WAKIRIKE (OKIRIKA OR KIRIKENI) IBE

WAKIRIKE (OKIRIKA OR KIRIKENI) IBE: The Wakirike are in present day Rivers State. The founding ancestors of the Wakirike came from a number of sections of Ijo. One early foundation was led by an ancestor titled Opu-Ogulagha (Ogulaya), who hailed from the Isomabou area. Passing through Nembe and Kalabari areas they finally settled at the site of the present town of Ogoloma. Their arrival in the area was such that no other people were living nearby, and so they went through a ritual so that brother could marry sister. Another group of ancestors arrived approximately the same time and founded Okrika town. This group was led by Opu-Tibeya, they hailed from Balabokiri in Andoni river area. They first settled on the mainland at a place called Okobiri (Okopiri), before moving to the island.

It was on the island that the two main groups met and so the leaders of the main groups namely Opu-Ogulaya, Opu-Tibeya, the women Sangataro and Tominaro with her husband, were said to have exclaimed WA-KIRI-KENI, or O-KIRI-KENI, meaning "WE ARE FROM THE SAME PLACE" i.e. they were all Ijo. That is how the subgroup got its names. During that same early period other ancestors arrived from Amassoma in Ogboin clan and founded some sections of Wakirike these include Oko son of Alumu, son of Oboro, son of Ogboin (Oboro being the founder of Amassoma). Together the ancestors founded the towns of Okrika or Kirikeni, consisting of twelve quarters namely, Tomobiri, Ogwemebiri, Bilemebiri, Agbabiri, Ambemebiri, Bulomebiri, Ederebiri, Awolomebiri, Adedemebiri, Ngemebiri, Amonongobiri and Anyungubiri, plus the towns of Ogoloma, Ibaka and Ogbogbo, Abuloma Ogu, Bolo, Isaka and Ele. In the case of Kirikeni all the quarters were headed by family nobles called Waridabo i.e. "the person who heads the house" or Alabo or Ala i.e. "the governors" or "lords" i.e. “Chiefs”.

During the time of the Atlantic slave trade chaos, the Wakirike were sucked into the slave trade, and the consequences therein (raiding, trade wars etc.). They also came into contact with the Igbo, of whom many were absorbed into Wakirike society, modifying the original Ijo language that the founding ancestors spoke to the present Ijo dialect of Wakirike. Later still migrants left Wakirike to found Kala-Okirika or Nkoro near the Andoni. The time of foundation of Okrika is between the 13-15th century AD approximately.

Okrika and the Port Harcourt Old Township: Okrika lands, among others extend into the old Port Harcourt Township, according to Okrika sources:

“ The geography of Okrika also extends to Port Harcourt. By the Hargroove agreement of 18 May 1913 between the leading chiefs and headmen of the various communities which owned Port Harcourt on the one hand, and Alexander George Boyle and Saint George, Deputy Governor of the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria on the other hand, the portion of Port Harcourt owned by Okrika consitutes the present old Port Harcourt Township, stretching from the Borikiri/Marine Base axis to Elechi water-side, cutting across Ikwerre road through Mile One market Diobu to D/Line. The D/line periphery runs through Aba road, encircling the creek opposite the former Ministry of information. There is also the Trans-Amadi area including, Amadi-Ama, Abuloma, Okuruma down to the Zoo area….”

  Ogan C (1988) Unity of A People (Search for Peace in Okrika Rivers State Nigeria. P8)