Elele

Elele is a town in Rivers State, Nigeria. The towns indigenous ethnic group are the Ikwerre people. It is the traditional head of the "Ishimbam" or head of the tribe with reference to Ogbakor Ikwerre Socio-cultural organisation.

Elele is a town in Rivers State, Nigeria. The town's indigenous ethnic group are the Ikwerre people. The name Elele is an adulteration of Omenele and the history of Omenele goes back to the history of the Ikweree people.

History

"The Ikwerre tribe metamorphosed from a wave of migrations about the 13th century from the misrule of Oba Ewuare (Ogwaro) of Benin. While most people are not certain about the exact date of the migration which is corroborated by oral tradition in Ogba, Ekpeye and Ikwerre, the three tribes states that when Oba Owuare lost his two sons in mysterious circumstances, the Benin monarch issued a decree making it punishable by death for any person to give birth to a son before the Oba had two new sons to replace his dead sons. The decree was however challenged by Akalaka and Ochichi, founders and fathers of the present day Ogba, Epkeye and Ikwerre tribes. The Benin monarch who was enraged by this challenge sent for the two who then fled at midnight, thus beginning one of the great migrations South Westwards. The first phase of the migration took the brothers through Agbor, before finally settling at Obigwe at the first instance. They were later to move to Omoku in search of water, specifically settling at the Bank of River Omoku from where Omoku derives its name. Following the accidental killing of one of the children of Ogba by Ekpeye, both sons of Akalaka, when the former was away on a hunting expedition and for fear of reprisal, Ekpeye had to steal awy in the night with his uncle Ochichi. The two moved towards the Sombrero river, while Ekpeye settled at Ula Ahoada, the traditional headquarters of Ekpeyeland, Ochichi crossed the River Sombrero at Akpabo through Eligbo before finally settling at the present site of Elele, which is equally the traditional headquarters of Ikwerreland.

After the settlement of Ochichi at present day Elele, specifically at the present site of Ogbakiri family in Elele, which is currently the ruling family in Elele, he (Ochichi) gave birth to four sons, namely Ele (Omenele), Elu (Omerelu), Egbe (Egbeda) and Mini (Alimini Isiokpo). Having finally resolved to settle permanently at the geographical location of Elele and its environs, the descendants of Ochichi, mindful of the constant invasion tendencies of their neighbours, the Usomas (Ibos), Mgbom (Riverine folks) and Ogba made following settling arrangements: Ele, the first son remained in Elele, inheriting his father's property according to Ikwerre customs; Mini the second son of Ochichi was posted to the present site of Alimini Isiokpo, which later metamorphosed into the present day Isiokpo ( Alimini Isiokpo in Ikwerre Language means 'the land of the water that is at the head of the road'); Elu was posted to the present site of Omerelu, while Egbe was deployed to Egbeda to ward off the imminent attacks of Ogba, who was still in vengeance against his fleeing brothers. These first four sons of Ochichi founded what is currently known in Ogbakor Ikwerre as Elele group or 'Ishimbam', meaning 'the head of the tribe'." ^[1][2]

"Elele Alimini is an offshoot of Elele. In the days of yore, when intertribal wars reigned supreme, all compounds in Elele donated more than twenty able bodied youths to intercept the invaders from the west. The following compounds whose counterparts are today in Okiniali (Elele) are found in Elele-Alimini: Mgbuayim, Omeneta, Omohia, Omuse, Mgbuigwe, Omuadi etc. These compounds do not inter-marry with their Elele kit and kin and they attend burial ceremonies and the functions in common."^[3][4]

Township life

Elele is a commercial town dating back to colonial times and the current town is a business hub inhabited by all tribes of Nigeria and foreigners alike. Elele hosts significant institutions like Madonna University as well as Madonna University teaching hospital, 6 Division Nigeria Army (Elele Barracks), churches, recreational centres and industrial farms, oil palm plantations and palm oil mills. The town hosts several primary and secondary schools, small clinics, a large market as well as several smaller markets. Elele is an intersection point for travellers heading to the East and West of Nigeria. People travelling to Owerri in Imo state from Port-Harcourt often halt in Elele to take breaks and travellers from Port-Harcourt heading to Warri in Delta State would take breaks in Elele-Alimini. The Port-Harcourt International Airport is 27km away from Elele.

The people

Elele people are traditionally hunters and farmers. The major staple food crops are cassava and yam. Women farmed cassava, which is later peeled, left to ferment, cooked, pounded into pulp and eventually sold at the market, or ground after peeling and heat-fried to make 'garri', a coarse cassava flour. Traditional Elele men hunted and farmed yams. Yams were kept in barns and eaten at special occasions. Morden day Elele people are into all works of life and, ranging from craftsmen to scientists as well as academicians.

1. ↑ Woke, Boniface; Woka, Sam; Eke, Sam C.; Oluko, Edmund C. "The Origin of Ikwerre People". 'Akwa' An Ikwerre Socio-Cultural-Journal. 1 (1): 2–3. 
2. ↑ Woke, Boniface; Woka, Sam; Eke, Sam C.; Oloko, Edmund C. (December 1993). 'Akwa' An Ikwerre Socio-Cultural Journal. Port-Harcourt: Okey and Frank Printers. pp. 2–3. ISBN 978-30601-7-1. 
3. ↑ Woke, Boniface; Woka, Sam; Eke, Sam C.; Oluko, Edmund C. "The Origin of Ikwerre People". 'Akwa' An Ikwerre Socio-Cultural-Journal. 1 (1): 2–3. 
4. ↑ Woke, Boniface; Woka, Sam; Eke, Sam C.; Oloko, Edmund C. (December 1993). 'Akwa' An Ikwerre Socio-Cultural Journal. Port-Harcourt: Okey and Frank Printers. pp. 2–3. ISBN 978-30601-7-1.