History

Oral tradition has it that the name of the founder of opokuma kingdom is opokuma. He immigrated from Agadagbabou and settled first at a creek known as Ofonitoru  before finally settling at the site in the hinter land of the bank opposite the present site of Opokuma.

According to a renowned historian S.K Owonaro, Opu-Okun [opokuma has two sons, namely, Oko or Okowariowei and Egeli. It was said that Oko was a giant who could neither dwell in houses nor could marry to produce a family. After the death of Opokuma, Oko, the giant of his father took over. However because of the size of Oko which made him not to marry, he married many wives for his brother Egeli. With one wife,  Egeli had two sons Ekpu and Bia which grow up to a large family that was later named Okowori after the giant Oko.

The Opokuma’s were joined by immigrants from many other places. Some of the immigrants are as follows Igbanwari, according to oral traditions three brothers namely Agada, oil and Opia emigrated from Koroama in Taylor creek and settled with the children of Opokuma. History has it that this brothers became prosperous and grew to become a very large family. Another group of emigrants is Gbanrabiri. The ancestors of these people was said to emigrated from Ibeninoyakiri. Akanrabiri another settlers in the kingdom of Opokuma whose founder Akanra, was said to have emigrated from Ikibiri. Oyobu whose founder Oyobu-Owei emigrated from Ugebiri, in main kingdom. While Gbanrama, the last set of emigrants to settle with the Opokuma’s emigrats from Orama in Taylor creek.
Oral tradition has it that Opokuma in olden days used to be a popular town, but a peril under current in a lake swept away hundreds of them and decreased the population of the town. As at today, Opokuma kingdom has the following towns: Abuwari, Gbaranama, Ayakorama, Orubiri, Ofonibiri, Igbinwari Ekpuwari, Oyobu, Akaranbiri, and Gbaranbiri.

The major occupation of  the people of opokuma  kingdom includes farming , fishing  canoe  carrying and timber laundering  however, in the pre-colonial  and era , the people did  trade by barter with the British. The traded palm oil and palm kernels business with them in Exchange  for other important articles.
Though the majority of the Opokumites are Christians now, the introduction of Christianity met stiff opposition and it was looked as one of the oppressive means the white men was using to impose themselves on the people.