According to 2006 census data, Rivers State is considered the sixth largest geographical area in Nigeria. The state has a diverse indigenous population with significant riverine and mountain differences.
In addition, at least fifteen indigenous ethnic groups live within the borders of Rivers State. These ethnic groups include the Ogba. The Ogba (also called Ogbah) people live in the extreme southwest of Igboland in what is now Rivers State in Nigeria.They are essentially Igbo-speaking indigenous people.
The Ogba people consist of fourteen extended families divided into clans and inhabit an area of around 600 km² in the Niger floodplain. Oral traditions and folklore say that this large group of people migrated from the then Benin Empire via the Niger River to the area now called Ali-Ogba around the 16th century.
Although they are an indigenous people who speak the Igbo language, they literally speak a unique Igbo dialect called the Ogba language. This particular dialect of the Igbo language consists of the Egi and Igburu sections.Both sections actually speak the same dialect with minor differences.
Geography and Economy of the Ogba People The Ali Ogba people enjoy abundant rainfall, which is appropriate given the geographical location of their residence. Their geographical location allows them to enjoy high temperatures year-round, averaging 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and between 65 and 70 degrees at night. In addition, this area receives a total of over 80 inches of precipitation per year for at least ten months, and summer humidity is very high for
months.
Climatic conditions and topography favor a diversity of plant and animal life. The flora consists of commercial trees, especially oil palms, and various plant species with high pharmacological value as elixirs for humans. In addition, Ali-Ogba’s physical landscape is characterized by a variety of natural resources: relatively well-drained soils and nutrient-rich soils in many areas, freshwater rivers, streams and wetlands, secondary forests, and abundant sunshine and rainfall throughout the year.
There are underground deposits of natural gas and oil. It is a major crude oil producer that has driven Nigeria’s economic development in recent decades. According to current data from oil companies, no local government in Nigeria produces as much oil and gas as the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government (ONELGA). Through these donations, the natural environment supports an agricultural economy based on fishing and farming. to produce a wide range of crops such as cassava, yam, maize, coconut, plantains and bananas, including many vegetables such as okra, pepper and various types of melon.
In addition, fruit trees such as oranges, guavas, mangoes and pineapples are often grown in gardens around communal buildings. In many ways, Ali-Ogba is therefore similar to other highland communities in Rivers State in the production of a variety of agricultural products.