The Monarchy

Oghara people replicated the political structure that exists in their parent kingdom of Agbarha-Otor right from when they settled down in their new abode. The people at a point realize the need to have some office holders with powers beyond that exercised by a gerontocratic set up. They wanted someone to handle and guide group meetings, to take and execute decisions”. This led them to developed the Ovieship (Kingship) institution as early as 1260 A.D. but the institution was not very strong until about 1 350 A.D. Oral history indicates that a great man by name Efeki, ruled Oghara as Ovie (King) at about 1350 A.D. and 1380 A.D. His two sons Oreki and Orefe also ruled Oghara as Oreki I and Orefe I from 1380 A.D. to 1413 A.D and 1414 A.D to 1470 A.D respectively. These two kings’ originated the Oreki and Orefe lines of ruling houses in ghara. The two sub-kingdoms of Oghareki and Ogharefe were ruled conterminously from ogharefe the administrative headquarters. Before Orefe I joined his ancestors there was no king in Oghara between 1470 and the early 1950s. This was a period of interregnum in Oghara history. However, according to Osigidi Uku Ogharaname Orefe I| JP, Ovie of Oghara kingdom (1954-1977), a great woman by name Eruramre took over rulership of Oghara during the later part of this period of interregnum. She was a woman. endowed with much who led ghara to victory in several battles to ward off invaders from neighbouring cities especially the Binis. She was from the Ogbojere family of Adagboyeri. This was not strange as there have been powerful women who even ruled in Igodomigodo. After her, Chief Atumah Odobor and Chief Otubu took charge of Oghara affairs with Chief Atumah Odobor as the leader. In the late 1940s and early 50s when the elders of Oghara now found it expedient to revive the Ovie ship institution, (Kinship) consultations were made and Chief Matthew Abutor from the lineage of Queen Erurame was eventually chosen as Ovie (King) in 1954.