The Opobo mood: goodbye to King Jaja

Nobody has so far captured the mood in Opobo town of Rivers State in the days leading to the burial of the king than Virginia Ibienebo Major. The Opobo monarch is highly revered and the one just laid to rest was Jeki V.

Major, a pharmacist by profession, humanitarian/Rotarian by passion, and now a writer (despite turning grandmom), went into meditation to dig out the piece. She took up her pen and carefully captured the mood, a moment that comes once in a long period. Her piece ended a kind of ‘national’ anthem for Opobo, something writers have called, a ‘Dirge in Prose’.

She wrote: “For hours, Opobo was silent. That kind of silence is not empty. It is intentional silence as a kingdom pauses, a people honour, a transition is respected and eyes are teary. The drums stir our spirit as they convey actionable messages. This is communication without words, and tradition without interruption. A language carried through generations. Only those who understand… understand.

“The stillness of the land, deserted roads, and hushed voices hit us hard. That is collective reverence. A whole kingdom with heavy hearts acknowledging that something greater than daily life is happening, because this is not just a family loss. This is an institutional passage handled by tradition, order, and duty. We are not just witnessing mourning, but history in motion, the end of a reign, the end of an era, the preparation for continuity, the preservation of the identity of an ancient Kingdom

“Those of us who are alive and old enough to understand what life means, are part of it, watching, hearing, understanding, and remain connected. This kind of silence and stillness often brings reflection on life, legacy, time, and perhaps much more.

“We witness, we honour, and are unshaken as a people as we experience pride in our Kingdom, heaviness for the loss of a King, and a reflection of Opubo Ama of tomorrow.

“We gather to honour the life and passage of His Majesty, King Dr. Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Jeki V, JP., Treaty King and Natural Ruler and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom. Even as the drums may signal traditional celebrations, may we honor his memory through unity, love, respect, dignity, and continued service to the Kingdom of Opobo. May his passage be blessed. May Opobo endure in strength, purpose, and harmony.”