THE HISTORY OF THE OKHOGHIEMHE FAMILY BY GILBERT ODIOR
The History of the Okhoghiemhe Family Based on elder interviews and personal experiences growing up in Ogbona, this documentation uncovers our family’s rich history. Iyere and Anogho were brothers and lived in Ivhiokhile in the present day Fugar. Iyere had Oloede, Ototo, Apo and Otsegbemhe in Fugar among several other children. Anogho gave birth to Okhoghiemhe and Okhaishe among several others. Okhoghiemhe, Oloede, and Ototo moved to Ogbona and Ototo became the OKPHE UKPI from 1908 to 1914. Chief Anyai (OKPHE UKPI) from Ivhiorevho was handed over to Ototo when he was imprisoned for his role during the Dogbonoba War of 1908. Enakhumhe from Ivhiobore (Warrant Chief) was appointed by the British Administration in 1914 to take over from Ototo due to his non-compromising stand on trade with the British and other slave issues. It all began with Okhoghiemhe Snr, a strong-willed patriarch, and his beloved wife, Anogho. Their union bore four remarkable children: Okhoghiemhe Jnr, Okhaishe, Omoighie, and Ogbho. The siblings grew up under the watchful eyes of their parents, learning the values of unity and strength. Okhoghiemhe Jnr followed his mother, Anogho, to settle in Ogbona after a tragic event. He had avenged his younger brother, Okhaishe, death by killing Adokhuru, the perpetrator. The lineage of Okhoghiemhe Jnr flourished in Ogbona. Okhoghiemhe gave birth to Odior, Onwumah, and Ifaorumhe, among several other children who carried forward the family’s legacy. Okhaishe progeny, Ikaga, Ukhokho, and others, continued the tradition. Omoighie descendants, Anamhomhe, Igwemoh, and others, also made their mark. Ogbho children, Atsebamho, Okhaishe, Ogbiko, Ighiebo, and Akhagbhai, completed the family’s expansive tree. We were informed that Onwuma had 19 children, but only 2 were still alive during our upbringing, and she lived to be over a hundred years old. One of the two daughters, Mrs. Eghieobo Alabi, married Alabi Epi from Okotor and had 8 children. Among them are Ogiebo Basel Agbaza Alabi, Jeremiah Alabi, Mrs. Arobuye Umagor, Bacon Alabi, Ikuoya Uwora, John Damisa Alabi, Mary Momodu Abu, Queen Onovogbe Philip Ikoko, and Oduevho Didi Michael Alabi, the only surviving son. The second daughter, Ebuade, married into the Okozi family and gave birth to 4 children, Mrs Maria Iguegiemhera Oshiomogho, Agbavhuokha Okozi, Ekhazuno Okozi, and Etafia Okozi. Etafia is the father of Chief Richard Okozi. One of the sons of Onwuma was Mochi who had 7 children, including C.U. Mochi and Mrs. Cecilia Eleta. Pa Patrick Odior Okhoghiemhe: A Life of Faith, Tradition, and Enterprise Patrick Odior Okhoghiemhe, an early Christian convert, balanced his faith with traditional practices. Our family deity, Ugbokomheva, required regular sacrifices of fowl and goats, which we’d roast and share among the family. Odior’s expertise in herbal medicine was renowned. His potent malaria remedy, a secret blend of herbs and sometimes alcohol, was boiled and fermented for days. A single sip would spread warmth throughout the body. A savvy farmer and entrepreneur, Patrick Odior Okhoghiemhe acquired vast lands in Okotor and Agbha. His Okotor orchard boasted diverse fruits and economic trees, including kolanuts, avocados, and oranges. The extent of his landholdings remains impressive:- Over ¼ of the land in the Okotor quarter and Notable neighbors: Odogbo, Idode, Esi, Ikoko, Ifaorumhe, and Ilega Patrick’s industrious nature transformed seemingly unproductive lands into thriving farms, leaving a lasting legacy. Some questions remain such as how did Patrick Odior acquire his vast lands? Unraveling these mystery will deepen our understanding of our family’s history. Descendants of Patrick Odior Okhoghiemhe Patrick Odior Okhoghiemhe lived for over a hundred years and died in 1970. He was married to four wives: Idede, Asana Omutu, Oreghokpe, and Asabi. His first wife, Idede, gave birth to Egbekhoze, Imulemu, Imhana, and Imhatamhana. Only Imhatamhana is alive today. Despite their names, they did not have an Islamic upbringing but rather practiced the African traditional religion. It’s interesting to note that Egbekhoze married Apemheyie Asekomhe and they were one of the first couples to wed in the Catholic faith in Ogbona in the 1930s. Asana Omutu Odior (née Achemho) was from Iraokhor and had several children. Among them are Pa George Kadiri, Iyama, Asabi, Raphael Nasamu, Inayi, Lucy Uwodu, and Jacob. They were all Christians. Patrick Odior Okhoghiemhe and Oreghokpe (the younger sister of Oshiomogho Aleghe of Okotor) had 2 children, but only one survived to adulthood. Her name is Animah. She got married in Ivhiorevhor and had 5 children: Daniel, Onona, Anake, Ochema, and Remilekun. When we were growing up, Animah returned to the family house with all her children. The final wife of Patrick Odior Okhoghiemhe was Asabi from the Okozi royal family of Ogbona. Asabi was previously married in Iraokhor and had several children there before marrying Odior. She had only one son, Sunday, with Odior. However, Sunday got married multiple times and had several children. Among his children are Folake, Felix, Imhonikhe, Stephen Sunday, and Grace Ivhagbha. The Odior family house was the biggest in our immediate environment and one of the largest in Ogbona. It was a very long building with a lot of apartments. Passing through that compound to other houses in the neighborhood was frightening because of the number of people that lived there. George Kadiri Odior George Kadiri Odior, the first child of Odior Okhoghiemhe and Asana Omutu Odior, never received formal education but acquired literacy skills. George Kadiri Odior married Elizabeth,(Eliza) from the Odogbo family, and took her to Lagos. The father-in-law, Robert Odogbo, who was a Catholic Church catechist, insisted that they get married in the church. However, Uncle Kadiri refused, and the marriage was dissolved after only one child, Akhi Catherine Odior. George Kadiri remained unmarried for a long time. Finally, his father and his brothers decided to find a wife for him. They encountered an issue during the process, and they ended up marrying another woman, Juliana from a neighboring village called Imiava, for him. Soon afterward, the issue with the first woman was resolved, and there was no other option but to marry both women at the same time. Mrs. Juliana Odior, the
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