OzikoroKing Jaja of Opobo: The Rise of an Igbo Merchant King.
Introduction King Jaja of Opobo was a powerful 19th-century West African ruler whose life and legacy continue to inspire discussions on resistance, leadership, and economic independence. Born into slavery in Umuduruoha, Amaigbo, present-day Imo State in the Igbo hinterland, Jaja was taken to Bonny, where he rose to prominence within the trading houses. He later…