Skip to content
ogbaru ogbaru ogbaru ogbaru ogbaru
You are here: Home
Ogbaru Info : OGBARU PEOPLE PDF Print E-mail
People who claim Ogbaru heritage and clanship, inhabit the two sides of Niger begining from Odekpe through Adiawai on the Eastern flank of the Niger and on the western frank of the Niger from Oko down to Onya and Ase (i,e the whol of the Ndokwa areas). That is why we have, interestingly, different sp ellings of the clan name - We have Ogbaru, Ogbahu, and Ogbesu. Ogbahu is the Eastern version, while Ogbesu is the Western (Ndokwa) version. Ogbaru is the government ascribed version! I am sure that none of us here will disclaim any of the variants of the name when we are identified with them! It is important to remind ourselves that State boundaries have not inhibited indetification with out Ogbaru heritage - the Ndonis in the Rivers and the Abor in Delta are as staunchly Ogbaru as any other person. It is true that we sometimes claim different origins - some claim emigration from Benin, while others claim Igala origin, and so on. But today, being Ogbaru is a heritage we are happy and proud to claim. Ogbaru people inhabit a very fertile land and therefore are agrarian, concentrating largely on yam cultivation. We also have access to the river and have a fishing tradition. In fact, quite a major proportion of our tradition is river (water) based. And about tradition, we have a rich heritage in tradition - our family and mariage custom, including respect for elders, our work ethic, our festivals, our orientation to life, our belief systems and above all our pride in who we are - these are the elements of Ogbaruness which make us who we are, the progressive aspects of which we should strive to uphold and preseve. Because of their orientation to life and their belief systems, Ogbaru people are in fact a distinct people in the way they live, and their behavior. The Ogbaru person is above all a family and acommunity person. Concern over the welfare of family and community is a major trademark of the Ogbaru person. Their thoughts are never far away from home and their actions are often guided by the desire to be relevant to the homeland, and to preserve the name and prestige of the family and clan. The Ogbaru person is hardworking, but he is also joyful about living, being quite aware of the need to strike a balance between work and play - that is the essence of Nso-olu, and also our elaborate festivals. Ogbaru morality is (was?) pristine - behavior towards people whether they be relatives or others is guided by elaborate moral codes and supported with appropriate sanctions. We know them all - in regulation of sexual behavior, the regulation of childhood conduct, the regulation of intra and inter family conduct, the regulation of various other social functions. There is even the regulation of our eating behavior, in the things we forbid. I remember as a child when my guardians would not live in a compound with people who ate ede (cocoyam) and the eleborate cremonies we went through using ash to clean up the suspected environment in as far away place as Kano! A major attribute of the Ogbaru person is the disposition to speak the truth and stand by what is true. This disposition was fostered by our concern of the family name and also by the fact that our justice system which was based largely on the Alusi system, made truthfulness second nature. Also, because the of the belief in the Alusi system, Ogbaru discord is rarely settled by homicide but, at th worst, the recourse to the Alusi -- which is really an arbitration system since the real Alusi practice insists on hearing both parties to a dispute before invocation of the deity. There is yet another attribute of the Ogbaru person - being endowed with a kind of disposi- tion. The Ogbaru person is considerate and kind, with a disposition to be if help and assistance to others. Our generosity with food is proverbial and quite well known among our neighbors. Upon arrival in an Ogbaru household, you are given bath water and while you are taking your bath, the sound of yam is being pounded will almost follow you out of the bathroom. Our traditional soup, now quite popular with most people - ikele - is of course, quite easy to prepare. There is one attribute of the Ogbru person that deserves to be treated separately, and that is related to our philosophy of life. The Ogbaru person is esily satisfied and easy to satisfy. That dispo- sition has considerable implications for how we approach work and life generally. The Ogbaru person has an innate pride in himself and his self concept is very strong. While the Ogbaru person will work hard, he usually does not aim to own excessive wealth. The Ogbaru person does not think 'rich'. He is satisfied with having enough to eat and to feed his family. As a result of this disposition, the Ogbaru person is lost in a world in which a person is defined solely by wealth rather than by their human self. Our summary of our understanding of the Ogbaru person would therefore be that the Ogbaru person is embarked in a rich culture, is concerned about family and community, is concerned about personal and social prosperity, and is concerned about posterity - that is, the Ogbaru person is concerned about his community and family even after he is dead and gone. The Ogbaru person is kind, and has a generous disposi- tion. He is hardworking, is truthful and joyful about life, is concerned about equity and how his actions affect other persons. The Ogbaru person usually prefers to settle disputes through arbitration and dialogue. The Ogbaru person is not overly con- cerned with wealtha nd his self concept is quite high, even though he is not rich. That is my assessment of the Ogbaru person as our culture programs him or her to be or, should I say, as our culture used to program the Ogbaru person to be. It is obvious that these are very good attributes, and yet these very attributes are also part of our problem, part of the reasons why we are unable to fit into the general pattern of the behavior of our neighbors or the general pattern of behaviors that now characterize the Nigerian society.
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]

Login | Registration

Ogbaruans Please Register!

As a member of Ogbaru, please register on the site. Registered members have access to the forums and areas in the site available just to registrants. Additionally by registering we can quickly make information available to you in a timely manner. Your email is not sold to any third party but is kept safely on our servers.

Participation Needed!

As members of our great organization, please take part in the forums, bring up topics, and add to the vitality our new site. If you are a good writer, write on topics affecting our homeland. Mothers, do you have a great recipe to share, I'm sure others are interested.

We've redesigned the site to be better! Whatever you need to find, the "search bar" in the top right hand corner will guide you to your destination.