ASABA HISTORY If You Don't Know Where You Came From - You Don't Know Where You Are Going!!! The true history of Asaba is always up for debates. So we will constantly be changing some parts of this intriguing history of a very unique people as more and more people challenge the version that you are presently reading. There are however few parts of Asaba history that every one seem to agree on. so our story of this beautiful place start from there.Nobody really knows when the history of any people really starts. But the history of Asaba can be traced back to its first true citizen: Nnebisi. As the story goes Nnebisi was the son of the founder of 'Ahaba' which must have been called something else at that time because the name "Ahaba" and subsequently "Asaba" was given to it by Nnebisi and the British respectively. Nnebisi for some unclear reason ended up in Nteje with his mother who was from there. As he was growing up he started noticing that he was being treated differently than everybody else around him. When he inquired why; he was told that it was because Nteje was not his true home town. So he immediately decided to embark on a journey to find out his true home. He was given a small rock and asked to head west. And that where ever this rock falls off his head is his true home. So young Nnebisi bode his mum and friends goodbye and headed accross the River Niger. He kept going until he came to where we all know as "cable Point" or "wire" in Asaba and the rock fell off his head. As Nnebisi exclaimed "Ahabam" meaning "I've got my own".The name was shortened to Ahaba and remained so until the British came and renamed it Asaba so they can pronounce it. Nnebisi got married to two different women and had five boys: Ezenei,Ugbomanta,Agu,Ajaji,and Onaje in that order.So when you hear your grandfather talking about "Asaba - Ebe Ise" he is refering to the fact that Asaba is made up of five parts - five sons. Each of these five boys were given lands and they all got married and grew to the modern Asaba. So any true asaba person can actually trace (ito oba) their family back to the five villages and therefore back to Nnebisi. TRADITIONAL GOVERNMENT The Influence of Nnebisi on the development and tradition of modern Asaba is undeniable. Just like Nnebisi didn't like the fact that he didn't belong where he found himself and decided to do something about it, Asaba people have always been known to be trailblazers in their respective fields. Even the modern Asaba traditional governmental system has element of democracy as once again Asaba people can not fanthom any element of Royalty to any particular family or group as in most parts of Nigeria. Nnebisi treated all his five sons equally but also maintained that Ezenei being the first son will always go first. The first Asagba of Asaba was from Umuezei and has been rotational ever since. When you consider that Nnebisi probably lived before Some of the well known democratic bastions of the world, it is safe to say that Nnebisi had the same vision.Judging from the way the traditional government in Asaba is centered around one man one vote. The traditional government of Asaba revolves around the Asagba of Asaba. The Asagba in turn relies on the "Asagba in Council" which is comparable to modern day city councils. Issues are deliberated and decisions reached by vote. All the five villages are represented in the 'Asagba in council' GEOGRAPHY Asaba is stategically located at the western edge of the majestic River Niger; about 100 miles North of where the river niger flows into the Atlantic ocean.It maintains an average tropical temperature of 92 degrees during the dry season and an average fertile rainfall of 7inches during the rainy season. Check out ASABA TRADITIONS and ASABA FESTIVALS HOME | INTRODUCTION | ANNOUNCEMENTS | HISTORY | REGISTRY | PERSONALS | NEWS | CHAT | VIRTUAL TOUR | UNIONS | SPONSORS | BUSINESSES | WEBMASTER | NIGERIAN RESOURCES | AFRICAN RESOURCES | CHILDREN and APF Copyright © 1996/97 All rights reserved.