Background
The Gbaramatu live close to the coast between the Forcados and Benin Rivers, with most of their settlements lying along the Escravos River and adjoining creeks. Their immediate neighbours are the Gborodo Itsekiri, and the Ogulagha Ijo to the south and east. By their location, therefore, they are the only other sub-group likely to have shared with the Egbema the reputation of Ijo piracy on the Benin River and its environs.
Traditions of Origin
Gbaramatu traditions of origin raise important issues for the settlement history of many other groups in the Delta. Oproza (Oporoza), the mother settlement of the Gbaramatu is mentioned in the traditions of origin of the Arogbo in the Western limit; of the Kabo and Kumbowei of the Western Delta; of the Gbaran of the Central Delta; and of the Urhobo-speaking Effurun (Evhro) on the Northern limit of the Delta. Traditions at most of these places conflict in detail while asserting some point at which they had been one or close neighbours.
According to traditions recorded at Oproza, the ancestors of the Gbaramatu, Arogbo, Kabo, Kumbowei, Gbaran and Effurun all migrated together from the town named Gbaran (Gbaraun) in Apoi ibe of the Central Delta. After they had left Gbaraun, the ancestors of the Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran dropped off at points in the Western Delta. Only Usaku, ancestor of the Gbaramatu, and the ancestors of the Effurun and Arogbo arrived at Obodo in the present territory of the Gbaramatu. After Usaku had died at this site, Fiyewei, son of Usaku led the Gbaramatu and Arogbo to a second site at Opugbini. It was here that the Arogbo left and migrated farther west into their present location. Kenibira, son of Fiyewei led the Gbaramatu to Opuba, the present site of Oproza.
The conflicts in the recorded traditions centre around two main points: first, the kinship relationship between the various ancestors; and second, the direction of migration.
A 1930 account gave Gbara, founder of Gbaraun (Apoi) as the father of Effurun, Labiri, Akpobiri and Ogbeyama (father of Osako, ancestor of the Gbaramatu). It was stated only in a postscript that the ancestors of the Kabo and Kumbo had also been “full brothers” of Gbara. No mention was made of Gbaran ibe of the Central Delta, and the relationship of Arogbowei to the others was not stated. What is clear from the conflicting genealogies is that the exact kinship ties have been forgotten. What is known is that the early ancestors of all these groups had once lived at Gbaraun (Apoi) in the Central Delta.
The traditions recorded at Arogbo agree with recent Oproza (Gbaramatu) traditions that migration was from the Central Delta westwards. The 1930 Gbaramatu traditions suggest that the Effurun migrated out of Gbaraun first and on their own, the Gbaramatu and Arogbo leaving together in a second wave of migration. Traditions recorded among the Kabo, Kumbo and Gbaran imply migrations tending from west to east from Oproza.
These traditions may be reconciled by viewing the Gbaramatu, Arogbo, Effurun migrations as a first wave westwards from Gbaraun (Apoi) in the Central Delta to Oproza in the Western limit, followed by a rebound of the Kabo and Kumbo to the Western Delta and Gbaran ibe back into the Central Delta.
Internal Structure
The Gbaramatu are a classic example of a group without formal integrative institutions but yet have a strongly developed sense of unity. This sense is based mainly on the claim that all Gbaramatu settlements were derived from Oproza. The founders of Kunu-kunuama (Kunukunuba), Okirika (Ogebe?), Binitu (Okerenghigho) and Binikurukuru moved directly from Oproza. Kunukunuama gave birth to Ikokodiagbini (Bakokodia) and Ikantu; while Binikurukuru was the parent to Ajama (Ajatiton). In the midst of the dominating Itsekiri neighbours, this strong sense of common origin must be most useful, but there is no evidence that there were corresponding common political or even religious institutions built up.
After the leaders of the earlier migrations from Gbaraun town through Obodo, Opugbini, to Oproza (namely Usaku, Fiyewei, and Kenibira), the entire history of the Gbaramatu at Oproza seems to be the story of Ekiretimi. Ekiretimi won the position of leader ‘because he was very rich’ and a man of courage. The leaders cited as successors to Ekiretimi, namely Ogelegbanwei and Sebaba, were both quite recent. They were appointed, apparently, “to worship the father Ekiretimi”.
After the population had been dispersed into several settlements, there was still no formal integrating institution developed. The amaokosuwei of each town controlled its affairs through the amagula, and the oldest amaokosuwei in the area was informally regarded as the senior man among the Gbaramatu. He exercised no formal authority (Alagoa 1972).
There was a great deal of resistance to colonial rule. In order to stamp their authority the British appointed Warrant Chiefs over the Gbaramatu. When Nigeria gained her independence in 1960, and later republican status in 1963, the power and authority of the Warrant Chiefs gradually diminished and Pere were installed. Thus, Zai Teimo was installed as Gbaraun II in 1976, and ruled for twenty four years from 1976–2000.
Trade And External Contacts
The Gbaramatu internal structure is that of the basic Ijo ibe and does not in itself suggest any particular relationship to other particular Ijo sub-groups. Not even with the groups, such as Arogbo, to which its traditions relate it. Arogbo, indeed, has closer affinity with distant Gbaraun in religious institutions than with the Gbaramatu. These differences may be explained by rejecting the close kinship relationship and genealogies offered in the traditions. It would then be possible to view the various migrants from Gbaraun as belonging to different lineages and even belonging to different wards (idimu), three of which are cited in Gbaramatu traditions. In such a situation, the Arogbo containing migrants from the Gbaraun ward that worshipped Egbesu would develop that religious institution in their new home.
One concrete evidence of contact with other parts of the delta and/or with the Nigerian hinterland is a set of six little bronzes to be found in a forest location at Oproza. The presence of these bronzes (just as in other delta locations), provides evidence of trade or other contacts with bronze cultures in other parts of Nigeria, because either the finished bronzes, or at least the raw materials, must have been traded from elsewhere. The pieces at Oproza are now used mainly as models for masquerade headpieces.
The presence of a huge cannon and a big ship’s anchor at the old site of Oproza provides further concrete evidence of Gbaramatu participation in the overseas trade. Like the Egbema, the Gbaramatu describe “dark white men” (Dirimo Bekewei) with whom they traded. They similarly refer to these men as coming to the Escravos in sailing ships. The Gbaramatu exchanged salt (from seawater and mangrove roots) and fish for slaves whom they offered to the foreigners for cannon, tobacco and other manufactured goods. Since the Escravos bar was dangerous to ships and the river was not much frequented, the Gbaramatu had to go west to the Benin or east to the Forcados River to obtain a fair share of overseas trade. Gbaramatu traditions state that Ekiretimi obtained the ship’s anchor while campaigning on the Forcados River. This would imply Gbaramatu activity (of a piratical nature, possibly) on the Forcados. But since Gbaramatu population was small, and only the leader (Ekiretimi, specifically) engaged in the trade, Gbaramatu share of the overseas trade in this part of the delta must have been small.
Gbaramatu traditions concerning their economic history, actually give greater prominence to their internal trade with the Itsekiri. The masses of the Gbaramatu were fishermen, but the women made salt. This was valuable to the Itsekiri, who called Oproza, Salt Town. The Gbaramatu also needed Itsekiri services, since they supplied the clay pots used by the Gbaramatu women to grind tobacco and, more important, for the salt industry.
Chronology
It is not possible to provide dates for Gbaramatu history. The material objects – the cannon, anchor, and bronzes – may, in time, provide the evidence for a chronology. The traditions do not provide lists of any description, and no genealogies. The only chronology applicable would be the comparative one. Since the Arogbo migrated from Oproza, and since the Arogbo ‘king-list’ suggests foundation in the early eighteenth century, it would be reasonable to conclude that the Gbaramatu settled in the Escravos area before the eighteenth century.