Orogun

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THE URHOBO KINGDOM OF OROGUN

HISTORY
Orogun Kingdom is in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The name Orogun was derived from Efe's daughter who was called Orogun, a grand child to Owowa whose mother was an Urhobo woman from Ughelli. She was the founder of Orogun town. The father of Orogun along with his brothers (Owolukpo) Abbi, Amai, and Umukwata all migrated from Benin Empire.

The Oroguns migrated from Ughelli to Aboh through the river. In Aboh, they helped to kill a Benin war general called Obiegbe waged wars against the Abors. The Obi of Aboh for fear of the powers of the Oroguns was believed to have prepared a spell that made the Oroguns migrate from Aboh to the present day Orogun.

FESTIVALS
EROSE-EFE FESTIVAL Her husband who brought Erose, an Ukuani Shrine to Orogun while migrating, celebrates Erose-Efe festival annually to mark the war prowess of Orogun. During the celebration all the antics of war are re-enacted. This includes the preparation of potions for war. Cutlass and bullet potions protected natives from harm.

The celebration starts in the morning with war dance by the youths who dance across the main streets of Orogun in groups brandishing guns and cutlasses. Later in day each of the towns and villages that make up Orogun Kingdom will then dance from their respective towns and villages to Erose-shrine in Orogun with their various warlords (Ochu) leading each of the dancing troupes for cleansing from any shortcoming over the year.

The "Ochu" wear headgear made of eagle bird feathers and cleansing is done with a white cook, at the presentation of special long shaped native chalk. In the evening, after the various village troupes have visited the shrine, they would dance back to their villages while the women and young girls will take over.

The dance of the women is know as "Ighomon", it is Largely done with the singing of vulgar songs and marking of vulgar statements and gestures. The festival continues into the night with social parties. The next seven days is for the exchange of pleasantries. During the festival farmers are forbidden to go to farm and no form of burial ceremonies are allowed.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FESTIVAL
The festival was a war festival in the early days. When it was believed that the "juju" gives power to the warlords of the communities and protects sons and daughters of Orogun wherever they are. If they are in danger at any time the juju can hide and show them the way to where they will be safe. Because of the believe in this juju, two animals (the Iguana and Dog) are forbidden by the Oroguns.

On getting to riverside while escaping, they could not find their boats, but instead the saw what appeared logs across the river, on which they crossed the river. Upon successfully crossing the river, they discovered that it was Iguanas that formed a chain across the river for them to get to safety.

That was how the IGUANA became a god and savior for the Orogun people. Eating Iguana by indigenes bring rashes to their body and the only cure to it is to go to Erose shrine where you will be giving native chalk and sand from the shrine. The affected person will now use the sand and native chalk to robe his body for seven different Oroguns market days before the rashes can be cured.

IGUANA: The Iguana is sacred animal to the Orogun people who may not kill or eat it. The myth has it that Orogun people were initially settled around the Aboh area where they had problems with Benin traders which resulted in the killing of the Benin traders, fear of possible reprisal from the great ancient Benin kingdom made them to move to their present location.

Source: Delta State Website

HRH Matthew Iwemife
Akpobi Omoga I
Okpara-Uku of Orogun