OPOROMA IBE

The Oporoma are in present day Bayelsa State. The Oporoma Ibe took their name from Oporo a proto-Ijo ancestor of whom tradition has shrouded in mystery (it says he descended from the sky, therefore he was of divine origin or spiritual initiate and was a proto-Ijo ancestor). But since the Olodiama say that the ancestors of the Olodiama and Oporoma were brothers, we take it that Oporo was either a contemporary of Olodi and actual brothers, or that Olodi and family live in the settlement of Ujo before moving to the settlement founded by Oporo. Oporo’s settlement became known as Oporo-ama, contracted to Oporoma. From this settlement descendants founded towns such as Angiama, Onyoma and Osokoma. Oporoma being the site of the original settlement of the Oporoma and Olodiama, the high priest of Boupere the ancestral deity of Oporoma, had to visit the shrine of Olodiama Egbesu at Ikebiri as part of his periodic visits of all Oporoma settlements. This was due to the fact that the ancestors of the Olodiama had brought Olodiama Egbesu from its original home in Oporoma. . From about 900 AD Oporoma and Olodiama descendants separated into two communities. From Oporoma some ancestors left and settled upland among Efa speaking people to form the Ugbe (Ukpe) section of Urhobo people. From Onyoma ancestors left and founded Onyoma or Onyomabiri, one of the original towns that became the Nembe city state. The foundation of Oporoma Ibe is clearly pre-14th century, between 800 – 1000 AD.