This article is about the 19th-century West African king. For the VoIP provider, see Jajah.
King Jaja of Opobo (full name: Jubo Jubogha; c. 1821–1891) belonging to the Igbo[1][2] ethnicity, was the founder and first king (amanyanabo) of the Opobo Kingdom in present-day Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.
In his youth, Jaja was kidnapped from Igboland possibly by Aro's[3] and sold into slavery. He was then brought to Ijawland thereafter. As was customary amongst the Ijaw, Jaja earned his way out of slavery after serving his master for a number of years. At the death of his master, he took charge of the trade and went on to head the Anna Pepple House merchant faction of Bonny. Under him, Annie Pepple absorbed other trade houses until a war with the Manilla Pepple House led by Oko Jumbo compelled Jaja to break away to establish Opobo Kingdom (26 miles east of Bonny) in 1869.[4] "Oko Jumbo and Ja Ja were looked upon by every one as being the rulers of Bonny."[5]
Opobo came to be a prominent trading post in the region's palm oil trade. Jaja barred entry to European and African middlemen, effectively monopolizing trade, and by 1870 was selling eight thousand tons of palm oil directly to the British. Opobo also shipped palm oil directly to Liverpool. Despite his trade rivalry with the Europeans, Jaja sent his children to schools in Glasgow and enlisted whites to staff the secular school he built in Opobo. He barred any missionaries from entering Opobo.[6]
At the 1884 Berlin Conference the Europeans designated Opobo as British territory. When Jaja refused to cease taxing the British traders, Henry Hamilton Johnston, a British vice consul, invited Jaja for negotiations in 1887. Jaja was arrested on arrival aboard a British vessel; he was tried in Accra in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) then exiled, first to London, and later to Saint Vincent and Barbados in the British West Indies.[7][8] His presence in the West Indies was alleged to be the cause of civil unrest, as the people of Barbados, of African descent, were upset at the poor treatment of a King from their homeland.[4]
In 1891, Jaja was granted permission to return to Opobo, but died en route.[9] Following his exile and death, the power of the Opobo state rapidly declined.[4] In 1903 the King Jaja of Opobo Memorial was erected in his honour in Opobo town centre.
The grave of Nigerian Prince Waribo, son of King Jaja of Opobo is in the churchyard at St Laurence Parish Church, Frodsham, Cheshire. Prince Waribo was sent to Frodsham to be educated at Manor House School. He sadly died from inflammation of the lungs on 21st April 1882. There are 2 white arrows indicating the way to the Prince's grave. One at the entrance opposite the Ring O,'Bells and the other further down the pathway showing the direction to his grave. It has no headstone but there is an inscription on the edging stone.
^K. Onwuka Dike (1966). Trade and politics in the Niger Delta, 1830-1885: an introduction to the economic and political history of Nigeria.
^Crow, Hugh (1830). Memoirs of the late Captain Hugh Crow of Liverpool : comprising a narrative of his life together with descriptive sketches of the western coast of Africa, particularly of Bonny; the manners and customs of the inhabitants, the productions of the soil, and the trade of the country. Smithsonian Libraries. London ; Liverpool : Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green : And G. and J. Robinson.
^Ofonagoro, Walter I. (1978). ""Notes on the Ancestry of Mbanaso Okwaraozurumba otherwise known as King Jaja of Opobo, 1821-1891"". Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria. 9 (3): 145–156. ISSN 0018-2540.
Adebowale, Oludamola (25 August 2019). "Jaja of Opobo: The Slave Boy Who Became King". The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 2022-04-22.
Cookey, S. J. S. (2005) [1974]. King Jaja of the Niger Delta: His Life and Times 1821–1891. UGR Publishing. ISBN978-0-9549138-0-9. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
"Ja Ja of Opobo". Encyclopedia of World Biography. Vol. 8 (2nd ed.). Detroit, MI: Gale Research. 1998. pp. 201–204. ISBN978-0-7876-2548-1.
Ofonagoro, Walter I. (1978). "Notes on the Ancestry of Mbanaso Okwaraozurumba otherwise known as King Jaja of Opobo, 1821-1891". Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria. 9 (3): 145–156. JSTOR 41854916.
Zuckerman, Jocelyn C. (2021). Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything - and Endangered the World. The New Press. ISBN978-1-62097-523-7.
External linksedit
at Black History Pages
at Igbani-Awo Association
"King Ja Ja of Opobo Dead". The New York Times (Obituary). 9 August 1891. p. 6. from the original on 2021-09-14. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
(PDF). The New York Times (Obituary). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-14 – via Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.
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This article is about the 19th century West African king For the VoIP provider see Jajah King Jaja of Opobo full name Jubo Jubogha c 1821 1891 belonging to the Igbo 1 2 ethnicity was the founder and first king amanyanabo of the Opobo Kingdom in present day Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria King Jaja of OpoboAmanyanaboKing Jaja of Opobo OpoboReign25 December 1870 September 1887Coronation25 December 1870PredecessorNo PredecessorSuccessorKing Sunday Jaja Jeki II Bornc 1821Umuduruoha Amaigbo present day Imo StateDiedc 1891 Tenerife SpainBurialOpoboNamesJubo Jubogha Jaja HouseSam Annie PeppleDynastyJajaIn his youth Jaja was kidnapped from Igboland possibly by Aro s 3 and sold into slavery He was then brought to Ijawland thereafter As was customary amongst the Ijaw Jaja earned his way out of slavery after serving his master for a number of years At the death of his master he took charge of the trade and went on to head the Anna Pepple House merchant faction of Bonny Under him Annie Pepple absorbed other trade houses until a war with the Manilla Pepple House led by Oko Jumbo compelled Jaja to break away to establish Opobo Kingdom 26 miles east of Bonny in 1869 4 Oko Jumbo and Ja Ja were looked upon by every one as being the rulers of Bonny 5 Opobo came to be a prominent trading post in the region s palm oil trade Jaja barred entry to European and African middlemen effectively monopolizing trade and by 1870 was selling eight thousand tons of palm oil directly to the British Opobo also shipped palm oil directly to Liverpool Despite his trade rivalry with the Europeans Jaja sent his children to schools in Glasgow and enlisted whites to staff the secular school he built in Opobo He barred any missionaries from entering Opobo 6 At the 1884 Berlin Conference the Europeans designated Opobo as British territory When Jaja refused to cease taxing the British traders Henry Hamilton Johnston a British vice consul invited Jaja for negotiations in 1887 Jaja was arrested on arrival aboard a British vessel he was tried in Accra in the Gold Coast now Ghana then exiled first to London and later to Saint Vincent and Barbados in the British West Indies 7 8 His presence in the West Indies was alleged to be the cause of civil unrest as the people of Barbados of African descent were upset at the poor treatment of a King from their homeland 4 In 1891 Jaja was granted permission to return to Opobo but died en route 9 Following his exile and death the power of the Opobo state rapidly declined 4 In 1903 the King Jaja of Opobo Memorial was erected in his honour in Opobo town centre The grave of Nigerian Prince Waribo son of King Jaja of Opobo is in the churchyard at St Laurence Parish Church Frodsham Cheshire Prince Waribo was sent to Frodsham to be educated at Manor House School He sadly died from inflammation of the lungs on 21st April 1882 There are 2 white arrows indicating the way to the Prince s grave One at the entrance opposite the Ring O Bells and the other further down the pathway showing the direction to his grave It has no headstone but there is an inscription on the edging stone Contents 1 See also 2 References 2 1 Notes 2 2 Sources 3 External linksSee also editLegends of AfricaReferences editNotes edit K Onwuka Dike 1966 Trade and politics in the Niger Delta 1830 1885 an introduction to the economic and political history of Nigeria Crow Hugh 1830 Memoirs of the late Captain Hugh Crow of Liverpool comprising a narrative of his life together with descriptive sketches of the western coast of Africa particularly of Bonny the manners and customs of the inhabitants the productions of the soil and the trade of the country Smithsonian Libraries London Liverpool Longman Rees Orme Brown and Green And G and J Robinson Ofonagoro Walter I 1978 Notes on the Ancestry of Mbanaso Okwaraozurumba otherwise known as King Jaja of Opobo 1821 1891 Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria 9 3 145 156 ISSN 0018 2540 a b c Adebowale 2019 Kingsley Mary Henrietta 1899 West African studies Princeton Theological Seminary Library London Macmillan Zuckerman 2021 p 37 King Ja Ja Parliamentary Debates Hansard House of Commons 24 April 1891 col 1322 Cookey 2005 p 159 Encyclopedia of World Biography p 203 Sources edit Adebowale Oludamola 25 August 2019 Jaja of Opobo The Slave Boy Who Became King The Guardian Nigeria Retrieved 2022 04 22 Cookey S J S 2005 1974 King Jaja of the Niger Delta His Life and Times 1821 1891 UGR Publishing ISBN 978 0 9549138 0 9 Retrieved 2010 10 14 Ja Ja of Opobo Encyclopedia of World Biography Vol 8 2nd ed Detroit MI Gale Research 1998 pp 201 204 ISBN 978 0 7876 2548 1 Ofonagoro Walter I 1978 Notes on the Ancestry of Mbanaso Okwaraozurumba otherwise known as King Jaja of Opobo 1821 1891 Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria 9 3 145 156 JSTOR 41854916 Zuckerman Jocelyn C 2021 Planet Palm How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything and Endangered the World The New Press ISBN 978 1 62097 523 7 External links editKing Jaja of Opobo at Black History Pages History of Opubo Ama Opobo Town at Igbani Awo Association King Ja Ja of Opobo Dead The New York Times Obituary 9 August 1891 p 6 Archived from the original on 2021 09 14 Retrieved 2021 09 14 King Ja Ja of Opobo Dead PDF The New York Times Obituary Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 14 via Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta King Ja Ja Sing Out Barbados on YouTube a Barbadian folk song referencing the king Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jaja of Opobo amp oldid 1214817745, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
