Opobo
Opobo, is an Igbo-speaking community in Rivers state, South South region of Nigeria. The kingdom was founded in 1870 by Jubo Jubogha popularly known as JaJa, an Igbo man from the Igbo hinterland. Opobo, being founded by an Igbo man has a Ndoki-Igbo dialect as its native language. A greater part of the city state is still referred to as Opobo in Rivers State. Opobo is made up of several islands and communities which is in Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area in the South South Senatorial District of Rivers State Nigeria. The communities include, Opobo Town, which  is its headquarters, Queenstown, Kalasunju, Oloma, Ayaminimah, Iloma, Minimah, Okpukpo, Iwoma, Ekereborokiri, Kalaibiama, Epelema, Ozuobulu, Muma Down Below, Inokiri and Abazibie. Some parts of the city state are now in Akwa Ibom State: Egwenga and Opukalama, in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State. Opobo's geologic setting is similar to the coastal and estuarine settlements of the Niger Delta region. It is located at the mouth of the Imo River, one of the main estuaries that break the Nigerian coastline. The approximate geographical co-ordinates of the kingdom are 04°34'N latitudes and longitude 07°12'E, located about from  the Atlantic Ocean. Opobo is two meters above sea level and the very close interfaces between the sea water. Opobo is located about from Port Harcourt and has been accessible by sea and air and only recently by land. Opobo is divided into 14 sections ("polo"), made up of Sixty Seven War Canoe Houses. The Fourteen sections are Adibie, Biriye, Diepiri, Dapu, Dappa Ye Amakiri, Epelle and Fubarakworo. Others are Iroanya, Jaja, Kalaomuso, Ukonu, Kiepirima, Owujie and Tolofari. History. Opobo is located to the east of the Kingdom of Bonny. Bonny and Opobo are of the same origin, both associated  with the Ndoki people. an Igbo subgroup. Jubo Jubogha rose from slavery to lead the Anna Pepple chieftaincy house of Bonny. In 1870, Jubo first arrived in what is now Opobo, having moved there due to a civil war in Bonny between his followers and those of Chief Oko Jumbo, the leader of the rival Manilla Pepple chieftaincy family. The king named his new state after Amanyanabo Opubo "Pepple" Perekule the Great, a Pepple king in Bonny that had reigned there from 1792 to 1830. Jubo Jubogha became involved in palm oil trading with Europeans. He started a trading post  at Opobo Town, close to Ikot Abasi and 4 miles southwest of the Opobo river. Due to his dealings with them, he soon acquired the trade name "Jaja". Jubo Jubogha was never on good terms with the Annang and the Ibibio the east, as he declared himself as the middleman in palm oil trading, thus asking them to stop trading directly with the Europeans. This resulted in a war (the Ikot Udo Obong War) between Jubo and the Annang and Ibuno people as recorded by Nair. In 1887, he was deceived when he was told to go and negotiate with  the Queen of the United Kingdom by the British. He was captured upon his arrival on the consul's flagship, and was sent into exile in Saint Vincent in the West Indies thereafter. Traditions. The following are a few of Opobo's unique customs: Breaking any of these rules attracts a fine of N7,000 each or a serious punishment by the community heads. Initiation into womanhood. A certified wife who has not been initiated into womanhood with the appropriate initiation ceremony, known as the "Egerebite and Bibite", is not allowed to tie a special wrapper called 'George'. Such a woman  would also be denied many other rights: there are sacred places that she cannot enter and she will not be entitled to mix freely with women that have been initiated. In fact, she can be traditionally disgraced by the other women in the community at any time. Rulers. The rulers of Opobo were: