The Need To Emulate The Worthy legacies of Rev. George Amangala In The Unification Of Ogbia Kingdom

The history of some Ogbia communities date back to centuries and each of these communities then, existed as autonomous/independent communities.

But even in their respective autonomous positions and states, each knew the importance of inter community relationship including those with other neighbouring tribes and ethnic groups. This was more important because of their sole dependence on Barter trade (trade by barter), which was mainly the exchange of goods and services. In the above commerce and trading system, those who had fish exchanged them for food items and other essential commodities that they needed.

The major or main occupation of our great people were fishing and farming, even though the palm oil Industry, canoe carving industry and the Ogbia local gin (kaikai) brewery Industry also boomed.

These distinct communities grew at their respective pace but some major things that were lacking then were peace, unity and proper coordination. There were cases of intra and inter communal disputes and conflicts largely due to land disputes, fishing territories, etc. The above negative development continued up to 1940 when the most revered OGBIA BROTHERHOOD was formed. The Ogbia Brotherhood automatically became a unifying Instrument to Ogbia people like the role of the League of Nations which was later replaced by the United Nations (UN) after the Second World War in the unification of the world.

Rev. George Amangala who is the founder of the most revered OGBIA BROTHERHOOD was trained by the great Rev. Ockiya, a renowned and highly respected Anglican priest from Nembe. Rev. Ockiya identified Amangala at a very tender age during his pastoral and missionary work in Ogbia, Nembe, Brass, Kalabari and other areas and when he saw the child, he saw foresaw greatness and other unique qualities based on the great destiny of the child. In order to help to actualize the great destiny of the child, Rev. Ockiya decided to take him home and brought him up as one of his sons.

Amangala grew up, attended Anglican training school and he was later ordained a priest and over time, he became very renowned, famous and prominent like his foster father, the great Rev. Ockiya.

But through out the period of his evangelization, Rev. Amangala had a very big burden that bothered and troubled his heart so much. It was the scattered, disunited and uncoordinated nature of our great people.

He saw a very sad situation where each of our communities lived distinctly unlike the Nembe people that lived in City States. The Nembe people even then, lived as very united people with central government headed by Kings with Paramount rulers and chiefs that represented each community and compound in the Council of Chiefs. The above made them united, strong, protected and prosperous.

In order to change the sad narrative, Rev. Amangala decided to form the OGBIA BROTHERHOOD as a socio-cultural organization to foster peace and unity and also promote love among our great people. In doing this, he choose a very unique and touchy motto: ‘ALL FOR EACH AND EACH FOR ALL’ to drive home the message about the importance of love, peace and unity in the lives of a great people.

Rev. Amangala took the above message from community to community and house to house around the four clans that make up the present Ogbia Kingdom, Oloibiri, Anyama, Emeyal (Kolo Creek) and Abureni. It was not an easy task, it was very herculean. He equally faced vehement opposition in some quarters especially from those who never wanted the peace, unity and progress of Ogbia Kingdom.

Rev. Amangala foresaw the unprecedented prosperity of Ogbia Kingdom. He saw a kingdom whose blessings was only second to those of the Israelites (Jews). He saw a great people blessed beyond human measures, imaginations and limitations. The only missing link or ingredient then was ‘UNITY’. Rev. Amangala saw that with unity, Ogbia Kingdom would flourish like the Tree planted by the river side whose source never run dry. The small population of Ogbia people was inconsequential like those of the Israelites who conquered bigger and greater nations due to the prevalent power and grace of God upon them.

The task was huge, laborious and herculean but with great determination, Rev. Amangala succeeded in uniting and bringing the whole of Ogbia Kingdom under one united roof and umbrella. Over time, the respective Ogbia communities all saw the need for a central traditional government and leadership while each still had their paramount rulers.

With the relentless and tireless efforts and sacrifices of Rev. Amangala, Ogbia Kingdom got the revered traditional stool of ‘OBENOBHAN OF OGBIA KINGDOM’ while the respective communities maintained the OBENOMAS/OBENEMAS.

But something unique and remarkable happened. Because of the immeasurable and invaluable sacrifices that Rev. Amangala made for the unification of the great and most blessed Ogbia Kingdom, Ogbia leaders and the entire Ogbia Kingdom gathered and made him the traditional King (Obenobhan) of Ogbia Kingdom despite his spiritual and priestly office.

The reign of Rev. Amangala as the First Obenobhan of Ogbia Kingdom laid the very solid foundation for Ogbia prosperity. His reign reechoed and reaffirmed the fact that whatever that is entrusted into God’s hands is safe. The prosperity of America is anchored on their firm believe in God and this was due to the solid foundation that was laid by the founding fathers of America who carefully choose the motto: ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ as their covenant with God.

It was not an accident that crude oil and gas was first discovered in the whole of West Africa at Otabagi-Oloibiri in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in 1956 thereby making Ogbia Kingdom the CRADLE of crude oil and gas wealth in the whole of West Africa.

It is not an accident that an Ogbia son, Chief Melford Obiene Okilo played a very prominent and strategic role in the formation of the first National Government in Nigeria during the First Republic when himself and High Chief Dappa-Biriye went and formed an alliance with our Northern brothers.

Chief Melford Obiene Okilo was the only Parliamentarian that was elected under the umbrella of the Niger Delta Congress (NDC). The political alliance between the NDC and the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) led to the formation of the First National Government that was headed by Sir Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister.

Due to the excellent and brilliant performance of Chief Okilo in the National Assembly, Sir Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa appointed him a Parliamentary Secretary. That was where Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari and Okilo met and started their relationship. Shehu was also a Parliamentary Secretary. Later, both of them became President and Governor respectively during the Second Republic.

It is not by accident that an Ogbia man, Chief (Sen.) Dr. Melford Obiene Okilo was the First Civilian Governor of Old Rivers State.

It is not also an accident that another illustrious son of Ogbia Kingdom, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan became the first Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.

It is not an accident that Ogbia man, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan became the second Executive Governor of Bayelsa State.

It is not an accident that an Ogbia man, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan became first Vice President of Nigeria from the South South (Niger Delta).

It is not also an accident that an Ogbia man, became the first Acting President of Nigeria from the Niger Delta and later President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In all of these, God has configured the genes of Ogbia people like those of the Israelites such that no matter the attempts by our aggressors to subjugate and relegate us politically, socially and economically, they can never succeeded. Same way, their many attempts to annihilate and exterminate us as a people has always made us stronger and greater.

But like the Jews, Israelites, we go through a lot of challenges whenever we sin against God or go astray. But God always forgive and raise Saviours and Messiahs at every crucial and strategic moments in our history as a great people.

The basic challenges we are facing today as a people are those of lack of unity of purpose, understanding and bad leadership especially the continuous super imposition of incompetent and unqualified stooges, surrogates and puppets who on assumption of offices always think about themselves alone without recourse to the peace, unity, growth and development of our great people.

No single broom can escape the vicious determination of a desperate man that wish to use it to pull out something from a hole but same cannot be said of a bundle/bunch of broom which cannot easily be broken. United we stand but divided we fall.

For us to move forward as a great people, we need unity like never before. We must preach forgiveness. We must learn to forgive one another.

But most importantly, we must strive to elect competent, qualified, focused, visionary, creative, innovative and productive leaders in the forthcoming 2019 General Election. Israel is still existing and surviving today, they have not been overwhelmed by their enemies who surround them on all sides, they are surviving because they do not compromise their leadership. They disagree like others, but they don’t ever bring such disagreements to their leadership as a great people. They always ensure the election of vibrant, visionary, courageous and outstanding leaders who believe in their Dreams.

I see a great and very bright light announcing the Dawn of the New Great and Very Prosperous Ogbia Kingdom.

Ogbia Alua!

Ogbia Na Don!

By

Most Senior Comrade Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli
Mirror and Conscience of Society.

DISCLAIMER: The viewers expressed are purely those of the author.