Nembe-British War: Nembe Kingdom celebrates King Koko’s Day

NEMBE-BRITISH WAR: REFLECTIONS AND THE RE-GENERATION OF NEMBE KINGDOM

BY CHIEF IKADERINYO I. FUROMFATE – SELETE, Ph.D

As you may be aware, the 29th of January every year is a day set aside as the Nembe National Day to commemorate the uncommon bravery, doggedness, high level of patriotism and statesmanship exhibited by King Koko, other kings, chiefs and able-bodied men; who planned and executed the Nembe-British war, a notable war of liberation from economic strangulation of the British overlords.

The topic for this year, “Nembe-British War: Reflections and Re-generation of Nembe Kingdom” is apt as it is epochal, especially when we examine history narrowing our gaze to a reflection of the struggles of our people during the colonial era.

History, they say is the record of past events. While it is true that history records past events, permit me to see history as the record of past events. Whichever way we choose to define it, history’s significance is that the experiences of the past are used as a basis to plan for today and also used to inform the future.

The story of the legendary King Koko, Mingi VIII, Amayanbo of Nembe and his team concerning their gallantry in the Nembe-British war of 1895 has been told severally by different scholars.

However the craving for the unending narrative of the historic king Koko led expedition is borne out of inconceivable insights and lessons; perhaps didactic inherent in the processes leading to, during and after the execution of the 1895 Nembe-British war.

One is conscious and alive to the fact that the execution of the Nembe-British war of 1895 can best be described as the manifestation of a high level of collaboration and coordinated effort.

Let me remind us that extant literature recorded in the clastic of Rev. D. Ogiriki Ockiya ” History of Nembe” and “The Small Brave City-State” by Emeritus professor Ebiegberi J. Alagoa listed the participants, spanning the various communities of Nembe kingdom as quite a thousand men.

While the number of war canoes from different communities made a total of thirty-one (31). This is to emphasize and to draw our attention to the importance of collaboration and the need to take a holistic approach towards the king Koko Day or Nembe National Day Celebrations by the involvement and participation of representatives of the towns, chiefs and Groups of War Canoe Chieftaincy Houses that participated in the 1895- Nembe-British war.

When I eventually decided on the topic for this year 2022, titled “Reflections and regeneration of Nembe Kingdom”, I was very conscious of the status of Nembe kingdom as it was in those days.

When I talk about regeneration, what I mean is that there was the Nembe Kingdom which had a certain level of civilisation in the traditional administration of its people and that has diminished or waned over the years, and therefore it needs to be regenerated.

There was indeed the ancient Nembe kingdom which has a certain level of quintessential administrative prowess, Nembe was a typical example of a well-organized kingdom before the advent of the British overlord.

The extrapolation is that by regeneration we need to rediscover ourselves in all spheres of life: the need to rediscover ourselves in the area of education, economy, politics in its ramifications (conventional) and most specifical prudence in resources management including financial management.

Relating it to the subject matter, it can be asseverated without any equivocation that the dexterity with which King Koko organised and controlled the men and material at sea in prosecuting the 1895 Nembe-British war can best be described as unprecedented.

There is a saying that certain rare qualities or characteristics distinguish a hero: when he does extraordinary things, when he develops uncommon courage and when he manages situations with finesse.

These attributes are clear manifestations of exceptional natural endowments. One thing is certain, that the successful prosecution of this famous and historic Nembe-British war was achieved by dint of effective strategy and stratagem.

Contextualisation and synthesis on the Nembe-British war crystallised into these questions: what was it that King Koko and his team had in mind when they embarked on the military expedition? One would think of the unanimity in their vision to liberate the Nembe kingdom from economic strangulation. If that was the prime motive, it expresses a high level of patriotism to one’s fatherland.

It has often been said that one basic thing that moves a nation, city-state, kingdom or community forward is the patriotic zeal of its people. Little wonder, King Koko and his team exhibited a high level of patriotism to their fatherland.

LESSONS DERIVABLE FROM THE LECTURE SERIES COMMEMORATING THE NEMBE- BRITISH WAR ALSO TAGGED NEMBE NATIONAL DAY:

Few lessons we can learn as a people from this annual event

1. Unity: They were united in purpose and vision. The question I would want to ask is do we have unity? Are we united as a people?

2. High level of patriotism (love for one’s community): The question again I would want to ask and many would also ask, is do you love your community or kingdom? Or are you the type that diverts the community’s projects and money to enrich yourself to the detriment of the community and the inhabitants? Oh! “Mother Nembe” are your son’s and daughters now patriotic like the legendary King Koko and his team.
I urge every one of us to imbibe the undiluted patriotic character exhibited by King Koko and his team in 1895

3. Managerial skill/ ability in managing large fleet; men and material at sea

4. Ability to read, comprehend and exploit natural phenomena to their advantage.

5. Teamwork: The genuine collaboration among participants and stakeholders leads to the successful execution of the war. Once again, it is a clarion call to the organisers of the King Koko Day or Nembe National Day Celebrations to involve all relevant stakeholders that participated in prosecuting the 1895 Nembe-British war.

I think this will imbue in the minds of the people a high sense of responsibility and remind them of their ancestors’ heroic acts and as well as further cement our bond of relationship.

Long live Mingi XII
Long live the Nembe Kingdom
Kala ukulele ama Nembe
Kala ukulele ama Nembe
Kala ukulele ama Nembe
Ama Doko Doko biokpo

Ya! Nembe, Ya! Nembe Ya! Nembe,
Opuye Kalaye, Opuye Kalaye,
Wa ine mienyo muno wa ine miegha?
Wa ine Mienyome.