#opinion

Bonny people migrated from Ijaw in todays Bayelsa State.

Their first contact with Igbo language was when they settled in Ndoki area for long, they moved over time from there and finally arrived at Okoloama.

Yes some of their kith and kin were left behind and yes they picked up blood lines from Ndoki due to marriages, because you cant live that long in a place and not intermarry.

But the culture of the Ijaw, which includes spirituality moved with them to Okoloama, which is why when they passed through Andoni and saw the totem of the god they worshipped as the god of war, Ikiba otume gidi, (Ikuba) they seized it as a good omen and took the totem to Orupiri and Bonny main town respectively.

Okpara Ndoki or Ndoli which is usually who these revisionists atttribute Bonnys igbonness was not a King of Bonny, he was a leader among other leaders from Ndoki to Orupiri.

He left Orupiri back to Ndoki when news of his fathers demise came to him, he had to go amd take up his place as a King, for he was a prince of ndoki. Which is why he is Okpara Ndoki.

Opuamakuba and Alagbariya and Asmini were leaders, Opuamakuba being the oldest.

He couldnt continue the leadership at a point and he opted to handover to Alagbarigha who himself was Chief Priest.

Alagbarigha recused himself of the reaponaiblity and it fell on Asmini to lead.

Asimini became as it were the first established King who was the first to use a crown.

He had a son Edmini who also lived with them in Ndoki, and made friends there, when Asmini passed and Edmini took over, he gave his daughter Kambasa out to a prince of Azuogu Ndoki named Opoli to marry.

He did this becaise Opolos father was his friend and to seal the affection he had for his place of childhood upbringing.

Kambasa who before this arranged marriage was ab initio in love with an Ibani Noble Biriye, left to join her husband in Azuogu and had a son named Kamalu for Opoli.

Now Kamalu is an Igbo name and it is obvious because he was Opoli's son.

Kambasa eloped from Opoli's house in Azuogu to meet and live with her Ex Lover Biriye(who was an Ibani man) Herself and Biriye had a son named Papanye.

So Kambasa had two children, Kamalu and Papanye.

Opoli who loved Kambasa so much, followed love and abandoned his home in Azuogu in search of his wife in Bonny.

He eventually lived in where today is now known as Aganya, in Bonny, it used to be Opoli-Ama.

When Edimini died, without a son, and the partirachal men of the time didnt want to make Kambasa a Queem, she, being a woman of coirage who had her waysz seized the Adum-Odu The ivory tusk dedicated to Adum, a part of the Ibani pantheon of gods, a totem of royalty.

This being a significant thing, she was eventually made Amanyana-Orubo(Queen)

At her demise, her son Kamalau, was made King, and two sons after him from his line were made kings(note this was where an Igbo blood got into the kingship of Bonny).

However during the reign of Awusa, a great decendant of Kamalu-Ye-Kambasa, Things got increasingly rough and Awusa was unable to continue the Leadership of Okoloama as it entailed engaging in wars which were very expensive.

At the time, a Young Military Captain, by name Perekule, a Grandson of Papanye-Ye-Kambasa by Biriye (her Ibani lover) was tipped to be King as he had what it took to take in the responsibilities at the time.

The reign of Perekule who was named Captain Pepple by the Europeans, became the era of a new Dynasty.

Since Perekule I, the crown has remained in the Pepple Dynasty which is why the curremt King is Perekule XI.(Eleventh Perekule direct blood to sit on the throne).

It is from this King Perekule that Opubo Annie Pepple House was formed, Opubo was Perekule's Second son.

Perekule created two Chieftaincy Houses for his Sons, Prince Adum-Fubara, and Prince Adum-Opubo

Fubara Manilla-Pepple House
Opubo Annie-Pepple House.

When Both Princes at different times assumed the throne as Kings Perekule II and Perekule III respectively, their Redeemed Slaves (Adopted sons) became leaders of their Houses.

Thus at some point Juojuo(Jaja) became Head of the Opubo House.

Disagreements happened in Bonny as a whole which led to a civil war between dofferent houses, those supporting Jaja and those supporting The Leaders of the Fubara Manilla Pepple House.

At this point, Jaja left Bonny with a good number of Ibani Houses who were supportive of him.

He founded Opubo-Ama(Opobo) which i understand he named in honor of his Boss, King Opubo Annie Pepple, Perekule III of Grand Bonny.

What this means is that though Jaja himself was born an Nkwerre man, he was adopted and properly redeemed as an Ibani man.

And most of the families which left with him were original Ibani families.

The Second interaction of the Ibani with the Igbo language happened as a result of the Slave Trade and Inter Marriage.

If Bonny and Opobo people are Igbo why and from where did we get the Ibani language which is totally different from Igbo but very relatable to Ijaw?

How did we get the Other Ijaw forms of culture and spiritism?

These are the facts that should inform us when Igbo people come up with their unreasonable fallacies.

There are Historian Authorities whose books support this account, The Late. Nathaniel Waribere is one such writer.

The Late. Amaopusenibo Spurgeon Green is another such historian.

The problem we have and which the Igbo people have used to troll us is the many accounts of Europeans who passed this way.

Chimamanda Adichie calls it the danger of a single story.

The Europeans wrote it the extent that they could understand and perceive it, but not being indigenous people, through whom tradition and history would have been passed down from generation to generation, they couldn't have been expected to be 100% right.

If the Europeans could change our names from Perekule to Pepprell and Pepple, Ibaningo to Banigo, Wirikoma to Wilcox, Awusa to Halliday from Holliday(because he was seen as going to his plantation on Holliday after he handed over to Perekule) because they couldn't pronounce the band versions, is it the history that they wouldn't twist?

History is a tale or record from the past, to direct or inform the present and the future about their Root or Ancestors.

Please I might not know it all but am open to correction with respect, I don't need any insults. Imiegbam. (Thanks)

You forgot to start with chakpi ! wor!
That's how they start fairy tales.

Bonny and opobo history is complex

For me it's a town with mix heritage of Igbo and ijaws with Igbos largely majority

But they choose ijaw identity for Nigeria's sake

Honestly speaking that's there business

Nigeria would always remind you of who u are when the time comes

Was asari not reminded he was Igbo?
Even alabo Graham Douglas?

Lol 😂😂😂