Family Documents Reveal Fraternal Link Between Late Elder John Ijebuode Obedjakpora of Oviri-Ogor and His Highness Okegbe Oharisi II, Ovie of Ughelli

By Obedjakpora Mudiaga Richard A growing collection of historical documents and photographs recovered from the personal papers of the late Elder John Ijebuode Obedjakpora (Okpako Orere of Oviri-Ogor) continues to shed light on his life of service and a significant family connection to the traditional stool of Ughelli in Delta State. According to the Obedjakpora family, Elder John Ijebuode Obedjakpora was a brother to His Highness Okegbe Oharisi II, Ovie of Ughelli. The two shared the same father but had different mothers. John was raised by his mother in Oviri-Ogor, while his brother grew up with their father in Ughelli and later became the traditional ruler. Among the materials preserved in Elder Obedjakpora’s room are several official invitations that illustrate both his traditional ties and his standing in the wider community: • A 1971 invitation and matching admission card issued by His Excellency Colonel S. O. Ogbemudia, Military Governor of the Mid-Western State, inviting His Highness Okegbe Oharisi II, Ovie of Ughelli, to a cocktail party at Government House, Benin City. • A formal black-and-white portrait of a traditional ruler in full regalia (identified by the family as “the king photo”). • A 1979 invitation from the Officers and Members of the Evwreni Clan Improvement Union, Ughelli Local Government Area, Bendel State, addressed to Mr and Mrs John Obedjakpora. The invitation was for the launching ceremony of the second phase of a ₦1,000,000 Development Fund for a proposed Grammar School, electricity supply, and a modern Town Hall, held on 16 June 1979 at Mowoe Primary School, Evwreni, under the chairmanship of Prince (Chief) J. O. Mosheshe. These items sit alongside other records of Elder Obedjakpora’s life, including his Certificate of Long Service from Delta Glass Company Plc (1980–1995), the 1959 Message from the Governor-General of Nigeria, the 1995 obituary of his mother Late Madam Onokuerafia Ubini Obedjakpora (Otota Emete of Oviri-Ogor), and his own burial programme of February 2022. He also served as Manager of D.V.C. Nig. Ltd in Ughelli. The family is compiling these materials under the title “The Obedjakpora Legacy” to preserve the intertwined history of traditional leadership, community development, and personal service linking Oviri-Ogor and Ughelli

“We do not inherit the past from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children,” the family stated, affirming their commitment to honouring both the royal heritage of Ughelli and the life of Elder John Ijebuode Obedjakpora. Further documents from the family archive are expected to be released in the coming period.