologbo-Iyase or Ologbosere(Egharevba1948).
e. A little later Laodia came from
Benin about 1735 and become the first Ologbosere in Isekiri.
f. This means Ologbosere was never
among the seventy chiefs that came from Benin. Ologbosere began in Isekiri
about 1735 during Atogbuwa. It became the prominent title during the reign of
Erejuwa around 1770.
THE MAKING
OF OLOGBOSERE POWER
When
Laodia – the first Ologbosere came from Benin, he was not a very influential man;
the Iyasere was in charge of affairs. Laodia had an only daughter, who was
married to Udefi Obaloye. Udefi was so rich that he rejected the throne of Olu
and left it for his half brother that was very young at that time. He was so young
that he was still playing koto when he was begged to come and rule. Because he
was begged to rule, he was called Abejoye – begged
to rule. Tradition says he was so young, the Portuguese missionaries
acknowledged that a regent was ruling for him for more than ten years before he
came of age – before he became 18 (adlimina report – Catholic Secret Files).
The marriage of Laodia’s daughter to
Udefi resulted in the birth of Eyinmisan who later took his grandfathers title
of Ologbosere (atabata). Then Iyasere Okorodudu was still in helm of affairs.
But something always happens in History that changes the status quo. Eyinmisan
became very rich, intelligent, warlike and successful. He became more powerful
than Okorodudu (Captain Okro in Landolphe’s account). In the only recorded war
between the Bini and the Isekiri, where the Bini sought the alliance of Britain
and Awori(Aunis) in Lagos, the Isekiri with the ingenuity of Ologbosere and
Iyasere Okorodudu came out triumphant (Landolphe 1786, Sagay n.d, Ifediora
1999). That war was the decisive factor that made the Isekiri the most powerful
state in the present South-South Nigerian geo-polity. Benin became a tax paying
vassal to Isekiri (Omolewa 1986). Unknown to most Isekiri, Ologbosere ingenuity
in winning that Great War made the Ologbosere the major chief in Warri kingdom.
With Benin out of the way, the Isekiri had free rein in fighting the Aboh, and
the Ijaw – Kabo, Kumbo, Mein, Tarakiri – , and the Isokos along the Niger River
(Sagay n.d; Honsbira and St.Ifa 2013;2015, Ogbobine 1976, Moore 1936). It was
during those wars that a group of Isoko came to seek refuge under the Olu. They
were told to stay in the land of Orere. They called their own land Orere-Okpe to
differentiate it from the real Orere an aboriginal Umale community (Pessu
2013). These people are now the Okpe clan (not kingdom please!).
It is not true that Ologbosere begat
Uwangue. A particular Ologbosere Eyinmisan, begat a particular Uwangue – Uwankun.
Uwangue was among the seventy chiefs who came from Benin, Ologbosere was not;
so the Uwangue title is older than the Ologbosere title in Isekiri. So the
ingenuity of Eyinmisan , the son of Udefi and Laodia’s daughter, made the
Ologbosere title more important in Isekiri than it is in Benin.
THE
PERSONALITY OF THE OLOGBOSERE
Being the
prime minister of the greatest kingdom in the Niger Delta the Ologbosere is
expected to have some characteristics. The characteristics of the Ologbosere
are as follows –
1. He must be rich, or the kingdom must
make him rich.
2. He must be fluent in Isekiri
language and tradition
3. He must have the love of his people
4. He must be seen to be defending the
land
5. He must be loyal to the Olu, when
the Olu is fighting for Isekiri rights.
6. He must be ready to serve Isekiri
course
7. He must be of the patrilineage of
Ologbosere family. No otonobiren , please.
8. NB.
Chieftaincies like Iyasere accept maternal sons – the late Mabiaku and
Brown Tenuma were of Iyasere matrilineage.
Chief Ayirimi Emami , Delta partisan
Politics and Ologbosere Debacle
At
this juncture, I want to say I have never spoken to Ayiri one on one. I know
him from his various well written patriotic Isekiri protective articles. He
alone has written seriously and assiduously during the EPZ, DEEP SEA PORT, and
MARITIME UNIVERSITY
debacles. Some Isekiri intellectuals Honsbira
and I believe some seasoned writers – professors, Ph.DS or some prolific
writers – are penning those wonderful
essays attributed to him. It doesn’t matter if he writes himself, or if he
gives directives to people to write for him. Articles emanating from his name
are beautiful, wonderful, straight to the point and thought provoking. He
doesn’t know me and I don’t really know him, and I don’t want to know him
personally. So, nobody should think that
I have taken money from Ayiri before writing. To me, I think the politics of
rejecting the candidature of Ayiri as Ologbosere is highly political in nature.
It is likely a fight between the PDP big shots in the state and the APC
juggernauts. Before going further we should ask –
IS
AYIRI QUALIFIED FOR OLOGBOSERE?
I
shout YES! Why?
a. He is of Ologbosere patrilineage,
being a descendant of Edo, the son of Eyinmisan, who became Ologbosere.
b. He is rich. He doesn’t need the
kingdom to make him rich
c. He has shown more love for the land
than any other candidate contesting.
d. He ensured that the Ijaws of
Gbaramatu have not stolen Kpokpo land.
e. He is loyal to Ikenwoli
f. He contributed more during
coronation than any other person, living or dead.
g. He is the only one among the big boys who was vocal
about the transfer of the Local Government Headquarters from Ogidigben to
Ogbe-Ijoh.
h. He was vocal about the Gbaramatu
fraud and the establishment of a University with a false name.
With all these qualification, Ayiri seems to
be battling with his life to get the Ologbosere title, but there are some
political powers dragging him down. These powers are many and varied. What are
these powers?
1. Ayiri might have some problems with
Okowa. Being a high profile APC man, the governor who is PDP might fight
against his candidature. Why?
a. Being an Ologbosere in Isekiri will
confer him the power to control Isekiri votes.
b. Isekiri votes are a type of Sokoto
vote – uni-directional , monolithic, one sided, whenever there is an Ologbosere
to control Isekiri votes
c. Isekiri votes can oust PDP from the
state. Many mighty boys in the state will fall like a pack of cards.
d. Many of Isekiri big boys (I won’t
mention names) are PDP.
2. A general arrangement might have
been reached to make Isekiri a tool for actualizing Ijaw imperialism. If this
is not so, why is it that on the 16th of June 2017, when there was a
decisive case against the location of
Local Government Headquarters in Ogbe-Ijoh, no Isekiri big boy was there.
Isekiri in PDP might have entered a passive or active alliance with Ijaw to
cede Ogbe-Ijoh as part of Ijaw land
3. Why is it that no Isekiri man in PDP
has ever talked about the wrong naming of Okerenkoko and the naming of a University?
Where are our representatives in the National Assembly? Have they taken bribe? Are
they also detribalized Isekiri like Uduaghan? Where are they? History will
judge oh! James manager spoke for the Ijaw, who should be speaking for Isekiri
if not our representative at the National Assembly? If our representatives are
so inefficient, why don’t we just vote in an Ijaw or Urhobo and know that
Isekiri have no representation. A weak representative is worse than no
representative. I trust were Ayiri in the house of Reps the Ijaw will never get
away with the Gbaramatu fraud that will soon consume Nigeria.
4. Why are Isekiri big boys – the big
guns in PDP – not saying anything about the deep sea port at Kpokpo and it
being an Isekiri place?
5. Ayiri as Ologbosere will not condone
any of these evils. So the organizers bent at using Isekiri land to pacify Ijaw
and Urhobo will never want Ayiri as Ologbosere.
WHO
TO BECOME THE OLOGBOSERE
The
characteristics stated above are traits that are needed in the Ologbosere
candidature. There are a few people I know who have the characteristics of
Ologbosere. But unfortunately, these people are not interested in Isekiri and
some are not from Ologbosere family. Professor Itse Sagay, now Chief Itse Sagay
is very qualified, but not of the Ologbosere family. Rita Lori is more than
qualified, fighting relentlessly for the kingdom, but she is a woman. Omolubi
tried his best, but not rich enough and not of the Ologbosere family. Victor Wood is astute, energetic and
intelligent, but not of Ologbosere patrilineage. Henry Boyo is a big son of Ologbosere, more
qualified than Ayiri, but his love for Isekiri is questionable. Bismarck Rewane
is another big name, but unknown in the home front. Considering all these,
Ayiri comes in handy as the best candidate for Ologbosere.
ISEKIRI
BEWARE
1. We should not let party politics
destroy us as in Erejuwa II era.
2. We should not let internal
collaborators drag in partisan politics to destroy our kingdom
3. I am not saying Ayiri must be
Ologbosere, but we should look for one with qualities that surpass him not just
chastising him.
4. The age of Ayiri is not a
significant matter. Atuwatse II ascended the throne at 42, same age as Ayiri,
Ooni of Ife (Alaiyeluwa – the greatest of Yoruba Kings is only 41; Ikenwoli
belongs to his system of native religion – yes, all Isekiri). Abejioye was only
12 or less when he ascended the throne.
5. Eyinmisan was just about 25 when he
became Ologbosere. He was physically in the war front fighting with the Abohs,
the Ijaws on the Niger, and the Bini-Lagos-British alliance, where he sold the
chiefs of Lagos as slaves in Calabar (Landolphe 1786, Sagay n.d). Laodia left
Benin to Isekiri at an early age less than 40 to become Ologbosere. So, of all
the Ologbosere, only Rewane and perhaps Mayuku ascended the throne as old men.
6. Some people say he is arrogant. I
don’t know about that. He can be curtailed.
7. A word is enough for the wise.
End word
The Isekiri polity is very charged
now. I would have kept quiet. As I have said, I don’t know Ayiri personally,
but I just have to say the truth. I don’t know Ayiri, I am not working for Ayiri;
I will never work for Ayiri. I am saying the truth as I know it from research
and from my conscience. Should we succumb to the BIG BOYS IN PDP working in
consonance with the state government to destroy Isekiri for our enemies –
particularly Urhobo and Ijaw – to laugh at us or should we look for qualified
people who can check this anomaly. The mistake of 1943 between Koko and the
Oluship made the Sapele case inconclusive, the mistake of NCNC and AG exiled
the Olu, the disagreement between the Okere people and the palace made Okumagba
to have possessory title in parts of Okere, although Olu still holds the
radical title. Today, we – as Isekiri – are standing on a keg of gunpowder. We
need a vibrant Ologbosere. We need one who can defend the land and who has
defended the land. For now, I can see no one better than Chief Ayirimi Emami . May
the lord grant our revered monarch His Majesty Ikenwoli I the wisdom of Orunmila
(the wisest avatar that ever lived) to make a better choice than Ayiri. But for
all the contestants so far, Ayiri is most qualified. Let us continue watching
as Isekiri land is turned into a political battle field where bellum omniun contra omnes is now the
vogue.
Long live the Isekiri nation,
Long live the Warri Kingdom,
Long live a united Nigeria,
We expect an Isekiri state
No long live to Delta – a destroyer
of Isekiri culture
Long live the Olu of Warri (Ogiame Suo.
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