THE STOOL OF THE OBA ( EZE-OGBA OF OGBA LAND )
Echos of The History Of OBASHIP KINGSHIP OF OGBA Land.
Having read through several items being posted on social media before and more especially after the demise of the 8th Oba of Ogba land, Oba Chukwumela Nnam-Obi II,
concerning the stool of the Oba-Eze Ogba of Ogba, i deem it neccessary as an Ogba man from the Umu-ebe Royal Family to engage on this research to clearify several falsehoods being said and posted ignorantly or maybe purposely to deceive the general public and especially the good people of Ogba Kingdom.
It has and is an age long traditional prerogative of the Umuebe Royal Family of Ogba to produce the Oba (Eze Ogba).
Ebe Our great Royal Father had Egbnurnu
as his first son and Okoya the second son born by another wife. The position of Oba (Eze Ogba) of Ogba is either occupied by the UMU-EGBNURNU KINDRED (Descendants of Egbnurnu, the first son of Ebe, our Royal Father) or UMU-OKOYA KINDRED(Descendants of Okoya the second son of Ebe our Royal
Father)
The UMU-EGBNURNU lineage had produced as Oba (Eze -Ogba) of Ogba Kingdom, three ( 3 ) Obas (Eze-Ogba) which are as stated below ;
(1) OLOWU NWA IGWE, who was crowned and he ruled after the decapitation of Okoya.Having been crowned Eze ogba of Ogba he ruled and died as Eze-Ogba despite the noise Onwunaru started making three years after Oba Olowu's coronation. His Burial place located in Obieti in Omoku is still respected as such today.
Documents to prove these things are in the public domain, in the National Archive and they are very much accessable to the general public, not the documents written this time by Oba Chukwumela Nnam Obi which are all
fabrications and falsehoods.
2) Oba Frank Akwoku Dike was crowned Oba in 1928 by Nwajari, father of Chief Gilbert Adiela Nwajari, The Eze Ohali of Ogba. Documents showing this are also in the public domain. It was this Eze Ogba that went to Benin City to visit the then Oba of Benin, Oba Akinzua who was so happy that he asked the Eze Ogba to find a place to add "Oba" in his title to show our relationship ( The relationship between the two kingdoms ).That is how the title OBA followed by ODUDU came to Ogba. They are Benin titles and Benin is our cradle. History has it that we migrated from Benin to the present day Ogba.
3) Oba Archibald Dike was crowned Oba (Eze Ogba) of Ogba at Ahia Orie Square by Chief Gilbert Adiela Nwajari, the Eze Ohali of Ogba Land on 26/10/52. Our fathers living today can attest to that.
The Umu-Okoya (descendants of Okoya) has produced as Oba (Eze Ogba)
1) Okoya himself, who hid in a bunker to save his life from Aboh warriors which aftermath was the sanction of bitches (female dogs) in Ogba. Every Ogba man knows the story.
2) Obi Nwa Chukwuma Who was Eze-ogba in name only as he was not crowned. He proclaimed himself Eze-Ogba and asked
Frank Akwoku Dike who was schooled to be his clerk. Obi Nwa chukwuma before this time,
was a peasant farmer and fisher. Frank Akwoku Dike after some time refused to be a clerk to an uncrowned king, while He (Frank Akwoku
Dike) himself had the correct pedigree to be Eze-Ogba. Hence Frank Akwoku Dike decided to be Oba and then proclaimed himself as Eze-Ogba with the support of the Umu-ebe Royal Family.Obi Nwa Chukwuma went to the provincial court and lost and Frank
Akwoku Dike was crowned Eze Ogba in 1928. Documents in the National achives are there also to show and prove this.
3) Oba silk wokoma Obi was crowned in 1959 Oba (Eze-ogba) of Ogba at Ahia Orie square by Chief Gilbert Adiela Nwajari, the Eze-ohali at that time. He happened to be the first King from the Obi's house to be publicly recognized
and crowned. He died on April, 1970.
4) Oba Chukwumela Nnam Obi was publicly recognized and crowned at Ahia Orie
square, Oba (Eze-Ogba) of Ogba land on the 19th of December, 1970. His death was made
known on the 30th of April 2021. He was crowned by the oldest man in Umu-Ohali Royal
Family at that time called Akwagburu Nwaerisi.
The Eze-Ohali should have performed the rite but Prince Moses Ezi Igwe had started challenging Chief Gilbert Adiela Nwajari for the throne of the Umu-Ohali Family ( Eze-Ohali Stool ) which prompted the Umu-ohali family to mandated their eldest man in the family to crown Chukwuemeka Nnam Obi. We should all note that It was after the coronation of Chukwumela Nnam-Obi that he assumed a proper Ogba name which is Chukwumela instead of Chukwuemeka which was his birth name.
GENEOLOGY OF THE OBA (EZE-OGBA) KINGSHIP IN OGBA
(1) Eze Ogba Ebe Nwa Alia (The Royal Father)
(2) Eze Ogba Okoya ( Okoya lineage)
(3) Eze Ogba Olowu Nwa lgwe (Egbnurnu lineage)
(4) Obi Nwa Chukwuma (Okoya lineage)
(5) Oba Frank Akwoku Dike ( Egbnurnu lineage)
(6) Oba Achibald Dike ( Egbnurnu lineage)
(7) Oba Silk Wokoma Obi (Okoya lineage)
(8) Oba Chukwumela Nnam Obi (Okoya lineage)
TIME TO CROWN A KING AFTER DEATH OR DEPOSITION OF A KING IN OGBA KINGDOM.
In Ogba in general and Omoku in particular by tradition, the house of a deceased Elder is
accorded the same respect that it had as if the elder is still alive until a year before the next Elder takes over. In the case of a King that same one year is allowed.
However during this period, the Eze-Iyasira (the Prime Minister) takes over the business of the council of chiefs assisted by the Onu-Eze (speaker of the palace). No matter the Urgency it cannot be less than six (6) months AND DUE PROCESS OF MAKING A
KING MUST BE FOLLOWED.
After the decapitation of Okoya it took many years before Eze-ogba Olowu Nwa Igwe was crowned. After Eze-Ogba Olowu Nwa Igwe's demise it took several years also before Obi Nwa Chukwuma assumed the position. Oba (Eze-ogba) Frank Akwokwu Dike who took over from Obi Nwa Chukwuma in 1928 died in
1950. Oba (Eze-ogba) Archibald Dike who succeeded him was crowned in 1952
ie Two years after the death of his predecessor. Oba (Eze-ogba) Archibald
Dike died in 1956 and his successor Oba (Eze-ogba) Silk Wokoma Obi was crowned in 1959 ie three (3) years later. Oba (Eze-ogba) Silk Wokoma Obi died in April 1970. Oba (Eze-ogba) Chukwumela Nnam Obi was crowned 19th December 1970 ie eight (8) months after the demise of his predecessor, who died in the month of April 1970.
The time was not up to one (1) year because we ( The people of Ogba Kingdom ) needed a
king to represent us before the president as he ( The President of the Country ) was visiting Rivers State and would come to Ahoada Local Government Area where we belonged as at then.
THE OBA (EZE-OGBA) KINGSHIP IS NOT HEREDITARY.
Ascension to the Throne/Stool of Oba Eze-Ogba of Ogba land is and has never been hereditary. This can be easily observed by the geneology of the throne/stool above.
These are fact from the National Archives. Oba Chukwumela Nnam Obi's father whose name was OBUOHA was not a king of any sort or an Oba(Eze-Ogba). He was a peasant cassava farmer. Selling his cassava in the evening market (Ogumabiri) in Omoku.
Oba Silk Wokoma Obi, the King of the people as he was called, had a son by name AMADIKNE. If the throne/stool were hereditary AMADIKNE
would have been the Oba after his fathers demise. After the demise of Oba Silk Wokoma Obi, Prince David Dike of Umu-Egbnurnu lineage was brought forward to succeed him but many in the Royal Family did not want
him hence Oba Chukwumela Obi was sent for in the "plantation" where he lived. He was chosen by the majority from the Umu-Ebe Royal Family to be the Oba Eze-Ogba. We all should also note that even in Umu-Okoya Lineage there are other houses apart from the house of the obis that are Royal.
The Onwunarus and others. It is height of greed for anybody in the Obi's house to say that the stool is hereditary. Oba Chukwumela Obi then a Prince in the family contested the Position with Prince David Dike.
Oba Chuwumela Nnam-Obi , willing the kingship of Ogba to his son as said in some quaters is GREED OF THE FIRST ORDER. The Throne/Stool of the Oba Eze-Ogba of Ogba land is not a personal property and is not and cannot be willed to a person.
It is the entire Umu-Ebe Royal Family that selects and presents to Ogba Kindom who is to be the next Oba Eze-Ogba of Ogba land after the demise of an Oba(Eze-Ogba)
THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS.
The Council of chief at an Obas palace are representative of their individual families and the number one custodians of the traditions of Ogba land. This makes them the police of our customs and traditions.
Therefore at the demise of an Oba and after the one year of respect in the house or
Palace of a deceased Oba, the entire Council of Chiefs will move to the house or
Palace of the new Oba. The new Oba and the council of chiefs with their vast experince will advise and guide the new Oba(Eze-Ogba) on ways to move Ogba forward.
The new Oba will not constitute another council. The chiefs should realize that they represent their people and families and "do
the right thing" ie TO PRESERVE THE CUSTOM AND TRADITION OF OGBA LAND.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. LETS PRESERVE OUR TRADITION.
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