The Bori village (Ka-bori) are a part of the Ogoni, while it is a distinct and autonomous community from all the other Ogoni villages, It’s origin dates back to the distant past and it is a part and parcel of the history of the Ogoni people. The founder and person who first deforested the vast area of land known as Bori village and Wii Bori is GbeneBori. Upon his death Nnekiri (Gbenekiri) his son succeeded him. After the death of Gbenekiri, GbeneGbosi his son took over reigns.
It is believed that during the reign of Gbenegbosi that the Baan war broke out and due to the severity of that war, they fled to Yeghe for refuge. While at Yeghe, GbeneGbosi begat Kip Gbosi and other children. Kip Gbosi who grew up at Yeghe during this period when they took refuge in Yeghe also got married to an industrious woman and gave birth to Ledogo, Dinee, Gbarazia and Neebee who were male children including the other four(4) females. Kip Gbosi four sons namely Ledogo Kip, Dinee Kip, Gbarazia Kip and Neebee Kip.
Gbarazia Kip became the Clan head of Bori and during the European advent, was amongst those appointed to represent the then Southern Khana comprising Kenkhana and Babbe at Egwenga, the Opobo divisional headquarters .
As the head of Bori, Chief Gbarazia Kip (Blessed memory) exercised all rights of ownership of Bori. He gave lands to the Native Authority (N.A) on which Palm Plantation was made as demonstration farms then and later on the same land the Ogoni Native Appeal Court was established or built (Now Chief Magistrate Court 1, Bori) in 1912.
The Native Authority School (N.A) school, (Now State School 1, Bori) in 1936, and the Native Authority Rest House which was residence for District Officers (D.Os). He also gave lands (upon consultation) to the Ogoni State Representative Assembly under the leadership of late Hon. T. N. Paul Birabi as president, late Chief F. S. Saronwiyor as secretary and late Chief Basi Maeba as Treasurer on which the Ogoni National College (Now Birabi Memorial Grammar School,( BMGS), Bori) is built. He also gave the lands to the Methodist Missionaries in 1950 upon consultation.
Also, in 1939, there were incursions on Bori land by some from Yeghe which he( Chief Gbarazia Kip) took drastic actions against which resulted to several litigations between 1939 and 1947 even up to Calabar the then Colonial capital.
As a result of internecine disturbances or war between Kaani and Zaakpon over some Portions of lands in Bori, which affected the peaceful existence of Bori village (Ka-Bori) and Nortem as well as disrupting the smooth running of the affairs of the newly created or established Native Authority Administration (N.A) at Bori to the extent that the Resident, Calabar Province, through the District Officer (D.O), Opobo Division, to which Ogoni belonged, decided to institute an arbitration award into the disturbances and land ownership structure in Bori headed by then Acting Divisional Officer Captain W. J. W Chessman, other members were Chief Ogbuagu (Akeekue) of Kpite TEE (Tai) and Chief Kata of Eeken all of blessed memory. The panel took evidence from all the Parties involved and inspected the lands in dispute before arriving at its finding and judgment in 1932 to 1933.
“The land belongs to Bori and Nortem, before Bori went back it was common land. Kaani used to farm it Jakpong and ourselves. We followed Bori to farm it and Jakpong Nortem. The path is the boundary, from the very beginning when the towns left Bori and Nortem, Kaani came over and framed in both places. We fought about it. We have not farmed it again since the action nine years ago. Bori is back and we should not”.
Beka of Yeghe, Arbitration of 1932/33
It was upon the demise of Chief Gbarazia Kip in 1954 that Chief Walter Nnaa Gbarazia Kip took over reign in Bori. Shortly after the death of Chief Gbarazia Kip, the people of Yeghe were ably represented by Gbo Doode Biragbara, Diidi Ngbuelo, Nathan. A. Nka, Israel. L. Mato ( For themselves and on behalf of the people of Yeghe) went to the Port Harcourt High Court to institute an action against the Gbarazia Kip family and Khana district council claiming the title “Wii Bori” in 1957.
The court took evidence from both parties in a concerted judicial process before arriving at its findings and gave judgment. The judgment was in favor of the Gbarazia Kip family and the Khana district council, Ogoni in 1974. (Proceedings available)
The people of Yeghe were dissatisfied with the decision of the High Court in Port Harcourt so they proceeded on appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria and for more than two(2) years the case lasted in the Supreme Court and finally ended in 1977 still in favor of the Gbarazia Kip family and the Khana district council. (Judgment Available)
Today, inspites of the fact that they lost in the case(s) above, they are everywhere in Bori selling pieces, plots and parcels of land, swamps etc. to the extent that they have gone to claim the highest Chieftaincy stool title of “Mene Bua Bori” which they are aware does not belong to them rather to the Gbarazia Kip family of Bori.
