HISTORY
Chief Thomas Adda Spiff the adopted son of
chief Amange was a man of great fortune and wealth, before the demise of his
adopted father chief Amange
During the Kalabari - Nembe war, he and
chief Ighata were said to have manned one war canoe, he spiff the boat and Igbeta
the sterms: so as to retain , their own work bar and those of their people
which was formally being paid to the head of chiefs of the various houses, in
accordance with native law and customs, and it was for this work bars, people hazarded
their lives this good days of yore to acquire health and in the redeeming of
hold so as to be capable to man their own war canoes in defense of the country.
After a while they separated, and each manned his own war canoe as titular
chief of the town before the war terminated, and that was in the regime of king
Kien. He was an intimate and bosom friend of king Ockiy, in consequence of
which the king gave him his eldest daughter madam Matilda Isigha for marriage
and when she refuses to marry, he deported her to Beleti - ama for hard labour and servitude. He was one of the foremost
chiefs in Nembe, the capital, to establish the new religion established in the
town by the king, his intimate and bosom friend.
He built a very large and magnificent house
at Nembe that was identical in type and pattern to those of king Ockiya and
chief young George Yemainain, but was shattered and destroyed by the punitive
expedition in 1895.
When king Ockiya saw his rapid progress in
fortune, and seeing that the piece of land he was occupying was too small for
him, he gave him the piece of land now known as Isou - kiri, chief Yekorogha’s
quarters. He thought it wise, than putting up any substantial building on the
land, to have it first cultivated to a yam farm. He did so, and the yam thrived
very well too.
In the year 1871, when the great epidemic
of small pox was raiding the town, carrying away so many dear souls to
eternity, both rich and poor, male and female; the juju priest having concocted,
attributed the cause of the epidemic to his having cultivated a yam farm
adjacent to the town, and with all probability must have cut the emblemical climber
of their gods which was held sacred in those days, consequently the chiefs and elders
being instigated by the juju priests, conspired to murder him to appease the
wrath of their gods, to intercept further raging of the epidemic. As a result
of this epidemic for which reason he (Adda) could not ship out from his
compound again.
Nevertheless, the king his intimate friend
always let him know whatever they decided and agreed upon to do him.
It so happened that on the night they had agreed
upon to murder him, he decided to go out for a draw net with an aim to escape
to brass. The chief having conceived his idea ordered seven strong men from his
house to make ready, to make ready the canoe for them to go out for fishing.
The names of the seven strong men selected
were as follows:-
1.
Simon Opuogbari-Spiff
2.
Akatakpo Spiff
3.
Aboki Inamudoki Spiff
4.
Kalaogbri Spiff
5.
Bonye Spiff
6.
Bifamogha Spiff
7.
Eyuwei Spiff
When everything was ready
chief ada Spiff came down to the canoe with only handbad containing company
cheques and certain women (who of course was the was the sole cause of the chief’s malady) and they
left nembe for Brass on the pretext of going out for a draw net. Chief Adda Spiff was assured by his friend
King Ockiya, the safty of his household, property and every, other thing
chief Adda Spiff having in King Ockiya
left as stated above at Nembe and finally left for Brass.
In the same night, the
chief and his men arrived brass and
enterd into the house boat (OKELE) of thre aassociated trading company (BENVENKIRI) and orderd his to put up with
late Obedah Egebesi Spiff ( who was then
a shop boy, to the company). Early in the morning, the conspirators in abody
mobeed Chief ADDA Spiff house in order to carry out their plans but tto their
greatest surprise and astonishment, Adda could not be seen, they only met his
wife (Mrs Maria Iyain Spiff) and decided to go back, they having been told that
Adda has gone down to Brass to sell produce. Later, the news that Adda was
putting up with the Europeans in the house boats went to the hearing of nembe people,
and they unanimously sent a message to intimidated the Europeans, that except
they, Europeans released Adda Spiff for them, they would come down to destroy
the house boats. On the strength of this message, Adda was advice to take shelter
at the St. barnabas church mission.
As the chief toke shelter in
the mission, the nembe people could not do any harm to him again. After
remaining in the mission for couple of years, he decided to live in the main
town of Twon. He then acquired a field of land to build and stay from the then
chiefs of twon. The site known as Gbobokiri was given to him. ADDA at first
cultivated it into a cassava farm and placed a man by name Gbobo after it.
Meanwhile, he had put a storey
house in the mission road and was residing with his family. It was from thence, he went and
acquired the piece of land known as Ekperikiri from the hand of Ayiga of
Ologoma, the moter of Gbalibofa. When he had obtained the land , he also
cultivated it into a farm, and placed a man there by name “Ekperi” to ;ook
after it. After the consumption of the crops planted in these two places, the
he converted into the towns: put up one beautiful upstairs at Gbobokiri and
another also at EKperikiri. This was how this two towns never bore his name,
the founder, but the names of those he placed to look after them, after a
while, he put away, all his numerous wives, retaining only one by name Maria Iyain.
He was then baptized by the name Thomas Adda Spiff. He was really sent their by
God as Joseph of old to uphold and strengthen the work of the church at Twon
Brass.
He sent two of his adopted
sons by names Messrs. James A. Spiff and Dandeson C. Spiff to the sierra-lone grammar
school for further qualification and on their return he took Mr. J.A Spiff as
his clerk, and mr D.C Spiff gave over to bishop Samuel adjai Crowther D.D. for mission
work. He was the father of the Rev A.A.D. Spiff. Mr. D.C Spiff died on the 31th
of January 1936.
Chief Thomas Adda Spiff
was a wealthy man indeed and a sicere and an earnest Christian, who held up the
faith he had in Christ to the day of his demise on the 16th of
February, 1882.
At his death, Chiefs
Berema and Igbeta were the responsible personalities who went down for his funeral
ceremony and burial. After the interment, the British council plying about the
bight of Benin levied a heavy fine of about 100 casks of oil on the house of
assaulting the European medical council who attended him during his illness,
attributing the course of his death to him by giving overdose of sleeping
medicine.
This was the late Venrable
Archdeacon Johnson says in the journal of him “that small pox having broken out
in the year 1871; the cause was traced to the introduction of the new religion
into the country, and so a violent persecution was set on foot at the instant
of the crafty priest. The lives of the convert were exposed to uttermost
danger. The Chief who was won over the cause of God was obliged to run away
stealthily, to Brass Twon, leaving his family behind him, when he was appraised
that a council had been held to murder him”.
Few days after the
interment of Chief Thomas Adda Spiff, Chiefs Berena and Igbeta with the
unanimous consent of the members the members of the Amange Spiff house, elected
Mr James Allen Spiff to take the stool of his father and mater. He was duly and
constitutionally installed by the chiefs-in-council.
He too was a faithful and
sincere soldier of Jesus Christ, as his late father to the days of his demise.
He did all his possible best for the advancement and improvement of the house.
Gbobokiri was the most influential town during his time of leadership. All the
elderly men were well-to-do men. Consequently they termed it “SEIBO-KORO-GHA”.
When
the contribution of the new st. barnabas church was being collected, he and his
elderly members of his house gave for the memory of items late father and
master, the sum of £120. They brought again afterward an additional sum of £80
as thanks offering for God’s mercies in over-ruling a heavy trial that befall
them during his death, to make the sum up to £200; though he died since five
years ago.
He
married the second daughter of late chief by the name Mrs. Abigail Kiti Spiff;
she was his back stay in the affairs of his house. She died 2nd of
January 1918.
He
got his elementary training at Akassa St.Barnabas School, Twon Brass, and was
sent to the Grammar School St.sierra-Leone in company of Mr. D.C Spiff by their
father, were he completed their education. He was really one of the book men of
Nembe.
Following
the footsteps of his father, he sent two brothers Messrs. Thomas E. Spiff and George F. Spiff sons of
his late Chief Thomas Adda Spiff to the Sierra-Leone Grammer school for further
training in the year 1887. And in their return home in 1891, he sent again thir
next brother, the late Jeremiah L. Spiff to the same Sierra- Leone Grammar
school in 1894.
Owning
to the speedy encroachment oof the sea, he exhumes the remains of his late
father, his lawful wife, dauthers and other prominent members of the house for
re-interment hinter-land from the 23rd of feb. the remains of the
following were exhumed
(1)AKOKO
Spiff,, a man of the family of King Mingi the great on the meternal side; (2)
Racheal Barimogha Spiff; (3) Omonigha
Spiff and (4) Nancy osumugha Spiff; these were exhimened on the night of the 23rd
and interred on the early morning of the 24th.
On
the night of the 24th the remains of the followings were
exhumed,viz: (5) Mrs. Maria Enyain Spiff the lawful wife of the late Chief
Thomas Adda Spiff, (6) Madam Maria Tariyai Spiff a daughter of the Chief, and
lawful wife of Chief James A. Spiff; these were exhumed in the night of the 24th
and re-interred on the early morning of the 25th.
And
lastly on the night of the 25th the remains of the chief Thomas Adda
Spiff were exhumed and re-interred on the 26th with great
exclamation on rejoicing. The function was a real success. It was really a red
letter day to the town, and especially to the amange house; it will never be
forgotten soon, more of the presence of the three brothers, Messrs. Thomas
E.Spiff, George F. Spiff and Jeremiah L. Spiff, together with several others
who were in the government employment were present on that day.
Owing
to the same encroachment of the sea, that fine upstairs erected by the old
chief was dismantled with the hope of rebuilding it hinterland abreast to the
resting place of thee old man. He played a great part in the land case which
the KULO house versus the association company, having Young Dede as head of
KULO house.
He
was the only exception among the the Nembe chiefsthat absolutely objected to participate
or take park at the Akassa Reid. He kept up
hid post to the deay of his demise on the 21st of May 1930 as
a faithful soldier of the Lord.
CHIEF
THOMAS ERAMUS EBIEGBERI SPIFF
On
the 9th of May 1931, the
Amange-Spiff house held a general conventionat Gbobokiri for several days and
after deep consultation and consideration they elected they following persons
to be the chiefs of the house, viz;-
Thomas
E. Spiff to be the chief Thomas Adda Spiffs house; Jerry L Spiff to be the
Chief of the late Chief james A. Spiff house in memory of his good activities
for the improvement of the house: Edgar of Ekperikiri. The meeting concluded
with great merriment by singing war songs around the town. All these were
present to the Chiefs-in-council, and duly and constitutionally installed by
them.
It
was a pity Jerry L. Spiff did not last long to enjoy his appointment, but died
unexpedtedly at Port Harcourt on the 27th of February 1933, and
inttered there. After which Mr. Ebenezer G. Spiff, the son of George Sagbenyo
was appointed and presented before the Chiesfs, and was duly and
constitutionally to succeed the late Chief Jerry L. Spiff. On the 17th
of November 1937, who is now at the head of affairs the late Chief James A.
Spiff.
CHIEF
jeremiah lancelot spiff
Jeremiah
Lancelot Spiff popolar known as Jerry Spiff was a son of late Chief Thomas Adda
Spiff and Maria Enyain Spiff, the lawful
wife. He got his elementary train training at the St.Barnabas school, Twon
Brass and his secondary school at the C.M.S grammer school Inei-town Seirra
Leone. He was an employee of the Nigerian government in the Post and Telegraph
department which post he held till he retired.
After
the death of Late James Allen Spiff in 1930, and to memorize his good works for
the improvement and advancement of the house, Jerry Spiff was appointed and
installed as a chief in his name in 1931.
Unfortunalty,
he did not last long to enjoy the high post conferred on him. He died
unexpectedly at Port Harcourt on the 27th of February, 1933and was
interred there.
CHIEF
EBENEZER G. SPIFF
Ebenezer
Spiff was the son of late George Sagbenyo of Twon and Martha Nembebo the daughter
of late chief Adda Thomas Spiff.
He
was educated at the St. banabas school, Twon Brass. He was employed as a court
clerk which post he held till he retired. After the tragic death of Chief Jerry
Spiff,he was appointed by members of the Amange-Spiff house to succeed him as
Chief in the name of the late Chief James A. Spiff. He was duly and
constitutionally instlled on the 17th of November, 1937.
GBO-BO-KIRI
HOW FOUNDED
This
Twon was founded by Late Chief Adda Spiff, when he escaped to the shipping the
assistance of Late King Ockiya his intimate friend from the violence persecuted
in 1871,when he heard that a council has been sent to murder him. He spent
sometimes in the shipiing, and wentto the
Rev. Johnson and resided in the
Mission with the few people that accompanied him from Nembe. Those of his pople that joined him
later settled at Twon.
After
some time, he acquired a piece of land from the chief of twon for settlement
with his people, where GBOBO-KIRI now stands. He cultivated cassava farm and
placed a man GBOBO by name to take care
of it.
After
the harvest, houses were built on it,
and those of his people who were at the mission yard were removed and settled
here. Although the chief itself founded it, people has been accustomed to call
it GBOBO-KIRI up till date. Gbobo was a staunch Christian, when baptized his
was named Adam Gbobo Spiff. He outlived
his master and died at a very old age.
EKPERI-KIRI:
This town was also founded by Late Chief Adda Thomas Spiff. He cultivated a
farm and placed a man there EKPERI by name to look after it, and so it is known
by the name of Ekperi-Kiri “EKPERI’S land or farm unto this day”.
