The women of Rumucholu have their own meeting. Membership to the meeting is open to all married women in Rumuchorlu .The women from the four villages of Rumuchida, Rumuchorlu, Rumuwele and Rumuijiminiewhu comprises the membership of the meeting. They have their chair-lady and other executive members and women Elders who assist in piloting the affairs of the meeting.

They hold the meeting on Riagbo Day. That day all the women gather together and discuss their affairs. The importance of this segment of Rumuchorlu cannot be over emphasized.

The Eze Chorlu Stool

The Eze Chorlu is the head of Rumuchorlu Community, comprising of the four villages, Rumuchida, Rumuowhorlu, Rumuwele and Rumu-ijiminiewhu.These are the Rumuchorlu villages that produce the Eze Chorlu from the family of Worgwu-Wokeke-Chida-Chorlu.

After the death of the Eze Chorlu, the Rumuchorlu people gathers and instructs the Rumuchida people to go and give them who will be the next Eze Chorlu. The Rumuchida people will go and select the next Eze Chorlu from Worgwu family and bring him to the gathering of Rumuchorlu. As soon as the new Eze is presented to Rumuchorlu people, arrangement is made for his installation and coronation.

Eze (sir) Eng.B.A Worgu,(JP) is a man of rear germ. It is a well known belief all over the world especially before the advert of democracy, that monarchis are rulers and lords of over their subjects. Their subjects are expected to see them as all and all. They rule like colosus with iron fist. They are every thing that exist. Their people are supposed to serve them and to humble their selves before them. Everything begins and ends in them.

This belief about the monarchs can also be confirmed from the Bible: 1st Samuel 8: 11-18. Eze Chorlu the (vii), does not subscribe and does not belief in this ancient belief about monarchs. He does not want to be identified with values and norms about monarch as recorded above.

His belief about the monarch is that the monarch is the servant of the people. He sees the monarchy as an institution whereby the people of that area will be served. He is not to be exalted by virtue of the kingship, but by virtue of how the king has been able to touch the lives of the people positively.

He sees in the Eze, a relying point whereby the people will gather and articulate their problems and find solutions to them.

Let us illustrate the quality of his Highness as follows: when the people gather for a serious purpose, Eze (sir) Engr. B.A.Worgu (JP) will want to stand up and serve drinks to his people. He wants to ensure that all are served adequately before himself. To him others first and self last. This philosophy is in him is in agreement with what Jesus Christ said in the Bible that the head among you shall be the last.

This old idea of monarch is in conformity with the old idea of women being always subjected and subjugated. In normal African settings, women are not recognized when matters of serious importance are being deliberated. For them women are to serve the
male fork.

The Oil Mill Market other-wise known as Wednesday market came into existence soon after the Nigerian/Biafra War.  Historically, the present day Oil Mill Market sprang up as Nnempi Market whose major commodity was cassava (Akpakpuru) which came in both tuber and fermented forms because of the abundance of water in Mini Chid River. People from far and wide came to Nnempi Market to buy and sell Akpakpuru.  The federal Government high way, constructed by Guffanti gave impetus to the quick expansion of the Nnempi Market.  Around 1971-1977, the IKWU CHORLU MEETING gave great impetus to the development of the Nnempi Akpakpuru Market. In 1977, the market site was extended by Ikwu Chorlu Meeting with Elder Augustus Amadi as Chairman; other members of the meeting were Engr. B. A. Worgu as he then was, late Chief Abel Worgu, Mr. Josiah W. Worgu, Late Chief N.C.O. Nlerum and Austin W. Worgu. After this exercise, the Nnempi Market attracted the attention of the greater Rumukwurusi people. The Nnempi Market then metamorphosed into the present day Oil Mill Market. The market grew and became so popular that Lt. Col. Dauda Komo, the governor of Rivers State in the early 1990’s expanded the Market to its present size. This did not naturally go down well with the land owners in the expanded area and a court action was brought against Engr. B.A.Worgu and other notable members of the Market Committee like Stanford Achor, the claims were about N12,000.00 in damages. Through the spirited efforts of Madam Esther Chorlu and others, the matter was peacefully resolved at the then Mr. Clinton Orianwo’s house in which it was ruled that a portion of the sheds and one cow be given to Rumuorianwo people for appeasement. With these resolution, the market grew by hobs and loops giving rise to (though prudent management of market resources) the establishment of the Comprehensive Secondary School Rumuokwurusi, Evo Community Bank, Rumuokwurusi Health Centre.

How has this great Market affected lives in Rumuokwurusi?

(a) Very positively to non indigenes that grew their business bases here by dink of hard work.

(b) Very negatively to the Youths of Rumuokwurusi who on Wednesdays are supposed to go school or look for work, but instead go to Oil Mill Market in serch of money.

(c) Traffic chaos is not unusual here on Wednesdays.

(d) The RTC Leadership which controlled the market in the last half decade or so became power drunk and very corrupt. They set up task force to collect dues for them, using the Youth of the Community (future leaders) to carry out their wishes. The market has been surged with sheds which no one occupies. Sanitation is at its worst even though their water proof bags are always fat and heavy.

Wednesday 30th September, 2009, marks a date to take a look at the almost completed construction of the Ring Road by Julius Berger, relatively the new development vis-à-vis the people.

(a) The new road network development is PEDESTRIAN UNFRIENDLY.

(b) The New Road Network development is WHEEL BARROW PUSHER UNFRIENDLY.

(c) The New Road Network Development has added to the woes and sufferings of farm women.

(d) The New Road Network development has introduced new menace/hazard to the pedestrians who have been closed out by traders. These traders now share and spread their goods at the badly and grudgingly constructed pedestrian way.

(e) The Bus Stops are wrongly located such that at the bus stop, vehicles are very slow in their movement instead of flowing fast. The Big/Small buses compete for nonexistent space. The Bus Stop should be taken back enough to allow for better traffic flow.

(f) The numerous green spaces will soon turn grey and brown if nothing is done to facilitate the gray areas. Going Green is a must in Port Harcourt. This area ought not to be named Eleme Junction but must answer Rumuokwurusi Junction for justice sake.

(g) Better use of some other wise seemingly waste area could be converted into platform for traders and hawkers who prevent pedestrians from making use of their ways.

Packing lots for vehicles could be properly developed. Old habits die hard, particularly at Motor Parks. Government must turn around the taunting habits through the principles of Ergonomics. This area would not become a haven for criminals but a beautiful orderly entry point into Rumuokwurusi and its environs. Government must not, through bureaucracy allow this area through bad judgments, decisions etc to fall short of its vision.

Eze B.A. Worgu, Eze Chorlu VII
is the Paramount Ruler of Rumuchorlu and
the pioneer Chairman of OBALGA – 1988.
E-mail, ezechorluvii@rumuchorlu.org