Urhobo Historical
Society
A tribute:
His Majesty
Chamberlain Orovwuje,
Okpara I, Ovie r� Agbon (reigned: 1958-2012),
And the Making of
Royal Traditions in Urhobo Political Culture
By Professor Peter
Ekeh
Chairman, Urhobo
Historical Society
In the decades of
the 1940s and early 1950s, in which Chamberlain Orovwuje grew
up at Okpara Inland in the Urhobo hinterland and in the midst
of the colonial era, royalty was a distant marvel in Urhobo
culture. True, the concept of Ovie (plural: Ivie),
rightly translated into English as King, was well embedded in
Urhobo culture. However, until 1945, only two of Urhobo�s
twenty-two sub-cultures exercised the institution of Ovie,
albeit on a small scale. These were Ogor and Ughelli in
central Urhoboland, discounting the exceptional practices in
Agbarha that designated its three sub-clan chieftains as Ivie.
In 1945 in much greater grandeur, Okpe in northern Urhobo
revived its own institution of Ovie, named Orodje, which it
had abandoned for centuries after a one-time flirtation with
kingship. Okpe�s violent termination of its ancient
experimentation with kingship was woven into foul tales of
misrule that mesmerized Chamberlain Orovwuje�s � and my own �
generation who came of age in neighbouring Agbon in the
1940s-1950s.
As a notable
sub-culture of Urhobo, Agbon was very much conflicted about
kingship. On the one hand, Agbon sub-culture was deeply
suspicious of kingship. Well up to the early 1950s, Agbon
people were proud of their cultural coinage: Ọkpako r� Agbon
oy� Ovie r� Agbon. This adage
translates into English as follows: In any Agbon
community, the oldest man is Ovie (King), thus
investing gerontocracy with the dignity of royalty. Up to the
early 1950s, guardians of Agbon sub-culture justified its
unique scepticism about kingship by invoking the historic
violence that was associated with kingship in pre-historic neighbouring
Okpe, proudly inferring that there was greater
reign of peace in Agbon�s domain which until then never
practised kingship.
On the other hand,
there was plenty of sublime admiration for kingship in Agbon
sub-culture, even before the 1940s. To start with, stories of
�King Ogiso� (actually, Kings of the Ogiso dynasty), who
reigned in lands from which the Urhobo people migrated in
pre-historic times, were the main stuff of the famous Osia
(story-telling) sessions that were the dominant forums of
night-time entertainment in the cultural milieu in which
Chamberlain Orovwuje�s generation came of age in the late
1930s through 1940s. Furthermore, British colonial rule
glamorized royalty. Apart from abundant displays of pictures
of King George VI (1936-1952) and his family, one-page wall
almanacs adorned the Oba of Benin and the Ooni of Ife as well
as several other royal chieftains. As school boys, we read
these portraits of distant royalty and interpreted them to
those of our parents and elders who did not read or write.
There was little doubt that there was growing admiration for
royalty in Urhoboland in the 1940s-1950s. Indeed, in the late
1930s, there had been a suggestion by some Urhobo opinion
leaders that the Urhobo people might do well to install a king
who would rule over their affairs.
Modern kingship
came to Urhoboland in the mid-1950s through an unexpected
route. Nigeria first became a federation in 1954 during
colonial times, with the division of the country into three
federal units of Northern Region, Eastern Region, and Western
Region. Urhoboland was in Western Region for whose control
Awolowo-led Action Group and Azikiwe-led NCNC (National
Council of Nigeria and Cameroons) were the contending
political parties. The Urhobo people sided with Dr. Nnamdi
Azikiwe and his NCNC, bitterly resisting Chief Obafemi Awolowo
and the Action Group. It was in an attempt to bring Urhobo
under its column that the Action Group sought to import
kingship to the rest of Urhoboland, beyond Okpe, Ogor, and
Ughelli. Remarkably, there was no resistance whatsoever to
Awolowo�s and his party�s attempt to expand kingship in
Urhoboland. On the contrary, many fragments of the Urhobo
elite grabbed this new opportunity, even though most of them
continued to resist the Action Group.
The first port of
call by Awolowo�s Government was Agbon, one of the two largest
and most influential sub-cultures in Urhoboland. In the
mid-1950s, Chief
George Oyibocha Orovwuje of Okpara quickly emerged as
the most qualified chieftain who contested for this new
formation of Ovie r�
Agbon (King of Agbon). Chief Orovwuje was probably the
most literate of the �native� Chiefs of the British Colonial
administrative and judicial system in Agbon in the 1940s.
Notably, he was an elementary school classmate of Thomas
Erukeme, founding and pioneer Secretary of Urhobo Progress
Union. George Orovwuje began his working career as a school
teacher in the late 1920s, before settling down to the
craftsmanship of leadership of his people in Okpara and Agbon.
His gorgeous and large brick house in Iyara Street in Okpara
Inland became a favourite place for visits and meetings by
Urhobo elites and Chiefs in the 1940s and 1950s. Internally,
in Okpara affairs, Chief Orovwuje was popular in large measure
because he was a patron of education, always encouraging
youngsters to go to school. There was little doubt that
Okpara�s candidate for the new position of Ovie r� Agbon was an
excellent and popular choice. Furthermore, Okpara people
insisted that they were entitled to claim this position in its
first instance because Okpara was the oldest of Agbon�s
descendants, according to Agbon�s folk history. Sadly, in the
midst of the contest for kingship, Chief George Oyibocha
Orovwuje took deadly ill.
It was a tragic
blow for Okpara. But its people and leaders decided to replace
Chief George Orovwudje�s candidacy with that of one of his
sons. In the mid-1950s, Chief Orovwuje had three grown-up
sons, in their 20s: Edward (eldest), Chamberlain (second
eldest), and Palmer (third eldest). Following due and diverse
consultation and considerations, Okpara people settled on
Chamberlain Orovwouje as their candidate for Ovie r� Agbon.
Okpara�s new candidate was still a student at St. Thomas�s
College, Ibusa, near Asaba, at the time of the decision by
Okpara people that he should be King. Ironically, it fell to
Urhobo�s � and Okpara�s -- first university graduate, Chief M. G. Ejaife,
pioneer and founding Principal of Urhobo College, Effurun, to
persuade the 22-year old student to abandon his academic
pursuits and heed
the call of his people to become their King.
Chamberlain
Orovwuje�s preparation for kingship was not formal. Until
Ejaife�s unexpected visit to convey to him the heavy news from
Okpara, the last thing in Chamberlain�s mind was becoming
King. Those of us who claimed him as a boyhood friend, from
our elementary school days at Catholic Central School, Okpara
Inland, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, remember
Chamberlain as an ebullient and rather charismatic youth, with
a discernible amount of self-confidence. Much of his
personality probably developed from his closeness to his
father�s privileged circumstances. Whilst many of us as
children and boys admired visiting dignitaries from a
distance, Chamberlain saw and received them as his father�s
friends and visitors. Such informal up-bringing was probably
the most training for kingship that any youth could receive in
Agbon culture of the 1940s-1950s.
Chamberlain
Orovwuje was installed as Ovie r� Agbon with the moniker Okpara I in 1958
when he was barely 23. He did not inherit the throne. Before
him there was no throne or any royal tradition in Agbon. His
Majesty Okpara I�s great achievement is that he built up a
brand new royal tradition in an Agbon sub-culture of
Urhoboland that was before him sceptical about royal
practices. His great success was that he presided over the
political and social transformation of Agbon and helped to
create an aura for royalty that modernized traditional
rulership in Urhoboland. During his long reign of 54 years,
from mid-20th century to the second decade of the
21st century, royal institutions not only became
domesticated and widespread in Urhobo culture but, equally
importantly, respect for kingship grew enormously. In other
words, His Majesty Chamberlain Orovwuje�s beneficial legacy
spills over from his Agbon domain to the entirety of modern
Urhobo political culture.
I count myself as
fortunate to have retained my friendship with His Majesty
Chamberlain Orovwuje, dating back to our elementary school
days in the late 1940s and early 1950s at Catholic Central
School, Okpara Inland, unto our adult years. We had several
private conversations about his experiences, especially in the
early years of his kingship. I once asked His Majesty how he
was able to cope with the early period when he was recalled
from St. Thomas�s College, Ibusa. His reflections on those
tense days of his new life were thoughtful: There were no
existing protocols that guided his actions and others�
relationship with him. He strongly attributed his early
success to help and guidance from three principals of Okpara
and Agbon history. Foremost in His Majesty�s reckoning was
Chief Otite Ijedia, a contemporary chieftain of his father in
colonial native administration. Chief Otite was widely
respected in Okpara for his fairness and sagacity in public
affairs. His Majesty told me several times that Chief Otite
gave him assurances and daily guidance. Secondly, Chief M. G.
Ejaife stood by him, introducing him to political powers in
Ibadan, capital of Western Nigeria. Thirdly, at various points
in his early experiences as Ovie r� Agbon, he
received enormous help and guidance from Chief Adogbeji Salubi
of Ovu, especially in matters of protocol, dress, and Urhobo
history. In addition to these Urhobo celebrities from whom he
gained mightily, His Majesty Chamberlain Orovwuje gained much
wisdom from the experienced and mature Oba Akenzua II of Benin
whose acquaintance he made early in his reign as a young
monarch.
The young King of
Agbon had to mature fast in order to tackle problems of
governance in his domain. First, kingship threatened the old
regime of indigenous order of administration and justice that
was largely based on rule by elders. Secondly, competition for
the new position of king had caused tension and disagreement
among Agbon�s towns � pitting supporters of King Chamberlain
Orovwuje against supporters of his main opponent in the
competition for kingship. There was urgent need to heal
Agbon�s wounds. His Majesty took a first critical step in
these respects by appointing a prominent and influential
Uhwokori personality, Chief Obodo Manuwa, as His Majesty�s Otota (Spokesman).
(By the way, Obodo Manuwa was the uncle of the current Otota, Chief Efe
Akpofure.) Chief Obodo Manuwa was of the same age-group as
Chief George Oyibocha Orovwuje, the young King�s late father.
Manuwa was most helpful to the young King in restoring Agbon�s
political health, especially rivalries between Okpara and
Uhwokori. Moreover, there was no radical usurpation of the
role and status of the rule of elders. The King�s moderation
probably helped to increase respect for the new system.
During the fifty
plus years of the reign of King Chamberlain Orovwuje, all the
six component settlements of Agbon � Okpara, Uhwokori,
Orhoakpor, Eku, Igun, and Ovu � were transformed from medium
and small settlements to sizeable towns. Three of them �
Okpara, Uhwokori, and Eku � have grown into sprawling
municipalities. In the case of Okpara, His Majesty was a
pioneer in his gutsy decision to claim Okpara�s Aghwarode forest
(�Bad Bush�) as the site for his home and Palace, overcoming a
streak of superstition that haunted Okpara for centuries. This
is an order of achievement that few other reigns of kings
could boast of in Urhoboland. King Chamberlain Orovwuje has
other more direct claims of service to Agbon. He fought tooth
and nail to ensure that the Federal Government created a Local
Government that had headquarters in Agbon�s ritual capital at
Isiokoro. The establishment of Ethiope East LGA will remain a
lasting tribute to his work to promote the welfare of Agbon.
He was also directly involved in negotiating the establishment
of the first Girls� Secondary in Agbon, sited at Okpara
Inland. More broadly, it is noteworthy that at the beginning
of his reign in 1958, there was not a single Secondary School
or Teacher Training College in Agbon. The nearest such
institutions were at Aghalokpe in Okpe and at Avwraka. Under
King Chamberlain Orovwuje�s reign there has been a steady
expansion of education in Agbon. King Chamberlain Orovwuje may
justly be called �Patron of Education� in Agbon.
King Chamberlain
Orovwuje�s successes and achievements are largely traceable to
his strategy for recruiting Agbon and, indeed, Urhobo elite
into the service of Agbon and Urhobo interests. Of all Urhobo
kings, His Majesty Chamberlain was probably unsurpassed in his
inclination and ability to associate with the elite and
recruit them into his royal service, as it were. This point
may not be obvious to readers of this tribute who did not
experience colonial times: His Majesty Chamberlain Orovwuje
was a strong admirer of the spirit and commitment that
animated the work of British colonial servants. He wanted
Agbon and Urhobo elites to exhibit the same degree of
dedication and commitment to the service of Urhoboland as was
evident to him in colonial service. He used a sports metaphor
to make the point. King Orovwuje said: �Royal service is like
a relay race; fresh new actors pick up tasks when others leave
off.� His Chiefs (named Ọhọvwọre and Ọkakuro) have been in the
forefront of such service. A line-up of these chiefs is
impressive. They included such celebrated and exemplary
principals and chieftains of Agbon public affairs as Chief
Obodo Manuwa, Chief Patrick Bolokor, the late Chief Justice of
the Federation Ayo Irikefe (from Uhwokori), Michael Uwegba,
Gordon Umukoro, Laggy Nakpodia, Onigu Otite (from Okpara),
Chief Adogbeji Salubi, Johnson Barovbe (from Ovu), Chief
Johnson Ukueku (from Eku), etc., etc. Outside of his chiefs,
His Majesty reserved special honour for intellectuals and
professionals. He was especially proud that Agbon had the
largest pool of medical doctors in all of Urhoboland. King
Chamberlain Orovwuje brought close to his Palace successful
businessmen and professionals who brought their expertise to
Urhoboland: Chief Imo Otite, Dr. Peter Obakponovwe, and the
late Dr. Godwin Okpavero are outstanding examples of this
class of Agbon elite whom His Majesty held in high regard. He
was famous for the audiences that he granted to any visiting
Agbon elites.
By the prime of his
life, His Majesty Chamberlain Orovwuje had emerged as an
Urhobo leader. This level of achievement was well earned and
deserved. There were few traditional rulers who, like His
Majesty, reigned during the colonial era of our history and in
post-colonial times. He was a member of the Western House of
Chiefs before the Mid-West Region was created in 1963. He was
chairman or member of dozens of boards and panels at the level
of Local, State and Federal Governments. He validly became a
veteran leader of his people as the Urhobo navigated their
destiny in the new Mid-West Region, Bendel State, and Delta
State. He was a patriotic man who cared very much about the
fate and direction of Urhobo Progress Union. King Orovwuje was
regularly consulted on Urhobo affairs by a host of Urhobo
leaders: Dr. Frederick Esiri, Michael Ibru, David Dafinone,
David Ejoor, Felix Ibru, Edwin Clark, and Moses Taiga � to
mention a representative sample of Urhobo leaders who
routinely consulted with His Majesty. His Palace at Okpara
Inland was a venue for settling major issues on Urhobo
disputes. Beyond such Urhobo principals, King Chamberlain
Orovwuje routinely received visiting Urhobo elites from
outside Urhoboland.
King Chamberlain
Orovwuje was a quintessential Urhoboman who would want to be
judged by how well he did by his family. Anyone who was close
to the late King would not hesitate to affirm that he paid
premium attention to the welfare of his family. The education
and proper up-bringing of his eight sons and seven daughters
were always at the forefront of his consciousness. Their
reciprocal dedication and love for their father is the pride
of any Urhoboman. His Majesty plied a modern married life and
his dedication and love for his Queen Victoria was truly
inspiring.
King Chamberlain
Orovwuje was endowed with a good amount of physical prowess.
One of the most signal stories about the late King concerned
an incident in which he surprised a man who was sent to kill
him by grabbing and tossing the would-be assassin to the
ground. The hapless man managed to break loose and he took to
his heels. However, even strong kings are humans who are
subject to the vicissitudes of ill-health. After many years of
extraordinary life and dedicated service to his people and his
own family, the King from Okpara was slowed down by a stubborn
illness. He bore it all with an uncommon degree of fortitude.
I should report to Agbon and to the Urhobo people that our
beloved King always had the full attention of his family and
friends in his days of need. At one stage, he requested to be
taken overseas for evaluation and treatment. After exhaustive
consultation that included his children and Okpara leaders
(Dr. Peter Obakponovwe, Professor Chief Onigu Otite, and Chief
Imo Otite), arrangements for his treatment and care were made
by three other Okpara elite resident in the United States:
Professor Andrew Evwaraye, Professor Akpofure Ekeh (my eldest
son) and my humble self. Accompanied by his devoted wife,
Victoria, His Majesty received good attention in Miami Valley
Hospital, Dayton, Ohio, USA, where Dr. Akpofure Ekeh is a
physician. His Majesty returned home and lived a few more
years before the end came. It is remarkable that throughout,
and to the very end, His Majesty retained his sharp intellect.
Every Urhobo adult
male (King, chieftain, or commoner) is entitled to bear an
assumed name (Odova) by which
he is saluted by his peers as well as his juniors and
subjects. His Majesty Chamberlain Orovwuje bore a formidable
and sturdy Odova of Ogurime-Rime by which he was
routinely saluted. Let me conclude this tribute to the beloved
King by invoking the name that endeared him to so many.
(i)
To start from the
beginning: On behalf of all those who passed through the
portals and blessings of Catholic Central School, Okpara
Inland, we all salute Ogurime-Rime for elevating with his
achievements and stature the galaxy of successful elites whom
this wonderful institution enabled to compete in colonial
times and beyond.
(ii)
The people of Okpara
have good reason to salute their hometown hero who presided
over their affairs for more than half a century. We salute
Ogurime-Rime for being in the forefront of bringing education
and other elements of modern civilization to our home town.
(iii)
The people of Agbon
salute Ogurime-Rime for ensuring that the change of Agbon�s
political culture from the rule of elders to kingship has been
orderly. Furthermore, Agbon people salute Ogurime-Rime for
successfully fighting for Agbon�s own LGA. Under his reign
Agbon has continued to be a central part of the core of the
Urhobo hinterland.
(iv)
Lastly, the Urhobo
people salute Ogurime-Rime for providing precious leadership
in Urhoboland and for helping to modernize Urhobo�s
traditional rulership.
May the Soul of
King Chamberlain Orovwuje Rest in Blessed Peace
Urhobo Historical
Society
Buffalo, USA
November 6, 2012