By IPAMOERE ADDY
The people of Odi in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area (LGA), Bayelsa State, have set aside July 27 of every year, to celebrate the killing of a wild buffalo that terrorized the community from 1953 to 1957.
Narrating the story behind the yearly event to New Waves during this year’s festival in Odi, a an indigene of the community, Mr. Dennis W. Agedah, whose father led hunters into the bush to search for the buffalo, traced the story to how it all started. According to him, one afternoon, in April 1953, one madam Apaugha narrated how she had an encounter with a wild buffalo while she was harvesting cassava tubers in her farm. She said “if not for the basket I used in deceiving the animal, I would have been dead by now. The beast was struggling to remove the basket from its horns when I escaped”.
However, most villagers did not believe her. Some dismissed it as balderdash, stating that she might have come across an ordinary antelope. Madam Apaugha’s miraculous escape story was the first hint of the emergence of a mysterious wild buffalo in Odi. More farmers turned up later to confirm madam Apaugha’s story that a buffalo was charging at people in the bush. Some even saw the animal still having madam Apaugha’s basket on its horns.
Few months later, precisely in October of the same year, 1953, when the first casualty was recorded, no one was left in doubt that Odi was in for a rough time. Fear and apprehension gripped the town. The war cry went round and men went into action to prove their mettle.
All renowned hunters in Odi went after the buffalo with zeal and determination, if only to save their names and bring honour to their profession. Prominent hunters like Ipah, Arere, Accra Edike, Lawyer Edesi, Oluku Mein, Mark Inziri, to mention but a few, took it upon themselves individually and sometimes in groups to track down the animal. Surprisingly, all their efforts ended up in futility. The buffalo defied all known tricks by the hunters to get at it. It became elusive to them and seemed to know their plans prior to execution. Even though they saw the footprints, there was no way they could trace it. It was believed that the animal had supernatural powers. It had targeted only indigenes of Odi and spared others in its attacks.
Oracles were consulted, sacrifices were offered to different gods and deities, prayers were offered in churches for divine intervention. Even the high priest of Kolokuma-Egbesu, the highest god in Kolokuma land, left his shrine in Olobiri and came to Odi with high hopes to apply his mystical powers. All ended in disappointments. None of the efforts could yield desired result.
All the farms were abandoned for fear of the animal and the abundant natural resources in the forest could no longer be tapped for the citizens’ subsistence. The animal continued to unleash terror on the people unabated for almost five years (1953 to 1957). At the end of it, the buffalo killed five people, all indigenes of Odi (four female and one male). The viciousness of the buffalo was manifest in the way it mutilated the corpses of its victims.
The first victim was an old woman named Dorun Iyefagha, the second was Madam Waribere Dauminigha Gianbulu, followed by Madam Ojinogogu Aga, and Madam Ayamere Suobiriseidei.
The only male killed by the animal, Mr. Deinbunugha brought the number of casualties to five. His case was particularly pathetic. He deliberately walked into his death by turning down all efforts to dissuade him from entering the dreaded forest. He stood firm on his faith as a member of the Jehovah’s witnesses, a Christian sect, and believed that the evil powers of the beast would not have any effect on him.
Agedah said the buffalo attacked Deinbunugha with a savage fury, almost dismembered his body and mutilated it beyond recognition. Jehovah’s witnesses took it as a challenge and swung into action. They volunteered to pay €40 (forty pounds) reward to anyone who could kill the buffalo. In spite of the huge bounty placed on the beast, there was a breakdown of socio cultural activities as another theory that the buffalo was a human who transformed into a buffalo to kill people and transform back to human emerged.
“It was also stated that one Mr. Guagha, a member of the community told the people that the buffalo was a spirit and to kill it, the community would have to seek spiritual help.
He then suggested that one Mallam D. Tara from Niger Republic could help put an end to the problem. Mr. Guagha had to give them clear directions on how they were to move. The route they would take, the towns and villages they would stop by and the names of people they would contact to assist them on their way.
At that time, Mr. Guagha was feeling un-well so he had to stay back to recuperate.
So Chief Nengi Agedah decided to make the trip together with Madam Rachael to Mallam D’ Tara’s base.
On arrival, Nengi Agedah met the mallam who gave him some prepared charms, instructing him to bury them at the centre of the town and that he must not speak to anyone about it until the task was completed.
Agedah arrived Odi on the 24th of July in 1957 in the night with the medicine but was afraid to carry out the task for fear of the beast. So he consulted Chief Seaboat Ogoriba, who in turn took him to see King Akabogu Offurugba, the Amananaowei of Odi at the time. The Amananaowei sent for three prominent hunters; Arere, Ipah and Lawyer Edesi to accompany Chief Agedah to the bush as a security precaution. Chief Agedah did exactly what he was told by Mallam D Tara. Before morning, they were back and everyone retired home with an oath of secrecy.
A few days later, precisely on the 27th of July, the buffalo was seen by a little girl named Finetiti Engeri, grazing harmlessly in St. Stephen’s Church compound in the community. Finetiti was said to have called her father who alerted the hunters. The hunters, after deliberating for a while, called on Accra Edike to shoot first. Mr Accra took aim and pulled the trigger which rendered the buffalo dead instantly. The rest followed immediately with a flurry of bullets at the dead beast to make sure it was really dead.
The hunters jumped out and proclaimed the victory chorus, and shouts of triumph rented the air. The talking drum announced it from the king’s palace and the whole town went into a frenzy of jubilation. “Ogori fii dou oh” (the buffalo is dead).
The killing of the buffalo led to a huge Jubilation all over the town. It is this jubilation that has transformed into the festival now referred to as “Odi Ogori ba Uge”, Dennis Agedah concluded.
The 2023 edition of the festival with the theme: “Our Victory; Our Story, Our Identity”, had in attendance, the governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri and other notable dignitaries from home and abroad in attendance. The governor in his remarks during the opening ceremony, expressed his deepest gratitude to members of the organizing committee for their tireless efforts in making the event a reality.
He stated that their dedication and commitment have ensured that the festival not only showcases the unique traditions of the people of Odi, but also creates an avenue for economic growth and tourism development in the state.
“I am happy to be with you today at the opening ceremony of the Odi Ogori ba Uge International Festival in Odi. A town where I have many fond memories. This festival marks a significant mile stone for our beloved town, as we come together to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Odi people.
Today, we gather here not only as residents of this great state, but also as representatives of diverse cultures and backgrounds. We are here to appreciate the beauty of our heritage, to honour the traditions passed down through generations and to unite a shared sense of identity and pride.
Thank you, and may this festival bring joy, unity and prosperity to all of us.”
The nine days celebration started with the symbolic burning of the buffalo. Women from all the communities in Odi Kingdom contributed firewood to set up a bonfire.
The people engaged themselves in masquerade display, traditional dances, moonlight games, canoe race by representatives of all the communities in the kingdom. Also on display were Owigiri/Raggae love boat, No big man for road, women/children’s day celebration, medical outreach, beach party and lots of fun.
The award winning Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture also put up displays during the opening ceremony and trilled the audience with beautiful cultural dances and also presented a short play depicting the killing of the buffalo as part of entertainment for the festival.
