Ase (Nigeria)

Ase (pronounced Assay) is a town on the shores of the Ase Creek, off River Niger in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. The Ase Creek derives its name from Ase town. Ase Town is an idyllic countryside with a spectacular and breathtaking natural beach, evergreen rainforest vegetation with overhangs the Ase Creek. Ase is a serene natural tourist resort waiting to be exploited. Ase shares common boundaries with Ibedeni, Aviara, Uzere, Patani (all in Delta State) and Trofani (in Bayelsa State). In the colonial era, Ase served as the commercial and administrative Headquarters for the colonial administrators. Relics of colonial presence still dot the landscape. John Holt and UAC are some of the companies that had trade offices in Ase. The town is made up of descendants from Ndokwa speakers who have intermarried with the Isokos and Ijaws over the years. The Ase dialect of the Ndokwa language (a dialect of the Igbo language) is spoken by the Ase people. The Ase people are of the same ancestral origin with Asazaga, Asemonite, and Aseomuku.

Politics and government

Ase town was founded by Ebeneze and its ruler is the Igwe (the current Igwe is HRH Ifeanyichukwu Ogeh 1) who is duly recognised and gazetted as a traditional ruler in Nigeria by the Delta State Government. He is the custodian of the customs and traditions of Ase people. The monarch is influential in Ndokwaland and he is a member of the local government and state council of traditional rulers. The Umu-Ogwezi royalfamily of Umuonotu quarter is the only royal ruling house in Ase Clan. Ogwezi is Ebeneze’s first male child. The Igwe governs with a council of chiefs (Igwe-in-council) comprising the Ejeh of Ogbonome Quarters, the Aguenya of Echei Quarter, the Onowu of Ekukeni Quarter, the Onise of Asaba-Ase Quarter, the Ocheonor of Egbeme Quarter. There are several other palace chiefs that constitute the Igwe-in-council.

Festivals

Oje, Eze-Nmo, Ogbo-Oyibo, Orikpo, Erishi are some of the masquerades found in Ase and some are festivals that are celebrated annually.

Education

Ase town has two primary schools (Ebeneze Primary School and Idume-Eze Primary School), and a grammar school (Ase Grammar School). There are other primary schools in Ase Clan such as Niger Primary School Asaba-Ase, Egbeme Primary School, Ogboko Primary School).

Government amenities

There is a police station, a maternity/dispensary, and a completed but yet to be commissionedcottage hospital.

Accessibility

The town is accessible by water and land. There is an asphalted road network from Oleh through Aviara, Araya, Edherie to Ase. A new bridge is being constructed to link Asaba-Ase (one of the quarters). It is also accessible by water through River Niger to Ase Creek.

Economy

Farming and fishing are the predominant occupations of Ase people. The town has enormous agricultural potential with alluvial deposits by the bank of the Ase Creek and River Niger. The town is reputed for the famous Ase yam which is harvested seasonally. Plantain, Pepper, Garden Eggs, Cassava, Sweet Potato are some of the crops grown in the area. The town has enormous deposits of petroleum resources and a lot of it is still not being tapped.