Justice and Jaja

Opobo is a village on the Imo river in Nigeria. In 1873, when opening the country to trade, the British found it expedient to make Jaja, an ex-slave and a river pirate, King of Opobo. He turned out to be a bad king. He fought traders, intimidated natives, did his own buying and selling. He was seized and banished to the West Indies in 1887. Four years later he died. In 1892 the British Government was assessed for resultant damages, agreed to pay -L-11,420 in 30 to 50 years. Last week British justice was done; Britain's House of Commons was told the time had come to put up the money. Nigerian tribal chiefs will decide who gets it.

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