Opobo

Opobo is an area in southern Nigeria. It did not exist as such until 1870. From pre-historic time, what become known as Opobo was formerly known as Ikot Abasi which was one of the communities (states) in the old Calabar Province ^[1]. It was and still is a coastal community (a mangrove swamp). Next to it was Bonny. In Bonny was an Igbo slave called Jubo Jubogha who had formed and led the Anna Pepple house of Bonny. In 1870, Jubo Jubogha (Jaja of Opobo) arrived in Opobo from Bonny. He overpowered the indigenes and formed what he called "Kingdom of Opobo" which he named for Opobo the Great, a Pepple King in Bonny that reigned from 1792 to 1830.

History

Even after the name change, the community (Opobo) was still in Calabar Division. Jubo Jubogha became involved in oil-palm trading with European (a major trading activity of Calabar Division people, and Kings of Calabar Kingdom). He started a trading post at Opobo Town, 4 miles southwest of the Opobo River. The European traders called him King Jaja. Jubo Jubogha (King Jaja) was never in good term with Kings of old Calabar Division (Kings of Calabar Kingdom), especially the Annang, and the Ibibio as Jaja declared himself as the middle-man in palm Oil trading, thus asking merchants from the mainland states of old Calabar Kingdom, especially merchants from Annang, Eket, Ibibio, and Ikot Abasi to stop trading directly with the European. This resulted in a war (Ikot Udo Obong War) between Jaja and the Annang and Ibuno people of Calabar Kingdom as recorded by Nair ^[2]. In 1887, he was deported by the British (with the help of Annang people and sent on exile to Saint Vincent in the West Indies (Annang heritage article).

Opobo remained under Calabar and became part of Ibibio Union formed by Annang and Ibibio Of Calabar Kingdom. According to Noah^[3], the Colonial native courts in Ibibioland included one at Opobo that served the following areas: Andoni, Opobo Town, Essene, Ukam, Ekparakwa, Annang, Soo, and Kono. Opobo continued to be a part of Calabar area into the time Calabar Kingdom became Southeastern State (State name of the old Calabar Kingdom in Nigeria as of 1967).

Ikot Abasi Map — Satellite Images of Ikot Abasi original name: Ikot Abasi geographical location: Eket, Akwalbom, Nigeria, Africa geographical coordinates: 4° 41' 0" North, 7° 55' 0" East http://www.maplandia.com/nigeria/akwalbom/eket/ikot-abasi/

Ikot Abasi and Opobo Today

In the 1970s, Opobo was divided into two parts by the Nigerian Government: an island part and a mainland part. The mainland part was renamed Ikot Abasi and assigned to Cross River State, the new name for Southeastern State. The island part was assigned to Rivers State where it became a part of the Bonny LGA of Rivers State.

Right now Opobo LGA is a separate entity from Bonny.

Cross River State was later divided into two states: Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State. Ikot Abasi is an LGA in Akwa Ibom State.

References

• Annang Heritage Preservation, article on Annang
• Britannica article on Ikot Abasi
• Nair, Kannan K. (1972). Politics and Society in South Eastern Nigeria 1841-1906, Frank Cass, London.

Further reading

• Burn, Alarn. History of Nigeria, George Allen & Unwin, 1929.
• Dike, Kenneth O. Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta, 1830-1885, Oxford University Press, 1956.