GREAT OGBODO TAMUNO GROUP OF CHIEFTAINCY HOUSES MAKE HISTORY IN OPU NEMBE By Evans Tubonah

From left Chief A.Z.Aladede Dr. Amaegbe as Chief Tamuno

Nembe is one of the most ancient ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta Region, South-South Nigeria, which traditional values are relatively interwoven with other ethnic nations like the people of Bille, Okrika, Bonny, Opobo amongst others had remained unique, and second to none in the choice of their leaders; the Amanyanabo of the community or the election of a Chief to head a Chieftaincy House or to be elected as the Head Chief to a Group of Chieftaincy Houses.
We say history is made Thursday, 3rd of May, 2018 in the Great Ogbodo Tamuno Group of Chieftaincy Houses of Opu Nembe Bassambiri, when a new leader in person of Dr. M.F. Amaegbe emerged, unanimously chosen by the group and presented for the traditional chalking ceremony as Chief Tamuno, which took place in the sacred floor of King Gbolowei, Ogbodo 2nd/Chief Keremah "Okpu" (Mausoleum) in King Kariyai's Compound, Sikakapolo, In the ancient city of Opu Nembe Bassambiri.
The occasion scheduled to hold by 10.am Nigerian time attracted people of all walks of life in and outside Nembe and it's environ within and outside Bayelsa State. The occasion was to begin in earnest, but not without observing the strict traditions of the following:

a cross section of Chiefs

1. The tide. what says the tide, is it flowing? It is only by flowing tides that  chalking ceremonies must take place, and to beat  an unfavorable tide, which begins with ebbing to or in the morning, water can be collected during the flow of the tide to be kept in the mausoleum for the ceremony.
2. Such a great occasion cannot take place without a communication with the ancestors, the founding father of the Opu Nembe kingdom, King Obiai Ogbodo and the rest of the great ancestors that followed after him. They must be informed and also given assorted drinks such as native gin, foreign hot drink, sweet mineral drink etc.
3. There must be the "Ikisa" (traditional talking drum) to announce to the spiritual and temporal that the occasion was ready to hold or is on course.
4. The "Ekere" (wooden gung) must also be ready to be played all through the three day ceremony intermittently according to the time fixed.
On this historic occasion all protocols observed, which began with calling on the Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and the Earth to take charge of all that the Great Ogbodo Tampon Group of Chieftaincy Houses was set to do.
After committing the programme to God, by Chief Albert Digigha Wari, the Priest of King Obiai Ogbodo, Elder Obeye Numofagha called on the ancestors through the ceremonies of sanctification and libation to also take their rightful place at the ceremony.

A cross section of Chiefs 2

That done, the stage was now fully set for the chalking, but not without an address by the Chairman of the Organizing  Committee for the Ceremony, Chief Tony Bokolo Alfred, who gave a briefing of how the Group went shopping for a befitting candidate for the headship position of the King Tamuno Chieftancy stool outside without results until, decided to look inward and found Chief (Dr.) Markson F. Amaegbe Orutari as he was, calling on him to step upward to lead the Group of Houses by taking the Tamuno title.
Chief Alfred said all the branches of the stalk of the Tamuno Chieftaincy stool agreed unanimously to give the highly exalted stool to Dr. Amaegbe because of his outstanding developmental strides in the Group and the Opu Nembe Chiefs Council. He appreciated the turnout and wished all attendees the best in life.
Then the the then Acting Head Chief, Chief A.Z.Aladede invited the Tamuno designate, Dr. M.F.Amaegbe to the sacred temple of the ancestors where he was chalked as Chief Tamuno, the Head Chief of the Great Ogbodo Tamuno Group of Chieftaincy Houses of Opu Nembe Bassambiri, which made it a day of celebration not only for the people of the Tamuno Group, but for the kingdom.