Koko community was a hive of activity as the extended family of the late Itsekiri leader and influential merchant, King Nanna celebrated the 115th year of his return from colonial exile.
King Nana, also known as Olomu, was an iconic leader born around 1840 whose reign lasted about 10years (1885-1894) as the Itsekiri born Governor of great Benin River.
King Nana’s rule was cut short by a cocktail of conspiracies and political maneuverings, which culminated into the British-Ebrohimi war in 1894 and the eventual collapse of Nanna’s political and commercial empire.
He later escaped to Lagos, where he surrendered before his trial in Calabar between 1894 and 1895.
Nana Olomu, was later deported to Accra in Ghana, where he stayed for another 10 years.
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He returned to Koko in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, a distance of about 45 minutes by speedboat ride from Warri and later built a new palace and lived for another 10 years, until July 3, 1916, when he passed on.
According to the National President of the Nana family of Koko, Prof lucky Akaruese, this year’s remembrance is to celebrate Nana as the only one who returned home to re-establish his throne and pre-eminence before he died.
Despite the heavy downpour, the occasion was graced by a Federal Government delegations
High points of the occasion were the sporadic shooting of native cannon, cultural dance display and a short play on the return of Nana Olomu.
(Editor:Abaje Usekwe)
