THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OGOGO DEITYof AYOKORO COMMUNITY, OGBIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BAYELSA STATE

This study investigates the Ogogo snake deity of the Ayakoro people in Ogbia Local Government area of Bayelsa state. This all-important deity to the Ayakoro people has not been researched on and documented, this is the pane of this study, it is an attempted to create records on the deity. The author used the historical and phenomenological methodologies to guide the work. From our findings, the deity has served the Ayakoro people in different capacities for example it is a war god to the people, it also protects them, it serves as a tool for social control in the community and it is also a beneficent god. From what we have observed about the significance of the god, it is not out of place for the author to submit that the god had been a source of strength to the Ayakoro people and so its worship be encouraged to continue. This will assist in preserving this aspect of the cultural life of the people. The literature that the study has generated would add something new to the body of knowledge because this is a pioneer research study on Ogogo deity. Its significance cannot be over emphasized, particularly when it has to do with the rapid nature of how African cultural activities are going into extinction. As it is, the continues worship of the deity will to a large extent give life to the cultural and traditional life of the Ayakoro people.