Ogbona Elites Forum

  CONSTITUTION OF THE OGBONA ELITES FORUM   Preamble:   Article 1: Name, Logo, Aims and objectives  SECTION 1: NAME The name of this organization shall be OGBONA ELITES FORUM (hereinafter referred to as the “OEF”). This shall be the umbrella body for: Ogbona Elites Forum on WhatsApp, Ogbona Political Elites Forum on WhatsApp, I’m an Indigene of Ogbona Group on Facebook, The Ogbona Elites Website, (ogbonaelites.org and Any other forum or platform that maybe established by the OEF for the purpose of achieving its objectives.   SECTION 2: LOGO The OEF shall have a logo depicting the social-cultural values it represents.   SECTION 3: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aims and objectives of the forum are as follows: To unite all elites of Ogbona extraction across the world, irrespective of gender, political and religious beliefs or affiliations or economic status, etc. To cross fertilize ideas that could foster the development of Ogbona. To support and defend the common cause of Ogbona and of one another. To showcase Ogbona cultural heritage. To serve as resource centre on Ogbona customary law, culture and traditions. To preserve, by relevant means, the historical heritage of Ogbona community and celebrate, and when necessary, reward those that have contributed to the growth and development of the historical and modern Ogbona community. While restraining itself from partisan politics, to act as a pressure group and mobilise support for and in favour of any Ogbona indigene who is contesting for a political position against an outsider and maintain a neutral status where such a political contest involves two or more Ogbona indigenes. Organization of events and forums for: The generation of positive ideas for the development of our community. Formulate action plans responsible for the development of the community. The mobilization of necessary human and material resources. The maintenance of peace and security in our community. Implement approved projects and community projects. Career talks and planning for our youth in schools. 9.      To acquire both moveable and immovable property as well as open and run bank accounts for the purpose of promoting the above stated aims and objectives.   ARTICLE 2: CHARTER AND AFFILIATIONS SECTION 4: CHARTER This organization shall maintain a charter in the state as a non-political, non-religious and non-profit socio-cultural organization. AFFILIATION OEF may, in line with its bye-laws and/or Constitution, work in collaboration with other persons or groups of persons in Ogbona for the purpose of achieving its aims and objectives   ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP, DUTIES, OBLIGATIONS, RESPONSIBLILITES AND BENEFITS SECTION 5: MEMBERSHIP Membership of Ogbona Elites Forum shall be open to all indigenes of Ogbona, irrespective of gender. Such members must be gainfully employed and must not be students of secondary schools or undergraduates of polytechnics or universities. Postgraduate students who meets all the other criteria of membership contained in this constitution shall be eligible as members. Membership of Ogbona Elites Forum shall be open to spouses of Ogbona indigenes, provided that such spouses identify with, and are integrated into mainstream Ogbona, regardless of place of residence. Membership of “I’m an Indigene of Ogbona” Group on Facebook shall be open to all indigenes of Ogbona and to spouses of Ogbona indigenes, irrespective of gender or place of residence, including students and unemployed   SECTION 6: DUTIES, OBLIGATIONS & RESPONSIBLILITES OF MEMBERS All members shall uphold the ideals of the OEF at all times they shall uphold the values of Ogbona community and regard themselves and act as worthy ambassadors of Ogbona. Members are expected to observe the laws of the OEF at all times. Members are expected to contribute positively to matters relating to the entire Ogbona All members shall pay the prescribed annual contributions; levies and/or dues, voluntary donations only to the designated accounts of the OEF, to enable the organisation carry out its objectives effectively. Members are obliged to report incidents or matters that affect Ogbona community to the OEF through any of the platforms established for communication amongst Members shall ensure that they provide accurate information required to prepare and/or update the Register of Members from time to time. All members shall be entitled to a  free electronic copy  of  the  Constitution provided they are in a good financial standing. Members shall treat each other with mutual respect both in conduct and in words. The use of derogatory languagen a member by another shall attract severe penalty in accordance with this constitution. Members are required to pay all dues as may be specified by the Board of Administrators. Non-payment of dues by a member shall be considered equivalent to resignation. Such member’s name shall be deleted from the register of members, and cease to enjoy any membership benefits including but not limited to the right to vote and be voted for, unless extenuating circumstances are given or made known by such a member and accepted by the Board of Administrators. Membership is terminated if a member resigns by written notice to the Forum.However, if a member under investigation by the Forum resigns his/her membership prior to the conclusion of investigation, he/she stands expelled without prejudice to the Forum’s disciplinary procedure and shall not be readmitted; Should any member fail to pay his or her subscription as stated in this Article  (9) above, the Treasurer shall report accordingly to the EXCO who may cause the member’s name to be erased from the list of members by their order and there upon he or she ceases to be a member of the Forum. Any member entrusted with the property of the organisation shall handle such property with diligence and apply same solely for the purpose for which such property was entrusted in their care.   SECTION 7: MEMBERS’ ENTITLEMENTS AND PRIVILEDGES Subject to the provisions of this Constitution or as determined by the EBA, every member shall be entitled to vote and be voted for during the election. Members shall be eligible to use any of the platforms of the organisation, be it social media, library and resourceentres and participations in the forum’s activities. Members can

MARRIAGE STEPS IN OGBONA – By Deacon John Odior Anavheokhai Marriage, like any other social institution in the world is highly revered in Ogbona, indeed, Avianwu clan in general. It is much more than being ceremonious. It is a bond that binds people of different cultures background, taste and preferences together. It is an expression of maturity, a strict adherence to biblical teachings, deference and overt observance of time tested tradition. It starts with a boy seeing a girl, approaching and proposing to her. Once there is discernible or perceived sense of temperamental compatibility between both parties, the girl gives the boy the go ahead to see her parents, thus setting the stage for marriage negotiation to commence. It must be stated here that marriage processes in Ogbona are the same.it is immaterial whether the girl in question is an Adegbe /Onabor or Amhoya. Onabor or Amhoya is a girl given out in marriage to a spouse outside the shore of the four villages of Arua, Unone, Iraokhor and Ogbona that make up Avianwu clan. She is believed to have been sold out with no right of inheritance to her family property. Her children as it were, are not shared between both families. She is treated as a bona fide daughter of her husband’s family. Of course, her bride price is much higher. Adegbe is the opposite of Amhoya. She has unrestricted access to her family even when married. According to Aha Idokpesi Okkhaishie N’Avhianwu in his book “The Descent of Avhianwu”, Amhoya at marriage becomes a bona-fide property of the husband who paid a very high bride price on her. By this type of arrangement Amhoya gains in her husband’s home the rights and privileges she has lost in her parents’ home. On the other hand, non-Amhoya at marriage remains the property of her parents because the husband has paid a very little bride price on her. A non-Amhoya retains her rights and obligations in her parents’ home. She can be removed at will by her parents or guardians. In the distant past some of or all the offspring of non-Amhoya could be adopted at will by her maternal ancestral household. In the case of adoption the women had nothing to worry about as the children who though by the unwritten constitution then became the legal property of the adopting household, would still be very much around in the community. But the husband would always be the loser. The situation however became different at the advent of the Nupe slave raiders. During the Nupe/Hausa slave raiding expeditions, the women of the non-Amhoya type of Marriage had no guarantee that her children would be left in the community. Her fears were genuine as taxes, ransoms and tributes were paid in humans. For this reason, a non-Amhoya had to establish a good relationship with her maternal (paternal – if this is applicable) ancestral household. Whether Adegbe or Amhoya, the marriage processes are the same as illustrated below STAGE ONE The suitor (boy) goes to his would be in law with the first gourd of palm wine known as Anyio ino gbor. (Enquiring drink). The drink is for the girl’s father alone though he calls a few people to join him in the brief ceremony. The girl is sent for and on arrival, she is subjected to series of questions. At the end her consent on the desirability of the gourd of palm is sort and if she answered in the affirmative, the palm wine is taken. She is not allowed to entertain any suitor again STAGE TWO The second stage is Iwukwe, acceptance keg of palm wine. Although the girl had given the father the go ahead to drink the first gourd of palm wine, the boy needs the consent of the prospective father in law too. The taking of Iwukwe drink is taken as the expression of that fatherly consent for the marriage to go ahead. STAGE THREE The third stage is Anyio Ivhiera, the kindred’s gourd of palm wine. At this stage the Ivhiera are formally informed and the suitor is formally presented to the entire family. It is inconsequential if some of them had earlier been involved in the preceding stages. STAGE FOUR The fourth stage is Anyio Ede. The keg of palm wine for the entire quarter. At this stage the marriage can be contracted as who is who in the entire process has been well informed. At this stage also the bride price is paid and all necessary rites are performed. The boy can organize his friends to farm for his prospective in laws. STAGE FIVE The last stage is Anyio Obekhai. Thank you gourd of palm wine. The young man appreciates his in law to be for accepting him and for giving their consent for the marriage to be consummated. REVISED CUSTOMARY LAW OF MARRIAGE IN OGBONA WITH EFFECT FROM 22 NOVEMBER 2012. External Marriage – Amhoya/Onabor (This is a form of marriage where a prospective husband comes from outside Avhianwu Clan to marry an Ogbona girl) a. For the Girl: One Large box of clothes of assorted types of the girl’s choice b. For the Mother: • One bag of rice • One tin of palm oil • One tin of groundnut oil • Two bags of salt • Twenty five tubers of yams • One basket of dry fish (bonga) • Forty Coconuts • Five bunches of Plantain • One SHE Goat • Three bottles of Honey • Bride price for Mother (10,000) • Akara, Eko and River fish (Equivalent N10,000) c. For the Father: • Jerricans of Palm wine – Five (5) • Cartons of Beer assorted – Ten (10) • Bottles of hot drinks Six (6) • Bride Price for Father (50,000) • Okphe Ukpi of Ogbona: N2,000 and a bottle of wine • Chief of the Village: N3,000 and a bottle of wine • Youth of the village : N1,000 and two cartons of Beer d. Other Requirements: •

FOOTPRINTS OF OGBONA SONS AND DAUGHTERS 1.First secondary school graduate: Mr. ABC Anaweokhai who finished from Africa College, Onitsha in 1949. Anthony Bartholomew Chiata Anaweokhai, popularly known as Mr. ABC was born on the 4th of April 1929 to the Catholic family of Cletus Anaweokhai. ABC attended African College Onitsha for his secondary education. He finish in 1949, and got a job with Leventis stores in Port Harcourt as an accountant. ABC Anaweokhai was an honest man who prided integrity above anything else. He was an active member of Ogbona meeting in all the places he worked. He helped to unite then divided Ogbona meeting in Kaduna in the late 1970s. 2.First Catholic Reverend Father: Rev Father Dominic Azagbo: Fr. Dominic Azagbor holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy, and a bachelor of arts from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. Rev. Fr. Dominic Azagbor professed his vows to the Order in 1988 and served in a variety of capacities at parishes in Nigeria and Ghana before being ordained to the priesthood in April of 2000. From 2002 to 2005, he served as assistant chaplain at the University of Ife, located in the Diocese of Oshogbo, Nigeria. From 2005 to 2009, he served as associate pastor at St. Jude Catholic Church in Mafoluku, part of the Archdiocese of Lagos, Nigeria. In 2010, Fr. Azagbor arrived in the United States and was assigned as chaplain to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania and he is currently located in Maine 3.First Pentecostal Bishop: Bishop Anthony Anyiador (Pentecostal). He pastored many churches in Benin City, Lagos, and other parts of Nigeria. He was consecrated a Bishop of the Church of God Mission on 10th November 2001 by Archbishop Benson Idahosa. Anthony Anyiador is now the presiding bishop of Kingdom Connection Ministries, a network of churches in Nigeria with headquarter in Abuja. He is the first ordained bishop from Ogbona community 4.First College/ University graduate: Chief T.A. Osigbemhe entered University of Ibadan September 1957 to JUNE 1960 5.First Geologist: Gilbert Erelumhe Odior. Holds a B. S. and M. S. Degree in Geology from the University of Ibadan in Ibadan, Nigeria. An accomplished Geologist of over 34 years of proven successes in finding, developing and producing hydrocarbons in offshore Nigeria basin as well as in the Gulf of Mexico. Past President and Fellow of Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Member of American association petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and Past President AAPG-Africa Region (2012-2014), Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society (NMGS), Certified professional Geologist by COMEG and AAPG and active in local organizations and Social Clubs 6.First Major Politician from Ogbona: M.C.K Orbih. First elected in 1954 as one of the pioneer councilors of the Etsako District Council in the first democratically elected Local Government as a fore runner of Nigeria Political independence granted in 1960. He was appointed a member of the Western Region Advisory Board on Education during the period of self-government that culminated in the end of the colonial administration from 1956 — 1959. Chief M.C.K. Orbih became one of the pioneer legislators in the newly independent Nigeria when he was elected as the member representing Afenmai East in the Federal House of Representatives from 12 December 1959 to 12 December 1964. 7.First state Commissioner from Ogbona: George Enetomeh Uwaya In 1994-1996, was appointed Commissioner for Education Edo State, 1996-1997 Commissioner Special Duties Edo State. George obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography from the University of Ibadan. He thereafter proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Education. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Geography from the University of Benin. During his carrier he was appointed Education Officer in the Ministry of Education North Western State from 1971 to 1975, Head Geography Department, College of Education Minna, Niger State from 1976 to 1991, and Examiner for West African Examination Council in 1986, Dean School of Art and Social Science 1991, Chairman Committee of Deans College of Education 1991. Late George Enetomeh Uwaya died on the 30th of January 1999. He Survived by wife and Six Children 8.Commissioned Regular combatant Officer (military): Major Francis Atsegwasi followed by Lt Comdr. Emalumhe in the Navy. Major Francis Aigbona Atsegwasi (Rtd) was the first military officer from Ogbona to obtain a commission from the Nigerian Defense Academy, then the highest military institution in Nigeria. He was the Chairman of the then Care-taker committee of Etsako Central Local Government Area (2002-2003) 9. First Permanent Secretary, Director or Head of Government Parastatal: Chief T. A. Osigbemhe, Principal, Edo College, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education in Bendel State. Chief T.A Osigbemhe (nicknamed FLAMES), Principal Edo College from March 1973 to September 1977. At Edo Co1lege he revived discipline staff and students and maintenance of high academic standard in the face of dwindling resources of the period. Chief Inspector of education of all schools in the Unified Teaching Service Board. Sole Administrator/Chief Executive officer of Bendel State Health Services Management Board 1978 -1980. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education on 21st November, 1980, even though he was one of the most junior officers among the Chief Inspectors of Education in the Ministry. Retired voluntarily on 17th January 1984, after 38 years in the Education Industry of Bendel State. Chief Osigbemhe was called upon by the Ogbona community to take up position of the Head of the Village – OKPHE·UKPI OF OGBONA in August 1994 10.Dr. Besiru Idode, Director General in the Public Service of Bendel state now Edo and Delta states. He was a Director General Ministry of Budget and Planning, Director General (DG) at the Directorate for Food Roads and Rural Infrastructure. (DFFRI and Sole Administrator Ika Local Government Authority, Agbor. 11. First Lawyer: Barr Ekhasemomhe: He gained admission to the Present day Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in 1970 and studied law and graduated in 1973.He went to the Nigerian Law School and was called to bar in June,