ORIGIN OF EGBEMO EGBUSI (EGBUSI REVOLUTION)

NIGER DELTA UNIVERSTY

WILBERFORCE ISLAND AMASSOMA BAYELSA STATE

NAME:                                  CLEOPAS DOUBRA SUNDAY

MATRIC:                               UG/16/...............

FACULTY:                             SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT:                   SOCIOLOGY

COURSE CODE:                   SOC 134

COURSE TITLE:                   INTHRODUCTION ANTHROPOLOGY

LECTURER:                           DR INGIABINA

ASSIGNMENT

THE ORIGIN OF DEITY (gods) IN AZAGBENE TOWN, EKELGA BAYELSA STATE

JANUARY 5TH 2018

TABLE OF CONTACT

1. Introduction

2. Statement of Problem

3. Objective

4. Research Question

5. Method of data Collection

6. Method of Data Analysis

7. Findings

8. Conclusion

9. References

Introduction

Azagbene is a community in Ekeremor Local Government Area Bayelsa State. Egbemo Egbesu is from this community. He is a deity (gods) of warfare, and the spiritual foundation for combating evil. Egbemo Egbesu power can only be used for defence or to correct injustice and only by people who are in harmony with universe Sat Egbe said.

First Revolution

According to Saturday Egbe Egbemo Egbesu was in a particular forest before they brought them to their respective communities (Azagbene and Amabolu) He said, Egbemo Egbesu is made up of man and woman. The symbol for the man is red plain cloth while the symbol for the woman is white plain cloth. The man is strong than the woman. According to him, during the Egbesu revolution, when our fore fathers were in search of power to fight. Two communities came in contact with these power (Egbemo Egbesu) one of the community (Amabulo) collected the woman while the other community (Azagbene) collected the man. At first, they don’t know that, they have collected the man, until they got home and fix all the necessary things. That is when they know that they collected the strongest which is the man.

 He further Explain, that each of the compound in the community is entitle to a particular leave that they would used in preparing the power, and if the community is in misunderstanding, the Egbesu power will not work. So they always consult every compound before preparing the power. They must at least select seven persons from seven compounds or nine persons from the nine compounds and three extra from any compound to complete the fourteen able youths. These are some of the youths that went for the first mission. Ikpudowei, Olufini, Okia Oviri. Oviri was the smallest among them that want for the first mission he said. After the selection, these selected people would not be allowed to touched and eat with their wives. They do fasting and use alligator pepper and calabar chalk to sanctify themselves, before going for the mission.  They took the power from the forest and whenever they want to consult the deity (Egbemo Egbesu). The leader of the group will echo, Egbemo Egbesu! Egbemo Egbesu!! Egbemo Egbesu!!! (3x) and then say Asawana the rest of them will respond wana three times (3x). And sing songs and dance.

According to Debor  Warime, they (our fore fathers) took this power to one of our nearby forest. Where they could easily go and prepared their selves whenever is needed. In that forest there is one big pot and in the pot there is only little water in it. Any how the rain may fall it cannot be filled more than that. No leave can drop around the pot let alone entry inside the pot. These animals are also symbol of the power; Leopard, Eagle, Fox cobra, etc. Though you can eat the leopard, eagle, fox and some other ones but the cobra you do even allowed to kill, and if you mistakenly killed it you must buries it like human being or else someone would die in your family.

There are other deities in the community like Ikparesugha, bini-ere, finevinmor, etc. The is how Egbemo Egbesu came to Azagbene community.

After testing the power our fore fathers finds out that they are now bullet proves robots. They began to fight against the slave officers who came, Nigeria for slaves. The slave officers notice that their white powder could not do them anything, they going into agreement with them that would not take their children for slaves but they (my fore fathers) should help them (the slave officers) bring slaves from the neighbouring communities. Our fore fathers venture into this business.  The white men would be given them some material things as gifts. Such as mirror, plate, salt, clothes etc. Until the abolishment of slave trade. According to Deibor Waremi one of the warriors then was Ozoma. He was the greatest and most notorious among the warriors. A war-boat cannot go war without him during his reign. In 1968 when Christian revolution took place in the community this happened, after the death of major warrior like ozoma, and some serious minded warriors of the time. They brought a lady to liberate the community her name is Godgrace from celestial church she came and troy away these powers.

Second Egbesu Revolution

  After some generations, when Ijaw Itsekiri War took place in 1996 the young people of my community needed protection because they want to go for the war. They were told about where they can go and get protective power when they got there the Kareowei of that community asked them where they came from and they said they are from Azagbene.  You have this power in your community is seems you want to tempt me he said. You have the man in your community mine is the woman. So go back and ask your elders in the village. They begged him to prepare them after the preparation when they got to the village and asked the elders as he instructed them. The elder told them every things how to prepare the power and what and what is involved in the preparation.  These are some of the people that want for the second revolution: Saturday, Amaebi, Kemefaware, Saviour, and so on. The sanctify theirselves and want to the bush and see everything as they were told. They arrange obebe  and do the preparation. For seven good days they were in the forest without food. After preparation they used the power and it works effectively. Went for the war and come back safely after war some of the bad ones took some of these powers to do bad this like kidnapping, arm robbery, sea piracy, etc. Though it was a blessing but we have caused our blessing. Though Egbemo Egbusi is not in support of arm robbery but the small ones they have gotten through Egbemo Egbusi do.

Statement of problem

It made the white men to respect our fore fathers

Egbemo Egbesu was originally a blessing to Azagbene.

Azagbene was a city of Heroes now the story is no longer so he has made the Ijaw nation to be killing each other.

Many of the bad one had took advantage of this power and doing bad things in the of protecting the interest of the people of the community. Kidnapping oil workers, stealing from travellers even raping our mother, sister, in the name of freedom fighter.

Objective

The objective of this study is creating an atmosphere for people t know  that Egbemo Egbesu is gods of justice. And it came from our fore fathers in the theological stages. It protects our fathers. And Egbemo Egbesu is never in Support of kidnapping, arm rubbery, and the likes. Till today Egbemo Egbusi is divine power of justice to those that believe in it. Though were the power come from is still unknown (either from God or)

Research Question

1. Where do you think this power come from is it from God or......

2. What are the benefits of Egbemo Egbesu to the people of the community?

3. Egbemo Egbesu is it a blessing or cause to the people of Azagbene?

4. If it a cause why?

5. And if it is a blessing why?

6. Why is it that people still believe Egbemo Egbesu?

7. The people of this community really needed these powers

Method of Data Collection

I used Qualitative method in my research, where questions were thrown to some elders of the aforementioned community. The questions were, well arranged for surveyed, before going into the field to collect data. I believe the information is accurate because of the method used in the research. The people that I came in contact with some of them participated for the preparation of Egbecmo Egbesu in the second Egbesu revolution. I did not pen down this assignment while sitting in my house like arm chair but I want to the field and gather data from different people.

Method of Data Analysis

The data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The descriptive statistics of simple percentage was used in data analysis. information mention here is very correct. I  confidently grade it 99% accurate. Because I got this information from people who also participated in the preparation of Egbemo Egbesu in the community (Azagbene) during the second Egbesu revolution.

Several people came in contact with me and almost all of them said the same thing. They said Egbemo Egbesu is a blessing to Ijaw (Ijo) land not only Azagbene because he has prove himself to the Ijaw nation. Especially, the second Egbesu revolution in 1996.  During the Ijaw Itsekiri war and several other wars that the nation had used him.  Egbesu turn man into a bullet prove robot.

They analysed that the power also have negative effect on man. He made man to stand and face any bullet that may come man’s way. It was this egbesu that gave the Ijaws mind to form different militant groups. Kidnapping gangs, sea pirates etc. According to Wusa Timothy,though, Egbemo egbesu do not permit injustice sea piracy but the osain that they have seen through Egbesu permit them to do this nonsense  and some want to different native doctors to give them  power (Odosi).

Foundings

In cause of this study find out the following

1. We needed to educate the people to understand Egbesu in general is not in support of the dubious activities taking place around us.

2. Till tomorrow Egbesu is still fight those exhibiting these acts.

3. Egbesu is a Cultural phenomenon

4. Egbesu is not a threat except you go against it.

5. Egbesu is divinely gifted to the Ijaw nation

Conclusion

Egbemo Egbesu is gods of warfare which have protect our kindred from age to age. But the young ones today did not know the important of it and they are misusing it in the name of freedom. The elders should not stop educating these children. Tell them the right ways to address this issue not by kidnapping and the likes.

  

References

Saturday Egbe

Deibor Waremi

Passport Keinseimoghe

Wusa Timothy

Amaebi Egbe

 His Royal Highest Amame

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