Picture: Two hours in Tompolo’s Oporoza

Posted by admin Delta, Headlines, State News Saturday, December 13th, 2014

Oporoza, the country home of former lord of the creeks, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, is fast becoming an enviable new world. Ebenezer Adurokiya explores the quiet and steadily transformed headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

THIS is not a hatchet job. It welled up from over three-week cogitation and rumination over what has come to be a model in the creeks of Delta State. This is not about militancy or violence or threats, but about a silent revolutionary transformation going on at Oporoza, the country home of former militant, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo. It is not also about the embattled Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project tearing the Itsekiri and Ijaws apart.

It is about the good people of the Ijaw of Gbaramatu in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. It’s about good and responsive leadership of the once “voiceless” people. It is about an old order giving way to a new one. It is an issue of the application of common sense among leaders of the once ravaged community. It is a matter of showing love, benevolent spirit in a bid to give meaning to the lives of the downtrodden, also called the dregs of the society.

A visit to Gbaramatu kingdom and other communities of Ijaws’ neighbours by the reader for comparison purpose will all the more be convicing. While the former, often hitherto derided as addicts of local gin (ogogoro), would elicit ecstasy, the latter would draw tears from the eyes. The former, Gbaramatu kingdom, now enjoys modern life as found in most cities courtesy of good leadership, the latter, perhaps jinxed with bad and selfish leaders, is a shadow of itself in spite of immense wealth accruable from an oil multinational directly opposite it. While the former is blessed with benevolent leaders who deploy their wealth to better the lives of their people, the latter are unfortunate to have literate, but selfish leaders who only run after wealth to feather their nests.

But back to an emerging small Bahamas, Oporoza which can be accessed through a one-hour cruise on a speed boat from Warri Club jetty, has become a creek community to beat among its contemporaries. A sojourner to the community in 2013 would, today, almost miss his or her way, but for the constant waterways that lead to the coastal community.

History of Oporoza community

From the website of strengthening, transparency and accountability in the Niger Delta (STAND), Oporoza is described as an Ijaw speaking, coastal community and the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State.

It was founded by Fiyowei and there are six family lineages that began the community which include: Fiyowei, Kenibra, Atoruwere, Olomuda, Ogelagbanwe and Afintuwa.

The community is bounded by Escravos-Gbarama river to the north and east and rain forest in the south and west.

Occupation of people of the community is primarily fishing. Other occupations that may be said to be secondary among the people include canoe carving, lumbering, periwinkle picking, palm wine tapping and distilling of local gin.

Reversal of fortune

In the wake of militancy in the Niger Delta region, the coastal community came under heavy military attacks. A combined force of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Police code-named Joint Task Force (JTF) launched an attack on Camp 5 believed to be the stronghold of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). The attack, which was launched in May 2009, affected Oporoza and its neighbouring communities in Gbaramatu kingdom and lasted till August 2009.

The onslaught of the JTF in the area led to residents fleeing, turning hundreds of them into refugees in their own country. Residential buildings, including the palace of the traditional ruler of Oporoza, were brought down completely. The attack forced the people to flee the community and hundreds of them became internally displaced.

But Oporoza is beginning to resume a normal lifestyle. The visit of President Goodluck Jonathan in May 2014 to perform the groundbreaking ceremonies of the Marine University and NIMASA Shipyard and Dockyard at Okerenkoko may have sparked off the revivification. The Ijaw youths took advantage of the visit to notify the president to compel the Federal Government to rebuild what it had destroyed through military bombardments in the wake of militancy. The promise made by the president seemed to be on course as a massive reconstruction work is ongoing in the community. The shattered palace of the monarch is being aggressively fixed. Misfortune is beginning to give way to fortune again.

The present state

Oporoza is, no doubt, an emerging new world. Shanties of rafters are giving way to best modern structures that can be found anywhere. Conceptually, the system is assuming and evoking an egalitarian status which suggests succinctly that poverty and underdevelopment that used to be the lot of the over 5,000 residents are being phased out. New structures are springing in succession. Cement blocks and other building materials are being ferried to the virgin lands that have been titivated for new structures.

It is a mini city which proudly generates and supplies its power through a central power plant. This is also consistent with the central water system, with about three gigantic overhead tanks, that supply potable water to households in the community. The extant of federal projects has brought in members of the Nigerian Navy, Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army and other relevant security outfits.

It was gathered that it is a delight to be caught at dusk at Oporoza as street lights, both of solar and regular ones, illuminate the entire landscape with an inviting allure and grandeur of a Caribbean coast.

The people also have access to the global village through the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication. The major GSM provider is Globacom. As a result, accessing the Internet is no big deal to the people especially the youth who are as sophisticated as their counterparts in cities.

It was notably clear that the influx of modernity into the ancient town has not robbed the people of their cultural nuances and trappings. In fact, the two are mutually and harmoniously living side by side and/or benefiting from each other. The gregarious nature of the people has encouraged much communal and symbiotic living, reminiscent of a typical traditional African setting.

Traditional worship, culture

The people, for instance, exhibit a high degree of loyalty to their leaders, both traditional and political ones. Their eyes are also fixated on ritual worship – mamaid and ancestral worship. At the sound of the gong in the event of an emergency for instance, the people gather almost immediately at the Royal Pavilion Ground.

The people have an undying penchant for traditional African religion. Ijaws of Gbaramatu, nay Oporoza, hold their heritage with great pride. For instance, the kingdom celebrates its annual festival called the “Amaseikumo festival.” This festival, celebrated every May, is believed to bring the entire sons and daughters of the kingdom from the entire globe together.

Amaseikumo, it was gathered, means good life. Oral tradition says the festival was handed to the people by their forefathers. The festival, it was gathered, began by an ancient deity which emerged from the river.

It was also gathered that the festival reportedly began at about 14AD under late Pa Obuko of Azama town, but has found its way to Oporoza, which is believed to be the natural habitat and headquarters of the Ijaws of Gbaramatu.

The festival, which residents of the Gbaramatu kingdom believe fosters peace, unity, prosperity and protection, is regarded as the most important festival in the kingdom. Usually, the festival lasts five days and during this period, a lot of rites and sacrifices are performed with some stationed by the river bank. Some of the ritual items include soft drinks, gums, biscuits, sweets etc. The five-day conviviality usually ends with an inter-denominational thanksgiving service at the Royal Pavilion Ground in Oporoza.

The high point of the festival is appearance of the colourful festival masquerade from the traditional grove which is led by a warrior, regaled in overall white attire in company with tens of youths from the community.

Churches at Oporoza

Surprisingly, modern worship centres are also noticeable in the community, suggesting some cosmic harmony. InsideNigerDelta sighted a church auditorium belonging to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) as well as that of another Pentecostal denomination, the Assemblies of God Church.

Besides, politics is rife in the ancient creek. One could sight campaign posters of political juggernauts pasted on walls of buildings. Patent stores, boutiques, recreational centres, cafeteria, a skills acquisition centre, liquor joints and what have you. From a closer observation, foreign liquor finds its way more among the people, especially the rich as it could be seen on display in front of some residences.

Some of the residents of Oporoza, who would not want their names mentioned, confided in InsideNigerDelta that there is complete absence of crime and criminality in the community. Crime is regulated through taboos, norms and values set ahead of the people. Hence, beside the Royal Pavilion arena, none of the houses, including those belonging to wealthy ones such as Tompolo, has perimeter fences around them. This gives credence to the emerging free society where excesses of man are highly and discreetly regulated through traditional means.

The Royal Pavilion Ground, where the people gather when necessary, has mounted on top of its gate three statues: in the middle is a creature like the American Lady Liberty holding a torch and a book, by its left and right are mermaid-like creatures.

Although a riverine area, Oporoza is dotted by exotic automobiles as was seen in the gigantic house of Tompolo. They form part of the collective pride of the people engendered as fallouts of the post amnesty era.

Beside the gigantic building of Tompolo is a revered white temple with some modern taste and touch. Except one moves closer to observe, it could almost be mistaken for a western religious temple. From a distance, one could behold exotic decorations, an altar and a royal seat. In front of the temple, by the right and left, are two white flags. White flags seem to be the “national” flag of the people.

Warriors from that area also tie it round their heads as headgear, hold the flag for display and also tie it round their waste. In fact, white is the predominant colour among the people. They also powder their face and other parts of their bodies with white ritual chalk. A source said white colour among the people symbolises Ijaws’ disposition to peace and purity in all its ramifications.

Some metres away from the temple is a grove. The narrow path linking the river and the grove is dotted with sacrifices placed on white stands by the river bank. Mounted in front of the grove or shrine is also a white flag and fresh palm fronds.

Flakes of protest at the EPZ project

On November 12, 2014 when the Ijaws of Gbaramtu declared that President Goodluck Jonathan should not honour the groundbreaking ceremony planned for the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project at Ogidigben – Ugborodo on the ground that they must be included in the project, the Ijaw warriors, in their tens, displayed the militant stuff they are made of. With their speed boats, they shook the entire waterways, demonstrating to journalists how they would disrupt the event if it eventually held. The warriors were soaked in alcohol, obsessed by spirits and patriotically engrossed in one mission: protecting the collective interest and destiny of the people.

No doubt, this synergy and common unity of purpose to bring about progress and egalitarianism are what the Ijaws have as strength. They neither betray one another nor allow individual interest to overshadow general interests. Wealth is being redistributed. The weak are well protected.

The immense wealth coming from Abuja to the resourceful Ijaw leaders like reticent Tompolo and even some international organisations is being sunk in the land to exterminate poverty and evolve a wellfarist society where the poor resident in Ijaw creeks are given equal opportunity to prosper like their counterparts in other cities of the world.

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Posted by admin on Dec 13 2014. Filed under Delta, Headlines, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry