Uzere

Government

Monarchy: Ovie (king) who doubles as the chief priest of the Eni deity..

History

While some people believed that the Uzere people originated from the Benin kingdom, others disagree. Obaro Ikime, professor of history at the University of Ibadan, states "If there is any aspect of the history of the various peoples of Nigeria about which no one can speak with any exactitude, it is that which deals with the origins of our peoples". The belief that most of the Isoko groups (of which Uzere is a part) are of Benin origin were views held and expressed in the 1960s and 1970s. These views were "decidedly simplistic and were based on British Intelligence Reports of the 1930s" and Ikime's field work of 1961-1963.

But these views or historical accounts, albeit oral, make interesting reading. For instance some people have posited that Uzere originated from the Benin kingdom in the year 1393 during the reign of a Benin Monarch named Oba Ehengbuda. They came from Benin under the leadership of a man named Uzei which gave rise to the name UZERE. Uzei had three surviving sons namely, UHERI, EZEDE AND UWEYE.

This account holds that when they left the Benin kingdom, they first settled at Isele-Uku. After a while they migrated to the River Niger bank at Asaba. From Asaba, they migrated further to Eboh in Ndokwa. From Eboh they built their own settlement which they called Eruke. After they built Eruke, the account goes, one of the sons, Okugbo, wanted to return to the Benin kingdom to buy 'kingship' rights from the Oba of Benin so that he could be crowned king of his people.

When Okugbo got to Benin, the Oba sent him to the Eboh king so he could buy his 'kingship' rights from him. The Eboh king crowned him the very first king of his people in the year 1453. After a while, the Eboh king invited king Okugbo to visit with him. He accepted this invitation but was accused of committing an atrocious act in Eboh-land during the visit and for that he was killed by the Eboh people.

War broke out between these two peoples due to the killing of king Okugbo. The Uzei people had a deity which they worshiped and the deity, the accounts goes, instructed the people to "dig themselves underground" to await the Ebohs. The people obviously misinterpreted this instruction. And instead of getting themselves ready for war, as was the intended meaning of the instruction, actually buried themselves waist and neck deep in ground. Most were massacred when the Ebohs invaded.

After the massacre, most of the surviving Uzei people sought safety in the present day UZERE town while the rest moved to Odi, in present-day Bayelsa State. This, the account believes, explains the kinship that exists between Uzere and Odi today.

Climate

Uzere lies within the tropical rainforest belt with luxuriant vegetation. It experiences tropical wet and dry climate, with relatively constant temperatures throughout the course of the years.

Industries

Though, Uzere is known for oil exploration, it has recently developed into an industrial town with a cassava processing factory in Uwhroko community by the Bashorun Askia Ogieh's administration.

Education

There are numerous public and private schools in Uzere. They include: Uzere Grammar School, St. Paul's Schools, Elite Academy, Uzere Primary School, Ogrih Primary School, and Eni Primary School.

Tourism

Uzere was a known tourist destination in Isoko, until December 4, 1903 when the Eni Lake "Court" was abolished by Colonial District officer Copland Crawford, calling it "trial by ordeal". The famous Eni Lake was a court for the trial of people accused of withcraft.

In the year the government stopped the ceremonies I and seventeen other women from Idheze were brought to Uzere. There, we had to wait till the appointed day which occurred two lunar months after our arrival. There were many other besides us who came from other places. At the appointed time the Ovie blew his horn and we set for the lake. We all went to the bank of the lake...We then took yams, touched our foreheads with and threw them into the lake as an offering to Eni. The Ovie later arrived and sat on his chair by the waterside. He prayed to Eni asking him to bless the native chalk, drown the women who were witches and save those who were not, then drew the chalk over our chests. We were told to enter the canoe, a canoe fill at that time and rowed out on the lake. When we were a long way from the shore, we were told to jump in, although I cannot swim and would drown in waist high water, yet I eaisily escaped and came safely to land, where I was greatly welcomed... of the seventeen women who came with me from Idheze, ten were drowned.

Festivals

Eni festival is the most celebrated festival in the history of Uzere Kingdom. According to Utohware Udumubrai in his book, Uzere People and Culture in the Niger Delta, Eni festival "attracts people from all walks of life especially places where the people usually flock to Uzere to detect witchcraft...It is accompanied with much fanfare, music, cooking and eating of delicious native food. It also includes exchange of gifts". Other festivals are the annual Uzere Students' Reunion and Pageant, and the New Year's Eve Party usually hosted by Arube Dance Band of Uzere at the old market square in Uheri community.

Health

Uzere has a cottage hospital built and equipped by the Shell Petroleum Development Company and health centers.

Notable Uzere People

A list of some notable Uzere people