The Orodjes Of Okpe Kingdom
ORODJES OF OKPE KINGDOM
The election of an Orodje of Okpe Kingdom is a democratic process of rotation between the four Ruling Houses of Orhue, Orhorho, Evbreke, and Esezi. Since Esezi Ruling House, Orhorho Ruling House, and Orhue Ruling House (the current Orodje is from Orhue Ruling House) have produced Orodjes of Okpe Kingdom, the next Orodje shall be elected from the Evbreke Ruling House.
The 1st Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. In an unprecedented display of democracy, the four princely brothers deviated from the hierarchical principle of ascension to the Throne by agreeing to install the youngest of them as the 1st Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. The eldest brother, Prince Orhue declined the Throne as he said he was too old to be a king. Furthermore, he proposed Prince Esezi because he felt that selecting one of the quarrelsome middle brothers, Princes Orhorho and Evbreke, would not auger well for launching a new kingdom. It was on the basis of this democratic ethos that Prince Esezi was crown the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, choosing the name of HRM Esezi l.
HRM Esezi l reigned from 1770 -1779. His rule was devoid of any democratic characteristics that brought him to occupy the Throne. He became an absolute monarch that enjoyed torturing Okpe nationals. Fed up with his poor governance and dictatorship, a group of Okpe citizens plotted his assassination. At a meeting in the Palace, his seat was placed on a covered pit and as soon as he sat on it, he fell down into the pit. The plotters immediately poured hot boiling oil on him. While he laid there dying, he reportedly placed a curse on Okpe Nation saying that Okpe “will never be reunited under an Orodje” (See, Isaac Sunday Mebitaghan, A Brief History of Okpe Kingdom, New Era Publications, 2001, p.6). His ruthless assassination led to violence and destruction particularly in Orerokpe. As noted in (THE RULING HOUSES) this led to the dispersion of the three surviving brothers, and the relations of Esezi l and members of the Esezi Ruling House, to found several villages, that formed the nucleus of the four Ruling Houses (or Ruling Quarters), bearing the names of the respective four brothers: Orhue, Orhorho, Evbreke, and Esezi. With the assassination of HRM Esezi l, Okpe Nation was thrown into a 166-year interregnum, a kingdom without a king.
The 2nd Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. Prince John Deveno Mebitaghan, was born in 1902. The Okpe Union, established in 1930 played a pivotal role in the restoration of the Okpe Monarchy. Its leadership consulted wildly in Okpeland soliciting the views of Okpe leaders on this matter. Opinions were mixed: a section of the elders favoured the restoration, while an opposing section was apprehensive about the return of a replica of an Esezi l. By 1942, as a result of the persistence of the Okpe Union with the support of a significant proportion of Okpe leaders, the momentum in favour of a resuscitation of the Okpe Monarchy gained currency. The rotation principle on the selection of the next Orodje to break the 166-year interregnum was jettisoned. Recalling the curse placed on the Okpe Nation by Esezi l that Okpe “will never be united under an Orodje”, Okpe leaders decided to return to Esezi Ruling House for the selection/election of the next Orodje. The decision to ask Esezi Ruling House to produce the next Orodje was purely an appeasement of the Esezi Ruling House for the assassination of Esezi l, as a way of neutralizing the curse of 1779 by Esezi l. After the performance of the necessary rituals to appease the gods, Prince John Deveno Mebitaghan was crowned on January 1, 1945, and assumed the name/title of HRM Esezi ll, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, without the consent of the British Colonial Government. British position was based on the apprehension of some Urhobo leaders who feared that an Okpe Monarch would be injurious to their interests. It was only in June 1948 that the British Colonial Government granted recognition to the Okpe Monarchy and the installation of HRM Esezi ll, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom was confirmed.
HRM Esezi II’s rulership was a marked departure from that of Esezi l. He embraced democratic practice and worked collaboratively with all Okpe organizations, including the Okpe Union. He was a constitutional monarch and a principled adherent of democratic ethos. The Okpe Tradition and Constitution that came into being in 1957 had his imprints on it. He was a member of the Western Region House of Chiefs representing “Western Urhobo Division” (1956-1960). He was also chosen as one of the traditional rulers as part of the Nigerian delegation to the 1957 Lyttelton Conference in London, where the independence for Nigeria was discussed with the British Government.
HRM Esezi II joined his ancestors in 1966, leaving behind an exemplary record of democratic practice. He is fondly remembered by Okpe nationals who witnessed his reign.
The 3rd Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. Born in 1921, the future Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Prince Domingo Ejinyere attended Holy Cross Catholic School, Lagos. He enlisted in the Nigerian Police and served in several cities including Sapele. He retired from the Nigerian Police in 1952, and proceeded to England where he obtained a diploma in Business Administration. He was appointed President of the Customary Court, Sapele, 1961-1963. In 1964 he was appointed Director of the New African Industries Limited.
After the passing of HRM Esezi ll, it was the turn of the Orhorho Ruling House to produce his successor. This process consumed 6 years; another interregnum due to the intensity of political struggles. Prince Koyima Asagba was chosen by the Orhorho Ruling House. Unfortunately, he was rejected by the Udogun Okpe (Okpe Supreme Council) on the ground that his mother was an Itsekiri. His cousin, Prince Etietsola Asagba rejected to contest for the throne when nominated. It was in the midst of this situation that Prince Domingo Ejinyere was elected by the Orhorho House, which was subsequently ratified by Udogun Okpe. He assumed the throne as HRM Orhorho l, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom in 1972.
Following the creation of Delta State in 1991, HRM Orhorho l was appointed the first Chairman, Delta State Traditional Council. During his reign, HRM Orhorho l established himself as a respected traditional ruler universally acclaimed as a Peace Maker. Under his exemplary leadership the traditional organs of power in Okpe Kingdom consolidated the democratic foundation established by his predecessor, Esezi ll, and nurtured fruitful collaboration with all Okpe organizations, including the Okpe Union. Thanks to his management skills anchored on conflict resolutions, Okpe Kingdom earned the recognition as the most peaceful place for living and business in Delta State. He joined his ancestors in February 2004.
His Royal Majesty
MAJ. GEN FELIX MUJAKPERUO(RTD)
ORHUE l
THE ORODJE OF OKPE KINGDOM
The 4th Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. The future Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Major General Felix Mujakperuo (RTD) was born in December 1946 in his home town, Opuraja, in contemporary Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State. He graduated from Urhobo College, Effurun, in 1966, in contemporary Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. He gained admission to the Nigerian Defense Academy, Kaduna, 1968-71. Thereafter, he excelled in several Military postings and trainings at local and international arena. While still in the Military, he graduated in Law from the University of Lagos in 1984, and from the Nigerian Law School in 1985. Thereafter, the future Orodje of Okpe Kingdom accumulated an intimidating curriculum vitae. (For details, see All you need to know about new Chairman of Delta Council of Traditional Rulers, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom – TheNewsGuru ) He capped his military career as a Field Commander, ECOMOG, the West African peace-keeping force in Sierra Leone in 1999, before he retired from the Nigerian Army in 1999.
When HRM Orhorho l joined his ancestors in February 2004, it was assumed that the Evbreke Ruling House would produce his successor. Towards this end, several Princes from Evbreke House, including one based in Warri and another based in Dallas, Texas, USA, were consulting elders of Evbreke House, expressing their respective interests to become the next Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. Unfortunately for them, Udogun Okpe declared Orhue Ruling House as the one to produce the next Orodje of Okpe Kingdom.
The contest to select a prospective Orodje from Orhue Ruling House was very intense. They were ten candidates, including Major General Felix Mujakperuo (RTD) and AVM Frank Ajobena (RTD), who are incidentally relatives. It was a battle royale involving two highly decorated Okpe military titans. The first ballot produced a tie; as AVM Ajobena’s (RTD) score of 16 votes was equaled by that of Major General Mujakperuo (RTD). The presiding officer casted the tie-breaking vote in favour of Major General Mujakperuo (RTD). This was challenged by AVM Ajobena (RTD), arguing that the presiding officer’s tie-breaking vote should be null and void, because he had already voted in the process. His contention was that a presiding officer should only vote, if a tie-breaking vote was required at the end of the first ballot, and not to vote twice. This contest was resolved by a court in favour of Major General Mujakperuo (RTD). He was subsequently crown as HRM Orhue l, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom on July 29, 2006; after a 2-year interregnum.
On July 8, 2021, almost coinciding with the 15th Anniversary of his Coronation as Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Orhue l was appointed as Chancellor of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, by President Muhammadu Buhari. HRM Orhue l is currently the Chairman, Delta State Traditional Rulers’ Council, as well as the Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria. These positions attest to the value of HRM Orhue l to both Delta State and Nigeria. They help to place Okpe Kingdom on a high pedestal, with a hope that they will lead to the recognition of Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality, and not as a “clan” or a “sub-unit” of any other ethnic nationality.
Unu-Okpe ( Spokesperson. Traditional Prime Minister)
1. The spokesperson is called the Unu-Okpe – the mouthpiece of Okpe. He possesses a status second only to that of the Orodje (King)
2. The order of rotation in which the respective ruling houses are entitled to provide candidates to elect successive Orodjes shall be
(I) The Esezi Ruling House
(ii) The Orhorho Ruling House
(iii) The Orhue Ruling House
(iv) The Evbreke Ruling House
3. The person who may be proposed as candidates by a ruling house entitled to fill a vacancy in the Orodjeship shall be:
(I) Male members of the ruling house who hold the Okakuro of Okpe Chieftaincy title, that is, persons appointed and recognised as Ekakuro by Orodje of Okpe sitting with the college of Ekakuro
4. The method of selection by each ruling house is as follows:
(i) The ruling house whose turn it is to provide a candidate or candidates to fill a vacancy in the Orodjeship shall nominate a candidate or candidates at a meeting of that ruling house summoned by the head (okpako) of the said ruling house.
(ii) The head (Okpako) of the house shall present the candidate or candidates so nominated to the kingmakers
5. The order of rotation in which the respective ruling houses are entitled to provide candidates for the Orodjeship shall be
(i) The Esezi Ruling House
(ii) The Orhoro Ruling House
(iii) The Orhue Ruling House
(iv) The Evbreke Ruling House
(i) Male members of the ruling house. The candidates must be of exemplary character of sound mind, not an ex-convict, not a bankrupt, etc.
(ii) Natives of Okpe, that is, persons whose fathers and / or mothers are of Okpe extraction.
6. There are eighty kingmakers distributed as follows: –
(i) 20 Ekakuro from the Orhue Ruling House in order of seniority of title.
(ii) 20 Ekakuro from the Orhorho Ruling house in order of seniority
(iii) 20 Ekakuro from the Esezi Ruling house in order of seniority
(iv) 20 Ekakuro from the Evbreke Ruling House in order of seniority.
Seniority amongst Ekakuro is determined by their chronological order of appointment.
The Ekakuro Of Okpe
An Okakuro ( Ekakuro) is a member of the okpe state Council called Udogun-Okpe.
He must be certified to be of exemplary character, such that he is unlikely to drag the status of Chiefs into disrepute.
Okakuro or Ekakuro are:-
(a) not to strike anybody
(b) not to steal or commit adultery
(c) refrain from doing menial work .
(d) under rain, he should neither run nor cover himself with a plantain leaf,neither should he enter a farm hut, rather he should walk majestically and with dignity to his house.
(e) he should not sit on common or on low benches
(f) he may not kneel before his elders, he should respect them and his parents.
NB: The above photos of the Orodjes are courtesy of: Andrew Onajite OTUGHWOR, The Onokuta Dynasty of Urhiapele (Sapele, Published by R COMPUTER NIGERIA ENTERPRISES, 1b, Okpe Road, Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria, 2023.
