Tuesday, 19th May, 2020
By Tega Ezekiel Ughara
kingdom of Okpe, the largest monolithic Kingdom in Delta… Prince Igboze is the founding father of the royal family of the Okpe people. He was the son of an Oba (king) of Benin Empire. In the middle of the seventeenth century, he noticed the decline of the power of the Empire and, fearing for its future, determined to found his own kingdom. For this purpose he obtained his title of Ovie (king) from his second cousin, Oba Ahenzae of Benin, who was then on the throne, 1640 AD – 1661 AD. He left Benin Empire in the middle of the seventeenth century with his wives, family, and a number of followers (slaves) and set out southwards from Benin. It was an Israelite journey, he voyaged through modern day Auchi, Akoko-Edo, there are Okpes in Akoko-Edo till date (they were known to be the food basket of Edo then), he further located Patani through the river Niger and finally arrived at his new territory of Orere-Olomu. After a decade or so, when Igboze’s new kingdom was well established, he was later visited by an Igbo named Olomu. Olomu lived with Igboze for a long time and succeeded in winning the confidence of Igboze to such an extent that Igboze declared him his heir. Igboze, who had obtained the royal title of Ovie (king) to rule his new territory, was at the height of his power when he died. Upon Igboze’s death, Olomu took the title of Ovie. This caused a rift, because Igboze’s son, Okpe, quarreled with Olomu about who should succeed as king (Bradbury, 1957, p. 131; Hubbard, 1948, pp. 237-8; Asagba, 2005, p. 7). Okpe and his followers later left the territory and settled in the Agbarho quarters of the Isoko Okpe. Okpe lived and died in Isoko Okpe. Before his death, Okpe had four sons: Orhue, Orhoro, Evwreke, and Esezi. The descendants of those four sons are the royal members of the Urhobo Kingdom of Okpe (Otite, 1973 and Asagba, 2005). Since 1770 – 1779 AD till date the Kings are called Orodje. It is one of the many kingdoms that make up Urhobo tribe. Its capital is Orerokpe.
The kingdom plays host to the Warri Airport, which is actually located at Osubi and the Delta State Trade Fair Complex. The Okpe people are known to have migrated to found the present day Sapele and the Orodje of Okpe still exercises authority over the land of Sapele. Common language, Okpe.
The illustrious kingdom of Okpe as history recalls had four sons: Orhue, Orhoro, Evwreke and Esezi. These four Okpe ruling houses later decided to adopt a rotational system to produce a ruler for the kingdom. This has helped to stabilize peace and social equality in the kingdom till date.
The first king produced by this system was H.R.M. Esezi I, Orodje of Okpe whose sovereignty was around the period of 1770-1779. H.R.M.
H.R.M. Esezi II, became the second Orodje of Okpe. A visionary and highly idealistic monarch who believed in the system of democracy. As a pioneer advocate of democracy in the land of okpe, he also was pivotal to Nigeria. He was amongst delegates of kings that attended the 1957 Lyttelton Conference held in London in order to seek the Nigerian independence from the indirect government of the colonial master. He ruled the kingdom around the period of 1945-1966.
H.R.M. Orhoro I, the third Orodje of Okpe ruled the kingdom from around the period of 1972-2004. He was educated at a Catholic school and also served in the Nigeria police force. He later earned a Business Administration Diploma in the United Kingdom. His early life experience served him well as a springboard for establishing and becoming a director of a company, the New Africa Industries Limited. He was a worthy and peace-loving monarch that held several other public posts.
H.R.M. Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe is the fourth and current king of Okpe. He is a worthy monarch that served his nation as a high-ranking major general in the Nigerian Army. There is great expectations of the greatness his monarchy will add to the already illustrious history of the kingdom of Okpe…
Okpe Quotidians 