Since after the war in 1970, so many stories have surrounded the strange disppearance of King Jajas crown and sword. Indeed the sword and crown remains Opobos symbol of sovereignty aside the Manilla Tree. It would be recalled that Opobo kingdom in 1873 was of equal status with any other kingdom at that time. The then British Monarch Queen Victoria had become a friend to Jaja after the Ashanti war brokeout two years after King Jaja was officially recognised by the British as a king. Jaja as a friend of Britain lent 50 of his men to aid the British to crush the Ashanti uprising. While the crown was a locally fabricated with beads, the sword was part of appreciation given to Jaja for lending his men to fight the Ashanti war in Gold Goast now Ghana. Hence the sword and the crown became Opobo strongest symbols of kingship. while one served as a sign of strength and valour, the later stood for royalty. It is perhaps these two artifacts that propelled the kingdom to stretch its domineering rule as far as Ohambele in Abia State and Ibeno in the present day Akwa-Ibom state in the 19th century. After being used to coronate three kings who succeeded Jaja, namely Prince Sunday Jaja, Arthur Mac-Pepple and Douglas Jaja controversies now surround the disappearance of the crown and the sword. Unfortunately, the crown used in coronating King Jaja V in 2004 was newly made. It is against this backdrop that Opubowatch embarked on investigations to unravel the mysterious disappearance of these ancient items. And three years after Opubowatch got wind of the acclaimed destination of these artifacts fresh smoke continue to emerge to cover the trail on which they were surrepticiously moved. Nevertheless,divergent and unconfirmed claims have continued to shroud the whereabouts of these prized items. One source who hinted the paper of the matter had claimed that the two artifacts were taken away in the wake of the civil war. Earlier uncomfirmed sources had related the same account. They claim that these items were ferried away during former Governor-General visit, Nnamdi Azikwe to Opobo in 1958. According to these sources, Azikwe had visited Opobo at that time as part of agitation to press home demand for Nigerias independence. They claimed that Azikwe had carted away the sword to prevail on the British colonialists to grant the country independence. A thorough survey conducted by the paper show that the claims were untrue. The relics had been probably removed during the civil war. The version of the story which Opubowatch seems to have towed hugely link the civil war as a major outlet. From indications, when the Nigerian forces led by Major Isaac Adaka Boro entered Opobo in 1969 they may have likely vengefully looted the delapidated two-storey ancient palace of King Jaja, which according to our source had housed these items. Some elderly persons who spoke to the paper over the matter submitted that on entering Opobo, the Nigerian forces unleased terror especially on Biafran supporters. Of course Opobo was majorly pro-biafran since the Biafran forces were harboured and fed by the local authorities. On routing the Biafrans as they entered Opobo, the Nigerian Forces embarked upon decimating imagined enemies. Stories have it that Mrs Eugenia Pepple(Alias Ayadede), who led women and cooked for the Biafrans soldiers was among their first target. Luckily her husband,Rev Ezekiel Pepple had got wind then as a broadcaster with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation(NBC) to take her away from the fangs of the deadly federal forces. She missed death by the whiskers when they launched two grenades at her home. For two months they placed a ransome on her head when her pictures were displayed publicly for her capture. By then too, the Amayanabo,King Douglas Jaja had fled to interior Igbo village following claims of his support for the Biafrans. Perhaps it was under this tensed atmosphere the Nigerian forces entered the old palace and made away with its valuables. Stories have it that immediately King Jaja IV fled, Bishop Stephen Ubogu Jaja(alias Ada Mpere) assumed powers. Ada Mpere had been a rejent between 1942-1946. He had acted when the youthful Chief Douglas Jaja was pardoned to ascend the throne the second time following his exuberance. At that time according to the sources was Ada Dike Oji(Siminialayi Jaja ). As a former Custom Officer he had sympathies for the federal forces hence both him and Ada Mpere presided over the running of the kingdom. Many of the sources who spoke to Opubowatch say while Ada Dike Oji was the protagonist, Ada Mpere was the villain. Mr Siminialayi Jaja saved a lot of Opobians from the federal forces but it was Ada Mpere they claimed that fished out Pro- Biafrans who were shot and burnt in broad day light. The question that arose over these incidents was, How did the crown and sword loss in such circumstance? Opubowatch gathered from the grapevine that a young army officer perhaps at that time the rank of a Lieutenant named Ayo Ariyo led the expedition with Adaka Boro. On entering Opobo, the red eyed federal forces were said to have shot at King Jajas statue destroying one foot of the bronze art memoralabia. Until today the foot has not been replaced. They aver that it was there the soldiers proceeded to the palace and raided it. Opobuwatch was reliably informed that the federal authorities at that time had planned to set up a museum from loots of the war. However, after several years Opobos corner in the War Museum in Lagos had no artifacts. After much investigations by the paper it was discovered that the missing sword was made a private property of Col. Ariyo. In down town Ibadan where he resided till his death, the former army general was fondly called ,King Jaja of Ibadan by residents. In his massive parlour stood the picture of the crown on his head and the swords. His war loot never made it to the war museum. Fortunately, Col Ariyos saulish behaviour could not escape the eagle eye of Opobos prominent son Amaopusenibo Adagogo Jaja. The paper learnt that though the crown he had was not original, but an Iria crown emanating from loots from any of the houses during the war. A reliable source who claimed to have been keeping trail of Col Ariyo, Amaopusenibo Adagogo Jaja told our editor that he had been exchanging missives with the late army officer till his death in the early 90s on how to return the loots.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 09:32:44 +0000
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