Urhobo people
Location
Professor Peter Palmer Ekeh, Founder of Urhobo Historical Society wrote in his book: Studies in Urhobo Culture, that "Urhobo is [...] in the Atlantic forest belt that stretches from Senegal in West Africa to Angola in central Africa. Historically, this region was the most pristine in all of Africa. Until the Portuguese burst into its territories in the late fifteenth century, its forest peoples cultivated their own forms of civilization, untouched by outside influences. This forest belt of western Africa was reached neither by ancient Christian influences, which had a large foothold in North Africa, nor by Islamic forces that came as far south as Hausaland by the eleventh century. While East Africa and even Central Africa were touched by Asian and Arab influences from across the Indian Ocean, as the amalgam of Swahili bears out, no similar trans-Atlantic influences breached the forest belt until the Portuguese arrival in the late fifteenth century".
Marriage
Before marriage in Urhobo culture is said to properly contracted, prayers must be offered to the ancestors (Erivwin) and God (Oghene). The bride's father offers a prayer and blessing in the native dialect for the couple.
At this point, the bride sits on the husband's lap. The blessed drink is handed to the husband who drinks first; he then hands it to his wife to drink.The wife would drink and pass it back to her husband to finish, as a sign of respect.Then only are they declared husband and wife.
Okpako Orere
The Urhobo people are said to be "organized either by elders based on the age-grade system (gerontocracy) and or based on rich and wealthy (plutocracies)".
Based on gerontocracy, the Urhobos are governed by the eldest man in each Urhobo community locally known as the "Okpako Orere".
The Okpako Orere is the eldest surviving male in each Urhobo community, who is also considered as the indigenous political head of the community. He is called Okpako Ewo by Isoko-speaking clans, and he is also referred to as Okaroro by Urhobo-speaking clans. His position is succeeded to on the basis of gerontocracy when he dies, and the second most senior elder of the community takes his office.
