Map - Opobo

Opobo is a community in Rivers State, in the South South region of Nigeria. The kingdom was founded in 1870 by Jubo Jubogha, popularly known as JaJa, an Igbo man who was an apprentice under Annie Pepple house in Bonny, grew to become a Chief and eventually wanted to be King in Bonny. He was followed and supported by Chiefs from 14 major houses that left Bonny to establish Opobo. The native language of Opobo is the Ubani language(Ndoki dialect of Igbo language) that is spoken in Bonny also. A greater part of the city state is still referred to as Opobo in Rivers State. Opobo is made up of several islands and communities which is in Opobo–Nkoro Local Government Area in the South South Senatorial District of Rivers State Nigeria.

The communities include Opobo Town, which is its headquarters, Queenstown, Kalasunju, Oloma, Ayaminimah, Iloma, Minimah, Okpukpo, Iwoma, Ekereborokiri, Kalaibiama, Epelema, Ozuobulu, Muma Down Below, Inokiri and Abazibie. Opobo's geologic setting is similar to the coastal and estuarine settlements of the Niger Delta region. It is located at the mouth of the Imo River, one of the main estuaries that break the Nigerian coastline. The approximate geographical co-ordinates of the kingdom are 04°34'N latitudes and longitude 07°12'E, located about 7 km from the Atlantic Ocean. Opobo is two meters above sea level and the very close interfaces between the sea water. Opobo is located about 80 km from Port Harcourt and has been accessible by sea and air and only recently by land.

Opobo is divided into 14 sections ("polo"), made up of Sixty Seven War Canoe Houses. The Fourteen sections are Adibie, Biriye, Diepiri, Dapu, Dappa Ye Amakiri, Epelle and Fubarakworo. Others are Iroanya, Jaja, Kalaomuso, Ukonu, Kiepirima, Owujie and Tolofari.

Opobo is located to the east of the Kingdom of Bonny. Bonny and Opobo are of the same origin, both associated with the Ndoki people. an Igbo subgroup. Jubo Jubogha rose from slavery to lead the Anna Pepple chieftaincy house of Bonny In 1870, Jubo first arrived in what is now Opobo, having moved there due to a civil war in Bonny between his followers and those of Chief Oko Jumbo, the leader of the rival Manilla Pepple chieftaincy family. The king named his new state after Amanyanabo Opubo "Pepple" Perekule the Great, a Pepple king in Bonny that had reigned there from 1792 to 1830.

Jubo Jubogha became involved in palm oil trading with Europeans. He started a trading post at Opobo Town, close to Ikot Abasi and 4 miles southwest of the Opobo river. Due to his dealings with them, he soon acquired the trade name Jaja. Jubo Jubogha was never on good terms with the Annang and the Ibibio in the east, as he declared himself as the middleman in palm oil trading, thus asking them to stop trading directly with the Europeans. This resulted in a war (the Ikot Udo Obong War) between Jubo and the Annang and Ibuno people as recorded by Nair. In 1887, he was deceived when he was told to go and negotiate with the Queen of the United Kingdom by the British. He was captured upon his arrival on the consul's flagship, and was sent into exile in Saint Vincent in the West Indies thereafter.