EGBO AREA OF KOKORI

EGBO AREA OF KOKORI composition: A teeming population of kokori people live in an expanbsive area of kokori land called "EGBO"and this area comprisises all the villages surrounding kokori township excluding erhanaka, Erin, Erhoike Ijoro, isicheri, okuruokpe, okorhi and okumiahwa; that is twenty three villages out of the thirty named villages in the foregoing page of introduction to this book. Egbo has developed into an entity which now constitute "Council ward 10" in the ethiope east local government area of delta state of Nigeria. It has its haedquaters at Ekraka village along kokori-Eku road and the "secondary commercial grammar school" built for the people of this area is is located at this ekraka village/cerntral site. there are 4 primary school in the area, viz:- Ekraka, erhomehwu, Samagidi and Egbogbo. The Origin at the time Agbon people broke up at Isiokolo and ko0kori moved to the presenty site, Eku people who were left behind later moved a little distance past kokori site to estasblish vat a place called "Ogoritien" meaning ( sherry tree land). this place was still within KOkori land territory and so they were asked to move out.when eku resisted, kokori people waged war against them and they were pushed forward to thier present site. Oziegbe who was the head of kokori affairs vat the time and as the founder of the land, felt strongly that the borders lines of kokori territory should be totally preserved against infiltration by the neighboring town and so he gave command that people should be sent out from each of the three quarters of the town to establish villages - urhuokpe, okumighwa, Erhomegwhu,olumale, evwavwa, samagidi, Urushue, Etukpere and Egbogbo etc. these were the main kokori frontier villages which have increase in number through the years. occupation and administration The Egbo land is very fertile and nearly all k90kori produce come from this area. The occupation of the village people is mainly farming of annual crops and tapping of rubber. They produce foodstuffs like Garri, yam, tomato, okra, pepper, groundnuts, palm oil and fruit in large quantities. These food items are transported by head and bicycles to Kokori market for sale as the only link-road which is Eku-road is not motor able most time of the year because of the four faulty bridges across the Omwe streams. Most people in Kokori town and their relations from Okurekpo on Okpara inland travel long distances to farm in Egbo land because of its fertility on the recent, the area has become, widely known as production center for okra, tomato, fresh pepper, groundnuts, palm oil and fruit that a special market for these product has been established at isiorho/onowhakpor village, holding every Edewor (native Sunday) and attended by traders from as far places as Ughelli, Warri, Sapele, and beyond. Every village in Egbo is ruled by the oldest man and supported by the Ewheya Otuorere and other elderly men there. The village heads are subject to the town authorities and are charged with maintenance of peace and order they are required to report any act of infringement by a neighboring community which dialogue could not resolve to the Okarho and his Ehonvwore for necessary action. All the Egbo people have their home bases in Kokori town and join their respective citizens of town observing the orders of the town authorities. They are obliged to attend all Kokori festivals and matters affecting Kokori people’s destiny. KOKORI POPULATION CENSUS Name of village Project Fig. (1990) 1. Kokori inland (town) Ward 6 -15,682 2. Kokori-Egbo area (Ward 10) - • Ichikirhe Village -605 • Egbogho ’’ -1,696 • Okumihwa ” -3,620 • Okusiroro ’’ -1,681 • Okurrhokpe ” -686 • Samagidi ” -1,524 • Ekrakra ” -1,354 • Emakpor ” -404 • Ekrudu ” -302 • Emehwu ” -402 • Erhokorhi ” -472 • Onumane ” -449 13,195 Total for Kokori town and Kokori territorial area (2 Wards)=== 28,897 SOURCE: 1963 Nigeria Census, Midwestern Region, volume. I