Warrant Chief Pessu's Lineage
Warrant Chief Pessu Ebiowa alias Ologhojo was an Itsekiri aristocrat of Okotomu-Irigbo, in Ode-Itsekiri. He was a wealthy merchant and the founder of Aji-Pessu (Pessu Town, Warri). Warrant Chief Pessu passed away on the 5th of August 1929.
Chief Pessu Ebiowa’s father’s name was Ebiowa. He was a son of Jaton, who was a direct male descendant of the man Itsekiri the head of Okotomu at the time the Benin Royal Party arrived there.
After the establishment of Iwere Kingdom the process of inter-marriage between the Benin Royal Party and the people of Okotomu-Irigbo took place in Ode-Itsekiri. Traditional history has it that the mother of Prince Udefi was maternally a daughter of one of the Aborigines (Umale) and paternally was the daughter of a Chief with the title Otsodi (alias Ikeri), one of the early chief’s in Iwere Kingdom.
Prince Udefi of Eghoro-Olobite Quarter in Ode-Itsekiri, had a daughter called Memese who was married to another early chief with the title Ojomo (alias Utioba) who married and lived amongst his in-law’s at Okotomu-Irigbo. Ogisi (alias Akpia) of Odion was the product of the marriage of the daughter of Prince Udefi to the Ojomo. Ello (alias Otsowode) was a daughter of Ologbotsere Eyinmisan (alias Atabrata); (Ajabogho ni tighitighi) who was one of the senior chiefs in Iwere Kingdom and it was he who founded Bobi during the reign Of Olu Erejuwa I.
Ello bore a female child for Ogisi named Ejaje who bore a daughter named Umah who was the mother of Chief Pessu Ebiowa.
Warrant Chief Pessu's Children
Chief Pessu Ebiowa had sixteen children namely, Ayomike (m), Chief Odeworitse (m), Mogboruko (m), Ajatiton (m), Eyibamiren (f), Ayubini (f), Chief Uliuyagha (m), Eyinagboluwade (Eyin) (m), Chief Oritsejemiyotan (m), Ejuaghangbakpomi (f), Todonmieye (m), Tete (f), Puye (f), Aghanmatsemuronfor (Titi) (f), Eda (m) and Aghanesirimike (John) (m).
Three of his sons were conferred with Chieftaincy titles and they were Chiefs Alfred Odeworitse, the Iyatsere of Warri from 1948-1969; Chief Isaac Oritsejemiyotan, the Ojomo of Warri from 1955-1974 and Chief Uliyagha Anthony Pessu, the Agbe- Ie-Akaba of Warri from 1966-1986. Chief Oritsejemiyotan was the father of Chief Tesigiweno Yayah Pessu, the current Ojomo of Warri. Dr Mark Erumi, the current Chaplain of Warri Kingdom is a grandson of Chief Pessu Ebiowa and also the Late Chief Anthony Ofoni, a former Ojomo of Warri was his nephew.
Warrant Chief Pessu's Relatives
Some of Chief Pessu Ebiowa’s relatives were Thompson U.E Ogbe alias Idosu-Otolu (m), Emiade (f) who was a younger sister to Chief Oteri of Usele, Chief Yalaju (m), Neburagho (m), Danna (m) the father of Green Danna, Ejeye (m) of Mosogar, Iyomere (m) of Okotomu-Irigbo, Otseri (f) the grandmother of Akoma of Ubeji, Otoruntomuaghan (m) the son of Ogisi, Eyekuonogba (m) the father of Lori-Igba (m) who was the grandfather of Chief Rita lori (f), Chief Eyube (m), Emule (f) the mother of chief Ogedegbe of Odion, Dediare (m) the father of Malori Dediare, Chief Apoh (m) Chief Pessu’s younger brother and Chief Ofoni, Chief Pessu’s elder brother (alias Oruru). Ologbotsere Eyimisan’s children, Ikaka (m) Egbeju (m) Iweroko (f) Ameren (f) Uwankun (m) who became Uwangue (alias Orieku), Utasu (m), Iya (m), Eyi-Ogodeaghan (f) Omagene (m) are Chief Pessu’s uncles and auntie’s.
Sourced from:
Chief Tesigiweno Yayah Pessu JP
The Ojomo of Warri.