KUMBO

KABO KUMBO AND GBARAN IBE’S: The ancestors of these three Ibes were part of a family of 18 that left Oporoza town situated along the Escravos coast, around the later part of the 15th century AD (1480?). They seem to be the children of Pere Oporoza II also known as Fiebai Oporoza, who reigned between 1426-1468 AD (approximate dates). About this time (1480) the Portuguese were visiting the delta coast trying to make contact with Benin city. Since they were in the habit of raiding for captives, and upsetting the peaceful existence of the coastal communities, they caused a troubled insecure situation in the area of the Forcados/Escravos. So a descendant of Oporoza, simply named Oproza II, after the town, decided to migrate up north with his entire family (18 in number). These included his wife Mboara, son Okita, grandsons and granddaughters, wives of the grandson's and so on. They migrated up the old course of the Forcados river till they came to the territory of the Erowha, which was inhabited by the Erowha and the Ijo ancestors of the Effurun and Uvwei. Not feeling secure with the environment, they travelled back down the river and eventually settled at an area between the present site of Amatebe (Tebe- head, Ama-town, there it means headquarters) and Kolowari. At the time the Forcados branch of the river Niger was flowing through its old course (what is now the small Kabobolou creek.).

Okita the son of Mboara and Oporoza II had three prominent sons Kumbo, Kabo, and Gbaran, and a number of daughters. Okita the father died before the grandfather Oporoza, and so on the death of their grandfather, Kabo, who was the eldest assumed the leadership of the settlement, which was the only settlement below the Erowha and Effurun, as the ancestors of the Tarakiri west had not migrated to the main Forcados river from their Igbedi creek residence.

Kabo, the story is told, being the eldest was believed to be closest to the departed ancestors. He was very powerful, a man of strong personality and domineering character. He was also cruel and very unpopular with his brothers and sisters. Before their grandfather had died he could be tolerated. But as soon as the man died, things took a turn for the worst and open confrontation erupted. Kabo being the senior, no marriage of his sisters or brother's daughters could take place without his consent and blessing. It was also the duty of him to arrange the marriages of his younger relatives. If he had made a wise use of his responsibilities all would have been well , instead he abused his privileges. He was always in the habit of contracting marriages of his sisters without their knowledge. He also arranged the marriages of his younger brother's daughters without their knowledge. He even went as far as to sell some of his brothers daughters into servitude and slavery. Kumbo and Gbaran found Kabo's dealings with them to be very oppressive.

The above atmosphere led to the eventual break-up of the whole family. Gbaran left with his household and travelled down the Nun river and settled opposite the present site of Kaiama town. From here he founded a settlement which was named after his son Okoti, called Okotiama, From Okotiama other villages were founded by his descendants these are Ogboloma, Nedugo, Koroama, Obinagha, Agbia and Ibiaye, which later became  Poloaku and Okolobiri.

Next, Kumbo decided to leave, but did not settle far off as he was very mystically attached to the first settlement. He left with his five sons and remaining daughters to settle at the site of which Amatebe now stands. The five sons of Kumbo were Angi the ancestor of Angiama, Agolo the ancestor of the Agoloma, Apele the ancestor of the Apelebiri, Agbedi the ancestor of the Sagbama and Tungba the ancestor of the Tungbabiri. After the death of Kumbo, and when the families had  became quite large, the ancestors left the Kumbo settlement to found the towns of Angiama (Toru and Bolou) , Agoloma, Apelebiri (Toru and Bolou), Sagbama, and Tungbabiri. Those who stayed at Kumbo settlement made up the village of Amatebe.

One Ofoma or Ofomo who was of the Agolo and Angi lineage(he lived at the old site of Agoloma), left with a family group to the present area of Okparabe in southern Urhobo country. The reason for their leaving was of a quarrel with the Kabo. By this time the sections of Oporoza had intermarried with each other. The marriage custom of that time was that children of small dowry marriage were the responsibility of the mothers parents and brothers (matrilineal descent). And so they had the responsibility of arranging marriages circumcision etc. for the daughters and sons. The Kabo went about changing this ancient custom, by insisting that they have the sole responsibility over the children born to them by Kumbo women. This did not go down well with certain sections of the Kumbo, particularly with Ofomo who was a priest at the time. A fight broke out causing Ofomo and family to migrate. They ended up in the Okparabe area, inter-married with Edo speaking groups and gave birth to the Okparabe section of Urhobo people. Ofomo subsequently became the first Pere or Ovie of the Okparabe, retaining his priestly title.

The Kabo remained at the settlement of the grandfather Oporoza, under the leadership of first Obodangha, the son of Kabo, and then his son Eleme, where gradually they multiplied and migrated to found the various towns and villages of Elemebiri, Ekperiwari, Asamabiri, Torufani, Adagbabiri, Patani, Abari, Kolowari etc.

The original settlement founded by Oporoza II was situated in what is now the Kabobolou creek. This was formally the old course of the Forcados branch of the Niger, but was diverted by the Kabo and Kumbo for fear of being enslaved by European slave raiders when they received news from the seaside communities that the European slave ships where coming up river to enslave anybody they could lay their hands on.

The formation of the Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran is post 14th century i.e. late 15th century. The ancestors of the Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran first lived at Ujo-Gbaran town between 700- 1100 AD. From 1100 AD ancestors led by Esiaku moved to the Escravos region and founded Oporoza town. From 15th century AD the immediate family of Oporoza II moved to the Kabo area. And from the Kabo area the clans of Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran were established. The Kabo are in present day Bayelsa and Delta States.