Engennis: In Search Of Economic, Political Emancipation

If the works of historians like Professor E.J Alagoa and others are anything to go by, Engenni is one of the ancient kingdoms not just in Rivers State, but the entire Niger Delta.
The Engennis who are remnants of the ancient Benin Kingdom are scattered across the Niger Delta.
In Rivers State, they are largely found in Ahoada West Local Government Area, Udekema in Degema Local Government Area and, to some extent, Obonnoma in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.
Engenni descendants can also be found in Epie/Attisa and the Zarama communities, both in Bayelsa State.
However, in Rivers State, the location of the four kingdoms of Engenni in Ahoada West LGA has placed the ethnic nationality in a position of obscurity, thereby diminishing their contributions to the socio- political and economic development of Rivers State.
Engenni Kingdom is host to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company(NAOC), the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) and the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG).
However, to chart a course for the political and economic liberation of their kingdom, the Engennis from the length and breadth of the Niger Delta converged at Akinima, the Ahoada West council headquarters, for a summit.
The one-day summit which was organised by Engenni eminent persons group in conjunction with Engenni Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs has as its theme “Rebranding Engenni Kingdom for the 21st Century Global Economy”.
Among those at the event were traditional rulers from the five clans which include Joinkrama, Ogua, Ediro Ekunu, Ediro Ede and Ogbogolo.
Also at the event were the Okilomu Ibe III of Engenni Kingdom, HRM King Moore Maclean Ubuo, as well as monarchs from sister Ekpeye Kingdoms including the Eze Igbu Upata, HRM Eze Dr Felix Otuwarikpo, HRM Eze Augustin Okpokiri of Igbu Ubie and Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government area, Evangelist Hope Ikiriko.
Other eminent persons at the event were, the chairman of Engenni Eminent Persons Group, Dr Harvey Warman, Dr Uriah S. Etawo, former Chief Medical Director University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Princess (Mrs) S.C. Youdeowei, Dr A. Showers and Evangelist Mark Romans.
Also at the summit were: Engr George Apapa, Chief Ibim Harry, Deacon Anthony Luke, Surveyor Ovieral Zudonu, Deaconess Esther Showers, Deacon Apapa D. Apapa, Mrs Iniefieni J.J. Jumbo, Mrs Edovi A. Carson and Engr Andrew Akeneh.
The rest are Engr Samuel Okuwa, Mr Odinaka Osundu, Dr Buntly G. Akuru, Professor Amalo Ndu Dibofori-Orji, Mr Amivoh Showers, Engr Olovie Emem and Mrs Ann Awari.
The Okilomu Ibe III of Engenni Kingdom, HRM King Moor Maclean Ubuo, who declared the summit open said it was to x-ray the state of economic/social development of the kingdom.
According to the king, Engenni has for too long been in a state of obscurity among its peers in Rivers State, adding that the summit was to reflect on the past and examine the opportunities available to children of today and years to come.
Chairman of Engenni Eminent Persons Group, Dr Harvey Warman, said the summit will x-ray the gross insensitivity of the multinational companies operating in Engenni in responding to the peculiar developmental challenges of the people, especially the dire absence of basic infrastructures as against their corporate social responsibilities in other climes.
According to him, “the summit is about investing in people, infrastructures and innovation in creative ways to prepare our sons and daughters to compete in the 21st Century global economy.
He also urged that “to understand the essence we need to know where we are coming from our identity as a people , our culture and how these can be sustained over time,” he said.
Chairman of the occasion Professor Ezekiel Dikio of Niger Delta University called for the renaming of Ahoada West Local Government Area to Ekpeye/Engenni to reflect the geo-ethnic diversity of the local government area.
Dikio also stressed the need for the people to sustain their culture identity as the engennis are scattered across the Niger Delta.
The event also featured several lectures by distinguished sons and daughters of Engenni among who are; Chief Brantly G. Akuru who spoke on sustainability of Engenni culture and identity, Dr Uriah .S. Etawo spoke on Engenni Kingdom: Yesterday Today and Tomorrow while Professor (Mrs) Amalo Ndu Dibofor-Orji of Ignatius Ajuru University spoke on human capacity building and economic development of Engenni Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Engennis have designated every second to third week of every December ending on Sunday as thanksgiving day.
This was contained in a draft communiqué made available to newsmen.
The communiqué also acknowledged that Engenni has for too long lived in obscurity amongst her peers within Rivers State, in the Niger Delta of Nigeria and elsewhere.
“We, therefore, resolved here and now to call on all sons and daughters of the kingdom, our neighbours, friends and well wishers at home and abroad to come and partner with us in the onerous but worthy task of rebuilding the Engenni Nationality.
The communiqué also lamented the unusual neglect of Engenni land by multinational oil and gas companies whose exploration and production activities have subjected the people to untold hardship.
The communiqué also reechoed the need for the name of Ahoada West Local Government Area to be changed to reflect the ethnic configuration which made up the local government area.
According to the people, “we resolve therefore to demand here and now as a palliative measure that the name of our local government area Ahoada West be changed to Engenni/Western Ekpeye local government area (EWELGA) adding that for justice and equity, the same political yardstick which ceded sister ethnic groups like Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni and Abua/Odual from the old Ahoada Division be applied to the old Ekpeye/Engenni county council during the 1996 local government creation exercise.
The people also resolved to develop a blueprint that will articulate the transformation of the five clans of Engenni Kingdom viz: Joinkram (ENEDUA), Ogua, Ediro-Ekumu, Ediro Ede and Ogbogolo, adding that this will constitute the practical action plan for the sustainable development of the area and serve as a guide to the implementation of the stated objectives.
The communiqué also thanked Governor Wike for the recognition and elevation of the Engenni stool to first a class status.
The Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area, Evangelist Hope Ikiriko, said the summit was timely, adding that the council will replicate decisions of the summit in the forth-coming summit to be organised later this year by the council.
Similarly, the Eze Igbu Upata, King Felix Otuwarikpo, said the summit will enhance unity among the two ethnic groups in the local government area.
A cross section of participants also described the summit as timely as it will help the people to fully harness the abundant oil and gas resources in the kingdom for its development.

John Bibor, Amina Ngoma & Josephine Nsirim