- The people of Ogboin Kingdom believes that God is the creator of the heaven and earth, but there are other smaller gods which he uses to run the day to day activities of the earth.
- The name of the creator is Oyein.
- here also have firm belief about the water spirits and bush spirits
They belief in their existence and powers over some happiness in the clan. They have Bekena-owei. It is believed that this water spirit brings riches to the people of the clan for this reason, he is worshiped all the time. Benikinemu is yet another water spirit that is worshiped in the clan by it adherents. For instance if somebody steal your money, all that is needed is to look for a coin, go to the river, all the name Benikinemu and swear, after a couple of days or there about, Oral tradition has is that the thief will either confess or die. The existence of Bush spirits are guarding the entire clan from any external attack. The Chief bush spirit of them all is Adegbe. It is believed to have control over all the other spirits in the clan. the Priest of Adegbe is the Priest of all priest and he is called “ODOU” meaning our father. Oral traditions has it that Benikurukuru, Osuo-owei, Adiba, Oweitaragba, Agbe etc are all bush spirits that are worshiped by different Priests and their main duties is to protect the people of the kingdom.
The entire kingdom is a whole unit does not have festival but Amassoma, one of the towns of the kingdom has a major festival that has attracted a lot of attention both locally and internationally. The name of the festival is Amassoma Seigbein Fishing & Feasting Festival. The meaning of Seigbein is “Throne away evil”. The origin and development of Amassoma Seigbein can be traced to Oboro the founder of Amassoma. After his death, that attracted physical condolences, the community was influenced to contribute into a common treasury so as to take care of visitors and sympathizers. Coincidentally, it was a period of harvesting new yam. Thus women donated baskets of yam while the men donated palm oil. Fish was need for the diet to be complete. As a result men and women of the community decided and went for a successful fishing expedition at “Oubulu” a long narrow lake located at southeast of Amassoma. The situation culminated into a colourful feasting ceremonies.
A second fishing expedition was carried out in honour of Oboro in a wonderful second burial without a common treasury. Owing to its success, the people believed the spirit of Oboro and Oyein (literally our Mother-God the creator) blesses their harvests. Thus the practice of animal fishing expedition and feasting was established. Further, the festive period also coincided with a period of purification, a period of nesting after intensive farm work, a period of forgiveness and a period of marry making.
As a result of certain physical and socio-economic factors affecting fishing expedition in the Oubulu, the festival site was relocated to the present lake called Ogugubulu (creek) directly opposite the community. The Ogugubulu including its inlet and outlet area is usually reserved for a reasonable period with community restrictive laws. This prevents people from tempering with it. A date is fixed or set aside for the festival after traditional rituals. On the day of the festival, either ends or outlets of the Ogugubulu are blocked with mats weaved or made of bamboo and raffia. Every interested member of the community, residents or visitors alike prepares, their fishing gears and get set in their canoes at the community, ready to take-off to cross in a very colourful competitive race to the lake. A first canon shot signals the take-off. Thereafter participants take positions at strategic places in the lake fishing commences with a second canon shot. Other participants as well as observers get into the lake and adjourning island with colourful dancing parades, fanfare and pick nicks.
The festival proper takes place in the months of May to June but mostly in the first week of June and spans for a period of one of two weeks due to its added and colour activities. The festival is usually organized by each compound on rotating basis. Highlights of the festival include fishing, harvesting of new yams, feasting and exchange of gifts and visits other activities which make the festival elaborate include traditional dances such as Egbelegbele, Okesonomo, Agene, Anyanma, Adita, Masquerades, Wrestling, Swimming competition, firm shows and soccer. The last day of celebrations at the festival is rounded up with gun shots by men toward the down stream of the community. Women on the other hand round houses with flames and burning embers of fire thrown into the river at dusk – throwing away evil”.
The people of Ogboin kingdom believed in Yibi (Divinities) meaning to find out what is behind a person’s misfortune. It is also use to know the problems that is affecting kingdom so as to appease the gods.
Duamabou (Afterlife) is yet another religious belief of the Ogboins – Duamabou is a place where any person that dies goes to. When a man dies, after the second day. (in the third day) of his death, all his children, wives and relations below the dead man’s age will have to shave their hair in the name of the dead man, then if it is a woman, the shaving of the hair of her children with exception of her husband will be shaved on the fourth day. It is believed that the dead person will use the hair that his been shaved as money in the other life. So the more the hair’s, the more money that the dead person will have there.
Ancestral spirit is also believed in by the Ogboins. At the end of the year, food is usually prepared. Porridge is prepared and served in seven plates. One plate is usually poured on the ground or kept for the ancestors to come and eat it. This is done to feed the ancestors in the period and to seek their blessings.
Fiyebobebe (Destiny). It is believed that everybody have it won destiny immediately after conception. So anything that happens while one is alive until death, it is believe that it has been destined to happen. The Ogboins also divines to look for some destiny and where it is bad, through one sacrifice or another, this Fiyebobebe can be reversed.
Oral traditions has it that the people of Ogboin Kingdom believed in the traditional system of marriage. The Ogboin’s has three main types of marriage that is still practiced today, they are the Bere system, Ikie system and the Opu-ikie system of marriage.
In Bere system, the wife married with large amount of money of money ranging 50 pounds to 100 pounds in the late 1960s and early 1979s, children born out of this system are the sole hairs, and custodians of any traditional, family or communal properly up till the 1930s, the paternal family gave only children of this category education.
The Ikie system of marriage, a wife is married from the locality where the father does not give out his daughter as in the Bere system. It is difficult in the Ikie system for a father or mother to give our their daughter as a the Bere system unless both or them mutually agree. The maternal uncle of the daughter can give out his sister’s daughter in the Bere system after agreeing with the father. In the 1970s, the Ikie system required about N27.70k (27 naira 70 kobo) with other ceremonies to make the marriage legal. However, the marriage ceremonies are important and the bride price may be paid in installments. Occasionally, only part is paid as people find it difficult to afford. In some cases, children get grown up before dowry is completed. Offspring born out of the Ikie system of marriage were chiefly matrilineal.
In the Opu-Ikie system of marriage, the male offspring belong to the father while the female offspring where matrilineal. The bride price was higher than what it was in the Ikie system but lower than that of the Bere system.
On inheritance, the Ogboin’s have two processes that are involved culturally. The first process is called Tiridu-diye. Few and less important properties of the dead is shared with everybody that id around at that time. The next process is called Waridu-diye. This is sharing of the dead man property’s within the immediate family members alone.
The ogboin’s has a standard traditional government in place that ensure peace and harmony in the kingdom. The various categories of leaders that ensure the smooth running of the kingdom are as follow: The Ibenanaowei, the king of the kingdom. He is the custodian of the culture of the his people. He has authority over all the communities of the kingdom next on the category is the Amanaowei. These are paramount rulers in the various towns the makes up the Kingdom. They are to control their various towns. Each town is divided into quarters and all the quarters are headed by quarter Chiefs called Birinanaowei. The quarters are in turn divided into compounds called Pele. Each compound is headed by a compound Chief who is to control the members and inhabitants of that compound. The Ibenanaowei (King) also have his council of chiefs which is being chained by him. The council of chiefs is the highest decision making body of the kingdom. All this levels of leaders are placed in office of election. Previous king of Ogboin kingdom are as follows :
- HRM King Zumotengha Efeke
- HRM King Joens Ere
- HRM King Oweipa Johns Ere III JP (currently on seat)
The traditions of Ogboin kingdom is been carried down from generation to generation through books that have been written about the people, Oral stories telling.
Before the advert of pharmaceutical medicines, the people of the kingdom treat themselves using various means some of them are through herbs, massaging, when the cause of the aliment if from the spirit world, the traditional native doctors are consulted to know what has gone wrong and appropriate measures are taken to solve the problem, sometimes, sacrifice are made to appease the gods where it was needed.
The people of Ogboin kingdom has some other outstanding cultures that are of great importance today. Some of them are
Tari - Love: The concern that of our fore-fathers had among themselves in ancient times is worthy of emulation the people in those time were very co-operative. Tari is in everwhere. There was few if any form of hatred to anybody within the neighbourhood, it was been taken care by all the people there people assisted each other, whether it is farming, processing of palms and the likes. Unfortunately that zeal of Tari is gradually fading away in today in the kingdom.
Gesiyigba - Truthfulness – was yet another key quality of the people in the past that is gradually fading away. The people of the kingdom where trughful to each other. There did’nt say one thing and do another thing.
Tebeyerimo – Respect for elders: Tebeyerimo was held in high esteem. The elders were look as mini gods because of their experience. The elders words were regarded as the words of wisdom. Everybody in the kingdom had great respect for the elders just as the elders were truthful. The younger ones always look at their elder as decision makers and their decisions were held in high esteem.
Ebadaimenekeme – Hardwork: This was the norm in the people of Ogboin kingdom. Furu (stealing) was abhorred in every aspect in the lives of the people of the kingdom. Everybody that is of age whether male or female are doing one business activities or the other in other to take care of their families. All in the kingdom were hardworking.
The culture of Ogboin kingdom is influencing by certain taboos which are worth mentioning here.
When a married women in cause of looking unexpectedly had a sharp saliva sprint into the food, that food is defiled and no longer given to the husband.
A married woman never serves her husband with a food that she has poured on the ground without the consent of the husband. Tradition has it that the gods of the land afflict such a person when this act is violated. Women under their menstrual period do not harvest pepper, particularly the yellow pepper; if violated, kills or changes the variety.
Local extraction of palm kernel oil within the community is prohibited. It must be taken to the end of the town or behind all the houses in the compound before extracting. In ancient times, Lion (komo-owei) use to come into the town from the forest, thus a concoction was made adding the palm kernel oil and buried in the community to drive the Lions away from the community.
During the Seigben Amassoma fishing and feasting festival, slaughtering of live animals and even buying of the dead bodies are prohibited during this period. It was believed that all ancestors where around for merry making to influence good harvest.