Uzere

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Uzere is located in the Isoko South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State of Nigeria. It has become one of the largest petroleumoil producing communities in Nigeria, resulting in a huge shift from its primary agrarian status, since the early 1960s.

BRIEF HISTORY OF UZERE

Uzere is a community with three quarters namely Uheri, Ezede and Uweye. History has it that Uzere originated from Benin kingdom in the year 1393 during the reign of a Benin Monarch named Oba Ehengbuda. They came from Benin under the leadership of a man named Uzei which gave rise to the name UZERE. Uzei had three surviving sons namely, UHERI, EZEDE AND UWEYE - the three quarters.

When they left Benin (Aka) they first of all settled at Isele-Uku, after a while they migrated to the River Niger bank at Asaba. From Asaba, they further migrated to Eboh in Ndokwa, from Eboh they built their own settlement which they named ERUKE.

After they built Eruke, one of the sons whose name was Okugbo wanted to travel back to Benin to buy 'kingship' rights from the Oba of Benin to be crowned a king. As they knew no other route, he paddled all the way to Benin.

When he got to Benin, the Oba made sent him to the Eboh king to buy kingship from him, which he did and the Eboh king crowned him king, the very first king of people in the year 1453. After a while, the Eboh king invited king Okugbo which he honoured but he committed an atrocity in Eboh land and he was killed by the Eboh people.

A war broke out due to the killing/death of king Okugbo. The Uzei people had a deity which they worship and the deity sent a message to the people to "dig themselves underground" to await the Eboh's. They misunderstood this parable, instead of getting themselves ready enough for war which is the meaning of the parable, they actually dug themselves underground to waist level, others to neck level. When the Eboh's invaded their area, they beheaded so many of them.

Due to this was, they ran and parked away from Eruke, many ran to the present day UZERE town and the rest relocated to Odi, in Bayelsa State. That is why the brotherly love and relation still exist between Uzere and Odi till today. If the Odi's are celebrating, the Uzere's are there and even when they are mourning, they are there also and it is vice versa.