George Goodhead

Template:New unreviewed article Chief George Diepiriye Goodhead originated from the house founded by Ibolu (Ibulu*), the eldest Son of King Pepple (Perekule) 1 of Bonny. The house was first known as Indian queen; and those “were two traders who ascended its chieftaincy* (pg23).

It was particularly common for house names to transform and often reflecting the signatory to treaties or her chieftain. Thus George Goodhead was earlier known as Indian queen, then Ukonu, George Goodhead and later again Ukonu which was closely associated with King Opubo of Bonny during his life time, and was an ally and supporter of the Anna Pepple group (made up of more than 10 houses: Jaja, Wariso, Kuke, George goodhead (Ukonu), Epelle, Kala Ndassa, Tom Taylor, Wogu Dappa, Strong face etc) against the Manila Pepple in Bonny* (pg123). Following a trade dispute between Bonny and Opobo, and subsequent arbitration, on the 3rd January 1873 the Chiefs of Bonny and Opobo signed a treaty which “six markets on the Imo were assigned exclusively to Bonny, and all members and houses claimed by Jaja as part of the Anna Pepple group and who were still in Bonny were to be returned to Opobo, most of them, for example Wariso and George Goodhead had already made their way to Opobo, the most important remaining ones were Kuke (Cookey), and Oko Epelle and their people. Note that “Kuke had with George Goodhead sought asylum at Juju town (Finema)” during the great tussle between the Anna Pepple and Manila Pepple groups in Bonny (pg132).

Chief George Diepiriye Goodhead was imprisoned in 1884 by Maduka (Madu). Chief Goodhead was said to be the illegitimate child of King Opubo. It is worthy of note that during the travails of Chief Goodhead, Chief Omuso (Jack) Brown of Finema rallied support for him*

References

The Trading States of The Oil Rivers, A study of political development in Eastern Nigeria by G.I. Jones King Jaja of the Niger delta, his life and times by S.J.S Cookey