Oba, Idemili, Nigeria
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| Oba | |
  Oba
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Nigeria |
| State | Anambra State |
Oba is a town in Nigeria. It was formerly the headquarters of the Idemili-South Local Government Area in Anambra State and lies approximately 8 kilometers south of Onitsha along the old Owerri-Onitsha Trunk A Road.
The present traditional ruler of Oba town is, his Majesty, Igwe Peter C Ezenwa, Eze Okpoko 1. Oba has a landmass of approximately 15km².
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[edit] Bounds
- North: Idemili River and the neighboring towns of Ukpor and Umuoji.
- South: Ekulu River and the towns of Oraifite and Akwa-Ukwu.
- East: Towns of Ojoto and Ichi.
- West: Ose River and towns of Obosi and Odekpe.
[edit] History
There is no comprehensive documentary record of the origin of Oba. There is basically one version of the origin of Oba as gathered from raconteurs and what few available records there are.
Early Igbo mythological history has it that the first settler in Oba was dropped by a large bird, called Okpoko. This man married and had nine sons namely: Urueze, Umuogali, Isu, Okuzu, Abime, Ogwugwu, Ogbenwe, Aboji, and Ezelle. These are the present nine villages of Oba. Uruaeze was the eldest and Ezelle the youngest. Prominent family names in Oba include Animalu, Ogbogu, Onwuamegbu, Ezenwa, Ebenmelu, Ikedilo, Nzelu, Ugwunze, Ochuba, Ejikeme, Ozumba, Oli, Obienu, Etoniru, Nsofor and Maduekwe.
Oba also produced the second University graduate in all of Igboland after the late Dr. Alvan Ikoku, in the person of Chief Dr. Enoch Ifediora Oli, the first Ide -Oba. Dr. Oli established Eastern Nigeria's privately owned High School, Merchants of Light School in 1946.
[edit] Landmarks
These include Grundtvig Institute set up in association with the Danish Government and Grundtvig Association Denmark. It was founded by a foremost Nigerian Educationist Dr. Kachi Ozumba. Rojenny Tourist Village is a holiday resort with a FIFA standard size football pitch which hosts some Nigeria premier league matches. Eze Okpoko's Palace which is the official residence of Igwe P. C. Ezenwa. Other tourist attraction include Ose which are tributaries of the River Niger, Idemilli River, Ekulo River and an underground water fountain at Okuzu village.
[edit] Role in the Nigerian Civil War
The Biafran Republic army settled in Oba as their last frontier following the fall of Onitsha. Oba was never in the hands of the Nigerian Army until the end of the war.
