THE
PEOPLE OF EBUBU IN HISTORY
AN INVITED PAPER PRESENTED BY HIGH CHIEF OSARO
OLLORWI ON THE OCCASION OF CULTURAL FIESTA AT LEADERS’ FOUNDATION SCHOOLS,
EBUBU ON THURSDAY (MMA) 8TH DECEMBER, 2016
The idea of setting one
day aside for the recognition and appreciation of cultural diversity is a noble
one and a contribution to understanding and co-existence. These days when the
wave of division is blowing people off their feet, this innovation will definitely
provide the needed opportunity for students from different tribes and homes to
live together and appreciate the extent of cultural diversity and the need to
live and let others live.
In treating the topic,
The People of Ebubu in History, I shall be focusing on the origin of the
people, their identity, traditional administration, education and culture
Founding of Ebubu
In many ways, Ebubu is
perhaps the most ancient and interesting of the kingdoms that emerged in Eleme.
For one thing, not only was it the earliest, or at least among the earliest to
emerge, but at the peak of its power, it was the largest in area, population
and culturally the most advanced.
Though we are not
certain of the date for the founding of Ebubu, it appears that it began to emerge
in the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century, somewhere between 1389 and
1430.
Legend has it that the
people of Ebubu descended from the Cross Rivers region during the latter part
of the fourteenth century. The immigrant who founded Ebubu was named Ibubu. He
migrated with a band of farmers and hunters from their main habitat which is
the Cross Rivers region in Eastern Nigeria through Ibibio and Ndoki territories
to where they could get fertile land and settle; hence they fought their way
through whenever they met with obstacles of any form until they came to this
place, which was named after their leader – Ibubu.
These set of emigrants
developed and multiplied as their journey progressed, and spread to where
sections of them founded the kingdoms of Ebubu and Nchia. It was from Ebubu that the various families
began to move out to establish kingdoms of Onne, Eteo and Ekporo. Others went
further and founded Abua, Odual, Andoni, Ogoni, Abuloma and a few other places.
That Ebubu was the
original home of the founders of present day Eleme is borne out not only by the
traditional accounts of all the Eleme kingdoms, but also by the fact that most
of the Elemes to this day regard Ebubu as their holy city and the revered
cradle of their civilization.
The hero who founded
the present day Eleme was known as Ibubu pronounced Ebubu. He came into the
territory generically called “Eleme” today through a track that latter came to
be referred to as “Ogbere Mgbor” or “Agborgbor Mgbor” and settled.
Ebubu was originally
the gateway into Eleme. Captain James Fosbery and his entourage came into Eleme
on April 19, 1898 through this track-road and entered into Treaty with the King
and Chiefs of Ebubu on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and
Ireland Empress of India.
At the peak of its
power, the frontiers of Ebubu extended as far as Mmu-miri (Imo River) in the
northern axis, Okoroma in Ogoni in the eastern border, Mmu Ngololo in the
southern border and Elelenwo in Evo Kingdom in the western border. King Nsole
Ebulu and King Etoo Ekeada were the last of Ebubu Kings who presided over the
vast Ebubu Empire. When Eleme Urban Council was created by the Rivers State
Government in 1980 Ebubu was made the headquarters.
The Rivers State
Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Honourable Barrister Isaac
Kamalu, is also of the opinion that
“Ebubu is the star of Eleme”. According to Kamalo, “Ebubu is the ancient city
of Eleme. From inception, Ebubu has continued to provide home, shelter and
refuge to all Eleme. It is the home of comfort to all the people of Eleme”.
Ebubu was never
conquered by the British. Rather, Ebubu negotiated with the colonial powers on
its own terms and conditions. When, the white man came to Ebubu, he met a
developed city state under a powerful leader known as King Etoo Ekeada and
excellent administrative machinery he couldn’t alter. No doubt, Ebubu remains
the light and hope of Eleme. When it is hard for Eleme, Ebubu provides the
lead, the solution and the victory.
Traditional Leadership
Ebubu traditional
leadership is best described as a loose confederation with little or no central
control as each confederating unit maintains its political, economic, social
and military autonomy. This loose arrangement accounts for the collapse of the
entire system at the slightest provocation. Ebubu had no political, ethnic or
cultural unity. The Kingdom was made up of people who arrives the kingdom at
different times, with diverse backgrounds, perceptions and expectations; and
the Kings of Ebubu failed to weld them into a true united entity. Different
peoples such as Egbalor, Ejamah, Agbeta, and Obolo each with its own
distinctive culture, god, and needs owed allegiance to the Oneh Eh Ebubu but
are left under their own traditional rulers and were only expected to
contribute contingents or levies to the Oneh Eh Ebubu’s army in times of war.
These clans, Egbalor, Ejamah, Agbeta and Obolo are further divided into
thirty-two (32) communities and their people maintained their autonomy in all
spheres. This situation do not only weakened and frustrated the central
authority but give excessive powers to the federating units who dictate what
happens in the Kingdom. The traditional leadership of Odido resides in Ebubu.
According to Chief O.
O. Ngofa, Egbalor was the first community to emerge in Ebubu. In his words,
“The Egbalor village is by local protocol the first community in Ebubu. It was
both the seat of traditional, political and economic powers of Ebubu. Egbere
Solote, the eldest son of Ebubu inherited Egbalor from his late father as his
own settlement and pursued his father expansionist stance by extending the
borderlines of Egbalor to Mmu-miri (Imo River) and Koroma in Ogoni. His direct
descendants are known as Eseiji family in Egbalor.
He also observed that
Ejamah was established by emigrate named Osaro Ewa of Egbara and was later
joined by Olumaa Abasi from Ejialejor. Agbeta, he pointed out was created by
Ollor Egbere Eseeji, another warrior-son of Egbere Solote. Obolo, he posited
was created by Olungwe Ejiala and Kote Mbiewa both from Egbalor.
Table
Showing Traditional Rulers of Ebubu 1812 – 2016
S/NO
|
NAME
|
TENURE
|
VILLAGE
OF ORIGIN
|
1.
|
King
Osaro Ekaa
|
1812
– 1846
|
Egbalor
|
2.
|
King
Nsole Ebulu
|
1846
– 1872
|
Egbalor
|
3.
|
King
Etoo Ekeada
|
1872
– 1907
|
Agbeta
|
4.
|
King
Osarollor Ochii
|
1907
– 1931
|
Agbeta
|
5.
|
King
Olungwe Ekiye
|
1931
– 1935
|
Egbalor
|
6.
|
King
Amakiri Olaka
|
1935
– 1966
|
Agbeta
|
7.
|
King
Goya Chinwi
|
1966
– 1967
|
Egbalor
|
8.
|
King
Godfrey O. Nnah
|
1967
– 1969
|
Ejamah
|
9.
|
King
Nelson O. Chinwi
|
1969
– 1986
|
Egbalor
|
10.
|
King
Friday K. O. Nwafor
|
1986
– 1991
|
Ejamah
|
11.
|
King
Nelson O. Chinwi
|
1991
– 2002
|
Egbalor
|
12.
|
King
Emmanuel O. Bebe
|
2003
– ?
|
Agbeta
|
Education
Christianity was
the forerunner of western education in all communities of the Niger Delta
region, including Ebubu. Christianity came into Ebubu in 1913. A year later,
with the help of John Kalio, James Awala Obe, Isaiah Eppie and few others a
Church was opened in a hall in Egbalor. By 1916, a mud-Thatched Church was
built through communal labour where Ebubu converts worshipped God. In 1919, St.
Bartholomew (NDP) Church was established at its present location under the
leadership of U. A. J. Koko. Since then, Christianity has continued to expand
and spread in Ebubu. The introduction of Christianity into Ebubu in 1913 gave
rise to the establishment of the first primary school in Ebubu in 1946. The first secondary school was established in
Ebubu in 1998.
Language
The language
spoken in Ebubu is known as Eleme Language. It retains the vocabulary inherited
from Ibibio which was its parent language. Eleme is not a dialect but a
language with identifiable characteristics in Nchia (Mbolli) and Odido (Ebubu)
dialects. Though this gap is closing rapidly because of greater communication
and refinement, those who are very conversant know the difference. Its
distinctiveness is borne of the fact that the language is not spoken by any of
her neighbours.
The
use of Eleme as a spoken language in indigenous homes is declining very fast.
This is compounded by the rate of urbanization which has brought a high
percentage of strangers from diverse language areas into regular communication;
and English Language has become the common way of expression.
Religion
The traditional
religion in Ebubu is ancestral worship and this has its value system in
promoting good ethics and community life. But since the year 1913 when Ebubu
embraced Christianity many changes have occurred that have eroded the
traditional religion. This is to be expected because of increased level of
communication and socialization. There is at present, sufficient latitude for
operation of the primary religions of Christianity, Islam, etc. in Ebubu.
Ebubu Ethnic
Nationality
When the British
Colonial Government represented by Captain James Fosbery entered Eleme
territory on April 19, 1898, he camped at Ebubu. Captain Fosbery and his
entourage met two distinct ethnic groups in Eleme. These are Ebubu and Mbolli.
They entered into separate Treaties with the Colonial Administration on the 19th
and 20th of April, 1898. Let it be pointed out here that Nchia and
Odido are synonymous with Mbolli and Ebubu. Mbolli is also synonymous with
Eleme. “It follows therefore that what is today known as Eleme encompassed the
Nchia towns”.
The 20th
April, 1898 Treaty spelt out the component parts of Mbolli as Allissa (now
Alesa), Agbonsi (now Agbonchia), Orgali (now Ogale), Alodi (now Alode), and
Alito (now Aleto). On the other hand,
the Treaty with Ebubu entered into on 19th April, 1898, shows a
homogeneous and coherent ethnic unit. Ebubu occupies an enviable position in
Odido which can be compared to that of Rumigbo in Apara Clan of Rebisi or Ogale
in Mbolli now Nchia or Eleme.
Mbolli, Nchia or Eleme
and Ebubu are two separate entities unified loosely by similarity in dialects.
Similarities in dialects are also found between Ebubu, Nchia, Gokhana and
Ibibio. The name ELEME is an administrative grouping.
The important officials
of the Kingdom were the following:
a.
Oneh Eh Eta
was the title of the King.
b.
Oneh Nkiken
was the Traditional Prime Minister, the direct descendant of the Founder of
Ebubu and conscience of the community. He took charge of traditional functions;
and in the absence of the King, performs administrative duties.
c.
Oneh Nkporon
was the Spokesman and Mouth-piece of the Kingdom.
These officials perform
traditional, socio-political and other functions through a powerful community
based organization (CBO) known as Oku
Nkpͻrͻ or Ogbo Nkpͻrͻ.
Contribution to
National Economy
Oil exploration started
in Ebubu in 1956. Ebubu is host to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)
and currently has fifty-two (52) oil wells, two (2) oil fields, one (1) flow
station and one (1) booster station. Ebubu is also host to Daewoo Nigeria
Limited, a Koran Company and several other oil and gas services companies
spread across the area. The famous Rivers State School-To-Land and Panyan
Returnees Camp are all located in Ebubu. Ebubu is also host to both Nigeria Custom Service Barracks and Nigeria Police Force Barracks
Culture
In discussing CULTURE I
will endeavor to look at Eleme in its totality. This is because the name Eleme
is today loosely adopted to encompass all the territories called Eleme. It is
on this premises that Eleme and Ebubu (rightly or wrongly) is described as “one
of the twenty major ethnic groups in Eastern Nigeria with its language,
culture, and social order quite different and distinguished from those of their
immediate neighbours”. The primary aim of today’s event– the Leaders Foundation
School’s Cultural Fiesta, according to the organizer is, “To showcase our
different cultures thereby promoting the Africa Culture”.
What is culture? Culture in its simplest form is “a society’s shared and socially transmitted ideas,
values and perceptions, which are used to make sense of experience and generate
behavior and are reflected in that behavior”.
Guy Feuer,
Emeritus Professor at Paris V-René Descartes observed that “Culture
is a fundamental element of collective
identities and of the often indelible imprint which they leave on individual
identities”
The UNESCO in its “Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity” of
2 November, 2001 and the “Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the
Diversity of Cultural Expressions” of 20 October, 2005 linked cultural
diversity and human rights in many ways including the protection and promotion
of cultural diversity involving ensuring of freedom of expression, information,
and communication; as well as the right for individuals to choose their modes
of cultural expression (Convention Article 2, & 1). Article 7 of the
Declaration considers cultural heritage as a source of creativity, while
Article 9 demands that cultural policies should play a determining role in this
creativity.
Declaration, Article 11 also reaffirms the
importance of the link between culture and development by providing that the
preservation and promotion of cultural diversity are the hallmark of
sustainable human development.
Therefore, the protection and promotion of cultural diversity must form
part of the policies of all Schools in Nigeria from Nursery to Tertiary. It is
on this ground that we all should thank the management of Leaders’ Foundation
School for promoting cultural diversity; and by extension stimulating peace,
unity, freedom, creativity and above all, sustainable human development. Culture
is an indispensable tool for formation, communication, protection, promotion,
and regulation of Behaviours.
The behavior of Eleme indigenes groomed within the locality
is regulated by the belief in the continued presence of the ancestors of each
family as well as existence of deities endowed with supernatural powers. The
average Eleme person will readily made confession when interrogated on issues
for which he/she had knowledge or participation to avoid society’s rejection if
the matter goes to the level of swearing before a deity or in its name.
Components of Culture
For our purpose, let us define components of culture as
those agents or means of shared and socially transmitted ideas, values and
perceptions that bind a defined set of people, which are the matrix in which
future developments are anchored and depending on the relative level of
attachment, a person grows to become a product of the regulatory forces of his
native culture. They are those things that differentiate and distinguished one
set of people from another. That is how the Ogoni differ from Eleme, Hausa from
Ibo, Yoruba from Fulani, etc. These
component factors include Occupation, Food, Pattern of Dressing, Folktales and
Stories, Arts and Crafts, Music, Dance, Musical Instruments, Traditional
Festivals, Mask and Masquerades, Marriage, Greetings, Etc.
Occupation
The major occupation among Ebubu people is farming and
hunting. The people also engage in minor fishing and trading.
Food
Eleme
main food crop is yam (Esaa). This is supplemented with
Cassava (Ojaku), which can be made into Nja Gari (Garri), Nja
Ojaku (Foofoo/Loiloi), Pipini ojaku (Tapioka, slice
cassava), mbiri (grinded cassava flavoured with ripe plantain, a sort of
moimoi but richer and costly than ordinary moimoi), Cocoyam (Edente
(Etoo Eleme), Etoo Akara, Echuru, Etoo Mmi – these can be cooked and
eaten as obaa etoo or be pounded with enough palm oil and eaten with looloo
mbalo as nja etoo).
Plantain
(Obinͻͻ)
can be eaten fried or boiled. It can also be pounded into omu or be grinded and
mixed with cassava, fired and eaten as Pankek). Three-leave yam (Ochu are of two
varieties: Ochu Eleme and Joebi), Vegetable e.g., fluted
pumpkin (Nsogũ), Pepper (Okofe), – all of which are grown for
family use only and not for sale outside the community.
In other words, the
staple foods that are customarily eaten by Eleme people are yams, cassava,
cocoyam, plantain, three-leave yam, etc. The manner in which these foods are
prepared and served makes the difference. Eleme yams are of different species
and each has its particular use. They include: Ngwe, Ↄyᴐᴐ, Ↄkԑlԑmԑ, Chindonya, Dᴐkara,
Mkpányi, Aka-Mkpányi, Okikaenu, etc. they are served
sliced (Obaa Esaa) or pounded into eyarayara nja esaa or ͻtãrã
nja esaa and eaten with the appropriate soup.
Other notable Eleme
yams are Eburaale and Kᴐrᴐkᴐtᴐ, which are cultivated
mainly by women and are mostly prepared into Esuri (yam pourage) and
eaten.
There are three types
of soup with cultural values in Eleme. These are Looloo Mbalo, Ebͻri
Mbalo, and Ͻkwͻi Nsogũ. Each type of soup requires particular types of
fish to go with, and they are meant for different occasions.
Looloo
Mbalo is usually cooked with njijoii (snapper), nda (shynose), obui
(catfish), ekoko (skate), ͻmεε (barracuda), and ekokoabura (shark) among other ingredients. Looloo mbalo is mostly served with nja esaa
(pounded yam).
Ebͻri
Mbalo is Eleme soup thickened with adε-mkpͻͻ (cowpea). It is
known generally as native soup and may be prepared with dried fish and/or meat
along other necessary condiments.
Ͻkwͻi
Nsogũ entails the preparation of enough fresh pumpkin
leaves, boiled and carefully grinded in mortal. The ingredients include mgboro, esͻrͻ ͻbani, dried meat, and one of the following types of fish – nda, ekoko, obui, eboakpina or ekokoabura. This type of soup is
preferred during rainy season when fresh pumpkin leaves are abundant.
The ideal Eleme
housewife knows the temperament of her husband and selects the type of soup she
offers him to sustain and promote his love and good health.
Eleme Traditional
Dressing
Eleme culture regulates the type and manner of dressing that
suits different occasions. That accounts for the prescription of different
dressings for both sexes at any given occasion and this promotes decency and
morality among the people of Eleme. Eleme culture forbids a man dressing like a
woman; while a woman must not dress like a man.
A spinster, except during a group customary ceremony, is not
expected to tie two wrappers round her waist at the same time. O’ura Osuãa is
the preserve of married women only. A widow who remains unmarried is precluded
from tying her wrapper to reach down lower than her knees.
A bachelor in the process of marrying is expected to tie his
wrapper in the manner called Ojibi Osuãa
and this must not be knotted on the right side of his waist.
For members of the Chieftaincy Cadre and related title
holders an outfit of Jumper, hat and
walking stick with appropriate loincloth is the requirement. But a titled chief must always tie Njiri, whether plain or designed.
Folktales and Story
Telling
Stories and songs are instrumental in retaining languages
and culture. Eleme folktales are particularly entertaining as they usually
include a song with which the listener joins in. Stories are usually told in
the evening to entertain adults and children alike. In addition to original
songs, there is a rich culture for original composition of hymns – written and
performed.
Arts and Crafts
Eleme
people were once efficient craftsmen and women who produced mortals, pestles,
drums, facemasks and masquerades, ladles, combs, chairs, boxes, among others.
To meet their needs the Eleme people also produce clay pots, weave baskets,
mats, etc. Painting is done mainly as a body decoration during festivals like
wrestling, marriage, and ekpete dance.
Music
Traditional music in Eleme was
developed out of the desire to transmit information. Singing and drumming were
also developed for different types of occasions and ceremonies. Music is also
essential parts of the Eleme culture.
Eleme
cultural music includes:
1.
Mkpaa
Ekoro
2. Mkpaa Egͻni
3. Egelege
4. Ogolo
5. Ngelenge
6. Esͻ Mba
7. Esͻ Akε
8. Esͻ Ngwe
9. Esͻ Okea Ebiε
10. Kukunεnε
11. Ebͻni
12. Ogolo Ejԑ
13. Ogolo Akԑ
14. Kprikpԑ
Ø Mkpaa Ekoro – This is a dance music in which men
demonstrate their bravery and/or affluence. It is as old as Eleme.
Ø Mpkaa Egͻni – It dates back to 1840 and remains a
major talking drum of Eleme. Expert drummers use it to sing praises, encourage
skills and bravery. Mkpaa Egͻni is the premier drum that is entirely indigenous
to Eleme. It is customarily used for chieftaincy installation ceremonies and
for yam title ceremonies. The burial of any traditional title holder is
incomplete without mkpaa egͻni.
Ø Egelege– This is a talking drum whose drummers
are versatile and is used to convey a lot of information that remains people of
the past thus gingers them into wrestling or warns about the consequences of an
individual’s intended actions. Wrestling is the most popular sport in Eleme and
egelege remains the special music for wrestling.
Ø Ogolo– This is a local xylophone played as
major dance music during celebrations. There are three major drummers, each
handling 4, 7, or 3 of the wooden instruments. There are other drummers that
handle the Ogũ, Okpo, and Ekere.
Ø Ngelenge– Ngelenge has similar setting like
Ogolo. The distinguishing feature between Ogolo, Ngelenge and other forms of
Eleme traditional music is that while the songs related to Ogolo and Ngelenge
are rendered entirely through drumming, the songs associated with Egelege, Esͻ
Mba, Esͻ Ngwe, and Esͻ OkeaEbiε are rendered by designated singers.
Ø Esͻ Mba – Esͻ mba is a musical group whose
membership is confined to married women and widows. There are always Esͻ Mba
groups in every Eleme clan or town and the group consists of two efficient
singers and a concerted membership. Their instruments are “Egbe”, “Ekere”, and
“Nsisaa”. Their songs related to matrimonial problems and their solutions and
are inspiring. Esͻ mba is also used to exposed immorality and control social
behaviour among women folks.
Ø Esͻ Okea εbiε – Esͻ okeaεbiε is rendered by a
designated singer and is concerned with revealing whatever offence that was
committed in secret. Because Esͻ Okeaεbiε convened a lot of information
concerning evil deeds or deviant behaviours of individuals and families, it acted
as, “social
or cultural means by which systematic and relatively consistent restrains are
imposed upon individual behaviour and by which people are motivated to adhere
to traditions and patterns of behaviour that are important to the smooth
functioning of a group or society”.
Ø Esͻ Akε – This consists of songs specially
designed to encourage wrestlers. There is the lead singer and another person
who sings an undertone to support him as well as maintaining the Ekere that provides the rhythm.
Ø Esͻ Ngwe – This is another set of songs that
relate to farming of yams and/or agriculture and the glory of acquiring the
highly esteemed Eleme Yam Titles of Aachu, Obo, Obεrε Obo, Otaa Obo, and
Achuete. Esͻ Ngwe is known to have given much encouragement to individuals who
ordinarily were not inclined to taking any of these titles, as it made them
reflect on their ancestors and proceed to taking two or more Yam Titles.
Ø Kukunεnε, Ebͻniand Ogolo Ejԑ – These are ancient music played by warriors or secret
cults in Eleme. They can be played at any time or day especially during
emergency or community threat; or at midnight and only members of the cults
concern participates. A lot of secrecy is associated with them but they ginger
their members into action. They are played mostly during funeral ceremonies of
members or during their meetings or initiations.
Ø Esᴐ Eduduu, Kprikpԑ and Ogolo Akԑ – These are music of
warriors, community defenders (Oku Ejԑ) and wrestling champions.
Dance
Eleme Dance refers to
the dance of Eleme people. Eleme dances
teaches social patterns and values; and help people work, mature, praise, or
criticize members of the community while celebrating festivals and funerals,
competing, reciting history, proverbs, and poetry as well as to encounter the
gods.
Musical Instrument
Eleme musical
instruments include: musical pot, gong, flute, horn, wooden drum, split wooden
drum, egbe, nsisaa, okpo, ogu, ogela, ekere, and so on which produce sounds by
hitting, shaking, beating, blowing in the air, and rubbing them against
another.
Few
Eleme dances worthy of mention include:
1. Eje
Ekpete - This is a common dance among the Eleme women
folks.
2. Eje
piopiopioo – It is the girls that dance
piopiopioo. The style is exciting, percussive footwork danced bear footed at a
particular temple on whistle, fiddle or mouth music. That is beating ones
heels, toes, and feet in as many ways as possible and imaginable, keeping time
with the rhythms of the music in reel and jig time.
3. Eje
Alikirijã – There are many styles of alikirijã
dance that can be demonstrated. The style has never been prescribed, except
dancing steps neat and close to the floor. Many alikirijã dancers have their
own individual style and steps they like to do to particular tunes.
4. Eje
Agala- Dance for the boys and girls.
5. Eje
Mbᴐkᴐ/Ngelem – Wedding dance for new brides.
6. Tamkpe
Eje – Dance for both male and female irrespective of
age.
7. Okeri
Eje This is the most popular dance step in Eleme. It is
waist dance that is performed by both men and women. Okeri Eje dance step has
been perfected in Eleme that both men and women use it to dance all types of
music.
8. Eje
Echῑi Osila This is first daughter dance. In Eleme,
every first daughter is entitled to this dance (as of right), and it is the
only dance in which the dancer’s legs never touches the ground. The new bride,
who must be first daughter, is usually dressed in a mountain of expensive
cloths arranged in concentric circles round her waist. She will put on her
legs/ankles heavy bracelets (abarachwa), heavy coral beads round
her neck and both wrists, together with a ceremonial staff with white
handkerchief tied on top of it. She also wears short skirt with her body
exposed, carried on the shoulder of an able bodied young man, and she dances
the ngelem
music to and from the market, hailed all along by jubilating crowd of
admirals.
Let it be stated
here that Eleme traditional music and dance and accompanying activities are now
on the decline because the generation of expert singers, drummers, wrestlers,
and so on has given way to another generation of footballers, disco dancers and
cultural alienators.
Traditional Festivals
Eleme
traditional festivals include:
Agba Esaa– This is the
ceremonial conferment of graded traditional yam titles of Aachu, Obo, Obere
Obo, Otaa Obo, Achuete, and Ewoachunsin. These degrees conferred on recipient
certain rights, privileges and honours, and are recognized throughout the Eleme
country.
Agba Esun –Agba Esun (or
New Yam Festival) is celebrated to express gratitude to the ancestors and to
the living elders. The sacrifice known as “Ↄtԑbԑ Enu” is
offered annually, usually in October, in the belief that the ancestors who have
transformed to spirits upon their death are still very much around, seeing
everything they are doing and trying on their part to guide and protect them;
and who labored to cut the virgin forest and gradually reduced them to farm lands
desired the first fruits. The sacrificial offering usually consists of one
cradle (now basin) of good yams, drink, fish, fowl, or goat and other
condiments.
Ogbo Nja– This is a
cultural festival for children and new brides where parents, husbands, mothers-in-law,
and fathers-in-law present gifts to their children, new brides and relatives;
where children make new friends and eat happily and freely from community to
community; and where women in their best and newest dresses sing, dance and
rejoice for being hardworking, healthy and sensible enough to sustain the
growth of their children throughout the year.
Ogbo nja is
celebrated between the 13th and 20th of July annually
depending on the position of the moon and traditional weekday known as Ͻkͻͻ.
Ogbo nja festival is celebrated for two consecutive days. Day one known as Ͻkͻͻ
Ͻbibai Etoo is for women while the next day called Mma Agba Okundo is for men.
Agba
Nkikεε – This
festival is celebrated annually on Ochu within the second week of March in honour
of Nkikεε, the Earth goddess, and to mark the beginning of the planting season.
Five days thereafter, precisely on the next Ochu another related ceremony
called “Agba Etenchi” is marked, again to inform all and sundry of the
commencement of the year’s farming season. Although only the initiated elders
(Oku Nkpͻrͻ and Oku Nyoa) are involved in both festivals, it is used to
communicate the beginning of a farming season, which resulted in both the young
and old participating actively in farm work.
Obira Asã – This
is lovers’ festival or celebration day; a sort of Valentine Day. It is also the
final day for wrestling competitions across Eleme.
Ͻla Mba
– This is Eleme’s wedding festival day. It was previously celebrated once a
year, in June.
Other
festivals worthy of mention are: Agba Mba,
Agba Okundo, Oɂe Akε, and Agba Obibai
Etoo.
Masks and Masquerades
Masks and masquerades
are important elements of culture. In Eleme masks and masquerades are generally
called Owu. Most owu are named after their bearers. However,
there are few outstanding masks and masquerades in Eleme viz:
1.
Ebᴐni
2.
Ete Okolaa
3.
Nkͻnkͻ
4.
Ogolo Kurukuru
5.
Akparaloloo
6.
Dededede Ebiri
Marriage
Marriage
is a highly respected institution in Eleme culture. The Eleme culture
recognizes marriage as a union between man and woman in holy matrimony. To the
people of Eleme, marriage is not only the coming together of man and woman in
holy matrimony but, also a union of two families and two people for mutual
benefits.
All
mature females are expected to marry and live with their husbands. Children of
such marriages belong to their father and have no substantial rights with their
grandfather. The nuclear family which a man raises is subordinate to the larger
family unit called Oku Ͻtͻ, which he belongs.
The
Eleme culture promotes polygamy and encourages intra Eleme marriage. An Eleme
man is expected to marry Eleme woman as first wife and is then free to marry
from any other tribe or ethnic nationality. Because the culture frowns at Eleme
man marrying first wife from outside, it accords no marriage recognition to
those who do so, and they are exempted from participating in several cultural
activities including taking of yam titles, admission into Ogbo Nkpᴐrᴐ and conferment of traditional chieftaincy titles. This
once cherished tradition has been bastardized. Do not ask me how and why
because we all know it.
Greetings
Greetings remain an
important aspect of culture. Greeting is regarded as a sign of good behavior.
It is expected that children greet their parents, teachers, and elders whenever
and anywhere they see them. Eleme has no special way and manner of greeting. Although,
the mode of greetings in Eleme has changed over the years, perhaps proving that
culture is dynamic, this has been highly influenced by the English Language and
tailored in that direction of our colonial masters. To my mind, Ade
Ageta (Good Morning), Nnyimԑ Eɂera (Good Afternoon) and Mmuji
Abã(Good Evening) are acceptable manner of greeting which should be
adopted by all in keeping with changing times.
Conclusion
We
have demonstrated that Eleme was founded by a warrior named Ibubu, now Ebubu;
and that Ebubu is the ancient capital city of the territory known today as
Eleme. It is also clear that Eleme has a rich cultural heritage and that Eleme
people are known by their dressing, language, behavior pattern and have music
and dances for various occasions and festivals.
Finally,
I am grateful to the Proprietor and Management Staff of Leaders Foundation
Schools for providing this opportunity for interaction, and the students for
actualizing this occasion. I thank all the special guests for appreciating the
necessity of shelving all personal engagements in favour of this occasion. I
thank the general audience for listening to my views about the Ebubu People in
History.
References:
Gutkind,
P & Waterman, P., (ed) “A Science of Social Control”, in
African Social Studies, London: Heinemann, 1977
Guy
Feuer on The Convention on Cultural Diversity in African Geopolitics
Identity and African Identities, no27 July – September 2007.
Jennings,
J. D. &AdansonHoebel, (ed) “Readings in Anthropology”, New York:
McGraw Hill, 1972.
Ngofa,
O. O., “Eleme Tradition,” Rescue Publications, Ogale-Eleme, 1994.
Osaro
Ollorwi, “Community Policing & Crime Prevention in Pre-Colonial Eleme Issues
& Perspectives” Port Harcourt, 2009
Ottenberg,
Simon & Phoebe, (ed) “Cultures & Societies of Africa”, New
York: Random House, 1969
Chief Osaro Ollorwi
08036694027
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